Visiting Tara

She was a dhyana (meditation) practitioner for decades. She could now help solve minor issues for people. She could also perceive things. She perceived something. It was time to talk to her brother.

He was a brilliant engineer with multiple patents to his name and a hobbyist historian with a photographic memory. He was also a Yoga & Dhyana practitioner. His sister spoke to him. It was about their mother. She did not have much time left.

He wrapped up & returned. They all spent time together. They went on a pilgrimage.

He had read the book, Aghora, by Robert Svoboda, who documented learnings from the Aghori, Vimalananda. Aghoris follow the Vama marga (left path) as opposed to the Dakshina marga (right path) such as Yoga & meditation. Vimalananda worshipped Tara, a fierce form of Shakti, one of the ten forms (Mahavidya).

There was a temple to Tara in a Smashanam (cremation ground) in Bengal. They were in a car asking directions to the Smashanam. She said that she could perceive the high pitched cackles & shrieks of the spirits and pointed in a direction. The driver asked around, found the place & drove over. It was exactly where she had pointed it.

They went to the temple & worshipped. The Pujari (priest) told them that tonight was Ammavasya (the new moon) & there was a special Netra Puja ritual at midnight. He invited them to come.

They went back to the hotel. It grew dark. They prepared to return. The hotel owner was surprised to see them leave late. On realizing that they were going to the Smashanam, he was shocked. "It is scary to go there in the day. It is crazy to go in the night! Why?" They explained the invite to the special Puja.

They reached the Smashanam. They heard loud sounds with cries of "Jai Mata". It was scary. They made their way to the temple. The Pujari performed the puja. He finished. He put his head on Tara's feet. The mother was next. He was next. Finally, she.

When she put her forehead to the feet, she was physically thrown back a few feet. And there was a big red mark on her forehead. Everyone, including the Pujari were startled.

Then, the Puja was over. They made their way back to the car. On their way back, they met with an accident. The mother was injured & hospitalized. Others were unhurt. Would the mother survive? Was this was she had perceived?

However, the mother recovered. And she could no longer perceive anything foreboding in the mother's future.

Did Tara simply reduce the bad Karma of an impending end to mere injuries and hospitalization? Why did Tara physically throw her back? Was it just removal of bad Karma? Only Tara, the divine mother herself with her mysterious nature knows.