Śrī Tārā Śatanāma Stotram (श्री तारा शतनाम स्तोत्रम्)

Prologue - Śrī Tārā Aṣṭottara Śatanāma Stotram, also called the Śrī Tārā Śatanāma Stotram, is the hymn that encases the 108 names describing Her attributes. The attributes are separately described in the Śrī Tārā Aṣṭottara Śatanāmāvali, which is derived from this stotram and contains only the attributes. The stotram mentioned here describes the usage and the benefits accrued from its recitation. It promises abundant wealth and removal of all types of misery and is also a means of obtaining everlasting peace and union with the Divine Mother. One who recites the attributes and/or the stotram a thousand times, earns the merit equivalent to performing a puraścaraṇa for any of Her mantras. One who recites on a Tuesday, in due course of time will become a leader of people. Likewise, in due course of time, one will surely attain liberation within this lifetime itself! The names themselves are derived from Svarṇamālā tantram. Unstinted devotion and faith towards the Divine Mother is a definite pre-requisite. A mere recitation of the names may not generate the aforementioned benefits. It is best to fully understand the meanings and contemplate upon them. Doing so will also help in our spiritual ascension and will bring us closer to self-realization. Nevertheless, one who recites this stotram on a regular basis will benefit immensely by the grace of the Divine Mother Śrī Tārā Devi.

The stotram is narrated by Lord Śiva to the Divine Mother Śakti and He addresses Her as Maheśāni. The ślokas from 1 to 15 and the attributes derived from them, are described in the Nāmāvali document.

Stotramārambham (स्तोत्रमारम्भम्) -

[ The stotram begins - ]

