21 Taras powerful Dharani Mantras in Sacred Sanskrit as taught by Buddha: how to chant and why it is so effective

The 21 Taras Mantra Dharanis in Sanskrit, as taught by Buddha in the Sanskrit Texts (and translated to Tibetan in the Kangyur), became popularized as the 21 Homages or 21 Praises to Tara.

When chanted in the original Sanskrit, the 21 Praises to Tara are 21 potent and powerful Dharanis (long-form mantras).

Although popularized as both a Tibetan and English 21 Praise chant, in its Sanskrit Holy syllable form, it is an original Dharani (or series of 21 Dharanis) as taught by the Buddha in Sanskrit Sutra. In its Tibetan or English form (translated in the Kangyur), it loses its sacred vibrational sound and the actual “meaning” (translation) is significantly more simplified. The Dharani, in original Sanskrit, is nuanced and profound.

21 Praises to Tara are Powerful Dharanis

The 21 Praises to Tara are famous for blessing activity, protection, healing, long-life practice, and wish-fulfillment —but these stated benefits are actually in reference to the original Sanskrit sounds.

Hrishikesh Sonar correctly pronounces the Sanskrit Dharanis for us in a beautiful chant, with captions for chant-along:

NOTE: the principle of Sanskrit Dharani applies to all lineages of 21 Taras: Surya Gupta lineage, Atisha lineage or Nyingma lineages. Although the video below, which is correct Sanskrit pronunciation, visualizes with the ancient Surya Gupta lineage (paintings by Niels Petersen) the same Dharanis and pronunciation are correct for all visualization systems. In future, we’ll produce separate videos for these lineages.

Mantras and Dharanis should not be translated

In the same way a mantra, such as Om Mani Padme Hum loses most nuance and “potency” if translated for chanting to English — literally this translates, according to scholars as praise to the jewel in the lotus — in its Sanskrit form it is empowered by Sanskrit’s sacred mother syllables. In other languages, a mantra or Dharani simply becomes more of a “chanted prayer or praise” or hymn.

Likewise, the powerful mantra of Tara, in sacred sound form Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha, becomes in English: I prostrate to Tara the liberator, mother of all the victorious ones. While this is a lovely praise, it no longer has the essence of sacred syllable and nuanced meaning.

Enlightened Deities will respond to anyone, regardless of language. The question of translation and language relates to “mantras” and Dharanis both.

For example, Om is a short form of AUM, which are the seed syllables of Body, Speech and Mind. As such, it represents the body, speech, and mind of all the Buddhas — in that simple Sanskrit Syllable Om. So, to do justice to a translation, we’d have to translate Om not as “I prostrate” but instead as “I prostrate to the body, speech and mind of Tara, the liberator.” Then, when you start to translate Tare (the next two syllables of Tara’s mantra), we find it has many meanings. Tare can mean “freeing from samsara,” but it can also mean “liberation from suffering” and “protection from fear” and about twelve other wonderful nuances, all in those two little syllables.

Mantras, like Poetry, are difficult to translate without losing something. Dharanis are even more challenging (the 21 Praises are actually 21 Dharanis.) In English, we call it “Praise,” but Dharani means much more than praise. It means “essence” and “sound essence” and “empowered vibration” and “homage,” and another thirty or forty things. Any one of them alone, as a single English word, is misleading. This is why teachers often recommend students chant in Sanskrit and their native language both. (Sanskrit and English or Sanskrit and Tibetan, and so on.)

The benefits of the Dharanis are fully stated in the final verses of the sacred texts, which outline the specific benefits to devout practitioners. The benefits, however, are for the Dharanis as transmitted by Buddha, in the original Sanskrit.

The benefits (if you translate them to English) are stated in the text as (here translated to English for clarity):

“Whoever is endowed with devotion for the goddess and recites this with supreme faith,

Remembering it at dawn upon waking and in the evenings,

Will be granted all fearlessness, will perfectly pacify all negativities,

And will eliminate all unfortunate migrations.

The multitudes of conquerors will quickly grant initiation:

Thus, endowed with this greatness, one will eventually reach the state of a buddha.

If affected by the most terrible poison,

Whether ingested, drunk, or from a living being,

Just by remembering, will one be thoroughly cleansed.

If this prayer is recited two, three, or seven times,

It will alleviate all the sufferings of torments

They are caused by spirits, fevers, and poisons, and by other beings as well.

