The practice of Tara is said to have many different extraordinary powers of blessing, and is particularly effective in a wide variety of situations. For example, it is said that at the end of an aeon or cycle of time, when hardships and calamities may increase, the mantra and puja rituals of Tara are very essential. Anyone can recite the prayers of Tara and it brings great benefit.
As we recounted earlier, in a prior era at the beginning of our aeon, the Buddha Mahavairochana was the Guru, the spiritual guide, of Tara. Buddha Vairochana blessed Tara and prophesied to her that at the end of the aeon, in those lands and worlds where pujas, prayers, and rituals of Tara are recited, as a result of these prayers, the many diseases, troubles, and disturbances caused by evil spirits and by human beings would be pacified and resolved. I feel that the practice of Tara is the most important and essential of all practices in such times.
Other goddesses also very helpful in this regard is Marichi, or Ozer Jemma, and the well-known goddess of spiritual healing, Parna Shawari. Their prayers and mantras bring the same power and benefits as those of Tara. They are basically the same goddess, Prajnaparamita, in different manifestations.
Of Tara, is said that not only diseases and disturbances caused by evil spirits, but also fighting, wars, conflicts and arguments may also be pacified and resolved by the power of her practice. All such obstacles and related difficulties can be removed through the blessing of the prayers and mantras of these goddesses.
Ozer Jemma and Parna Shawari as well as Yudon Drolma, are particularly effective forms of the goddess to practice in order to protect against and heal all kinds of diseases. They are especially important to protect against thieves and criminals, and to heal the suffering caused by strife and conflict.
It is said that these puja prayer rituals and mantra recitations are particularly important when we come to the end of an age or cycle of time. For such times, the practice of Guru Rinpoche is widely recommended, but Tara, Ozer Jemma, and Parna Shawari are also extremely important.
In times of the threat of wars, epidemics, strife, and so on, it is very important that the mantras of these three goddesses be put on prayer flags and hung in the air, as much as people are able to do this. People from all walks of life should do this and say these mantras as much as possible. Along with the prayers of Guru Rinpoche, these practices are the most effective in such times and situations as we are speaking of. This has been stated in many scriptures.
One who offers praise to Tara is truly intelligent. Whether early in the morning or late at night, if one offers the praise to the twenty-one Taras, such as offering two, three, and then seven repetitions of the prayer, totaling twelve recitations of the praise to the twenty-one Taras, all wishes can be fulfilled. This is how it is in the Four Mandalas' Ritual of Holy Tara "The Illuminating Lamp". In this puja one repeats the praise twice, then three times, then seven times.
When it is said that all one's wishes will be fulfilled, it means that if you need a child, you'll get one. If you have financial needs, these will be met. Whatever wishes you have, all of them can be fulfilled through praise to Tara. Actually, one doesn't need more than this practice; it accomplishes everything!
You only need to try it out, to test it, in order to allay your obstacles. All of your obstacles and difficulties, however many there are, can all be removed and relieved through offering praise to Tara. Through praying to Tara, all potential obstacles are powerless to cause you harm; they are naturally pacified. Nothing can get to you or harm you in any way; you become impenetrable, unassailable.
There is no doubt that Tara is very swift in allaying obstacles. It is an especially close and rapid method for female practitioners. Tara and the female Buddha Vajrayogini are of the same essence; Vajrayogini is also a rapid method of gaining accomplishment. All the activities of the Buddhas are embodied in Tara, contained in her, complete in her.
You have now been empowered to meditate on yourself in the form of Green Tara. Your speech can be transformed into mantra, your thoughts into wisdom. You are no longer an ordinary being; your body, speech, and mind have been completely elevated into the exalted state of Tara herself, into the form, mantra, and wisdom of Tara.
The words of the praise to the twenty-one Taras are not the intellectual composition of scholars. They are spoken directly by Buddha Mahavairochana and Buddha Shakyamuni themselves. Please recite the praise to Tara as much as you are able to in the course of your everyday life. If you are unable at any time to recite the praise, try to recite the mantra of Tara, OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA.
OM JE TSUN MA PHA MA DREUL MA LA CHAK TSHAL LO
Om, Homage to Holy, Noble Tara.
CHAK TSHAL DREUL MA NYUR MA PAH MO /CHEN NI KEH CHIK LOK DANG DRA MA
Homage, Tara quick and brave, with eyes that flash like lightening, born from
JIK TEN SUM GEUN CHU CHE SHAL JI /GE SAR CHE WA LEH NI JUNG MA
the open corolla of the lotus face of the protector of the three worlds.
CHAK TSHAL TEUN KAY DA WA KUN TU /GONG WA JA NI TSEK PAY SHAL MA
Homage, Lady whose face is filled with a hundred autumn full moons.
KAR MA TONG THRAK TSHOK PA NAM CHI RAP TU CHE WAY EU RAP BAR MA
blazing with the free light from a thousand stars.
CHAK TSHAL SER NGO CHU NEH CHE CHI /PE MEH CHAK NI NAM PAR JEN MA
Homage, Lady whose hand is adorned with a golden-blue, water-born lotus whose realm of practice
JIN PA TSEUN DRU KAH THUP SHI WA /ZEU PA SAM TEN CHEU YUL NYI MA
is generosity, effort, austerity, peace, patience, and mediation.
