Mara is the Goddess of Death, in Hinduism. Mara is a word in Sanskrit meaning ‘death’, ‘killing’, ‘causing death’, ‘destruction’, ‘murder’ or any personification, thereof. Mryate is the present indicative form it takes and is a causative form Marayati. Offerings are made to the deity and are placed at her altar. Few sects of worship are found though less popularly, in India.
In Buddhism once Buddha was tempted and assaulted by Mara. Mara had a demonic army and lusty daughters. According to legends, Mara, the demon attempted to seduce Gautama Buddha by producing before him the vision of beautiful women who are believed to be his own daughters.
Mara is associated with death, rebirth and desire, as per Buddhist cosmology. Mara has been described by Nyanaponika Thera as ‘the personification of forces that are antagonistic to enlightenment’.
Mara has been given 4 metaphorical forms according to traditional Buddhism. As per the metaphorical form Mrtyu-mara – Mara is death, Klesa-mara – indicates Mara as personification of delusion, hate, greed and other unskillful emotions. Skandha-mara is a metaphorical form for the entirety of conditioned existence. Devaputra-Mara is a metaphor where he is the deva with sensuous realm who prevents Buddha on his night of enlightenment to attain liberation from the rebirth cycle.
Mara’s psychological and literal interpretation has been acknowledged in early Buddhism. In the Kama-world he is believed to have existence as an entity. Mara has been described as the catalyst for fear, hesitation and lust and guardian of passion who prevents meditation among Buddhists.
