སྒྲོལ་མ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ཉི་ཤུ་རྩ་གཅིག་གིས་བསྟོད་པ།

Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage

Namastāraikaviṃśatistotra

སྒྲོལ་མ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ཉི་ཤུ་རྩ་གཅིག་གིས་བསྟོད་པ་ཕན་ཡོན་དང་བཅས་པ།

sgrol ma la phyag ’tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa phan yon dang bcas pa

Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage and Their Benefits

Namastāraikaviṃśatistotraguṇahitasahita

Toh 438

Degé Kangyur, vol. 81 (rgyud, ca), folios 42.b–43.b.

Translated by Lhasey Lotsawa Translations and Publications
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha

First published 2020
Current version v 1.2.13 (2021)
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co.

Summary

s.1

Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage is a liturgy that consists of twenty-seven verses of praise and reverence dedicated to the deity Tārā. The first twenty-one verses are at once a series of homages to the twenty-one forms of Tārā and a poetic description of her physical features, postures, and qualities. The remaining six verses describe how and when the praise should be recited and the benefits of its recitation.

ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.1

Translated by Lhasey Lotsawa Translations. The translation was produced by Stefan Mang and Peter Woods, and the introduction was written by Stefan Mang. Wiesiek Mical compared the translation with the available Sanskrit editions.

The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

Introduction

i.1

For Tibetan Buddhists, the Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage is undoubtedly the most popular prayer to the deity Tārā. It is recited on a daily basis by many monks, nuns, and lay practitioners alike. The first twenty-one verses praise Tārā by drawing upon the three epithets that also form the core of her root mantra‍—Tārā (Deliverer), Tuttārā (Savior), and Turā (Swift One).1 In doing so, they invoke Tārā’s twenty-one forms that vary in aspect from peaceful to wrathful. These twenty-one verses both pay homage to Tārā and provide a poetic description of her physical features, postures, qualities, abilities, mantras, and hand gestures. The concluding six verses of the liturgy describe how and when the praise should be recited and the benefits of its recitation.

i.2

The praise has been preserved in the Kangyur in two forms. First, the praise was translated into Tibetan and preserved as an independent text in the Kangyur (Toh 438). It is this text that we present in English translation here. Second, it is also found in transliterated Sanskrit as part of the larger tantra The Source of the Different Activities of Tārā (Toh 726). In this tantra, the Buddha reveals the praise in the form of an incantation (dhāraṇī), a circumstance that prompted the Tibetan translators to transliterate the Sanskrit text of the praise rather than translate it into Tibetan. The relationship between these two versions in the Kangyur is not clear. The colophons to some Kangyur editions suggest that the Tibetan translation (Toh 438) was prepared based on the transliterated Sanskrit,2 but this is disputed by the Tibetan commentator Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen (1147–1216), who mentions that the praise was transmitted from India and translated as an independent text.3

i.3

Regarding the Indian commentarial literature on the praise, there are seven related texts preserved in the Degé Tengyur. These comprise two sādhanas attributed to Nāgārjuna (Toh 1683–84) as well as two sādhanas (Toh 1685–86) and three commentaries attributed to Sūryagupta (Toh 1687–89).4 Sūryagupta’s commentaries, rather than explaining the meaning of the words in the praise, focus on the iconography of each of Tārā’s twenty-one forms, describing her color, seat, posture, number of faces and arms, implements, and hand gestures.5 In Tibet, many scholars composed a variety of commentaries and sādhanas related to this praise.6

i.4

This translation has been prepared based on the Degé Kangyur with reference to the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma) and the Stok Palace Kangyur.7 We also consulted the Sanskrit editions prepared by de Blonay (1895), Pandey (1984), Willson (1996), and Wayman (2002).8 The interested reader may also wish to compare our translation to some of the other published translations of the praise in English.9

Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage
and Their Benefits

The Translation

[F.42.b]

1.1

Homage to the honored, noble lady Tārā!

1.2

Homage to Tārā, swift and gallant,

Whose glance is instantaneous like lightning.

You arose from the heart of the blossoming lotus

That is the face of the lord of the three worlds.

1.3

Homage to you whose face resembles

One hundred autumn full moons gathered;

Your brilliant radiance blazes,10

Like a thousand clusters of stars.

1.4

Homage to you, whose hand is graced

By a golden-blue lotus flower.11

You embody generosity, diligence, endurance,

Serenity, patience, and concentration.

1.5

Homage to you, whose triumphs are endless,

Jewel on the Tathāgata’s crown.

