Taṇhā

Eldest of the three daughters of Māra (with Aratī and Rāgā), personifying Craving. Accompanying their downcast father after his armies fail, the three try to seduce the newly awakened Buddha and fail utterly because he is free of craving. Named in the buddhist_mara entry as one of the three daughters.

Parentage

• Māra

Domains

• craving thirst
• temptation

Powers

• Take on the forms of beautiful women of every age
• Rouse craving and unquenchable thirst

Epithets

• तृष्णा

Relations

• sibling: Aratī
• sibling: Rāgā
• father: Māra

Sources

• Saṃyutta Nikāya, Māra-saṃyutta, Dhītaro Sutta (SN 4.25)
• Dhammapada-aṭṭhakathā on vv.179-180
• Saṃyutta Nikāya, Māra-saṃyutta (SN 4.25), where Taṇhā, Aratī and Rāgā are Māra's daughters