Kamadeva - Sanatan Dharma’s Cupid

Have you had a crush on someone - what if I told you there’s a God behind it?

We were taught about the European Cupid & his baby angels, but our Sanatan Dharma also has Kamadeva, who makes you delulu in love so here’s the tea.

Basically, the demon Tarakasura gets a boon from Brahma stating that he can only be killed by Shiva’s son.

This freaks out the Gods because after his devotee Sati’s death, Shiva goes into a state of intense meditation and loses all interest in family planning, leaving our boy Taraka to do unlimited damage.

So the Gods ask Kama to step in, who as per the text you read, is the son of Brahma, Dharma or Lakshmi.

Kama knows disturbing Shiva’s samadhi will screw him but he agrees for the greater good. When Parvati approaches Shiva, Kama hides nearby & shoots his his flower-arrow from his sugarcane bow.

Pissed by the momentary disturbance, Shiva opens his third eye & burns Kama to ashes in Kāma-dahana, symbolising his control over desire.

Kama’s wife Rati, who personifies affection and chemistry, is shook, and asks Shiva to help, so he declares that Kama will become Ananga, a bodyless invisible force, entering people’s minds with his 5 arrows:

लक्ष्मणा (lakṣmaṇā) – when you notice that cutie

मोहन (mohana) – when you start feeling the pull

शोषण (śoṣaṇa) – when you start loosing focus & sleep

मारण (māraṇa) – when you become obsessed

स्तम्भन (stambhana) – when you paralyse & either confess or ghost

The point of Kamadeva’s story isn’t that being attracted to someone is not bad or sinful. Kama is a valid goal of life, but only when your intention is Dharma i.e. to accompany your partner to helping society.

Finally, it’s Parvati’s tapas & inner devotion that moves Shiva, bringing us Skanda or Kartikeya who destroys Tarakasur.

So the next time you like a baddie, ask yourself, is your Kama working in line with Dharma, or pulling you away from it?