Orissa Review September - 2009 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 versons of Matshya and Padma Puran, Sati, one on 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 side. Dhumabati, Kamala, Matangi and Shodashi intentionally not invited to one Daksa-yajna obstructed Siva from his agneya, nairuta, bayu arranged by his father-in-law, considering Him as and aishanva directions respectively. The Sakti, uncivilized and lower in rank to great gods, for who talked with Siva directly, was Bhairabi. The which he felt much insulted, being agitated He set worship of Kali, Tara and Bhubaneswari is Himself out on a spree to decimate the entire prominent in Orissa, but not other Mahavidyas. creation. On the other hand, in spite of vehement denial of Siva, Sati made up Her mind to attend On the high platform Ratnavedi inside the inner the yajna arranged by Her father. Consequent sanctum of Puri Srimandir, the major images on final refusal of infuriate Siva, Adi Sakti, being seated are Balabhadra, Purusottam Jagannath and annoyed appeared in ten different forms, blocked mother Subhadra. According to the Tantra the paths of Siva leading to all His ten directions. Sastras, Srikhetra is a major Shakti Pitha. Sri After seeing such powerful Saktis around Him, Balabhadra, Sri Jagannath and Maa Subhadra are fearful Siva asked them who are you all? Where seated on Sri Tara Yantra, Kalika Yantra and is my Sati? The unique reply (daiba-bani) Bhubaneswari Yantras respectively. received from Bhairabi was - I am your Sati, the µUgratara Shulapanih Subhadra Bhubaneswari furious images found around you are my ten Niladrau tu Jagannathh sakhyat Dakhinakalika.¶// different incarnations, do not be afraid of them. Even though Tara Mahavidya is placed µDasadikhyu mahabhima yu eta dasa- second in the order of the ten forms of the Adi murtyah, sarba mameyib ma Sambho Sakti, its detailed elaboration is made initially in bhayamkaru mahamate.¶ At this juncture Siva this article because it has the link with Sri had no other way except to permit Sati to go and Balabhadra within Srimandir and we pray see the yajna. These ten forms of Adi Sakti are Balabhadra first before Jagannath and Subhadra, popularly known as Dasa- Mahavidya. as He happens to be the elder brother. µTarayati 151 Orissa Review September - 2009 Anaya Sa¶ - µTara¶. Tara is the Sakti who ferrys yajne swayam Tara devi Neela-Saraswati¶. Her devotees across the worldly ocean. She Tara was the most favourite deity of the Buddhist protects Her devotees from Daihika (relating to Tantrics; according to them Tara saves the human body), Daivika (relating to destiny) and beings from five Kleshs, such as - Abidya, Bhautika (relating to worldly affairs), the trio- Asmita, Raga, Dwesh and Abhinivesh. The miseries. She is the most benevolent mother who aspirants of the Tara cult get success in realizing constantly liberates the distressed souls, all the four Purusharths, such as - Dharma wandering in many different Yonis or life forms (obligation), Artha (wealth), Kama (desires) and passing through the cycle of birth and death. She Mokshya (salvation) without hazardous special is µBrahma Sukti Taran Kurtri¶, so designated effects. Tara is always away from the Maya or as Tara, She saves the humanity from radical the Prapancha and is also within it, because it is (ugra) dangers, so named as Ugratara. According Her own creation. She provides materialistic bliss to Yogini Tantra She is Girindra Tanaya Girija (bhoga) initially and salvation (mokyha) at the - µUgraa byagraa Ugratara Girija later stage. Tara is surrounded with eight Yoginis, Girimandanaa, Girindratanayaa Tara they are - Mahakali, Rudrani, Ugra, Bhima, Girirajo Paristhitaa¶ Ghora, Bhramari, Maharatri and Bhairabi. In Tantric literatures we find three The iconographic picture of Goddess Tara as manifestations of Tara, such as - Eka Jata, Ugra prescribed in the µNila Tantra¶ reads as below - Tara and Nila Saraswati. She is called Eka Jata µPratyalidha padaam ghoraam mundamala bibhushitam, because She provides Kaivalya or unity with the Kharbamlambodaram bhimam byaghracharmam brutam Absolute. She provides relief from unforeseen kato / Nabayauban-sampanam padmamudra bibhushitam, severe miseries, µUgradd bhayadd trait debann Chaturbhuijam lalajiwham mahabhimam barapradam/ naramscha¶, so She is named as Ugra Tara. She Khadga karti samayukta sabyetarbhuja dwayam, Kapalotpalasamyuktam sabyopani yuganitam / is known as Nila Saraswati as She imparts Pingomchokrajatam dhayeno labekhyobhah