You are well attended to by the heirs of the victors,

Who have mastered all the perfections.

1.6

Homage to Tuttārā,12 who with hūṁ

Fulfills all wishes to the bounds of space.13

You trample the seven worlds underfoot,14

And possess the strength to summon all.

1.7

Homage to you, praised by Śakra,

Agni, Brahmā, maruts, and Śiva.

The hosts15 of bhūtas, vetālas, gandharvas,

And yakṣas pay tribute to you.

1.8

Homage to you, who with traṭ16 and phaṭ [F.43.a]

Crush the magical devices of other traditions.

With your right leg bent and your left leg extended,

You shine amid flames blazing wildly.

1.9

Homage to Turā, the fearsome lady,

Destroyer of the most powerful demons.17

With your lotus face and stern frown,

You are the slayer of each and every foe!

1.10

Homage to you, whose fingers grace your heart,

Displaying the mudrā of the Three Jewels.

Graced by wheels in all directions,

Your natural radiance overwhelms all.18

1.11

Homage to you, supremely joyous,

Your splendorous crown spreading garlands of light.

Tuttārā, smiling and laughing,

You bring demons and worlds within your control.19

1.12

Homage to you, who can summon

The hosts of earthly guardians.

Knitting your quivering brows, with the syllable hūṁ

You deliver from every misfortune.

1.13

Homage to you, so brightly adorned,

With a sliver of moon as your crown,20

Your locks always graced by Amitābha,

Whose bright light streams forever forth.

1.14

Homage to you, seated amid blazing flames

That resemble the fire that ends an eon.

Immersed in joy, your right leg extends, and the left is bent.

Thus, you crush legions of foes.

1.15

Homage to you, who on the earth’s surface

Strike your palms and stamp your feet;

The hūṁ that is formed by your frown

Smashes the seven netherworlds to nothing but dust.

1.16

Homage to you, blissful, gracious, and tranquil,

Whose domain is the peace of nirvāṇa.

In perfect union with svāhā and oṁ,

You lay to waste every terrible evil.

1.17

Homage to you, who, immersed in rapture,

Shatter the bodies of all foes.

You shine with the knowledge-syllable hūṁ,

As your mantra’s ten syllables are set forth.21

1.18

Homage to Turā, your feet stomping,

Formed from the seed of the syllable hūṁ.

The mountains of Meru, Mandara, and Vindhya,22

And all the three worlds‍—you cause them to quake.

1.19

Homage to you, who hold in your hand

A deer-marked moon like a divine lake.

With tāra uttered twice and then with phaṭ, [F.43.b]

You eliminate all poisons.

1.20

Homage to you, sovereign of divine hosts,

Served by gods and kinnaras.

Your resplendence, an armor of joy,

Pacifies strife and clears away nightmares.

1.21

Homage to you, whose two eyes shine brightly

Like the sun and the moon when it’s full.

Tuttārā, with twice-uttered hara,

You pacify the most intractable ills.

1.22

Homage to you, who have the power to pacify,23

You display the three true natures.24

Turā, supreme lady, you destroy

The hordes of grahas, vetālas, and yakṣas.

1.23

This praise by means of the root mantra‍—

The twenty-one verses of homage

Should be recited in earnest by the wise,25

Who are filled with devotion for the goddess.

1.24

Recalling it at dusk and also when rising at dawn

Will grant them freedom from every fear.

It will pacify all misdeeds,

And destroy all evil destinies.

1.25

Soon they will receive empowerment

From seventy million conquerors.

Beyond this, they shall attain greatness,

And proceed to the ultimate state of buddhahood.

1.26

If they recall this praise all dreadful poisons,

Whether natural or manufactured,

Whether eaten or imbibed,

Will be utterly neutralized.

1.27

This will dispel the heap of suffering

Inflicted by grahas, infectious diseases, and poisons,

Even in other beings.

If chanted twice, thrice, or seven times,

1.28

Those who want children will come to have them,

Those who seek wealth will come to have that,

Each and every wish will be fulfilled,

And obstacles, entirely vanquished, will be no more.

1.29

This completes the praise to the Blessed Tārā as spoken by the completely perfect Buddha.