tāriṇī taralā tanvī tārātaruṇa vallarī ।

tīrarūpātarī śyāmā tanukṣīṇa payodharā ॥ 1 ॥

तारिणी तरला तन्वी तारातरुण वल्लरी ।

तीररूपातरी श्यामा तनुक्षीण पयोधरा ॥ १ ॥

turīyā taruṇā tīvragamanā nīlavāhinī ।

ugratārā jayā caṇḍī śrīmadekajaṭāśirā ॥ 2 ॥

तुरीया तरुणा तीव्रगमना नीलवाहिनी ।

उग्रतारा जया चण्डी श्रीमदेकजटाशिरा ॥ २ ॥

taruṇī śāmbhavī chinnabhālā ca bhadratāriṇī ।

ugrā ugraprabhā nīlā kṛṣṇā nīlasarasvatī ॥ 3 ॥

तरुणी शाम्भवी छिन्नभाला च भद्रतारिणी ।

उग्रा उग्रप्रभा नीला कृष्णा नीलसरस्वती ॥ ३ ॥

dvitīyā śobhanā nityā navīnā nityanūtanā ।

caṇḍikā vijayārādhyā devī gagana vāhinī ॥ 4 ॥

द्वितीया शोभना नित्या नवीना नित्यनूतना ।

चण्डिका विजयाराध्या देवी गगन वाहिनी ॥ ४ ॥

aṭṭahāsyā karālāsyā carāsyā ditipūjitā ।

saguṇā saguṇārādhyā harīndradeva pūjitā ॥ 5 ॥

अट्टहास्या करालास्या चरास्या दितिपूजिता ।

सगुणा सगुणाराध्या हरीन्द्रदेव पूजिता ॥ ५ ॥

raktapriyā ca raktākṣī rudhirāsya vibhūṣitā ।

balipriyā baliratā durgā (Durdhā) balavatī balā ॥ 6 ॥

रक्तप्रिया च रक्ताक्षी रुधिरास्य विभूषिता ।

बलिप्रिया बलिरता दुर्गा (दुर्धा) बलवती बला ॥ ६ ॥

balapriyā balaratā balarāma prapūjitā ।

ardha keśeśvarī keśā keśavāsa vibhūṣitā ॥ 7 ॥

बलप्रिया बलरता बलराम प्रपूजिता ।

अर्ध केशेश्वरी केशा केशवास विभूषिता ॥ ७ ॥

padmamālā ca padmākṣī kāmākhyā girinandinī ।

dakṣiṇā caiva dakṣā ca dakṣajā dakṣiṇe ratā ॥ 8 ॥

पद्ममाला च पद्माक्षी कामाख्या गिरिनन्दिनी ।

दक्षिणा चैव दक्षा च दक्षजा दक्षिणे रता ॥ ८ ॥

vajrapuṣpa priyā raktapriyā kusuma bhūṣitā ।

māheśvarī mahādeva priyā pañcavibhūṣitā ॥ 9 ॥

वज्रपुष्प प्रिया रक्तप्रिया कुसुम भूषिता ।

माहेश्वरी महादेव प्रिया पञ्चविभूषिता ॥ ९ ॥

iḍā ca piṅgalā caiva suṣumnā prāṇarūpinī ।

gāndhārī pañcamī pañcānanādi paripūjitā ॥ 10 ॥

इडा च पिङ्गला चैव सुषुम्ना प्राणरूपिनी ।

गान्धारी पञ्चमी पञ्चाननादि परिपूजिता ॥ १० ॥

tathyavidyā tatyarūpā tathyamārgānusāriṇī ।

tattvapriyā tatvarūpā tattvajñātmikā'naghā ॥ 11 ॥

तथ्यविद्या तत्यरूपा तथ्यमार्गानुसारिणी ।

तत्त्वप्रिया तत्वरूपा तत्त्वज्ञात्मिकाऽनघा ॥ ११ ॥

tāṇḍavācārasantuṣṭā tāṇḍapriyakāriṇī ।

tālanādaratā krūratāpinī taraṇiprabhā ॥ 12 ॥

ताण्डवाचारसन्तुष्टा ताण्डप्रियकारिणी ।

तालनादरता क्रूरतापिनी तरणिप्रभा ॥ १२ ॥

trayīyuktā (trapāyuktā) trayīmuktā (trapāmuktā)  tarpitā tṛptikāriṇī ।

kāruṇyabhāva (tāruṇyabhāva) santuṣṭā śaktirbhaktānurāgiṇī ॥ 13 ॥

त्रयीयुक्ता (त्रपायुक्ता) त्रयीमुक्ता (त्रपामुक्ता)  तर्पिता तृप्तिकारिणी ।

कारुण्यभाव (तारुण्यभाव) सन्तुष्टा शक्तिर्भक्तानुरागिणी ॥ १३ ॥

śivāsaktā śivaratiḥ śivabhakti parāyaṇā ।

tāmradyutistāmrarāgā tāmrapātraprabhodhinī ॥ 14 ॥

शिवासक्ता शिवरतिः शिवभक्ति परायणा ।

ताम्रद्युतिस्ताम्ररागा ताम्रपात्रप्रभोधिनी ॥ १४ ॥

balabhadrapremaratā balibhujbalikalpinī ।

rāmarūpā rāmaśaktī rāmarūpānurāgiṇī ॥ 15 ॥

बलभद्रप्रेमरता बलिभुज्बलिकल्पिनी ।

रामरूपा रामशक्ती रामरूपानुरागिणी ॥ १५ ॥

phalaśruti (फलश्रुति) -

[ Expected results upon reciting the stotram on a regular basis over a period of time].

ityetat-kathitaṃ devi rahasyaṃ paramādbhutam ।

śrutvā mokṣam-avāpnoti tārā devyāḥ prasādataḥ ॥ 16 ॥

इत्येतत्कथितं देवि रहस्यं परमाद्भुतम् ।

श्रुत्वा मोक्षमवाप्नोति तारा देव्याः प्रसादतः ॥ १६ ॥

Oh listen my dear Devi! The secrets of this stotram (hymn) are splendid and wondrous. One who listens and recites the stotram will surely attain liberation (mokṣa) by the grace of the Divine Mother Tārā Devi.

ya idaṃ paṭati stotraṃ tārā-stuti rahasyakam ।

sarva-siddhi bhūtvā viharet kṣiti-maṇḍale ॥ 17 ॥

य इदं पटति स्तोत्रं तारास्तुति रहस्यकम् ।

सर्वसिद्धि भूत्वा विहरेत् क्षितिमण्डले ॥ १७ ॥

One who recites this secretive stotram with ardent and utmost devotion, will surely attain success in all endeavors, no matter in which corner of the globe they may be at.

tasyaiva mantra-siddhiḥ syān-mama-siddhir-anuttamā ।

bhavatyeva mahāmāye satyaṃ satyaṃ na saṃśayaḥ ॥ 18 ॥

तस्यैव मन्त्रसिद्धिः स्यान्ममसिद्धिरनुत्तमा ।

भवत्येव महामाये सत्यं सत्यं न संशयः ॥ १८ ॥

One shall also obtain mantra siddhi of the Divine Mother Tārā’s mantras and gain excellence in all aspects. With the Divine Mother Mahāmāya as witness, I speak thus the solemn Truth and let there be no doubts in anyone’s mind about this!

mande maṅgalavāre ca yaḥ paṭhen-niśi saṃyataḥ ।

tasyaiva mantra-siddhis-syād-gāṇapatyaṃ labheta saḥ ॥ 19 ॥

मन्दे मङ्गलवारे च यः पठेन्निशि संयतः ।

तस्यैव मन्त्रसिद्धिस्स्याद्गाणपत्यं लभेत सः ॥ १९ ॥

Such a devotee, who on a Tuesday recites this stotram with great fervor and enthusiasm and contemplates upon the Divine Mother Tārā Devi singing Her praises with these attributes, attains mantra siddhi of Her mantras and also becomes a great leader of people.      

śraddhayā-'śraddhayā vāpi paṭhet-tārā-rahasyakam ।

so'cireṇaiva kālena jīvan-muktaḥ śivo bhavet ॥ 20 ॥

श्रद्धयाऽश्रद्धया वापि पठेत्तारारहस्यकम् ।

सोऽचिरेणैव कालेन जीवन्मुक्तः शिवो भवेत् ॥ २० ॥

One who recites this secretive Tārā stotram with ardent devotion or even with disbelief near a pond or well or any water body, will most certainly and within a very short span of time, attain liberation (jīvan-mukta) and become one with Lord Śiva.

sahasr-āvartanād-devi puraścaryā-phalaṃ labhet ।

evaṃ satata-yuktā ye dhyāyantas-tvām-upāsate ।

te kṛtārthā maheśāni mṛtyu-saṃsāra-vartmanaḥ ॥ 21 ॥

सहस्रावर्तनाद्देवि पुरश्चर्याफलं लभेत् ।

एवं सततयुक्ता ये ध्यायन्तस्त्वामुपासते ।

ते कृतार्था महेशानि मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनः ॥ २१ ॥

One who recites this stotram a thousand times, will get the benefits of doing puraścaraṇa (preparatory rites for fulfillment of mantras) of any of Her mantras. One who continuously or regularly meditates upon Her as part of his/her with fervent devotion, will surely lead a life of great accomplishments and finally get liberated from the cycle of life and death.This is the power of this stotram, oh Dear Maheśāni!

iti svarṇamālā-tantre tārā-śatanāma-stotraṃ samāptam ॥

इति स्वर्णमालातन्त्रे ताराशतनामस्तोत्रं समाप्तम् ॥

[Thus ends the Tārā-śatanāma-stotraṃ derived from the Svarṇamālā Tantram].