21 Taras meaning guide
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21 Taras | The Ultimate Guide to the 21 Taras Meaning, Benefits, Mantras & Sacred Feminine Wisdom in Himalayan Buddhism

The 21 Taras, known in Tibetan Buddhism as Drolma Nyerchig, form one of the most complete and profound systems of divine feminine wisdom in the Himalayan spiritual tradition. They represent twenty-one emanations of Tara, the enlightened goddess of compassion, protection, and swift assistance.

Tara is believed to arise from the tears of Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig), the Bodhisattva of Compassion. When he wept for suffering beings, his tears fell upon a lotus, and from that lotus emerged Green Tara and White Tara, followed by the full manifestation of the 21 Taras—each embodying a unique form of enlightened activity.

Today, practitioners, meditators, yogis, and collectors search for:

  • 21 Taras meaning

  • What each Tara represents

  • Green Tara meaning

  • White Tara meaning

  • Tara mantra meaning

  • Tara for protection, healing, abundance

This guide synthesizes traditional Tibetan teachings with modern spiritual understanding, offering the definitive English explanation of the 21 Taras.


1. Who Is Tara?

The Divine Feminine of Tibetan Buddhism**

Tara is one of the most widely revered female Buddhas. Her name means:

“She Who Liberates.”

She embodies:

  • swift compassionate action

  • maternal protection

  • fearless courage

  • healing and longevity

  • abundance and wisdom

Practitioners turn to Tara during moments of fear, illness, emotional turmoil, life transitions, or spiritual seeking.

In the Himalayan world, Tara is regarded as:

  • The Mother of All Buddhas

  • The Swift Saviouress

  • The Goddess of Universal Compassion

Her twenty-one emanations collectively offer protection, healing, prosperity, wisdom, purification, and spiritual awakening.


2. Tara’s Mantra Meaning 

The most famous mantra is:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha

Meaning:

  • Tare — calling upon Tara

  • Tuttare — removing fear and outer obstacles

  • Ture — removing inner emotional and karmic obstacles

  • Soha — establishing protection in one’s heart

This mantra is recited across Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia, and the Himalayas to invoke Tara’s immediate presence.


3. Green Tara Meaning vs White Tara Meaning

Green Tara Meaning — The Swift Liberator

Green Tara is the principal form of Tara and the source of all 21 emanations.
She represents:

  • swift action

  • protection from fear

  • overcoming obstacles

  • courage and movement

  • compassionate response

Her right foot extends outward, symbolizing her readiness to rise and help instantly.

👉 Explore Green Tara thangkas:
21 Taras – ThangkaMarket


White Tara Meaning — Healing, Longevity, Serenity

White Tara is the Tara of long life, health, purification, and peaceful compassion.

Her most recognizable feature is seven eyes:

  • two on her face

  • one on her forehead

  • one on each palm

  • one on each foot

These symbolize her omniscient awareness of suffering in all realms.


4. What Are the 21 Taras?

The 21 Taras represent twenty-one aspects of enlightened feminine energy. Each Tara possesses a distinct color, mudra, sacred object, and spiritual function.

They fall into four categories:

1. Protection Taras

Rescuing from fear, disasters, danger, and external threats.

2. Prosperity & Wish-Fulfilling Taras

Providing abundance, success, merit, and longevity.

3. Healing & Purification Taras

Removing toxins, illness, emotional suffering, and karmic obstacles.

4. Wrathful & Spiritual Power Taras

Destroying negativity, harmful energies, illusions, and spiritual obstacles.

Together, these emanations form a complete mandala of Tara’s enlightened activities.


5. The 21 Taras Explained

Group One: Protection & Fear-Removing Taras

Eliminating danger, obstacles, and emotional fear


1. Green Tara — The Swift Saviouress

Color: Green
Meaning: Protection, courage, rapid response
Mantra: Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha
Power: Removes the eight great fears

👉 See Green Tara thangkas
21 Taras – ThangkaMarket


2. White Tara — The Bestower of Long Life

Color: White
Features: Seven eyes
Power: Healing, longevity, foresight, purification