If you wish for a child, you will get a child;

If you want to for wealth, you will receive wealth.

All your wishes will be fulfilled

And all obstacles pacified.

Why 21 Dharanis?

Tara, the Mother of the Buddhas, emanates in countless forms to help suffering beings in our troubled world. Each of these forms specializes in one of these Enlightened activities: the various White Taras for peaceful activity, the Red Taras for magnetizing and enchanting, the Yellow Taras for auspiciousness and wish-fulfillment, and the Black Taras for wrathful power to overcome evil or negative forces and obstacles.

Chanting Tara’s Praises daily — especially in the original Sanskrit — is a practice recommended by countless Buddhist teachers. Shakyamuni Buddha taught the 21 Praises originally in Sacred Sanskrit. Chanting the praise with the original Sanskrit vowels of Buddha is important as an empowering method, energizing the sounds with mantra and seed syllable vibrations.

NOTE: In the featured video, Hrishikesh Sonar demonstrates the correct Sanskrit pronunciation, here beautifully chanted. Many people do not chant musically — but the pronunciation is the same. Note: in the English lettered Sanskrit below, any time you see an s or a c with a special accent — such as ś or ṣ — it is usually pronounced soft-style as is “sh” or “ch.”

Venerable Zasep Rinpoche’s amazing books Tara in the Palm of Your Hand is available on Amazon. Tara at Your Lotus Heart is available from Gaden for the West>>

Bring the blessings and protection of Mother Tara into your life with this sacred and profound praise sung in the Mother language Sanskrit.  Visualize the 21 Taras — here presented through the art of Niels Petersen, according to the ancient lineage of Surya Gupta, as taught in the books Tara in the Palm of Your Hand, and Tara at Your Lotus Heart by Venerable Zasep Rinpoche.

To learn more about the 21 Taras we strongly recommend Tara in the Palm of Your Hand. Even more in-depth is the new book from Venerable Zasep Rinpoche, Tara at Your Lotus Heart.

Sanskrit Dharani of the 21 Taras

With descriptions of the names, colors and powers of each Tara according to the book Tara in the Palm of Your Hand (found on Amazon here>>)

Although the tradition is that you chant the entire 21 Dharanis plus the introductory Dharani daily or three times daily, if you have a specific issue or problem — if you need Tara’s help with a specific activity — you can look at the “Power or Rite” description below. The Color also indicates the type of activity

Red: Power and magnetizing or enchanting White: Pacifying or calming and long-life Blue or Black: Wrathful power to turn back obstacles, negative karmas, evil forces Yellow: Auspiciousness and attracting good fortune. Green: Combines all the colors and activities.

Introductory Dharani

om namo bhagavatyai āryaśrī ekaviṃśati tārāyai

namastāre ture vīre

tuttāre bhayanāśini

ture sarvārthade tāre

svāhākāre namo’stute

1st Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Pravita Tara

Tibetan: Rabtupa We Drolma

English: Heroic Red Tara

Power or Rite: turning back the power of others. Seed syllable OM Colour: red Number of arms: four Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namas tāre ture vīre

kṣaṇa dyuti nibhekṣaṇe

trailokya nātha vaktrābja

vikasat kesarodbhave

2nd Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Chandra Kanti Tara

Tibetan: Karmo a Dang Ge Drolma

English: Moonlight White Tara

Power or Rite: calming infectious disease. Seed syllable TAM Colour: white Number of arms: twelve Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaḥ śata śaraccandra

sampūrṇa paṭalānane

tārā sahasra nikara prahasat

kiraṇojjvale

3rd Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Kanaka Vana Tara

Tibetan: Ser Mo Serdok Chen Ge Drolma

English: Golden Color Tara

Power or Rite: calming infectious disease. Seed syllable TAM Colour: white Number of arms: twelve Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaḥ kanaka nīlābja-pāṇi

padma vibhūṣite

dāna vīrya tapaḥ śānti titikṣā

dhyāna gocare

4th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Usnisa Vijaya Tara

Tibetan: Tsug Tor Nam Pal Gyal We Drolma

English: Golden Tara of Crown Victorious

Power or Rite: neutralizing lethal poisons. Seed syllable TUTA Colour: golden Number of arms: four Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namastathāgatoṣṇīṣa

vijayānantacāriṇi

aśeṣapāramitāprāpta

jinaputraniṣevite

5th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Hum Svara Nadini Tara

Tibetan: HUM Dra Dolpi Drolma

English: Tara Proclaiming the Sound of HUM

Power or Rite: subjugating. Seed syllable TA Colour: yellow Number of arms: two Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namastuttāra huṅkāra

