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{{short description|Hindu goddess}} | {{short description|Hindu goddess}} | ||
{{for|the | {{distinguish|Tara (Mahavidya)}} | ||
{{for|the wife of [[Vali (Ramayana)|Vali]] and member of [[Panchakanya]]|Tara (Ramayana)}} | |||
{{use dmy dates|date=May 2016}} | {{use dmy dates|date=May 2016}} | ||
{{use Indian English|date=May 2016}} | {{use Indian English|date=May 2016}} | ||
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| image = File:GuruTara_(Restored).jpg | | image = File:GuruTara_(Restored).jpg | ||
| alt = Taraka | | alt = Taraka | ||
| caption = Brihaspati with Tara | | caption = Brihaspati with Tara, from Navagraha temple at [[Surendrapuri]] | ||
| deity_of = Goddess of Felicity and Sanguineness | | deity_of = Goddess of Felicity and Sanguineness | ||
| children = | | children = [[Kacha (sage)|Kacha]] and [[Budha]]<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zrk0AwAAQBAJ&q=brihaspati+tara&pg=PT1197 | title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide | isbn=9788184752779 | last1=Dalal | first1=Roshen | date=18 April 2014 | publisher=Penguin UK }}</ref> | ||
| | | consort = [[Brihaspati]] | ||
| consort = [[Brihaspati]] | |||
| name = Tara | | name = Tara | ||
| affiliation = [[Devi]] | | affiliation = [[Devi]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''{{IAST|Tārā}}''' is the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] goddess of felicity and sanguineness. She is also the consort of Hindu god [[Brihaspati]], the god of planet Jupiter. According to | '''{{IAST|Tārā}}''' is the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] goddess of felicity and sanguineness. She is also known as the "Wisdom Goddess" in Nepal and Tibet. Tara is the consort of Hindu god [[Brihaspati]], the god of planet Jupiter. According to some [[Purana]]s, Tara sired or mothered a child named [[Budha]], the god of Mercury through [[Chandra]] and had a son named [[Kacha (sage)|Kacha]] through [[Brihaspati]]. | ||
==Story== | ==Story== | ||
Tara was the wife of [[Bṛhaspati|Brihaspati]], the guru of [[Deva (Hinduism)|Devas]]. As her husband spent most of his time with the problems and matters of Devas, she felt | {{Main|Tarakamaya War}} | ||
According to the Devi Bhagvata Purana and Padma Purana, Tara was the wife of [[Bṛhaspati|Brihaspati]], the guru of [[Deva (Hinduism)|Devas]]. As her husband spent most of his time with the problems and matters of Devas, she felt ignored by her husband. One day, [[Chandra]], the moon god visited Brihaspati. There he saw Tara and was captivated by her beauty. Tara also fell for Chandra due to his beautiful form, and the two ran away.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Patel|first=Utkarsh|date=2020-06-05|title=Tara and Chandradev: If a Dissatisfied Partner Has An Affair, Who Is To Be Blamed?|url=https://www.bonobology.com/tara-and-chandra-if-a-dissatisfied-partner-has-an-affair-who-is-to-be-blamed/|access-date=2020-08-14|website=Bonobology.com|language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
Brihaspati | Brihaspati, lovesick and infuriated, demanded Chandra to return his wife. Chandra told Brihaspati that Tara was happy and satisfied with him. He enquired as to how an old man could be the husband of a young woman. This made Brihaspati more annoyed and he warned Chandra for battle. [[Indra]] and other Devas gathered to fight a war. Chandra was not ready to give Tara back and he took help from the Asuras and their preceptor, [[Shukra|Sukra]]. The Devas were assisted by [[Shiva]] and his companions. Devas and Asura were about to fight a war, but [[Brahma]], the creator god, stopped them and convinced Chandra to return Tara, who came back pregnant. | ||
