The queen of the Buddhist heavens, Devi Tara is the embodiment of the feminine principle. She is the merciful and compassionate mother, and gives birth to life and affirms it with Her nourishment. She is like a mother to Her devotee, extending to the mortal Her unconditional love and protection from adharma that permeates the cycle of existence as we know it. In Her beauteous face and Her queenly stance, the Devi Tara has all these qualities writ large in this composition. She stands on the receptacle of an inverted lotus, as is the norm with peace-loving deities of the Hindu and Buddhist pantheons. Her body language is dynamic, Her gaze turned lovingly to the realm (existential) beneath Her. Her sashes and the ample train of Her silken dhoti float about Her lithe, yogini’s form. On the palms of both hands is the cakshurindriya, as is characteristic of Devi Tara’s many roopas. In Her left hand is a blooming, larger-than-life lotus. The solid gold of the devi’s roopa, from her skin to Her lush clothing and vine-like crown and ornaments, is punctuated by the dreamy black of Her shoulder-length curls. This murti is a fine example of Nepalese handiwork. Gold-gilded copper being an elite medium, Buddhist lord- and devi-sculptures like this one are signature collectibles for the spiritually inclined.