3. Earthquake-Subduing Tara

Blue
Power: Stability, grounding, protection from sudden collapse


4. Fire-Pacifying Tara

Golden yellow
Power: Protection from fire, anger, agitation; emotional cooling


5. Water-Pacifying Tara

Red
Power: Protects against drowning, overwhelm, emotional floods


6. Wind-Pacifying Tara

White
Power: Calms wind, storms, nervous system imbalance


7. War-Pacifying Tara

Blue
Power: Protection from conflict, aggression, weapons


8. Prison-Liberating Tara

Red
Power: Freedom, justice, breakthrough, release from limitations


9. Anti-Theft Tara

Black
Power: Protects wealth, assets, boundaries


10. Beast-Subduing Tara

Black
Power: Dispels predatory forces, primal fears


Group Two: Prosperity, Abundance & Wish-Fulfilling Taras

Blessings for livelihood, success, relationships, and opportunity


11. Treasure Tara (Wealth Tara)

Gold
Power: Wealth, resources, prosperity, removing poverty


12. Wish-Granting Tara

Orange
Power: Fulfilling noble desires, harmony, partnership blessings


13. Power-Increasing Tara

Red
Power: Authority, influence, magnetizing positive relationships


14. Merit-Increasing Tara

Orange-gold
Power: Fortune, opportunities, stability in livelihood


15. Long-Life Tara

White
Power: Longevity, vitality, protection from premature death


Group Three: Healing & Purification Taras

Healing physical, emotional, and spiritual toxins


16. Anti-Poison Tara

White
Power: Removes toxins (physical & energetic), infections, harmful energies


17. Medicine Tara (Healing Tara)

Green
Power: Epidemics, chronic illness, long-term healing


18. Desire-Pacifying Tara

Red
Power: Transforms craving into clarity and wisdom


19. Poverty-Eliminating Tara

Blue
Power: Physical & emotional nourishment, stability, basic needs


Group Four: Wrathful Taras of Protection & Spiritual Power

Overcoming negativity, spirits, illusions & fear


20. Demon-Subduing Tara

Black-blue
Power: Cuts through harmful forces, nightmares, dark emotions


21. Tara of Ultimate Joy & Liberation

Red-gold
Power: Spiritual awakening, liberation from suffering, inner freedom


6. Benefits of Tara Practice

People around the world search for:

  • Tara benefits

  • Tara for healing

  • Tara for abundance

  • Tara for protection

Here is a clear summary:

Protection Benefits

  • removes fear

  • protects from danger

  • dispels harmful energies

  • shields from obstacles

Healing Benefits

  • emotional healing

  • physical health

  • longevity

  • inner peace

Abundance Benefits

  • wealth and resources

  • opportunities

  • positive relationships

  • life success

Spiritual Benefits

  • wisdom

  • clarity

  • karmic purification

  • awakening


7. How to Practice Tara

Tara practice in Tibetan Buddhism includes:

1. Reciting Tara’s mantra

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha

2. Visualizing Tara’s form

Practitioners imagine her emerald, peaceful, or radiant presence.

3. Chanting the Praise to the 21 Taras

A powerful text recited daily in many monasteries.

4. Using Tara thangkas in meditation

Tara thangkas act as sacred mirrors of enlightenment.

👉 Browse Tara deity thangkas:
21 Taras – ThangkaMarket


8. How to Choose a Tara Thangka

Many search for:

  • Tara thangka for sale

  • Green Tara thangka

  • White Tara thangka

Here is a simple guide:

Choose Green Tara Thangka if you want:

  • protection

  • swift assistance

  • courage

  • progress

Choose White Tara Thangka if you want:

  • healing

  • longevity

  • serenity

  • family protection

Choose 21 Taras Thangka if you want:

  • complete protection

  • all blessings together

  • spiritual empowerment


9. FAQ About the 21 Taras

1. What are the 21 Taras?

Twenty-one emanations of Tara expressing different enlightened activities.

2. What is the meaning of the 21 Taras?

They represent protection, healing, abundance, wisdom, and liberation.

3. What is the meaning of Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha?

A mantra calling Tara to remove fear and obstacles.

4. What is Green Tara’s meaning?

Swift protection and compassionate action.

5. What is White Tara’s meaning?

Healing, long life, peaceful compassion.

6. Which Tara is for protection?

Green Tara and the first ten Taras.

7. Which Tara is for healing?

White Tara, Medicine Tara, Anti-Poison Tara.

8. Which Tara is for wealth?

Treasure Tara, Wish-Granting Tara, Merit Tara.

9. Which Tara is wrathful?

Tara #20 and #21 subdue negativity and harmful forces.

10. How do I practice Tara?

Mantra recitation, visualization, thangka meditation.

11. Are the 21 Taras different goddesses?

They are 21 forms of the same enlightened feminine energy.

12. Where can I learn more about Tara?

Visit our Learning Center:
Learning Center – ThangkaMarket


10. Conclusion

The 21 Taras form a holistic mandala of feminine awakened energy—fierce, gentle, healing, protective, abundant, wise, and liberating.
They guide practitioners through every aspect of life: fear, illness, uncertainty, growth, prosperity, and spiritual awakening.

May the blessings of Tara illuminate your path.

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