Mahavidya- Goddess Tara
Tara is the first sonic vibration. After Kali captured the universe in time, Tara emerged as the second movement of creation, manifesting in the form of sound (shabda Shakti). She embodies the original vibration of creation within the cosmic evolution of manifest form.
Tara carries us across the turbulent seas of existence, guiding us toward the absolute. She is the saving grace, the guiding star, and yearns for her children to be held in her embrace. Tara is the fierce and compassionate mother, the fiery star, and the primordial vibration that birthed all forms in the universe. She is the sound of "Om," representing the cosmic affirmation. Tantric cosmology teaches us that the bound and the absolute (often referred to as God) experience a desire or will to manifest the separation necessary for duality, driven by pulsation, pleasure, and vibration. OM.
Tara is the manifested form of Om; she is both the world and the one who saves it. As the second Mahavidya, she provides the guiding light to help us navigate darkness and open to the light of truth. She transforms feelings of being stuck into experiences of freedom, revealing falsehood and leading us to the absolute truth. When Shiva consumed the poison from the milky sea to save the universes, Tara breastfed him back to health. Her fierceness is alive and vibrant, but her greatest love is for her children, and she will do anything to protect and save us.
Dripping in blood, wrapped in tiger skin, Tara carries a lotus in one hand, symbolizing enlightenment and purity, while a severed head represents the removal of ego. With her sickle or sword, she cuts through the ego, and her skull bowl holds the essence of life itself. her swallow breast and belly are suggestive to symbolise her as the mother of creation. As the cosmic Om, Tara birthed manifest form, embodying truth and guiding us to pierce through the veils that obscure our sight. Our true nature is unbounded, eternal awareness; to believe otherwise is to live in Tara’s shadow of self-deception.
In her wisdom, Tara takes shape within us, conjuring feelings of separation, desire, and jealousy. Her shadow tempts us to seek approval from the outside world, weaving the invisible threads of karma—actions and reactions that ripple through existence. Yet the remedy for her shadow lies in her light—a radiant presence that cuts through the ignorance of the ego, severing the head of illusion and revealing the truth that lies beyond.
Our true nature is unlimited, eternal awareness. To believe that we are anything less is Tara’s shadow of self-deception.
To help us recognise our absolute truth tara takes forms with in us to trick us into separation, desire and jealousy. She takes form of stories shaped by avidya (ignorance and separation) Her shadow leads us to seek approval from others, creating karma, the invisible bond that leads to a cascade of actions and reactions. The remedy for her shadow is her light. The sword cutting through ignorance of the ego and severing the head of illusion.
Tara sets you free when you are willing to look yourself dead in the eye and honour your authentic and true nature beyond the stories woven to your name. She is freedom, she is love , she is oneness.