Notes

n.1

Tārā’s root mantra is oṁ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā. The part tāre tuttāre ture addresses the goddess in the vocative. The intended meaning could be that of the conjectured phrase tāre uttāre ture, with the middle word subsequently modified with the initial t for the sake of rhythm and alliteration, to have all three epithets begin with t and end with e. The first of the three epithets is the goddess’s name, Tārā, which is a causative derivation from the root √tṝ, “to cross.” The second is the same prefixed by ud, which modifies the meaning from “one who helps to cross” (fem., tārā) the ocean of saṃsāra, to one who in addition “pulls up” (fem., ut-tārā) from that ocean. As the difference in meaning between these two is merely nominal, we chose to translate them here as “Deliverer” and “Savior” respectively. The third epithet (fem., turā), means “swift.”

n.2

The Lhasa, Narthang, and Stok Palace editions indicate this in the colophons.

n.3

Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen states that the praise was transmitted independently by a certain Nāgārjuna to the Tibetan translator Nyen Lotsawa Darma Drak (late eleventh century). On his identification of Darma Drak as the Tibetan translator of Toh 438, see Drakpa Gyaltsen 2007c, p. 646. The identity of the Nāgārjuna mentioned by Drakpa Gyaltsen remains unclear (see Mabbett 1998, pp. 332–46).

n.4

Willson raises some doubts regarding the authorship of the works attributed to Sūryagupta (Willson 1996, pp. 238–41). Noteworthy also is a short story about the origins of the works on Tārā attributed to Sūryagupta that is preserved in the Blue Annals (Roerich 1949, pp. 1050–52).

n.5

For a short description of Sūryagupta’s works, see Willson 1996, pp. 109–11.

n.6

For a list of such commentaries, see Beyer 1978, pp. 469–70, and Willson 1996, pp. 111–66.

n.7

We also considered the variant readings recorded in Drakpa Gyaltsen’s commentary (2007c) and Willson’s presentation of several Tibetan commentaries (1996, pp. 117–66).

n.8

When the Sanskrit editions further clarified the Tibetan, we incorporated that into our translation. Whenever the Sanskrit presented a significantly different reading, we have recorded it in the footnotes. It is difficult, however, to account for all the variants created by the extant Sanskrit editions, the various Tibetan witnesses, and the Tibetan commentaries. Hence, the reader may encounter inconsistencies and other kinds of dissonance when referring to these various sources.

n.9

E.g., Beyer 1978; Willson 1986; Tāranātha 1995; Lopez 1997; Wayman 2002; Khenchen Palden Sherab 2004; and Adeu Rinpoche et al. 2015.

n.10

Following the Sanskrit (prahasatkiraṇojjvale) this line could also be read as “Smiling and blazing with brilliant light.”

n.11

The Sanskrit pāṇipadma metaphorically describes Tārā’s hands as resembling lotus flowers. The Tibetan rendering padmas phyag is understood to refer to the lotus that Tārā holds in her hand (Drakpa Gyaltsen 2007c, p. 638).

n.12

Wayman (2002, p. 444) and Drakpa Gyaltsen (2007c, p. 639) read tuttāre. Following the Sanskrit, Tuttāre in the vocative could also be understood as an epithet of Tārā, that is, Tuttārā. Drakpa Gyaltsen (2007c, p. 639) explains tuttāre as a mantra syllable.

n.13

“Fulfills all wishes” has been translated based on the Sanskrit pūritāśā. Drakpa Gyaltsen (2007c, p. 639) reads the Tibetan ’dod (“desire”), which translates the Sanskrit āśā (“wish”), as a reference to the desire realm (kāmadhātu, ’dod khams). See also Willson 1996, p. 131.

n.14

According to various purāṇas and the Atharvaveda, our world system is divided into fourteen worlds: the seven (higher) worlds (saptaloka or saptavyāhṛti) consist of the earth and the heavenly realms above, and the seven netherworlds (saptapātāla) are subterranean paradises. Here, in verse 1.6, Tārā is praised as ruling the seven higher worlds, while in verse 1.15 she is praised as ruling the seven netherworlds.

n.15

The Sanskrit term gaṇa (tshogs) can either express the plurality of the aforementioned spirits, or it can refer to a class of spirits, the gaṇas, who are the attendants of Śiva. The Tibetan suggests the former. Given the position that the word gaṇa takes in the Sanskrit it appears the Sanskrit suggests the latter. We have here translated according to the Tibetan.

n.16

The syllable traṭ differs (traḍ, trad, trat, and traṭ) in the Sanskrit and Tibetan manuscripts and editions. Here our translation uses traṭ as suggested also by Wayman (2002, p. 447) and Willson (1996, p. 134).

