Identifier: hindumythologyve00inwilk (find matches)
Title: Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purānic
Year: 1913 (1910s)
Authors: Wilkins, William Joseph, 1843-1902
Subjects: Hindu gods
Publisher: Calcutta, Thacker, Spink
Contributing Library: Indiana University
Digitizing Sponsor: Indiana University

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KAMADEVA. the Rig-Veda, Kama is worshipped and said to beunequalled by the gods ; according to another, he isthe god of sexual love, like Eros of the Greeks, andCupid of the Latins. In the latter aspect he is thusaddressed: May Kama, having well directed thearrow, which is winged with pain, barbed with longing,and has desire for its shaft, pierce thee in the heart.It is in this character that he appears in the Puranas.Kama is known in Hindu mythology as a victim ofSivas anger. A demon named Taraka, having greatly * Muir, O. S. T., v, 402. 264 THE PURANIC DEITIES. distressed the gods, they wished to destroy him. Butonly a son of Siva could accomplish this. In conse-quence of his intense grief at the loss of his wife Sati,Siva had unfortunately become insensible to love.The gods therefore instigated Kama to assist by wound-ing him with his arrows. At last he was successful,just as Parvati (Sati in a new form) was near, who at gsHT
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SIVA SLAYING KAMADEVA. once captivated the stricken deity. Angry with Kamafor his presumption, he caused a flame to issue fromhis third eye, which consumed the god who had inter-rupted his devotions. In the Vamana Purana *is a lengthy account of the effect of Kamas arrows.The wounded god could find no rest. He threw him-self in the Kalindi river, but the waters were dried * Kennedy, Hindu Mythology. KAMADEVA. 265 up and changed into blackness ; and ever since, its darkstream, though holy, has flown through the forest likethe string that binds a maidens hair. As he wand-ered about from place to place seeking relief, the wivesof the saints in the forest of Daruvanam forsook theirhomes and followed him. This led their husbands to•curse Siva, who, being enraged at the evil Kama haddone to him, consumed him. The Bhagavata* continues the story as follows :—Rati, the wife of Kama, being almost mad with grief atthe loss of her husband, entreated Parvati to intercedewith Siva that he might

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