A legal proceeding went down. Bhrihaspati and Chandra both claimed that the child was theirs. Tara stood there shy, and refused to answer who the actual father of the child was no matter how much anyone tried to make her quit her silence. Exasperated, even the child in her belly finally asked 'of whose seed was I born, mother?' This made Tara answer that that the child was Chandra's. However, Brahma still decided that since Tara was legally Bhrihaspati's wife, the baby is also legally his. Bhrihaspati only wanted his wife, not his wife's affair child. So he cursed the child,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://glorioushinduism.com/2016/02/16/budha/|title = Budha|date = 17 February 2016}}</ref> [[Budha]],<ref>{{Cite book|last=Agarwal|first=Himanshu|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lfO7DAAAQBAJ&q=Chandra+and+Tara&pg=PT37|title=Mahabharata Retold: Part - 1|date=2016-07-26|publisher=Notion Press|isbn=978-93-86073-87-7|language=en}}</ref> to be born without gender. The child thus, after growing up, preferred the company of his biological father over his foster one, and his son Pururvas went on to establish the lunar dynasty named after his biological grandfather.The Padma Purana skips this entire legal battle, and instead after Tara confesses that the child is Chandra's, Chandra takes the baby and blesses him by placing him in the solar system. Here, Budha is genderless just because he can be, without further reasons provided on the why. | |||
In the story, Tara is not punished, and in several retellings she is praised in erotic detail, despite being involved in a scandalous extra-marital affair.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pattanaik |first=Devdutt |date=2025-12-21 |title=Decolonising India’s erotic heritage |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/2025/Dec/21/decolonising-indias-erotic-heritage |access-date=2025-12-24 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> | |||
In some other Puranic versions, Tara is abducted by Chandra and raped. The storyline following this is the same regarding the birth of Budha.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mittal|first=J. P.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b7gOBW8oDFgC&q=tara+chandra&pg=PA78|title=History Of Ancient India (a New Version) : From 7300 Bb To 4250 Bc|date=2006|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist|isbn=978-81-269-0615-4|language=en}}</ref> | |||
==Beyond the Indian subcontinent and Hinduism== | |||
She is known as '''Kirinei Devi''' ({{langx|km|កិរិណីទេវី}}) in Cambodia as the wife of Lord [[Brihaspati]] From the hinduism culture passed down from the [[Khmer Empire]] and is the protective goddess of Thursday, worshipped during the [[Cambodian New Year|Cambodian New Year festival]] if the first day of the year falls on a Thursday according to the Cambodian calendar ({{langx|km|ពិធីផ្ទេរតំណែងទេវតាឆ្នាំថ្មី}}) , as she is believed to descend from heaven to care for the people of this land for one year until the following New Year. In her journey there are some special details that are local and mixed with have cambodia folk culture Unique, such as the vehicle is a [[Asian elephant|Elephant]]. , It appears with only two hands and has the following symbol as [[Elephant goad|ankusha]] and [[Bow and arrow]] , The color of her clothes is Green and Her story and details have been adapted and blended with influences [[Buddhism in Cambodia|cambodia buddhism]] and has its own unique identity.<ref>Min Saes (Braḥ Mahā.) (1942) [https://www.worldcat.org/title/Brahmacariyakatha/oclc/23580153 Brahma Chariyakathā], Bibliothèque Royale, Publisher: Royal Library of Cambodia p.185</ref><ref>Astrologer Nhim Pen (1947) [https://books.google.com/books/about/Prakratidin_kambuj%C4%81.html?id=yODnAAAAMAAJ Cambodia Calendar], Contributor: William J. Gedney, Publisher: Association Sutharot, Original from the University of Michigan p.118</ref> | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
*[[Nairatmya]] | *[[Nairatmya]] | ||
*[[Tara (Devi)]] | *[[Tara (Devi)]] | ||
*[[Tara (Buddhism)]] | *[[Tara (Buddhism)]] | ||
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[[Category:Salakapurusa]] | [[Category:Salakapurusa]] | ||
[[Category:Characters in the Mahabharata]] | [[Category:Characters in the Mahabharata]] | ||
Latest revision as of 23:03, 21 March 2026
| Tara | |
|---|---|
Goddess of Felicity and Sanguineness | |
.jpg) Brihaspati with Tara, from Navagraha temple at Surendrapuri | |
| Affiliation | Devi |
| Personal information | |
| Consort | Brihaspati |
| Children | Kacha and Budha[1] |
Tārā is the Hindu goddess of felicity and sanguineness. She is also known as the "Wisdom Goddess" in Nepal and Tibet. Tara is the consort of Hindu god Brihaspati, the god of planet Jupiter. According to some Puranas, Tara sired or mothered a child named Budha, the god of Mercury through Chandra and had a son named Kacha through Brihaspati.