n.17

“The most powerful demons” is a translation of māravīra (bdud kyi dpa’ bo). Drakpa Gyaltsen (2007c, p. 64) explains the term to refer to the “demon of afflictions” (kleśamāra, nyon mongs kyi bdud) of the four demons (caturmāra, bdud bzhi), which, when destroyed, makes the other three demons crumble.

n.18

The last two lines of this verse could be understood as (1) Tārā graces all points and bearings of the compass, and (2) Tārā bears the marks of thousand-spoked wheels on her hands and feet. See also Willson’s discussion of this point (1996, pp. 139–40).

n.19

The Sanskrit compound māraloka (’dud dang ’jig rten) could be read as “the realm of demons” instead of “the world and demons.” De Blonay (1895) reads bhayaṃkari (’jigs pa mdzad ma) instead of vaśaṃkari (dbang du mdzad ma). Accordingly, the line could also be read as “you strike fear in the world and demons” or “realm of demons.”

n.20

The Sanskrit editions read khaṇḍendu (zla ba’i dum bu), a sliver of moon. The Comparative Edition notes that the Degé, Lithang, and Choné editions read zla ba’i rtse mo, lit. “lunar peak” (p. 140 and p. 143).

n.21

According to Drakpa Gyaltsen (2007c, p. 643) this refers to Tārā’s root mantra oṁ tā-re tu-ttā-re tu-re svā-hā.

n.22

The Sanskrit editions vary and read either meru-mandara (Willson 1996, p. 153; Wayman 2002, p. 444) or meru-maṇḍala (de Blonay 1895, Pandey 1994). The Tibetan editions agree with the former, according to which the first two mountains in question are Mount Meru and Mandara. Regarding the third mountain, the Sanskrit editions read Kailāsa, which refers to Mount Kailash. However, the Tibetan editions seem to disagree and read ’bigs byed, which suggests that the mountain in question is Vindhya (see also Willson 1996, p. 153). Here we are following the Tibetan editions. Interestingly, Drakpa Gyaltsen (2007c, p. 643) reads ’bigs byed as the verb “to pierce.” According to Drakpa Gyaltsen’s explanation, it is the light radiating from Tārā’s seed syllable hūṁ that pierces Meru and Mandara.

n.23

According to Drakpa Gyaltsen’s (2007c, p. 644) explanation, Tārā has the power to pacify (zhi ba) the afflictions. The Sanskrit editions employ the Śaiva term śivaśakti (“Śiva’s power”), which is rendered into Tibetan as zhi ba’i mthus (“the power to pacify”).

n.24

Tibetan commentators understand “the three true natures” (tritattvā, de nyid gsum) to be these: the awakened body, speech, and mind; deity, mantra, and samādhi; and the syllables oṃ, āḥ, and hūṁ (Drakpa Gyaltsen 2007c, p. 644; Khenchen Palden Sherab 2004, p. 161).

n.25

We have translated rab tu brjod pas (paṭhet prayata) as “recited in earnest.” The Comparative Edition notes that the Yongle and Lhasa versions read rab dad brjod pa, the Kangxi version reads rab dung brjod pas, and the Narthang reads rab pa tu rjod (Comparative Edition, p. 143). Like the Yongle and Lhasa versions, the Stok Palace reads rab dad brjod pa (fol. 436.b.2).

Bibliography

Primary Sources

Sanskrit

de Blonay, Godefroy, ed. Namaskaraikaviṃśatistotra. GRETIL. Input by Klaus Wille based on the edition by Godefroy de Blonay: Matériaux pour servir à l’histoire de la déesse Tāra, Paris 1895 (Bibliothèque de l’École des Hautes Études, 107), 58–60.

Pandey, Janardan Shastri, ed. Namaskaraikaviṃśatistotra. GRETIL. Text number 5 in the Collection of 108 Buddhist Stotras. Input by members of the Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Input Project based on the edition by Janardan Shastri Pandey: Bauddha Stotra Samgrahah. Varanasi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1994.

Wayman, Alex. “The Twenty-One Praises of Tārā, A Syncretism of Śaivism and Buddhism.” In Buddhist Insight, edited by George Elder, 441–51. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2002.

