86 - Discourses on Tantra Volume One

Chapter 22 In the Glory of Shiva – Excerpt A (3)

Now in the process of synthesis among Jain, Buddhist and Shivottara Tantra, there evolved a new concept, the concept of Dashamahávidyá [Ten Mahávidyás], centring around those deities who had general influence in all three systems of Tantra. The idea of Dashamahávidyá arose out of ten Tantric deities, some from Jain Tantra, some from Buddhist Tantra and some from Shivottara Tantra. These deities, in slightly changed form, were accepted in Paoráńik Sháktácára, Vaeśńavácára, Shaevácára and Gáńa-patyácára [the Puranic Shákta Cult, the Viśńu Cult, the Shiva Cult and the Gańapati Cult]. While analysing the history of Dashamahávidyá, it is interesting to see how the concept of each deity evolved – how an idea dawned upon the human mind and gradually expanded in the path of synthesis until finally its basic defects demolished its own fundaments.

These Ten Mahávidyás are Kálii, Tárá, Śod́ashii, Bhuvaneshvarii, Bhaeravii, Chinnamastá, Dhúmávatii, Bagalámukhi, Mátaungii and Kamalá. These deities are present in all three Tantras. Sometimes their biija mantras [acoustic roots] are the same, sometimes different. For your proper understanding, let me give you a brief idea about these ten deities.

Meghavarńá vigatavasaná,
Shavashivárúd́há shyámá trinayaná;
Narashirakhad́garvarábhayashobhaná,
Caturbhujá Kálii Kálikárúpinii.
Garvitádánavagarvakharvákrti khad́ga
Kharpará Niila Sarasvatii;
Sarvasaobhágyapradáyinii kartrii,
Namaste Tárárúpá tárińii,
Bálá ruńásamá-ujjvalá-ungabhá,
Caturbhujá trinayaná;
Tribhuvanamanolobha pásháḿkush-sharacápa-
Dhárińii Shivá, Śod́ashii rúpá Shiva bhávinii.
Hásyamukharitá nishákaravanditá,
Tribhuvana mauṋgala bhuvaneshvarii máta;
Raktotpaladhará kot́ibhánuninditá,
Bhaeravii varábhaya dáyinii.
Vivarńa vidhavá malinámbaradhará
Kákadhvajá Dhúmavatii shúrpakará;
Bagalámukhii piitavarańá piitámbará
Mudgara ari jihvá dhárińii.
Nijashirachinditá rudhirapánaratá
Digvásá ratiratá jano parisaḿsthitá;
Chinnamastá mátá d́akiniisamanvitá
Prabalapátakiikula ghátinii.
Manimayásane shyámakalevará,
Mátaungiirúpadhará sudháḿshu shekhará;
Káiṋcanakántisudiiptá manohará
Kamalá harahrdivásinii.

The first of these deities is Káliká. She is one of the controlling deities of Shivottara Tantra, but simultaneously she was accepted in Buddhist Vajrayána. I have said a number of times that Shiva was the most influential personality. Therefore an attempt was made to establish some kind of relationship with Him: it was announced that Káliká was Shiva’s spouse. But one should remember that Shiva was born five thousand years before the age of Káliká; so how could Káliká be His wife? Secondly, Káliká – this controlling deity – is depicted as having four hands. No human structure can have four hands. So Káliká Shakti – Kálii – this deity – is not Shiva’s wife. She is a Tantric deity belonging to subsequent ages.

The second deity is Tárá. Tárá is one of the Tantric deities of Vajrayána Tantra. I have said previously that the Tárá that was worshipped in India was known as Ugratárá, while the deity that was worshipped in China was called Bhrámarii Tárá – “black as a bumblebee” – and the one who was worshipped in Tibet (Kiḿpuruśavarśa, as it was known previously) was blue-coloured. So this Tárá was later than Buddha, and later yet than Shiva; hence Tárá cannot be accepted as the wife of Shiva either.

There is not even any similarity in name. Shiva did have one wife whose name was Kálii, so she has at least the similarity in name with Kálii, the deity of Post-Shiva Tantra. But this was not the case with Tárá. Tárá is purely a deity of the Buddhist Vajrayána Tantra. But she is accepted as a deity in Post-Shiva Tantra and the Puranic Shákta Cult.

Even today, you will come across boys with names such as Tárápada, Táráprasáda, etc., and girls with such names as Tárádevii. This is the history behind these names.

Tárá has no relation to Shiva. People wrongly believe that she is the wife of Shiva. I shall say something more about Tárá later, when I discuss Sarasvatii.