pūritāśā digantare

saptaloka kramākrānt niḥśeṣ

ākarṣaṇa kṣame

6th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Trai Lokya Vijaya Tara

Tibetan: Jig Ten Sum Lay Nam Par Gyal We Drolma

English: Tara Victorious over the Three Levels of the World

Power or Rite: purification of all obscurations and negativities. Seed syllable RE Colour: ruby red Number of arms: four Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namah śakrā nala brahma

marud viśveśvar ārcite,

bhūta vetāla gandharva gaṇa

yakṣa puraskṛte

7th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Vadi Pramardani Tara

Tibetan: Golwa Jompi Drolma

English: Tara Who Crushes Adversaries

Power or Rite: Destroyer of adversaries (adversaries means obstacles and obscurations). Seed syllable TU Colour: ruby black Number of arms: four Peaceful or wrathful: wrathful

namas triḍiti phaṭkāra

parayantra pramardini

pratyālīḍha padanyāse

śikhi jvālā kulojjvale

8th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Mara Sudana Vasitottama Da Tara

Tibetan: Wang Chug Terwe Drolma

English: Tara Who Gives Supreme Spiritual Power

Power or Rite: completion stage practices; destroyer of Maras (demons) and the two obstructions Seed syllable TU Colour: ruby black Number of arms: four Peaceful or wrathful: wrathful

namasture mahāghore

māra vīra vināśini

bhṛkuṭī kṛta vaktrābja

sarva śatru niṣūdini

9th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Khadiravana Tara

Tibetan: Seng Ding Nag Che Drolma

English: Tara of the Khadira Fragrant Forest (Principle Green Tara)

Power or Rite: Principle Green Tara: all activities Seed syllable TAM Colour: green Number of arms: 2 Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namastrīratna mudrāṅka

hṛdayāṅguli vibhūṣite

bhūṣitā śeṣa dikcakra

nikara-sva-karākule

10th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Soka Vinodana Tara

Tibetan: Na Nyen Me Pi Drolma

English: Tara Who Dispels All Suffering

Power or Rite: Her rite is entering the mandala Seed syllable SA Colour: red Number of arms: 4 Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaḥ pramuditoddīpta

mukuṭākṣipta mālini

hasat prahasat tuttāre

māra loka vaśaṅkari

11th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Jag Vasi Vipan Nirbarhana Tara

Tibetan: Dro Wa Gug Pa Am Pungpa Sel We Drolma

English: Tara Who Summons All Beings and Dispels Misfortune

Power or Rite: Increasing enjoyments and accomplishing activities through the ten guardians Seed syllable HA Colour: black Number of arms: 2 Peaceful or wrathful: wrathful

namaḥ samasta bhūpāla

patal ākarṣaṇa kṣame

calada bhṛkuṭi hūṃkāra

sarvāpada vimocini

12th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Kalyana Da Tara or Manga Laloka Tara

Tibetan: Tashi Nang We Drolma

English: Tara Who Grants Prosperity and Brings about Auspicious Circumstances

Power or Rite: Her rite is the fire offering Seed syllable AH Colour: yellow Number of arms: 8 Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaḥ śīkhaṇḍa-khaṇḍendu

mukuṭā bharaṇoj-jvale

amitābha-jaṭā-bhāra

bhāsvara-kiraṇa-dhruve

13th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Pari Pacaka Tara

Tibetan: Young Su Min Par Zed Pi Drolma

English: Tara the Complete Ripener

Power or Rite: Her rite is for subduing hindrances Seed syllable DRUM Colour: red Number of arms: 4 Peaceful or wrathful: wrathful

namaḥ kalpānta huta bhuga

jvālā mālāntara sthite

ālīḍha muditābaddha

ripu cakra vināśini

14th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Bhrkuti Tara

Tibetan: Tro Nyer Yo We Drolma

English: Wrathful, Shaking and Frowning Tara

Power or Rite: Her rite is the protective circle Seed syllable AH TA Colour: black Number of arms: 6 Peaceful or wrathful: wrathful

