Journal In Praise of the Great Liberator: The Worship of Ārya Tārā in Nepal May 3, 2026 neerajb24 Dr. Miroj Shakya Tārā means she who carries across, savioress,protector, and “Star Lady.” The names ofTārā are associated with the two features of stars i.e., light and guidance. Stars have often guided the maritime travelers who used to cross dangerous seas under the night sky. Similarly, she liberates the sentient beings from the suffering of Saṃsāra. Ārya Tārā is one of the mother goddesses or female Buddhas in Mahāyāna and Tantric Buddhism. The earliest depiction of Tārā in Buddhist art as Avalokiteśvara’s female companion can only be found in 6thcentury C.E. In Nepal, Princess Bhṛkutī was born in 617 CE. She was believed to have been an emanation ofGreen Tārā.
