Why is Marichi, called the enemy of the demons or Maras in Mahayana Buddhism? In what way is she an emanation of Mother Tara? How can she protect me in turbulent times?
Marichi, the Goddess of the Dawn in Mahayana Buddhism, is called the enemy of the Maras, or demons. Her shining protective golden light, the light of the sun at dawn, obliterates all darkness. Just as the rising sun, wipes away the fear of the darkness, Marichi’s life-affirming and shining presence is enough to destroy any evil.
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This can be evil in our own hearts, such as greed, anger, hate, fear, or it can be external forces, Maras and demons. There is no difference.
Marichi protects those who call her name or chant her mantras. She is an emanation of Mother Tara — the twenty-first of the 21 Taras, and a fully enlightened Bodhisattva.
Marichi’s Praise
Her praise, translated to English is:
Om, Homage to the goddess Marichi.
Homage to her, the great enemy of the Maras.
Utterly invincible, vanquisher of all,
She who travels before the sun and moon,
Simply by praying to you, may all opposing forces be destroyed!
YOKO DHARMA chants Marichi’s Mantra:
Marich’s Dharani
Her Dharani was proclaimed by Shakyamuni Buddha in Sutra. When she asked Buddha how she could best serve the Dharma, he told her to teach the Sutra of Golden Light.
Her name in Sanskrit, Marichi, literally means “Ray of Light.”
Her name shows she emanates from the wisdom of Amitabha. In the Sutra of Golden Light it is written she originated as a beam of light emanated from Amitabha Buddha.
To show she overcomes ignorance and delusions she is often visualized as riding a great boar, or drawn in a fiery chariot, symbolic of the sun, pulled by seven boars. She can be semi-peaceful, or semi-wrathful with three faces. In her more wrathful forms, she might have eight or more arms, symbolizing the eighfold path of the Buddha.Due to her vast popularity in Mahayana Buddhism all over Tibet, China, and Japan, she has many mantras. The Marichi mantra is used for protection, success, and prosperity. The most common one is
Om Marichi Mam Svaha.
Mam is her seed syllable.
Other profoundly powerful mantras include
Om Marichi Padme Hum
and her name praise
Om Marichi Namaha.
Empowerment is not required to benefit from her protective mantras.
Ideally, before chanting the mantra, if you seek her protection, you can chant the benefits prayer to Marichi found in the Dharani Sutra of Marichi.
In English this would be:
Om goddess Marichi, please protect me on the road!
Please protect me from taking wrong paths!
Please protect me from dangerous beings!
Please protect me from the danger of tyrants!
Please protect me from the danger of elephants!
Please protect me from the danger of thieves!
Please protect me from the danger of nagas!
Please protect me from the danger of lions!
Please protect me from the danger of tigers!
Please protect me from the danger of fire!
Please protect me from the danger of water!
Please protect me from the danger of snakes!
Please protect me from the danger of poison!
Please protect me from the danger of opponents and adversaries!
Anytime you feel threatened, or feel overwhelmed by internal obstacles or external dangers, simply chant her simplest mantra while thinking of her golden light.
See yourself surrounded by impenetrable golden light, and know you are safe. Chant the mantra silently or outloud as you do. Om Marichi Mam Svaha