Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Introduction Stories externalize internal complexities Kamadeva teaches: Sexual desire (kama) as paradigm for generic desire (kama) Stories mold worldview Tale of Yayati: Telling stories about desire A flow of stories with no reliable dates Visual representations of Kamadeva Structure of this study of Kama and kama 1. Stories of Beginnings: Kamadeva and his wives The birth of Kamadeva Kamadeva's wife: Rati Kamadeva's companions: Vasanta and the Maras Kamadeva's other wife: Priti / Karnotpala Who is Kamadeva? Translation: The tale of Karnotpala 2. Kamadeva, Skilled Marksman Siva wins: Kama turned to ash Kama wins: Kama's power within Siva Devi wins: Kama as devotee of the goddess 3. Kamadeva as Pradyumna, son of Krsna The story of Pradyumna Variant Pradyumnas and Sambaras Kama marries Mayavati: Desire embedded in and wedded to Illusion The story of Pradyumna as allegory 4. Kamadeva and Khandasila: rituals and metaphors The story of Khandasila The parallel tale of Indra and Ahalya Why women become stones Reflecting on Khandasila: Siva in the Pine Forest Devotion to Kamadeva What Kama and Khandasila say about desire Translation: The tale of Khandasila 5. Worshipping Kamadeva Kamadeva's festivals and pujas: The Damanakotsava Kamadeva as fertility god, and vratas for prostitutes Rituals for beauty and husbands: Tirthas for couples Why rituals of Devotion to Kamadeva Translation: The Damanaka Festival (damanakotsava) 6. Recognizing Kama: Perspectives of early texts--anger, pursartha, invincible power, tentric energy Kama in the Rg Veda and Atharva Veda Kama in the Brahmanas Kama in the Upanisads Kama as a human goal, a purusartha (Mahabharata) Kama and Krodha: Desire and anger (Mahabharata) Kama: Upholder of the earth and cosmic will (Mahabharata) Song of Kama (Kamagita): The power of desire (Mahabharata) Kama in service to a Tantric goddess: Chinnamasta Historical progression of Kama and his Greek cousin, Eros 7. Kamadeva's assistants: Celestial beings, birds, and crocodiles Apsarases Gandharvas Parrot: Kamadeva's vehicle Makara: Emblem of the god of desire 8. Kama as the Buddhist Mara and Manjusri Attitudes toward kama in early Buddhist literature Kama and Mara: Desire and Death Upagupta and Mara: Mara as the Buddha Vimalakirti and Mara: Enlightened Maras Manjusri and Kamadeva: Desire as a path to wisdom 9. Conclusions: Kamadeva and the Meaning of Desire What does Kamadeva teach about desire? Attitudes toward desire in Sanskrit story literature Bibliographies: Sanskrit Texts Sanskrit Translations General Sources

About the Author

Catherine Benton is Lecturer in the Religion Department at Lake Forest College.

Reviews

"Benton provides us with something valuable and important that we did not have before: a book-length study of Kā madeva. Until now, I don't believe anyone has brought these tales together and provided us with a reasonable chronology, a series of convincing readings, and a catalog of their recurring topoi. This is an incredibly useful book that sets the standard in the field."