CHAK TSHAL DE SHIN SHEK PAY TSUK TOR /THAN YEH NAM PAR JAL WAR CHEU MA
Homage, Lady with the Tathagata crown, enjoying infinite victory, attained to
MA LU PHA REUL CHIN PA THOP PAY /JAL WAY SHE CHI SHIN TU TEN MA
all perfections, served by the sons of Buddha.
CHAK TSHAL TU TAN RA HUM YI GE /DEU DANG CHOK DANG NAM KHAH GANG MA
Homage, Lady filling the desire realm, the directions and space with TUTTARE
JIK TEN DUN PO SHAP CHI NEN TE /LU PA ME PAR GUK PAR NU MA
and HUM, trampling the seven worlds with her feet, able to summon all.
CHAK TSHAL JA JIN ME LHA TSHONG PA /LUNG LHA NA TSHO ONG CHUK CHEU MA
Homage, Lady worshipped by Indra, Agni, Brahma, Pavana and Visheveshavara
JUNG PO RO LONG DRI ZA NAM DANG /NEU JIN TSHOK CHI DUN NEH TEU MA
Praised by hosts of spirits, ghosts, gandharva and yakshas.
CHAK TSHAL TREH CHE JA DANG PHET CHI /PAH REUL THRUL KHOR RAP TU JOM MA
Homage, lady who destroys other’s magic devices with TRAD and PHAT, trampling
YEH KUM YEUN CHANG SHAP CHI NEN TE /ME BAR THRUK PA SHIN TU BAR MA
with left foot up and right extended, blazing with a mass of blazing fire.
CHAK TSHAL TU RE JIK PA CHEN PO /DU CHI PAH WO NAM PAR JOM MA
Homage, Lady who destroys the heroes of Mara with fearful TURE, with the
CHU CHE SHAL NI THRO NYER DEN DZEH /DRA WO THAM CHEN MA LU SEU MA
angry lotus face, slayer of all enemies.
CHAK TSHAL KEUN CHOK SUM TSHEUN CHAK JAY /SOY MEU THUK KAR NAM PAR JEN MA
Homage, Lady adorned with fingers over the heart in the mudra indicating the
MA LU CHOK CHI KHOR LEU JEN PAY /RANG GI EU CHI TSHOK NOM THRUK MA
Three jewels, adorned with the universal wheel, swirling with masses of its light.
CHAK TSHAL RAP TU GAH WA JI PAY /UR JEN EU CHI THRENG WA PEL MA
Homage, Lady diffusing garlands of light from her joyous, shining crown,
SHE PA RAP SHE TU TAH RA YI /DU DANG JIK TEN ONG DU DZEH MA
subjugating the world with laughing, mocking TUTTARE
CHAK TSHAL SA SHI CHANG WAY TSHO NAM /THAM CHEH GUK PAR NU MA NYI MA
Homage, Lady able to summon all the hosts of the earth’s protectors, saving
THRO NYER YO WAY YI GE HUM GI /PHONG PA THAM CHEN NAM PAR DOL MA
from all poverty by the movement of her angry brows and the letter HUM.
CHAK TSHAL DA WAY DUM BU U JEN /JEN PA THAM CHEN SHIN TU BAR MA
Homage, Lady blazing with all jewels, head ornament a crescent moon
RAL PAY THREU NA EU PAW ME LEH /TAK PAR SHIN TU EU RAP DZEH MA
continuously blazing with light from Amitabha on her mass of piled hair.
CHAK TSHAL KAL PAY THA MAY ME TAR /BAR WAY THRENG WAY U NA NEH MA
Homage, Lady located in the centre of a blazing garland like the fire of
YEH CHANG YEUN KUM KUN NEH KOR GAY /DRA YI PUNG NI NAM PAR JOM MA
end of aeon, in a joyous posture, right leg extended, left up, conquering the army of the enemy
CHAK TSHAL SA SHI NGEU LA CHAK GI /THIL JI NUN CHING SHAP CHI DUNG MA
Homage, Lady touching the earth with her palm, pounding it with her feet,
THRO NYER CHEN DZEH YI GE HUM GI /RIM PA DUN PO NAM NE GEM MA
frowning angrily, the letter HUM subduing the seven stages.
CHAK TSHAL DE MA GE MA SHI MA /NYA NGEN DEH SHI CHEU YUL NYI MA
Homage, Lady blissful, virtuous, peaceful, whose realm of practice is peaceful
SWAH HAH OM DANG YANG DAK DEN PEH /DIK PA CHEN PO JOM PA NYI MA
Nirvana, with Svahah and Om conquering great negative actions
CHAK TSHAL KUN NEH KOR RAP GAH WEH /DRA YI LU NI RAP TU GEM MA
Homage, Lady conquering the bodies of enemies, saviouress arisen
YI GE CHU PAY NGAW NI KEU PAY /RIK PA HUM LEH DREUL MA NYI MA
from HUM in the mantra composed of ten letters
CHAK TSHAL TU REI SHAP NE DAP PEH /HUM GI NAM PAY SA BEUN NYI MA
Homage, Lady the seed of the form of HUM, striking with feet of TURE
RI RAP MEN DA RA DANG BIK JE /JIK TEN SUM NAM YO WA NYI MA
shaking Mount Meru, Mandara, Kailasha and the three worlds
CHAK TSHAL LHA YI TSHO YI NAM PAY /RI DAK TAK CHEN CHAK NA NAM MA
Homage, Lady holding the “deer marked” in the form of a sea of gods, with
TA RA NYI JEU PHET CHI YI GE /DUK NAM MA LU PAR NI SEL MA
twice spoke TARA and the letter PHAT cleansing all poisons.
