The concept of the 21 Taras in Tibetan Buddhism is a deeply revered and effective practice that holds immense value for practitioners. Each Tara represents a specific aspect or quality, and they are considered emanations of Tara, the mother of all Buddhas. The 21 Taras are depicted in various colors, and postures, with distinct attributes, symbolizing their unique characteristics and powers. Devotees invoke the specific Tara or Taras that align with their needs, seeking their protection, guidance, and support on their spiritual path. The practice involves chanting the mantras associated with each Tara to establish a profound connection with their compassionate energy. The 21 Taras are known for their swift response to the needs of individuals, providing remedies for fears, obstacles, and negative emotions, while also nurturing qualities like compassion, wisdom, and fearlessness. Through the practice of the 21 Taras, practitioners aspire to cultivate these enlightened qualities within themselves and transcend the limitations of ego and suffering. The symbolism associated with the 21 Taras, such as their colors, postures, and attributes, adds depth to their representation and enhances the transformative power of the practice. Overall, the course of the 21 Taras offers a profound means for practitioners to connect with the compassionate and enlightening energies of these divine beings, facilitating spiritual growth, protection, and liberation.
The Twenty-One Taras
1. NYURMA PAMOSwift Heroine Who Increases Bodhicitta and Overpowers Obstacles
NYURMA PAMO is semi-wrathful and red in color. She liberates beings from the suffering of samsara and protects them from fear. With her compassionate power, she removes obstacles and increases bodhicitta, awakened heart. Upon her utpala flower is a white conch shell that curls clockwise, symbolizing the glorious sound of relative and absolute bodhicitta pervading the entire world.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE BODHICITTA SVAHA
2. To Tara LOTER YANG CHENMA (VAJRA SARASVATI) Melodious One, the Treasure of Intelligence
LOTER YANG CHENMA is peaceful and white in color. She unlocks the treasures of music, art, wisdom, and the four types of knowledge: meaning, phenomena, definitive words, and courageous eloquence. Upon her utpala flower is a clear mirror marked with the syllable HRIM, which radiates light. Her face glows with the white light of one hundred autumn full moons.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE PRAJNA HRIM HRIM SVAHA
3. Tara SERMO SÖNAM TOBKYÉ -Golden One Who Increases the Power of Merit
SERMO SÖNAM TOBKYÉ is peaceful and golden yellow in color. Her body radiates light the color of the rising sun, empowering practitioners to enact oceans of bodhisattva activities. She bestows wealth and longevity and liberates beings through the six paramitas: generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, meditative stability, and transcendent wisdom. Upon her utpala flower is a wish fulfilling-jewel that showers down whatever one desires.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MAHA PUNYE SVAHA
4. Tara TSUGTOR NAMGYALMA (USHNISHAVIYAYA) - Victorious One of Ushnisha Who Accomplishes Immortality
TSUGTOR NAMGYALMA is peaceful and golden yellow in color. She emanates from the crown chakra of the Buddha as Prajnaparamita. She is victorious over all non-virtue and afflictive emotions. Upon her utpala flower is a vase of immortality that radiates light in the ten directions. This light transforms the radiant essence of samsara and nirvana into nectar that fills her vase.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE AYUR DATE BHRUM SVAHA
5. Tara RIGJÉ LHAMO (KURUKULLÉ) - Magnetizing Goddess of Vedic Knowledge
RIGJÉ LHAMO is semi-wrathful and red in color. The mantra TUTTARE blazes with rainbow light. Its sound magnetizes and conquers through the power arising from the union of emptiness and compassion. Upon her utpala flower is a bow and arrow poised to shoot sharp rays of light that destroy arrogant pride. She effortlessly accomplishes the four enlightened actions: pacifying, enriching, magnetizing, and subduing.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE KURU KULLE NRI DZA SVAHA
6. Tara JIGJÉ CHENMO - Great Terrifying Lady Who Completely Destroys Negativity
