The Short Commentary on the Tantra of Twenty-one Homages to Tārā called “The Treasure Vase of

Benefit and Happiness”

by Thupten Shedrub Gyatso.

The Frowning Lady

11

Introduction

Benefits

namaḥ samanta-bhūpāla-paṭalâkarṣaṇa-kṣame |

calad-bhṝ-kuṭi-hūṃ-kāra-sarvâpada-vimocinī ||

namaḥ (n/V) – adoration, homage; samanta – entire, all; bhū-pāla – 'earth-guardian', a king, prince; paṭala – roof, multitude; karṣaṇa – pulling, tormenting; kṣame – enduring, able, patience; calat (PrP of cal) – moving, stiring, trembling, shaking, quiver; bhṝ – to bear, to blame, to fry, to be crooked; kuṭi – curve, contraction; hūṃ – [a holy sound]; kāra (m) – [term used to signify a letter, sound or indeclinable word]; sarva – all; apada – no place or a wrong place; vimocinī (f) – liberation, liberator.

Homage to you,

Who can summon hosts of the protectors of earth.

By your frowning movements and HŪṂ syllable,

You bring freedom from all poverties.

The eleventh homage is to Thronyer Chenma,^Tib the “Frowning Lady” who bestows wealth and dispels poverty. She summons the goddess of earth, the nāgas, the god of wealth, yakṣas and other lords of ten directions and their retinues to serve her activities. She is holds a treasure vase, and is orange in color. She is majestic, with a scowling face and a furrowed brow. Light radiates from the HŪṂ syllable at her heart, drawing in the wealth and prosperity of gods, nāgas and humans. She showers the poor and needy with wealth, satisfying all their needs and freeing them from their sufferings. The inner meaning is that by purifying the earth-like ignorance that supports the world, the primordially perfect great merit is revealed, clearing saṃsāra and nirvāṇa of all poverty. This also indicates the Secret and Wisdom path.