Green Tara
Material: Bronze
Origin: Nepal
Height: 35.5 cm
Code: VS-003
Green Tara adopts a seated position with left leg bent and right leg extended. Her right foot is supported by a lotus flower and body is swayed slightly to the right, symbolising her readiness and swiftness to assist those who invoke her compassion. This posture is typical of the Pala period (8th to 12th century) in eastern India.
Tara’s left hand is raised to her heart level while her right hand rests on her right knee in a gift-giving gesture (varadamudra), each hand holding a stalk of blue upala flower. She adorns a five-leaved crown with her hair gathered into two knots surmounted by a jewel at the tip. Her hair is blue (typical of a peaceful deity), split and flows freely on both sides of her shoulders. Her body is green in colour and adorned with necklaces, bracelets, armlets, anklets and belt.
According to the text Vidyadhara Dharmakirti (Rigdin Chodak), after Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara realised hat no matter how hard he tried in liberating sentient beings, there are still limitless number of sentient beings suffering from their own delusions. Tears flowed from his eyes. It was said that Green Tara arose from his left teardrop and White Tara from his right teardrop, to assist Avalokitesvara in relieving the pains and sufferings of sentient beings.