JIGJÉ CHENMO is wrathful and dark red in color. She is worshipped and praised by all, and her power subdues all negative forces. Upon her utpala flower is an indestructible phurba, a ritual dagger that subdues negativity, surrounded by blazing lassoes of flames and sparks. This turbulent fire and its natural sound, HUNG, splits the heads of demons and obstructing spirits who cause delusion, insanity, and memory loss, rendering them unconscious in the state of suchness, never to rise again.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA BIGHNEN BAM HUNG PHAT SVAHA
7. ZHENGYI MITUBMA - Unconquerable Fierce Lady Who Dispels Wars and Natural Disasters
ZHENGYI MITUBMA is wrathful and black, like dense storm clouds. By the ripping sound of the wrathful seed syllable TRET and the splitting sound of PHAT, she completely destroys the spells of enemies, evil deeds, hail, lightning, natural disasters, invading troops, and weapons of mass destruction. Upon her utpala flower is a sword blazing with fire. She is ablaze with masses of wisdom fire. From her compassionate furrowed brow fly meteors and sparks.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE VAJRA TAKA HANA LITSA PHAT SVAHA
8.Tara ZHEN MIGYALWA’I PAMO -Invincible Heroine Who Destroys Criticism and Harm
ZHEN MIGYALWA’I PAMO is wrathful and dark red in color. Her compassion is as swift as lightning, and she completely destroys the four demons. Upon her utpala flower is a vajra blazing with fire. Sparks radiate outward, completely burning, scattering, and destroying demons, disturbing emotions, argument-makers, lawsuits, and other troubles.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE DAHA PATSA HUNG PHAT SVAHA
9. Tara SENGDENG NAG - Noble Lady Tara of the Teak Forest Who Protects from All Fears
SENGDENG NAG is peaceful and blue green like an emerald. She protects beings from the eight great fears, each of which have an outer and inner aspect: water/attachment, thieves/false views, lions/pride, snakes/jealousy, fire/anger, spirits/doubt, imprisonment/greed, and elephants/ignorance. Upon her utpala flower is a universal wheel blazing with turbulent light that tames beings by means appropriate to their needs.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE DANA TRAYA SVAHA
10. Tara JIGTEN SUMLÉ GYALMA - Victorious Over the Three Worlds, She Who Overpowers the Universe
JIGTEN SUMLÉ GYALMA is peaceful and red in color. Rainbow light emanates from her body and the victory banner upon her utpala flower, overpowering all the gods of the desire realm. She brings supreme joy to all beings. The mantra of her speech, endowed with the eight modes of laughter − HA HAA, HI HII, HE HAI, HO HAU − empowers all beings, setting them on the path of liberation.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE LOKA PASHAM KURU SVAHA
11. Tara NORTERMA - Bestowing Wealth and Removing Poverty
NORTERMA is semi-wrathful and golden red in color. Her shower of blessings fills the entire world, completely liberating sentient beings from the suffering of poverty. Upon her utpala flower is a treasure vase that grants all wishes. The light of the syllable HUNG radiates from her body, speech, and mind, showering down all the wealth and glory of gods, nagas, and humans.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MAMA BASU PUSHTIM KURU SVAHA
12. Tara TASHI DÖNJÉ MA - Accomplishing Auspiciousness, Bringing Timely Seasons, Prosperity, and Harmony to the Land
TASHI DÖNJÉ MA is peaceful and gold in color. A rain of nectar and auspicious symbols descends from her body, benefitting all beings, plants, and harvests, establishing the entire world in perfect balance and prosperity. Upon her utpala flower is an auspicious infinity knot. Atop her crown are Buddha Amitabha and a crescent moon. Light radiates from her body, the infinity knot, the crescent moon, and Buddha Amitabha.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MANGALAM SHRI MAHA PANI SVAHA
13. Tara YULLAY GYALJÉ - Victorious Over War and Other Obstacles With and Without Form
YULLAY GYALJÉ is semi-wrathful, has three eyes, and is red in color. She brings infinite joy to all beings and protects them from war and obstacles. Upon her utpala flower stands a vajra with open prongs. Light and sparkling vajras radiate from the open vajra, annihilating the hosts of enemies and harm-doers, completely surrounding everything with an indestructible vajra tent.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE VAJRA DZAWALA PHAT PHAT RAKSHA RAKSHA SVAHA
14. Tara TRONYER CHENMA - Frowning Lady, Destroying Evil of the Nine Kinds of Harm-Doers, Eight Classes of Spirits, and Obstructing Forces