namaḥ karatalā ghāta

ćaraṇa hatabhūtale

bhṛkuṭī kṛta hūṃkāra

sapta pātāla bhedini

15th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Maha Shanti Tara

Tibetan: She Wa Chen Mo Am Gelek Ter Wi Drolma

English: Tara the Great Peaceful One Who Provides Virtues and Goodness

namaḥ śive śubhe śānte

śānta nirvāṇa gocare,

svāhā praṇava saṃyukte

mahā pātaka nāśini

16th Tara Dharani

Power or Rite: cleansing, purification, praised in terms of her Dharmakaya aspect Seed syllable A (red) Colour: coral red Number of arms: two Peaceful or wrathful: slightly wrathful

namaḥ pramuditābaddha

ripu-gātra prabhedini

daśākṣara pada-nyāse

vidyā-hūṃkāra-dīpite

17th Tara Dharani

Power or Rite: Binding thieves, praised for wrathful activity of shaking the three worlds. Seed syllable SHA Colour: orange Number of arms: two Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namas ture pādaghāta

hūṃkārākāra bījite

meru mandharva vindhyaśca

bhuvana trayacālini

18th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Sita Vijaya Tara

Tibetan: Rab Tu Gye Pi Drolma

English: Victorious Tara Who Increases Realizations

Power or Rite: Curing leprosy and Naga diseases (as Tara cured Surya Gupta.) Praised for dispelling poisons of all kinds. Seed syllable KE Colour: white Number of arms: four Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaḥ sureśarākāra

hariṇāṅka kara sthite

tārā_dvirukta phaṭkāra

aśeṣa viṣa nāśini

19th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Dukha Dahana Tara

Tibetan: Duk Ngal Sek Pi Drolma

English: Tara, Extinguisher of All Suffering

Power or Rite: Curing leprosy and Naga diseases (as Tara cured Surya Gupta.) Praised for dispelling poisons of all kinds. Seed syllable ZA Colour: white Number of arms: two Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaḥ sura gaṇā dhyakṣa

sura kinnara sevite

ābaddha muditābhoga

kari duḥ svapna nāśini

20th Tara Dharani

Sanskrit: Sidhi Sambhava Tara

Tibetan: Ngyu Drob Jung Pi Drolma

English: Tara, Source of All Powerful Attainments

Power or Rite: Dispelling fevers and epidemics. Seed syllable TSE Colour: orange Number of arms: two Peaceful or wrathful: peaceful

namaś candrārka sampūrṇa

nayana dyuti bhāsvare

hara dvirukta tut-tāre

viṣama jvara nāśini

21st Tara Dharani

Power or Rite: Rite is for “sky going” to the Akanishtha Pureland in this very life; praised for subduing evil spirits and zombies. Seed syllable PHE Colour: white Number of arms: two Peaceful or wrathful: slightly wrathful

nama stritat tvavi nyāse

śiva-śakti samanvite

graha vetāla yakṣa gaṇa

nāśini pravare ture

Source: Tara in the Palm of Your Hand by Venerable Zasep Rinpoche, (found on Amazon here>>)

Chanting in English

Chanting the 21 Praises in English may not have the same profound vibrational intensity as the Sanskrit, but it is a popular way to honor  Tara, the Mother of the Buddhas. If you prefer to chant in English, here’s our previous video version also beautifully chanted by Hrishikesh Sonar (in this version, with Surya Gupta lineage paintings by the well-known artist V.V. Sapar, used with permission):

When you do translate the praise, you can see how many of the nuances are missing. English, typically, doesn’t carry as many layered meanings. This is the English translation used in chanting:

PRAISE OF TARA’S MANTRA:

Homage to Tara the Swift and Courageous,

You drive away all our fears with TUTTARE,

Saviouress fulfilling all aims with TURE,

With syllables SVAHA, we offer homage.

21 TARAS PRAISE IN ENGLISH:

1. Heroic Red Tara

Homage to You, the Swift One, the Heroine,

Your gaze is as quick as flashes of lightning

Who arose from the majestic carolla

From the Lotus face of the Lord of Three Worlds.

2. Moonlight White Tara

Homage to You with a face that resembles

The gathering of one hundred autumn full moons

And who with the brightness of stars by the thousands

Shines in a vast perfect light of resplendence.

3. Golden Color Tara

Homage to You divine golden-blue Goddess

Whose hands are adorned by water-born lotus.

Embody Six Perfections: Giving, Patience

Ethics, Concentration, Vigor, and Wisdom

4. Golden Tara of Crown Victorious

Homage to You who crowns Buddha’s ushnishas,

Whose victorious actions have no limit.

Who has attained ev’ry transcendent wisdom,

On whom the Bodhisattvas themselves rely.

