Kama shooting arrows at Shiva – A scene narrated in Shiva Purana depicted on the west-facing pediment of the south library
Kama shooting arrows at Shiva
The south library is situated near the entrance of inner enclosure of the Banteay Srei Temple located 16 miles northeast of Siem Reap, Cambodia. The pediment depicts a story from Shiva Purana in which Kama (Kamadeva), the god of love and carnal desire, strikes Shiva with Kamabana (Kama’s arrows) so as to arouse passion and desire in meditating Shiva.
Here is the story from Shiva Purana in brief:
After the death of his wife Sati, a grief-stricken Shiva started meditating, resulting in a great imbalance in the world. Meanwhile, Sati was reborn as Parvati and the gods wanted Shiva to marry Parvati. To accomplish this goal, Indra, the king of heaven and the devas (demigods), sends Kama to break Shiva’s meditation and arouse passion and desire in him to make him love Parvati.
Related Images
Manamatha Vijaya – Kama shooting arrows at Shiva painted on the ceiling of Hampi Virupaksha Temple in India.
Related Pages
Banteay Srei, Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Phnom Kulen, Tonle Sap, Cambodia
Bali, Prambanan, Borobudur, Indonesia
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