Kangyur

sgrol ma la phyag ’tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa phan yon dang bcas pa (*Tārānamaskāraikaviṃśatistotraguṇahitasahita). Toh 438, Degé Kangyur vol. 81 (rgyud, ca), folios 42.b–43.b.

sgrol ma la phyag ’tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa phan yon dang bcas pa (*Tārānamaskāraikaviṃśatistotraguṇahitasahita). bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–2009, vol. 81, pp. 139–44.

sgrol ma la phyag ’tshal nyi shu rtsa gcig gis bstod pa phan yon dang bcas pa (*Tārānamaskāraikaviṃśatistotraguṇahitasahita). Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 95 (rgyud, nga), folios 435.a–437.a.

sgrol ma las sna tshogs ’byung ba’i rgyud (*Tārāviśvakarmabhavatantra). Toh 726, Degé Kangyur vol. 94 (rgyud, tsha), folios 202.a–217.a.

Tengyur

Nāgārjuna. sgrol ma’i sgrub thabs (Tārāsādhana). Toh 1683, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 1.b–5.b.

‍—‍—‍—. thugs rje chen po ’phags ma sgrol ma’i sgrub thabs spyi’i mngon par rtogs pa (*Mahākāruṇikāryatārāsādhanasāmānyābhisamaya). Toh 1684, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 6.a–6.b.

Sūryagupta. lha mo sgrol ma’i bstod pa nyi shu rtsa gcig pa’i sgrub thabs (*Tārādevīstotraikaviṃśatikasādhana). Toh 1685, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 6.b–10.a.

‍—‍—‍—. rje btsun ma ’phags ma sgrol ma’i sgrub thabs nyi shu rtsa gcig pa’i las kyi yan lag dang bcas pa mdor bsdus pa. Toh 1686, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 10.a–24.b.

‍—‍—‍—. sgrol ma’i sgrub thabs man ngag gi rim pa. Toh 1687, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 24.b–25.b.

‍—‍—‍—. bcom ldan ’das ma sgrol ma la bstod pa nyi shu rtsa gcig pa’i sgrub thabs. Toh 1688, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 25.b–35.a.

‍—‍—‍—. lha mo sgrol ma nyi shu rtsa gcig la bstod pa rnam dag gtsug gi nor bu. Toh 1689, Degé Tengyur vol. 28 (rgyud, sha), folios 35.a–38.b.

Tibetan Commentarial Literature

Drakpa Gyaltsen (grags pa rgyal mtshan). (2007a). nyi ma sbas pas mdzad pa’i rgya gzhung gi las tshogs kyi bsdus don. In gsung ’bum grags pa rgyal mtshan, vol. 3, 601–11. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang, 2007.

‍—‍—‍—. (2007b). phyag ’tshal nyer gcig gi bstod pa sa bcad. In gsung ’bum grags pa rgyal mtshan, vol. 3, 637–38. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang, 2007.

‍—‍—‍—. (2007c). bstod pa’i rnam bshad gsal ba’i ’od zer. In gsung ’bum grags pa rgyal mtshan, vol. 3, 638–46. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang, 2007.

Secondary Sources

Beyer, Stephan. The Cult of Tārā: Magic and Ritual in Tibet. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1978.

Khenchen Palden Sherab and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal. Tara’s Enlightened Activity: An Oral Commentary on the Twenty-One Praises to Tara. Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2007.

Lopez, Donald S. “A Prayer Flag for Tara.” In Religions of Tibet in Practice, edited by Donald S. Lopez, 548–52. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1997.

Mabbett, Ian. “The Problem of the Historical Nāgārjuna Revisited.” Journal of the American Oriental Society 118, no. 3, 1998: 332–46.

Obermiller, Eugéne, trans. and ed. History of Buddhism (Chos ḥbyung) by Bu-ston. Vol 2, The History of Buddhism in India and Tibet. Materialien zur Kunde des Buddhismus 19. Heidelberg: O. Harrassowitz, 1932.

Roerich, George N., ed. The Blue Annals. Calcutta: Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1949.

Tāranātha. The Origin of the Tārā Tantra. Translated and edited by David Templeman. Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 1995.

Willson, Martin. In Praise of Tara: Songs to the Saviouress. Somerville: Wisdom Publications, 1996.

