Twenty-One Praises to Tara
from the Tantra of the King of Praises

OM! To noble Lady Tārā I pay homage!

Praise to Tārā, swift and gallant,
Glancing like a flash of lightning.
You appeared in lotus blossom:
Face of Triple World’s Protector.

Praise to you whose face resembles
Autumn full moons by the hundreds.
Light rays blazing all resplendent,
Like a thousand-star collection.

Praise! A gold-blue lotus flower
Is your graceful hand-adornment.
Giving, diligent, forbearing,
Brave, serene, and meditative.

Praise! Tathagata’s ushnisha!
Deeds of yours are boundless triumphs.
You are served by bodhisattvas,
Who have reached complete perfection.

Praise to you! HUM and TUTTARA,
Boundlessly fulfilling wishes.
On the seven worlds you trample.
Summon all! It is your power!
Praise! All mighty gods adore you -
Shakra, Agni, Brahma, Marut.
You are honored by ghandarvas,
Yakshas, vetalas and spirits.

Praise! By TRAD and PHAT resounding
You destroy all wicked practice.
Right leg bent, left leg extended,
Amid raging blaze you’re stamping.

Praise! Fleet-footed and ferocious,
You destroy the greatest demons.
Lotus-face and brow deep-furrowed -
You are slaying all the fierce foes!

Praise! In mudra of the Three Jewels
Fingers at your heart are folded.
Wheel adorning all directions -
Whirling mass of your self-radiance.

Praise to you, supremely joyous!
With the crown of light, resplendent.
Laughing, smiling, with TUTTARA,
Overcoming worlds and demons.

Praise! You have the strength to summon
Legions of the earthly guardians.
With HUM rumbling in your deep frown,
From all poverties you’re freeing.

Praise! Your ornaments are shining,
In your crown the moon’s a crescent.
Locks are graced by Amitabha,
Streaming endlessly his light rays.

Praise to you in blazing halo
Of the flames apocalyptic.
Left leg bent, right leg extended,
Joyous, blissful, foe-destroying.

Praise! Your palms the earth are striking.
On the ground your feet are stomping.
From your frown the HUM is streaming,
Crushing underworlds all seven.

Praise to gracious blissful Lady!
Who embodies peace, nirvana.
Graced by flawless OM and SVAHA,
You destroy the greatest evil.

Praise to you immersed in sheer joy,
Bodies of the foes you shatter.
With HUM-wisdom you are shining,
Setting out your ten-fold mantra.

Praise the Swift One, stomping boldly,
Sowing seed that has a HUM-shape.
Meru, Mandara, and Vindva,
All the three worlds quiver, tremble.

Praise! A deer-marked moon in your palm,
In the shape of a divine lake.
TARA twice and PHAT you utter,
Neutralizing plagues and poisons.

Praise to you, one who is worshipped,
By kinnaras, gods, divine kings.
Generating all supreme joy,
You dispel bad dreams and quarrels

Praise to you clear-eyed, all-seeing,
Like the bright sun and the full moon.
HARA doubled and TUTTARA -
Thus dispelling epidemics.

Praise to you with three-fold nature,
Filled with truly blissful power.
Swiftly, peerlessly you conquer
Grahas, vetalas and yakshas.

This is praise of the root mantra:
Homage in twenty-one verses.