bhusitam, knowledge (jnana) to Her devotees. Tara is the Jwalachita madhyabastham ghoradrastam karalinim/ Swabeshsmara badanam strotalankar bibhusitam, presiding Goddess of speech and the Sakti of Biswabyapak tyoyantah swetapadma parasthitam¶/ µHiranya Garvu Saura Brahma¶ or Sun- incarnet, so She is the successful owner of µSurya She is standing in the Pratyalidha pose, Pralaya¶. She is the Tara in the highest part of She is of short stature with a protruded belly and the sky who appears to be small in size but Her complexion is dark-blue. She has a terrible protects the humanity out of the Bhaba-sagara. appearance with tigers skin at Her waist and The Tara-Sadhak becomes well accomplished garland of human-heads at Her neck. She is the in all the branches of literature. Vyasha Muni could prime of Her youth and is adorned with Pancha work on and complete the eighteen Mahapurans, Mudras. She has in her four hands Khadga only due to the grace of Goddess Tara. (sword), Indivara (lotus), Kartrika (shear) and Khappara (human skull). Her tongue is held out The great sage Bashistha tops the list of and She wears single braid of matted hair on Her Her devotees. As per the µSwatantra Tantra, before proceeding to µBanabasa¶, 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 - µMoro paschima remove the darkness of ignorance and passiveness of Her devotees. teere tu chola nakhyo hrudamahann, tatra 152 Orissa Review September - 2009 The Ganga Gajpatis of Orissa established thereafter vary according to the deity due for one temple of Ugra Tara at Mulajhargarh near worship. The worshipper of Balabhadra thereafter Bhusandapur Railway Station in the district of takes up the Srikanthadi-Nyasa with the Khurda. Ugra Tara was the presiding and the placement of Siva with Sakti. Its Pranab is protecting Goddess of the fort of Mulajhargarh, Omkar, the visionary of the Mantra is which was just in the border of Chilika Lake. Even Dakhinamurti Rsi, the Mantra is metered in though in course of time this fort of Orissa has Gayatri Chanda, Arddhanariswar is the been lost to oblivion still then Goddess Ugra Tara, Devata, the Bija is Hrim and the Sakti is Sam. the deity of the fort, worshipped by Brahmin The Dhyana-verses codified to meditate upon the priests under Tara Mantra and offered with cooked vegetarian and non-vegetarian items, presiding deity of the Srikanthadi-nyasa (Siva and preserve Her glory and popularity and still Parvati in their combined form) describe the continues as the presiding Goddess of coastal hermaphrodite form of Siva and underline the basic Orissa. Tara is synonymous with Omkar, the five oneness of the male and female form of the divinity. components of Omkar are - A, U, M, Nada and One such Dhyana-verse of Sri Balabhadra, which Bindoo. The Mantra propitiating Tara has also has a reference with the Durga-Saptasati, is five Bijas (seed words). Her companion is quoted below. Aksobhya, Sri Sadasiva. The visionary of the Bandhuka-kanchananibham ruchirakshyamalam, Mantra is Aksobhya Rsi, the Mantra is metered Pashankusau ch, baradam nijabahudandaih / in Brihati Chanda, its presiding deity is Sri Tara Bibhran-mindu-shakala-aabharanam trinetram, Devata, its Bija is Hum and Phat, the remaining Ardhambikesh-manisham bapu-rashrayamah //¶ alphabates are the Kilaka, the Viniyogah is linked This is a peculiar instance of the to the achievements of four Purusarthas i.e synchronism of Sakta-Vaishnab Tatwa under the Artha, Dharma, Kama and Mokhya. According Jagannath cult. The easiest way to achieve the to another Tantric procedure, µHrim¶ is the Bija, Siddhi on the part of the Tara-sadhak, has been µHrum¶ is the Sakti and µStrim¶ is the Kilak. The interpreted in the µTara Kapura Raja Stotra¶, Puja Paddhati of Sri Balabhadra, followed in (verse-20) which reads as below : Srimandir, Puri at present has much more µTamograsthe 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 Mahodaya¶, a treatise on the rituals of Jagannath, If the Sadhak chants this Mantra on the equates Balabhadra Sankarshan with Tara, date of lunar or solar eclipses, he becomes Subhadra with Bhubaneswari and Jagannath as capable of mastering all the Siddhis or the Dakhina Kalika - all three tantric Goddesses supernatural powers. Whoever completely under Dasa Mahavidya - Tara sakhyat surrenders before Her with humble motive, She Shulapani Subhadra Bhubaneswari / Niladrau takes care of by sheltering him under Her supreme Jagannathstu swayamm Dakhinakalika.// The grace and mitigates all his sorrows and sufferings.