The Cult of Tara

WORSHIP
Jewels in general; and when the three later sets of offerings are
presented to the Blessed Lady in particular, they are being presented
to the Three Jewels in general as well, since by the above visualization
they are made inherent in the goddess. "It is not as if when
offering to one the other must stop and wait his turn," he says.
"Rather there is just more attention given to the one more important
at the time." The author goes on to say in a long poem that
"these words are not just a copy from earlier books, nor are they
improper, newfangled, and mistaken; rather it has been my intention
to impart to the old words the youth of newness."
2.222 Offerings and prayers (repeated three times)
Now begins the actual "ritual of offerings, praises, and prayers"
to Tara, and this entire section is repeated three times, thus making
up an offering of four mandalas in all.
2.2221 Offerings
2.2221.1 Homage
As before, the section of offerings to the goddess begins with the
recitation of a homage, first empowered by the same mantra (OM
NAMO MANJUSRIYE SVAHA . . .) and then recited or sung to
one of its standard melodies:
Having eyes that flash like lightning,
heroine, TARE, TUTTARE,
I bow to you, sprung from the corolla
of the lotus of the Buddha's face.
Having a face like the circle
of the full autumm moon,
I pay homage to you, holding a lotus flower
with your gift-bestowing gesture.
From the cage of this world TUTTARE !
pacifying defilements with SVAHA !
I bow to you, opening the gate of Brahma
with your inherent OM !
I pay homage to Tara, the mother,
the mother of all,
protecting the entire world
from the eight great terrors.
Gods and demigods bow their crowns
to the lotus of your feet;
I pay homage to Tara, the mother,
saving from all poverty.