Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)
by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words
This page relates ‘Destruction of Kamadeva’ of the study on the Rudra-Shiva concept in the Vedic and Puranic literature, starting with the concept of God as contemplated by the Rishis (Vedic sages). These pages further deal with the aspects, legends, iconography and eulology of Rudra-Shiva as found in the Samhitas, Brahamanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads Sutras and Puranas. The final chapters deal with descriptions of his greatness, various incarnations and epithets.
13. Destruction of Kāmadeva
According to the Śiva Purāṇa, once upon a time all the gods were suffering from Tārakāsura. The gods knew that only lord Śiva’s son can defeat this Asura. For that purpose, Indra sent Kāmadeva to Śiva’s hermitage to break his meditation and seduce him through Pārvatī. Kāmadeva, creating an untimely spring, shot an arrow to Śiva. Śiva became angry and opened his third eye and suddenly Kāma was burnt to ashes.[1]
The Vāmana Purāṇa describes a different version of the same story. According to this Purāṇa, after the death of Satī, lord Śiva went into an indecisive state of mind. When Kāmadeva saw lord Śiva bereaved of Śatī, he shot his powerful Unmāda arrow at Śiva. The lord affected by the power of Unmāda and began to roam from forest to forest. He was greatly distressed and in a love lorn state of mind. He wanted the company of Satī. Afterthat when the lord began to weep continuously for Satī, Kāmadeva again shot at him the Santāpa and Vijṛmbhaṇa arrow. He was not able to tolerate the mental torture of these arrows and handed over these three types of arrows to Pañcālika. Pañcālika was the son of Kubera.
After handing these over to Pañcālika, lord Śiva went to the Dāruvana, a dense forest. When he moved all around in the Citravana, Kāmadeva reached there and prepared for another attack on Śiva with his arrows. As soon as he saw Kāmadeva infront of him, he stared at him from head to feet with anger. Fire came out from his third eye and burnt Kāmadeva into ashes.[2]
A reference has been found in the Śiva Purāṇa where it is described that Śiva swallowed a demon, Śukra.[3] For the welfare of the universe and to protect his devotees from evil spirits, lord Śiva killed the demons Dundubhi, Nirhrāda taking the form of Vyāghreśvara[4] and killed a lustful Asura, Mūḍha.[5] Rudra, who is the nature of Kāla, is the annihilator of all living beings. He is the manifestation of Śiva.[6]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid., 2.3.17-19
[2]:
Vāmana-purāṇa,6.25-95
[3]:
[4]:
Ibid.,2.5.58
[5]:
Ibid., 4.7