CHAK TSHAL LHA YI TSHOK NAM JAL PO /LHA DANG MI AM CHI YI TEN MA
Homage, Lady served by the king of the hosts of gods, by gods and spirits with
KUN NEH GO CHA GAH WAY JI CHI /TSEU DANG MI LAM NGEN PA SEL MA
the brilliance of her joyous total armour dispelling disputes and bad dreams.
CHAK TSHAL NYI MA DA WA JEH PAY /CHEN NYI PO LA EU RAP SAL MA
Homage, Lady shining with the light of two eyes, the sun and full moon, with
HA RA NYI JEU TU TAH RA YI /SHIN TU DRAK POI RIM NEH SEL MA
twice spoken HARA, and TUTTARE, curing terrible fevers and illness.
CHAK TSHAL DE NYI SUN NAM KEU PEH /SHI WAY THU DANG YANG DAK DEN MA
Homage, Lady truly possessing the strength of peace by the array of the three
DEUN DANG RO LONG NEU JIN TSHOK NAM /JOM PA TU RE RAP CHOK NYI MA
essences, conquering the hosts of demons, ghosts and yakshas, supreme lady TURE
TSA WAY NGAK CHI TEU PA DI DANG /CHAK TSHAL WA NI NYI SHU TSA CHIK
This is the praise of the root mantra, and the Twenty-one Homages.
BENEFIT VERSES
LHA MO LA GU YANG DAG DEN PEH LO DEN GANG GI RAB DANG JEU DE
Recited by an intelligent man, with true devotion to the goddess, arising at
SEU DANG THO RANG LANG PAR JEH NE /DREN PEH MI JIK THAM CHEH RAP TER
Evening or dawn and remembering them, they grant all fearlessness, pacify
DIK PA THAM CHEN RAP TU SHI JEY /NGEN DRO THAM CHEH JOM PA NYI DO
all negative actions and conquer all evil states of existence.
JAL WA JE WA THRAK DUN NAM CHI /NYUR DU WANG NI KUR WAR JUR LA
Quickly being initiated by the 70,000,000, thereby achieving greatness, he
DI LEH CHE WA NYI NI THOP CHING /SANG JEH GO PHONG THAR TUK DER DRO
Will pass to the ultimate state of Buddhahood.
DE YI DUK NI DRAK PO CHEN PO /TEN NEH PA AM SHEN YANG DRO WA
Even if he has eaten or drunk terrible poison, either inanimate or animate,
ZEU PA DANG NI THUNG PA NYI CHANG /DREN PEH RAP TU SEL WA NYI THOP
By remembering them, he will obtain purification. All the sufferings of
DEUN DANG RIM DANG DUK GI ZIR WAY /DUG NGAL TSOK NI NAM PAR PONG TE
demons, fevers and poisons are gone, even for other beings.
SEM CHEN SHEN PA NAM LA YANG NGO /NYI SUM DUN DU NGEUN PAR JEU NA
If they are clearly recited two, three and seven times,
BU DEU PEH NI BU THOP JUR SHING /NOR DEU PEH NI NOR NAM NYI TOP
If he wishes a son, he will obtain a son; if he wishes wealth, he will obtain
DEU PA THAM CHEH THOP PAR JUR LA /GEK NAM ME CHING SO SOR JOM JUR CHIK
wealth; all wishes will be obtained, without hindrance, all will be conquered!
*Tara Root Mantra: OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SWAHAH
DEDICATION
GYAL YUM DROLMA KHYE KU CHU DRA DANG
Oh Drolma, Mother of all the Buddhas,
KHOR DANG KU TSAY TSAY DANG SHING KHAM DANG
All forms are yours, all containers, contained, and all realms are yours! May their duration and long life endure!
KYE KYI TSEN CHOK ZANG PO CHI DRA WA /DE DRA KHO NAR DAK SO GUR WAR SHOK
And in the excellence of all your goodness and sacred marks, May we become identical with you in every way!
KYE LA TUE CHING SOL WA TAP PAY THU /DAG SOG GANG DU NAY PAY SA CHOG SU
By the power of this prayer and hymn of praise, may I and all others, wherever they may be, in every direction of the earth
NAY DANG DOL PONG THAB TSO SHI WA DANG /CHO DANG TRA SHI PEL WAR DZAY DU SOL
Have all our poverty, illness, obsessions and conflicts pacified! And may the holy Dharma and good fortune increase without end!
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SWAHA!