Kāma Deva or the God of Desire is most primal drive in the universe and therefore a force which
must be reckoned with. In some places he is worshipped at the time of marriage. In the Atharva
Veda (9:2:19) Kāma is mentioned as the supreme divinity, the impeller of creation. Kāma Deva is
the principle god among the group known as the Viśvedevas or Universal Principles who are
invoked in ceremonies pertaining to the ancestors.
Kāma is said to be Self-born but in some texts
like the Harivamśa he is said to be the son of
Lakṣmī.
Kāma is the personification of Desire in
general, but the most specific and powerful of all
desire-forces is the libido or sex-drive.
Kāma has 2 wives:— 1. Rati — the pleasure
obtained from intercourse and 2. Prīti — love
and affection for another.
He also has a younger brother named Krodha — Anger,
a daughter named Tṛṣā — thirst or
craving, and a son named Aniruddha — the Unobstructed.
His best friend and eternal companion
is Vasanta — spring, and he is always accompanied by the demons called the Māras — strikers or
killers. He is served by the Gandharvas and the Apsaras.
The Accoutrements
Kāma Deva is the presiding deity of the mind, the god of beauty and youth. He is usually pictured
as a handsome proud adolescent riding a parrot. He carries a bow made of sugarcane with a string
comprised of bees. He holds five arrows.
Śuka — the parrot symbolizes Truth for whatever is taught to the parrot is repeated verbatim. The
parrot does interpret or process what it hears and learns but only repeats it exactly.
Ikṣu-kodaṇḍā — the sugarcane bow. Sugarcane is sweet at the oldest part signifying that true love
comes with age. The leaves of the sugarcane are sharp and capable of cutting one, the powder from
the leaves is also a severe irritant, indicating that desire is always accompanied by hurt. This idea is
further strengthened by the bees forming the string of the bow. Bees produce honey but they also
sting. Honey cannot be gotten without some risk of pain!
Pañca-bāṇa — the five arrows symbolize the five flowers associated with romance as well as the
five senses which are all affected by the active libido. Desire is fulfilled through all the senses —
sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell.
Vasanta — Kāma deva is most active when accompanied by his mate Spring, all the biological
universe is aroused and active in reproduction.
Māras — wherever Kāma goes the Striker follow. All desire is accompanied by suffering in some
form — either suffering from the intensity of the love or deprivation of it or its loss. It is well
attested that Love so very easily turns into Hate, which is another aspect of the same Love force.
Some of Kāmadeva’s names are:—
Madan — "He who intoxicates with love."
Manmatha — "He who agitates the mind."
Māra — "He who injures."
Pradyumna — "He who conquers all."
Anaṅga — "He who is without a body."
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