Tara - The Saving Knowledge

Tara is an important Hindu and Buddhist Goddess. In Tibetan Buddhism, the Bodhisattva Tara is the consort of the deity Avalokiteshvara, the Lord who looks with compassion on all living beings. In China she is known as Kwan Yin. Tara is the shakti (power) of divine sound. The name Tara means the saviour. She is the knowledge that saves us at difficult points in our lives. The concept of a saving Goddess is a very ancient one and a common theme is many spiritual traditions. Tara also means a bright and shining star. Tara is the power that uplifts us to higher levels of spiritual understanding, giving us the strength to transcend our troubling thoughts. It is also said that Tara is the form of the Goddess as Aum - the original mantra from which all of creation arose. She has an etheric appearance. Through the grace of Goddess Tara we can understand the deep meaning of mantras. She gives the gift of poetry and the ability to speak and communicate well. But all, Tara is the radiant knowledge of perfect, true knowledge.

Her fierce appearance with sword, scissors and severed head relate to her capacity to reduce our attachments to the world and to cut down the troublesome ego whilst the lotus flower is her open and compassionate heart. We should not be frightened by the symbol of the severed head. It represents the great stage of human evolution - self-realization or enlightenment.

There is a hymn called the Tarashtakam which describes Mother Tara as follows:
"Oh Mother, you are Saraswati only dark blue in colour
If we surrender to you then you will grant us all that is auspicious
You have a smiling lotus face and you are the heart of Shiva
You created all, you carry a severed had, a lotus and a sword
I take refuge in you, the Supreme Mother of the worlds"