- Ekajati
Ekajati or Ekajata (Tibetan: "ral chig ma". English: One Braid of Hair), one of the 21 Taras, is one of the most powerful and fierce goddesses of Tibetan mythology, an acculturation of the the
Bön goddess of heaven, whose right eye was pierced by thetantric masterPadmasambhava as he banished her. Ekajati is also known as 'Blue Tara'.Often she appears as liberator in the mandala of
Green Tara . Along with that her ascribed powers are removing the fear of enemies, spreading joy and removing personal hindrances on the path to enlightenment.Ekajati is the protector of secret
mantra s and "as the mother of the mothers of all the Buddhas," represents ultimate unity. As such her own mantra is also secret.The first
Karmapa Düsum Kyenpa already meditated upon her in early childhood.According to
Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche , she is the principle guardian of theDzogchen teachings and is "a personification of the essentially non-dual nature of primordial energy." [Norbu (1986)]Iconography
She is of a blue skin tone, with a high, red chignon ("she who has but one chignon" is another one of her titles). She has one head, one breast, two hands and a
third eye . However, she can also be depicted with more body parts; up to twelve heads and twenty four arms, with different tantric attributes (sword,kukuri ,phurba , blue lotus axe,vajra )In her most common form she holds an axe,
drigug (cleaver) orkhatvanga (tantric staff) and askull cup in her hands. In her chignon is a picture ofAkshobhya .Her demeanour expresses determination. With her right foot she steps upon corpses, symbols of the
ego . Her laugh bares a split tongue and a single tooth. She is dressed in a skull necklace and with a tiger and a human skin. She sits in the vajra position on a lotus and is surrounded by flames representing wisdom.Notes
References
*Beyer, Stephen (1973). "The Cult of Tara". University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-03635-2
*Norbu, Namkhai (1986). "The Crystal and the Way of Light". London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN 1559391359External links
* [http://www.himalayanart.org/image.cfm/263.html Ekajati (protector) on HimalayanArt.com] - an excellent image of a
tanka of Ekajati
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
