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Tara Mahavidya - Its Synchronous Alliance with Sankarshan Balabhadra

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Tara Mahavidya - Its Synchronous Alliance with Sankarshan Balabhadra Orissa Review * November - 2008 Tara Mahavidya - Its Synchronous Alliance with Sankarshan Balabhadra Padmanabha Mahapatra The ten incarnations of the Adi Sakti or the devine Kali Tara Maha-vidya Sodashi Bhubaneswari primeval force are known as Dasa Mahavidya. Bhairavi Chinnamasta ch vidya Dhumabati tatha/ Tara Mahavidya is placed second in the order. Bagala siddhavidya ch Matangi Kamalatmika The Daksa-yajna legend conceived in the Eta Dasa-Mahavidyah Siddhavidya Prakirtitah// Mahabharat is of major importance in regard to (Chamunda Tantra) the origin of Dasa-Mahavidya. According to the Kali was standing in front of Siva, Tara on versons of Matshya and Padma Puran, Sati, one His forehead, Chinnamasta in His right. of the daughters of Daksa, happened to be the Bhubaneswari in His left and Bagala in His back spouse of Lord Sadasiva. Once Siva was intentionally not invited to one Daksa-yajna side. Dhumabati, Kamala, Matangi and Shodashi arranged by his father-in-law, considering Him obstructed Siva from his agneya, nairuta, bayu as uncivilized and lower in rank to great gods, for and aishanva directions respectively. The Sakti, which he felt much insulted, being agitated He set who talked with Siva directly, was Bhairabi. Himself out on a spree to decimate the entire The worship of Kali, Tara and creation. On the other hand, in spite of vehement Bhubaneswari is prominent in Orissa, but not other denial of Siva, Sati made up Her mind to attend Mahavidyas. On the high platform Ratnavedi the yajna arranged by Her father. Consequent inside the inner sanctum of Puri Srimandir, the on final refusal of infuriate Siva, Adi Sakti, being major images seated are Balabhadra, Purusottam annoyed appeared in ten different forms, blocked Jagannath and mother Subhadra. According to the paths of Siva leading to all His ten directions. the Tantra Sastras, Srikhetra is a major Shakti After seeing such powerful Saktis around Him, Pitha. Sri Balabhadra, Sri Jagannath and Maa fearful Siva asked them who are you all? Where Subhadra are seated on Sri Tara Yantra, Kalika is my Sati? The unique reply (daiba-bani) Yantra and Bhubaneswari Yantras respectively. received from Bhairabi was - I am your Sati, the furious images found around you are my ten 'Ugratara Shulapanih Subhadra Bhubaneswari different incarnations, do not be afraid of them. Niladrau tu Jagannathh sakhyat Dakhinakalika.'// 'Dasadikhyu mahabhima yu eta dasa-murtyah, Even though Tara Mahavidya is placed sarba mameyib ma Sambho bhayamkaru second in the order of the ten forms of the Adi mahamate.' Sakti, its detailed elaboration is made initially in At this juncture Siva had no other way this article because it has the link with Sri except to permit Sati to go and see the yajna. Balabhadra within Srimandir and we pray These ten forms of Adi Sakti are popularly known Balabhadra first before Jagannath and Subhadra, as Dasa- Mahavidya. as He happens to be the elder brother. 6 Orissa Review * November - 2008 'Tarayati Anaya Sa' - 'Tara'. Tara is the yajne swayam Tara devi Neela-Saraswati'. Sakti who ferrys Her devotees across the worldly Tara was the most favourite deity of the Buddhist ocean. She protects Her devotees from Daihika Tantrics; according to them Tara saves the human (relating to body), Daivika (relating to destiny) beings from five Kleshs, such as - Abidya, and Bhautika (relating to worldly affairs), the trio- Asmita, Raga, Dwesh and Abhinivesh. miseries. She is the most benevolent mother who constantly liberates the distressed souls, The aspirants of the Tara cult get success wandering in many different Yonis or life forms in realizing all the four Purusharths, such as - passing through the cycle of birth and death. She Dharma (obligation), Artha (wealth), Kama is 'Brahma Sukti Taran Kurtri', so designated (desires) and Mokshya (salvation) without as Tara, She saves the humanity from radical hazardous special effects. Tara is always away (ugra) dangers, so named as Ugratara. According from the Maya or the Prapancha and is also to Yogini Tantra She is Girindra Tanaya Girija within it, because it is Her own creation. She - 'Ugraa byagraa Ugratara Girija provides materialistic bliss (bhoga) initially and Girimandanaa, Girindratanayaa Tara salvation (mokyha) at the later stage. Tara is Girirajo Paristhitaa.' surrounded with eight Yoginis, they are - Mahakali, Rudrani, Ugra, Bhima, Ghora, In Tantric literatures we find three Bhramari, Maharatri and Bhairabi. manifestations of Tara, such as - Eka Jata, Ugra Tara and Nila Saraswati. She is called Eka Jata The iconographic picture of Goddess Tara because She provides Kaivalya or unity with the as prescribed in the 'Nila Tantra' reads as below - Absolute. She provides relief from unforeseen 'Pratyalidha padaam ghoraam mundamala bibhushitam, severe miseries, 'Ugradd bhayadd trait debann Kharbamlambodaram bhimam byaghracharmam brutam kato / naramscha', so She is named as Ugra Tara. She Nabayauban-sampanam padmamudra bibhushitam, Chaturbhuijam lalajiwham mahabhimam barapradam/ is known as Nila Saraswati as She imparts Khadga karti samayukta sabyetarbhuja dwayam, knowledge (jnana) to Her devotees. Tara is the Kapalotpalasamyuktam sabyopani yuganitam / presiding Goddess of speech and the Sakti of Pingomchokrajatam dhayeno labekhyobhah bhusitam, Jwalachita madhyabastham ghoradrastam karalinim/ 'Hiranya Garvu Saura Brahma' or Sun- Swabeshsmara badanam strotalankar bibhusitam, incarnet, so She is the successful owner of 'Surya Biswabyapak tyoyantah swetapadma parasthitam'/ Pralaya'. She is the Tara in the highest part of She is standing in the Pratyalidha pose, the sky who appears to be small in size but She is of short stature with a protruded belly and protects the humanity out of the Bhaba-sagara. Her complexion is dark-blue. She has a terrible The Tara-Sadhak becomes well accomplished appearance with tigers skin at Her waist and in all the branches of literature. Vyasha Muni garland of human-heads at Her neck. She is the could work on and complete the eighteen prime of Her youth and is adorned with Pancha Mahapurans, only due to the grace of Goddess Mudras. She has in her four hands Khadga Tara. (sword), Indivara (lotus), Kartrika (shear) and The great sage Bashistha tops the list of Khappara (human skull). Her tongue is held out Her devotees. As per the 'Swatantra Tantra, and She wears single braid of matted hair on Her before proceeding to 'Banabasa', Sri head. Three-eyed Tara stands on the corpse lying Ramchandra met with Kulaguru Bashistha to on the burning funeral pyre and ranges Her feet, obtain his blessings, in turn Kulaguru baptized and which appears to be terrible. She is ever ready to trained him into the Tara cult - 'Moro paschima remove the darkness of ignorance and teere tu chola nakhyo hrudamahann, tatra passiveness of Her devotees. 7 Orissa Review * November - 2008 The Ganga Gajpatis of Orissa established worship. The worshipper of Balabhadra thereafter one temple of Ugra Tara at Mulajhargarh near takes up the Srikanthadi-Nyasa with the Bhusandapur Railway Station in the district of placement of Siva with Sakti. Its Pranab is Khurda. Ugra Tara was the presiding and the Omkar, the visionary of the Mantra is protecting Goddess of the fort of Mulajhargarh, Dakhinamurti Rsi, the Mantra is metered in which was just in the border of Chilika Lake. Even Gayatri Chanda, Arddhanariswar is the though in course of time this fort of Orissa has been Devata, the Bija is Hrim and the Sakti is Sam. lost to oblivion still then Goddess Ugra Tara, the The Dhyana-verses codified to meditate deity of the fort, worshipped by Brahmin priests upon the presiding deity of the Srikanthadi-nyasa under Tara Mantra and offered with cooked (Siva and Parvati in their combined form) describe vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, preserve Her the hermaphrodite form of Siva and underline the glory and popularity and still continues as the basic oneness of the male and female form of the presiding Goddess of coastal Orissa. divinity. One such Dhyana-verse of Sri Tara is synonymous with Omkar, the five Balabhadra, which has a reference with the Durga- components of Omkar are - A, U, M, Nada and Saptasati, is quoted below. Bindoo. The Mantra propitiating Tara has also Bandhuka-kanchananibham ruchirakshyamalam, five Bijas (seed words). Her companion is Pashankusau ch, baradam nijabahudandaih / Aksobhya, Sri Sadasiva. The visionary of the Bibhran-mindu-shakala-aabharanam trinetram, Mantra is Aksobhya Rsi, the Mantra is metered Ardhambikesh-manisham bapu-rashrayamah //' in Brihati Chanda, its presiding deity is Sri Tara This is a peculiar instance of the Devata, its Bija is Hum and Phat, the remaining synchronism of Sakta-Vaishnab Tatwa under the alphabates are the Kilaka, the Viniyogah is linked Jagannath cult. to the achievements of four Purusarthas i.e Artha, Dharma, Kama and Mokhya. According The easiest way to achieve the Siddhi on to another Tantric procedure, 'Hrim' is the Bija, the part of the Tara-sadhak, has been interpreted 'Hrum' is the Sakti and 'Strim' is the Kilak. The in the 'Tara Kapura Raja Stotra', (verse-20) Puja Paddhati of Sri Balabhadra, followed in which reads as below : Srimandir, Puri at present has much more 'Tamograsthe chandre yadi japati lokah stabamanum/ similarities with the Tantric Puja system under Nabamyam ba matardhranidharkanye bitanute // Tara Mahavidya. Tatha surye pruthuibalaya tilakah kabyatatinii / Payodhih siddhiinam bhabati bhabasnam sarbabiditam //' It is interesting to know that the Niladri If the Sadhak chants this Mantra
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