5. Tara Proclaiming the Sound of HUM

Homage to You who with HUM and TUTTARA,

Fill all worlds of desire, direction, space.

Who with your feet press down on the Seven Worlds;

You subdue all beings under your power.

6. Tara Victorious Over the Three Levels of World

Homage to You praised by Indra and Agni,

Brahma, Vayu, Ishvara and all the gods

All the spirits, zombies, and the smell-eaters,

Even the Yakshas give praise in Your presence.

7. Tara Who Crushes Adversaries

Homage to You who with the TRAY and PEY sounds,

Crush every magical wheel, evil forces,

Right leg extended and left bent, you trample,

You burn them completely in Your whirling fire.

8. Tara Who Gives Supreme Spiritual Power

Homage to You, TURE, the Boundless Fierce One,

Who totally destroys leaders of maras.

Whose lotus-like face forms furious wrinkles,

You annihilate foes without exception.

9. Tara of the Khadira Fragrant Forest

Homage to You whose fingers held at Your chest,

Displaying the mudra of the Three Jewels;

Beautiful swirling light in your precious hands

Dharma wheels connect every direction.

10. Tara Who Dispels All Suffering

Homage to You, the majestic and joyful

With brilliant garlands of light around your crown

With the great clangor of laughter TUTTARA

Over power all the worlds and the maras.

11. Tara Who Summons All Beings and Dispels Misfortune

Homage to You, endowed with the great power,

To draw assembly of worldly guardians.

The One who with the HUM of wrathful wrinkles

You rescue completely from all poverty.

12. Tara Who Grants Prosperity and Brings About Aupsiciousness

Homage to You, who is crowned with crescent moon,

And whose ornaments so brilliantly sparkle.

Amitabha in front of your ushnisha,

Eternally radiating beams of light.

13. Tara the Complete Rinpener

Homage to You, who dwell in garlands of flames

Engulfed in fire like the end of the aeon.

Right leg outstretched and left bent with blissful joy

Who with your power destroy all enemies.

14. Wrathful, Shaking and Frowning Tara

Homage to You, striking the ground with your hand

And crushing the earth with your majestic foot.

With wrathful, wrinkled face and the sound of HUM

You fully subdue seven levels of worlds.

15. Tara the Great Peaceful One Who Provides Virtues

Homage to You, happy, virtuous and peaceful,

Who acts from eternal bliss of Nirvana.

And who with the pure sounds of OM and SVAHA,

Eliminates the most unwholesome Karmas!

16. Tara Destroyer of All Attachment

Homage to You, who turns the Wheel of Dharma

For truly devoted, who love the teachings

Crushing enemies — all types of obstacles

with the Hum and the ten syllable mantra.

17. Tara Accomplisher of Joy and Bliss

Homage to You with feet stamping and Ture

Whose essence is the sacred syllable Hum.

You cause Mount Meru, Mandhara and Vindhya

Making all three worlds to tremble and shake!

18. Victorious Tara Who Increases Realizations

Homage to You, holding the moon in Your hand

Like a celestial ocean of nectar.

Sound of the PEY and the twice uttered TARA

You completely dispel every poison.

19. Tara, Extinguisher of All Suffering

Homage to You on whom the devas rely

And also the lords of all the Gandharvas.

Your armor of joy, a radiant brightness,

You eliminate arguments and nightmares.

20. Tara, Source of All Powerful Attainments

Homage to You, whose two eyes are shining bright,

Brilliant with light like the sun and the full moon.

Saying HARA twice and TUTTARE again

You clear and eliminate epidemics.

21. Tara of the Perfection of Wisdom and Compassion

Homage to You whose pure Body, Speech and Mind

Are perfect with the strength and power of peace.

Suppressing Maras, Dons, Zombies and Yakshas

With the most exalted syllable TURE.

More about Surya Gupta Lineage of 21 Taras

The first seven Taras in the Surya Gupta lineage are more fully described in our special feature with 7 videos and 7 mantras in Sanskrit — sung by the amazing Yoko Dharma, here>>

Nyingma Lineage version

Also in English, if you practice the Nyingma lineage (or Atisha, since the colors are similar — Atisha’s visualization incorporates vases instead of implements on lotuses), here’s a lovely chanted version with those visualizations, with 21 Tara Paintings by Lasha Mutual,  and Green Tara image (with mantra) Jampay Dorje Ben Christian.