19" Female Buddhist Deity Tara Brass Statue | Handmade | Made In India

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Tara has several manifestations, some being multi-armed, ferocious and as engaged in annihilation; this normal two-armed image of the goddess represents her, however, in her most benign, compassionate and sublime form revealing rare aesthetic beauty. The goddess has been cast as sprawling on a podium with lotus rising and a detached foot-raise also styled as a lotus. Such mode of seating is known in the tradition as ‘utkut akasana’.

This abundance of lotuses in her iconography has other reason too. Tara, more so White Tara, Shakti of Avalokiteshvara : the lotus god in Buddhist tradition, also carries a lotus. Here in this statue her image is flanked by stylized lotus on either side. A tenderly conceived figure with timeless youth, the goddess has been conceived with divine lustre and great quiescence on her face.

Her figure has been adorned with brilliant jewels : beautiful ‘kundalas’ on her ears, variously designed neck and breast ornaments, belly-band and an elaborate crown with repeats of ‘tri-ratna’ motifs symbolic of three Buddhist cardinals : Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. Her beautifully pleated ‘antariya’ – lower wear, spread over her legs and down on the seat, and her elegantly designed sash lying on her shoulders, arms and unfurling on either side are exceptionally beautiful.

An angular face bowed a little with a broad forehead and pointed chin, hair with curling contours not fully cover by her crown and knotted coiffure in its centre, sharp straight nose aligning with elegantly moulded eyebrows, small cute lips, three-fourth closed lotus eyes, a well defined neck, broad shoulders, sensuously moulded well protruding voluptuous breasts, subdued belly and broader hips, a tall figure with tall arms, fine long fingers and tender feet, all reveal her sublime beauty and absolute womanhood.

The supreme female deity in the Buddhist line, more impressive and effective, Tara is often equated with Buddha in her compassionate nature and the power to redeem. Buddhist texts contend Tara to be the utmost powerful divinity, so much so that her ‘smile made the sun to shine’ and her frown, ‘darkness to envelop the terrestrial sphere’. As the perfection of wisdom and embodiment of the highest metaphysical principle Tara is Prajnaparmita and is considered as having priority over Buddha. She is revered as the light and the prime source of Buddhahood.

In Mahayana Buddhism Tara’s significance is far greater. She is venerated as the mother of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Similar to Brahmanical line where all deity-forms look like the forms of Devi, the primordial female power, all female deities in Buddhist line look like different forms of Tara that the Buddhist texts designate as the ‘Tara’s Bhedas’ – forms of Tara. Though more popular in Tibetan worship-cult, Tara is the universal deity of Buddhism. Texts perceive her as the most benevolent, compassionate, gentle, protective and playful deity full of youth and vigour.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.

Exploring the Mystical Beauty and Symbolism of Tara: An Insightful Journey

Tara is an important and revered deity in Tibetan Buddhism who appears as a female Bodhisattva. Buddhist monks and followers meditate on the image or deity of Tara to develop some good qualities such as compassion and kindness. Tara is known as the mother of compassion or liberation and is considered the female aspect of Avalokiteshvara (who possesses the compassion of all Buddhas). She manifests in different forms such as Green Tara and White Tara. Green Tara is associated with fearlessness and White Tara, as radiant as the moon, is associated with good health. Tara also appears in red, blue, and yellow colors.

Tara, being the ocean of compassion, descends to this material world to save fallen souls from the vicious cycle of repeated birth and death. Whoever visualizes and meditates upon the form of Tara crosses the ocean of material existence. She is often depicted as having a beautiful youthful body and sitting on a full-blown lotus resembling the form of Goddess Lakshmi.

What is Tara the goddess of?

Tara is usually associated with Tibetan Buddhism but in Chinese Buddhism, she is considered the female manifestation of Guanyin. She is given the position of the supreme mother who is full of compassion and mercy. She enlightens living beings about the nature of this material world (temporary and full of miseries) and heals their emotional and physical wounds. She encourages them to walk the path of self-realization and to uplift their consciousness in order to come of material existence.

What does the statue of Tara symbolize?

Just as a mother is very merciful towards her child; she cries when the child is in distress or pain, similarly, Tara acting as the mother of the world, is the embodiment of all compassion and mercy. She symbolizes various qualities such as peacefulness, empathy, wisdom, love, and kindness. She helps all living beings come to the real or true understanding of self. As a Buddhist practitioner concentrates on the form of Tara, he develops these qualities that help him advance in his spiritual journey.

Where should Tara statues be placed?

If you are planning to buy the statue of Goddess Tara, you can keep it on the altar of your home. This will help you to focus better on Tara"e;s form and invoke her energy. The form of Tara is beautiful to look at and therefore, you can also place the statue/deity on a clean table or a shelf in your living room to spiritualize the entire space, leaving a positive impression on the guests.