Red Tara, also known as Kurukulla, is a prominent deity in Tibetan Buddhism. She is a form of Tara, who is revered as the mother goddess of compassion. Red Tara is associated with passionate love, magnetism, and the power of transformation.
In her iconography, Red Tara is depicted as a youthful and beautiful goddess, typically red in color, with one face and two arms. She is often portrayed standing on a lotus blossom, symbolizing purity, and she may hold various attributes such as a flower, a bow and arrow, or a hooked knife.
Red Tara's red color represents her fierce and dynamic nature. She is associated with the element of fire and is believed to possess the power to subjugate negative forces and obstacles. Her name, Kurukulla, translates to "the One of the Kurukulla flower," which is a red flower symbolizing the transformative power of love.
As a deity of magnetism and love, Red Tara is often invoked to attract positive relationships, enhance one's charisma, and remove obstacles on the path to spiritual and worldly goals. She is also considered a guardian against spiritual and material harm.
Devotees of Red Tara engage in various practices, including recitation of her mantras and visualization meditations. By connecting with her energy, practitioners seek to awaken their own inner qualities of love, compassion, and transformation.
Overall, Red Tara embodies the compassionate and transformative aspects of the feminine principle in Tibetan Buddhism, providing devotees with guidance, protection, and support on their spiritual journeys.