Praises to the Twenty-One Taras

'The Praise to Tara with Twenty-One Verses of Homage, and the Excellent Benefits of Reciting the Praise (Skt. Namastāraikaviṃśatistotraguṇahitasahita; Tib. Sgrol ma la phyag 'tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa phan yon dang bcas pa; D 438) often abbreviated to Praises to the Twenty-One Taras - a tantra in twenty-seven verses, dedicated to a single goddess—Tara—who appears in twenty-one forms that vary from peaceful to wrathful in aspect.

The first twenty-one verses of the Praise conjure Tara by interchangeably drawing upon the three epithets that also form the core of her root mantra (oṃ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā). These three are Tara (Deliverer), Tuttara (Saviour) and Tura (Swift One). The twenty-one verses are a homage to Tara, and a poetic description of her physical features, postures, qualities, abilities, mantras and hand gestures. The remaining six verses describe how and when the Praise should be recited, and the benefits of its recitation. For Tibetan Buddhists the world over, this probably counts as the most popular of all prayers to Tara, and it is chanted by monastics and lay practitioners on a daily basis.

While the Praise itself does not name or identify specific forms of Tara, the iconographic traditions all identify one particular form of Tara with each of the first twenty-one verses. Each form is then associated with one enlightened activity and, based on this activity, each Tara is given a specific name. However, the traditions differ in their identification of which verse describes which form and activity of Tara.

Tibetan scholars of all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism have written commentaries on the Praise, some of which may be traced back to oral lineages from India. Many of them are word-by-word commentaries.

When Tibetans recite the Praise, it has become the custom to take a shortcut and recite just the first twenty-one verses of homage. Tibetans also tend to include the translator’s homage in their recitation, as composed by the Tibetan translator(s) or subsequent editor(s), together with an additional mantra syllable oṃ.

Further Reading

• The Smile of the Sun and Moon by Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche. Published by Sky Dancer Press. ISBN 1-880975-07-6
• Skillful Grace: Tara Practice for Our Time by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Trulshik Adeu Rinpoche. Published by Rangjung Yeshe Publications. ISBN 962-7341-61-1
• Tara’s Enlightened Activity by Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche & Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche. Published by Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1-55939-287-8

Internal Links

• Twenty-One Taras

External Links

• Five systems of Twenty-one Taras from Himalayan Art
• Translation of the Praises to the Twenty-one Taras by Alexander Berzin
• Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche chanting the Prayer to the Twenty-One Taras, remixed by Gary Azukx Dyson