Story[edit | edit source]
According to the Devi Bhagvata Purana and Padma Purana, Tara was the wife of Brihaspati, the guru of Devas. As her husband spent most of his time with the problems and matters of Devas, she felt ignored by her husband. One day, Chandra, the moon god visited Brihaspati. There he saw Tara and was captivated by her beauty. Tara also fell for Chandra due to his beautiful form, and the two ran away.[2]
Brihaspati, lovesick and infuriated, demanded Chandra to return his wife. Chandra told Brihaspati that Tara was happy and satisfied with him. He enquired as to how an old man could be the husband of a young woman. This made Brihaspati more annoyed and he warned Chandra for battle. Indra and other Devas gathered to fight a war. Chandra was not ready to give Tara back and he took help from the Asuras and their preceptor, Sukra. The Devas were assisted by Shiva and his companions. Devas and Asura were about to fight a war, but Brahma, the creator god, stopped them and convinced Chandra to return Tara, who came back pregnant.
A legal proceeding went down. Bhrihaspati and Chandra both claimed that the child was theirs. Tara stood there shy, and refused to answer who the actual father of the child was no matter how much anyone tried to make her quit her silence. Exasperated, even the child in her belly finally asked 'of whose seed was I born, mother?' This made Tara answer that that the child was Chandra's. However, Brahma still decided that since Tara was legally Bhrihaspati's wife, the baby is also legally his. Bhrihaspati only wanted his wife, not his wife's affair child. So he cursed the child,[3] Budha,[4] to be born without gender. The child thus, after growing up, preferred the company of his biological father over his foster one, and his son Pururvas went on to establish the lunar dynasty named after his biological grandfather.The Padma Purana skips this entire legal battle, and instead after Tara confesses that the child is Chandra's, Chandra takes the baby and blesses him by placing him in the solar system. Here, Budha is genderless just because he can be, without further reasons provided on the why.
In the story, Tara is not punished, and in several retellings she is praised in erotic detail, despite being involved in a scandalous extra-marital affair.[5]
In some other Puranic versions, Tara is abducted by Chandra and raped. The storyline following this is the same regarding the birth of Budha.[6]
Beyond the Indian subcontinent and Hinduism[edit | edit source]
She is known as Kirinei Devi (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.) in Cambodia as the wife of Lord Brihaspati From the hinduism culture passed down from the Khmer Empire and is the protective goddess of Thursday, worshipped during the Cambodian New Year festival if the first day of the year falls on a Thursday according to the Cambodian calendar (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.) , as she is believed to descend from heaven to care for the people of this land for one year until the following New Year. In her journey there are some special details that are local and mixed with have cambodia folk culture Unique, such as the vehicle is a Elephant. , It appears with only two hands and has the following symbol as ankusha and Bow and arrow , The color of her clothes is Green and Her story and details have been adapted and blended with influences cambodia buddhism and has its own unique identity.[7][8]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Dalal, Roshen (18 April 2014). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin UK. ISBN 9788184752779.
- ↑ Patel, Utkarsh (5 June 2020). "Tara and Chandradev: If a Dissatisfied Partner Has An Affair, Who Is To Be Blamed?". Bonobology.com. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ↑ "Budha". 17 February 2016.
- ↑ Agarwal, Himanshu (26 July 2016). Mahabharata Retold: Part - 1. Notion Press. ISBN 978-93-86073-87-7.
- ↑ Pattanaik, Devdutt (21 December 2025). "Decolonising India's erotic heritage". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
- ↑ Mittal, J. P. (2006). History Of Ancient India (a New Version) : From 7300 Bb To 4250 Bc. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. ISBN 978-81-269-0615-4.
- ↑ Min Saes (Braḥ Mahā.) (1942) Brahma Chariyakathā, Bibliothèque Royale, Publisher: Royal Library of Cambodia p.185
- ↑ Astrologer Nhim Pen (1947) Cambodia Calendar, Contributor: William J. Gedney, Publisher: Association Sutharot, Original from the University of Michigan p.118
- Dowson's Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology
External links[edit | edit source]
Hindu deities and texts | ||
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