TRONYER CHENMA is wrathful, frowning, and black like dense rain clouds. With the roaring sound of HUNG she radiates light and flaming vajras that split the heads of negative forces and demons causing them to fall unconscious in the state of dharmata (suchness). Upon her utpala flower is a pestle. Her hands and feet strike the earth, stamping out ignorance and causing the ground to tremble.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE HUNG HUNG HAM SHAM TRIG NAN PHAT SVAHA
15. Tara RABZHIMA - Perfectly Calm One, Pacifying Evil Deeds and Obscurations
RABZHIMA is peaceful, white like the full moon, and smiling. Upon her utpala flower is an anointing vase filled with nectar. Countless purifying goddesses holding anointing vases emanate from her heart. The light that radiates from her, and the bath bestowed by the emanated goddesses, wash away all evil deeds and obscurations that cause rebirth in the lower realms.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA PAPAM GATE GATE SVAHA
16. Tara RIG NGAG TOBZHOM - Destroyer of the Power of Evil Spells Cast by Enemies and Sorcerers
RIG NGAG TOBZHOM is peaceful and red in color. The light of her wisdom, compassion, and power completely destroys enemies, evil spells, and Mara, lord of negative forces. She grants the power of true speech to those who pray to her. Upon her utpala flower is a crossed vajra that completely destroys the power of curses, evil, and all negativity.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE TRAM DU TRINA TRAM DU PHAT SVAHA
17. Tara PAGMÉ NÖNMA - Boundless Subduer Who Binds Enemies, Robbers, Thieves, and Hunters
PAGMÉ NÖNMA is peaceful and golden red in color like clouds at sunrise. With her magical power, she subjugates bandits, robbers, thieves, hunters, and all enemies, establishing sentient beings in bliss. Upon her utpala flower is a stupa. From the HUNG in her heart, rays of light in the form of countless HUNG syllables radiate out. Peaceful and quick to tame sentient beings, she stamps her two feet on the earth.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE HUNG HUNG BAM HO SVAHA
18. Tara MAJA CHENMO - Great Peacock, Protecting from and Pacifying All Kinds of Poison
MAJA CHENMO is peaceful and white in color. She protects from poison. Upon her utpala flower is a full moon marked with a rabbit. From this, rays of nectar light radiate, spreading in all directions and completely removing all poisons from the environment and sentient beings. The moon symbolizes self-arisen wisdom that is free from increasing and decreasing, transition or change.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SARVA VISHA TARA PHAT SVAHA
19. Tara DUGKARMO - Invincible Queen of the White Umbrella Who Dispels Conflicts and Bad Dreams
DUGKARMO is peaceful and white in color. Meditating upon her and reciting her mantra brings joy and bliss, causing the practitioner’s body, speech, and mind to blaze with power and splendor. Upon her utpala flower is a white umbrella. Fire, weapons, and vajra sparks emanate from her body, completely uprooting hostility toward the dharma, worldly disputes, curses, misuse of mantric power, and negative signs in dreams.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE HUNG HUNG PHAT PHAT RAKSHA RAKSHA MAM SVAHA
20. Tara RITRÖ LOMA GYÖNMA - Noble Lady of Mountain Retreat, Clothed in Leaves, Who Removes Contagious Diseases
RITRÖ LOMA GYÖNMA is peaceful and yellow red like saffron. Devotedly reciting her mantra dispels all deadly epidemics. Upon her utpala flower is a round vessel filled with nectar. Her eyes are like the sun and the full moon. From the sun of her right eye shines radiant light, destroying all disease-bearing beings. From the moon of her left eye, a rich stream of nectar descends healing all forms of disease, including their causes and consequences.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE NAMA TARE MANO HARA HUNG HARA SVAHA
21. Tara LHAMO ÖZER CHENMA - Goddess Endowed With Light Who Replenishes the Longevity and Life Force of the Sick
LHAMO ÖZER CHENMA is peaceful and white in color. She radiates light, instantly summoning all evil spirits who steal the vitality and longevity of the sick. Upon her utpala flower is a golden fish. Light radiates from the three syllables OM AH HUNG of her body, speech, and mind, completely pacifying all obstacles: outer forces, inner imbalance of the elements, and secret obstacles of dualistic grasping at afflictive emotions.OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MARITSE YE TSE BHRUM NRI DZA SVAHA
