South library west facing facade – Kāma shooting arrows at Shiva
West facing facade of the South library
The south library is situated near the entrance to the inner enclosure of the Banteay Srei Temple, about 16 miles northeast of Siem Reap, Cambodia.
The image shows the west facing facade of the south library. Although weathered, this facade has retained some of its original beauty, with intricate carvings decorating the areas around the door. An artwork of foliage is carved into the lintel, and above it are the three levels of pediments, each with beautiful carvings.
Carved into the bottom most pediment is a popular story from the Shiva Purana, depicting Kāma (also known as Kāmadeva, Manmatha), the god of love and carnal desire, striking Shiva with Kāmabānas (Kāma’s arrows) to arouse passion and desire in meditating Shiva.
In this story, a grief-stricken Shiva started meditating after the death of his wife, Sati, resulting in a great imbalance in the world. Meanwhile, Sati was reborn as Pārvati, and the gods wanted Shiva to marry Pārvati. To accomplish this goal, Indra, the king of heaven and the devas (demigods), sends Kāma to break Shiva’s meditation and arouse passion and desire in him to make him love Pārvati.
Related Images
– Hampi Virupaksha Temple Murals: Manmatha Vijaya – Kāma shooting Kāmabānas at Shiva
Related Pages
– Banteay Srei, Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Phnom Kulen, Tonle Sap, Cambodia
– Bali, Prambanan, Prambanan Bas-Reliefs, Borobudur, Indonesia
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