Glossary

g.1

Agni

me lha

མེ་ལྷ།

agni

The Vedic deity of fire. The name can also mean fire, particularly the sacrificial fire.

g.2

Amitābha

’od dpag med

འོད་དཔག་མེད།

amitābha

The buddha of the western realm of Sukhāvatī.

g.3

Bhūta

’byung po

འབྱུང་པོ།

bhūta

A general term for spirit, ghost, or demon (either positive or negative).

g.4

Brahmā

tshangs pa

ཚངས་པ།

brahmā

A high ranking deity, presiding over a divine world where other beings consider him the creator; he is also considered to be the Lord of the Sahā-world (our universe).

g.5

Gandharva

dri za

དྲི་ཟ།

gandharva

A class of semidivine beings sometimes referred to as heavenly musicians.

g.6

Graha

gdon

གདོན།

graha

An evil spirit that causes seizures and insanity.

g.7

Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen

rje btsun grags pa rgyal mtshan

རྗེ་བཙུན་གྲགས་པ་རྒྱལ་མཚན།

One of the five Sakya patriarchs. He was the son of Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (sa chen kun dga’ snying po, 1092–1158) and the younger brother of Sönam Tsemo (bsod nams rtse mo, 1142–82).

g.8

Kinnara

mi’am ci

མིའམ་ཅི།

kinnara

A class of semidivine beings that resemble humans to the degree that their very name‍—which means “Is that a human?”‍—suggests some confusion as to their divine status.

g.9

Magical device

khrul ’khor

ཁྲུལ་འཁོར།

yantra

A sacred diagram that is drawn or constructed for ritual use. The Sanskrit word is derived from the Sanskrit root √yam, “to control.”

g.10

Mandara

mada ra

མད་ར།

mandara

Mandara is a mountain that appears in various purāṇas describing the origin of amṛta, the drink of immortality. In these, Mount Mandara is used by the gods as a churning rod to churn the ocean of milk, whereby amṛta is produced.

g.11

Marut

rlung lha

རླུང་ལྷ།

marut

The Vedic gods of wind.

g.12

Meru

lhun po

ལྷུན་པོ།

meru

According to the ancient Indian cosmological system, Mount Meru is a mountain which forms the center of the universe.

g.13

Nāgārjuna

klu sgrub

ཀླུ་སྒྲུབ།

nāgārjuna

A Indian author who presumably lived in the ninth century or later. He composed two practices of Tārā preserved in the Degé Tengyur.

g.14

Nyen Lotsawa Darma Drak

gnyan lo tsā ba dar ma grags

གཉན་ལོ་ཙā་བ་དར་མ་གྲགས།

The translator of Nyen, Darma Drak. He accompanied Ra Lotsawa (rwa lo tsā ba, 1016–1128?) to India where he stayed twelve years. Darma Drak is credited with translating Prajñākaramati’s commentary on the Bodhicaryāvatāra, as well as texts on Kālacakra and Tārā, and other works.

g.15

Śakra

brgya byin

བརྒྱ་བྱིན།

śakra

One of the principal gods. He rules over the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

g.16

Seven netherworlds

rim pa bdun po

རིམ་པ་བདུན་པོ།

saptapātāla

The seven netherworlds are the seven subterranean realms inhabited by nāgas and asuras.

g.17

Seven worlds

’jig rten bdun po

འཇིག་རྟེན་བདུན་པོ།

saptaloka
saptavyāhṛti

According to various purāṇas and the Atharvaveda, our world system is divided into fourteen worlds: the seven (higher) worlds consist of the earth and the heavenly realms above, and the seven netherworlds are subterranean realms.

g.18

Śiva

dbang phyug

དབང་ཕྱུག

śiva

Major deity in the pantheon of the classical Indian religious traditions. He is sometimes portrayed as one part of the divine triad, which also includes Brahmā and Viṣṇu.

g.19

Sūryagupta

nyi ma sbas pa

ཉི་མ་སྦས་པ།

sūryagupta

A Kashmiri scholar (paṇḍita) who is well known for his commentaries on Tārā.

g.20

Tārā

sgrol ma

སྒྲོལ་མ།

tārā

A deity (lit. “Deliverer”) known for giving protection. She is variously presented in Buddhist literature as a great bodhisattva or a fully awakened buddha.

g.21

Turā

tu ra

ཏུ་ར།

turā

An epithet (lit. “Swift One”) of the deity Tārā.

g.22

Tuttārā

tut+tA ra

ཏུཏྟཱ་ར།

tuttārā

An epithet (lit. “Savior”) of the deity Tārā.

g.23

Vetāla

ro langs

རོ་ལངས།

vetāla

A harmful spirit that haunts charnel grounds and can take possession of corpses and reanimate them.

g.24

Vindhya

’bigs byed

འབིགས་བྱེད།

vindhya

The Vindhya Mountains are a complex, broken chain of mountain ridges, hill ranges, highlands, and plateau escarpments in west-central India.

g.25

Yakṣa

gnod sbyin

གནོད་སྦྱིན།

yakṣa

A class of spirits.

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