Who is the God of Love?

Who is the god of love? Most people

Who is the god of love? Most people

think of OS or Cupid, that chubby little

think of OS or Cupid, that chubby little

guy with a bow and arrow causing all

guy with a bow and arrow causing all

sorts of mischief. But in the Indian

sorts of mischief. But in the Indian

mythic world, the love god is Kamadeva.

mythic world, the love god is Kamadeva.

And he's got a very different vibe. He's

And he's got a very different vibe. He's

not just about lust. He's the entire

not just about lust. He's the entire

spectrum of attraction. Longing, charm,

spectrum of attraction. Longing, charm,

courtship, imagination. He's that moment

courtship, imagination. He's that moment

you get inspired and you don't even know

you get inspired and you don't even know

why. The moment someone's laugh

why. The moment someone's laugh

completely rearranges your whole day.

completely rearranges your whole day.

His look, his whole iconography

His look, his whole iconography

is wild in the best possible way. His

is wild in the best possible way. His

bow isn't made of wood. It's made of

bow isn't made of wood. It's made of

sugar cane. Because desire doesn't

sugar cane. Because desire doesn't

conquer with iron, it conquers with

conquer with iron, it conquers with

sweetness. His arrows aren't tipped with

sweetness. His arrows aren't tipped with

flint. They're tipped with flowers.

flint. They're tipped with flowers.

Because longing doesn't stab you, it

Because longing doesn't stab you, it

perfumes you. Sometimes he rides a

perfumes you. Sometimes he rides a

parrot. Think about that. Desire as

parrot. Think about that. Desire as

gossip. Desire as vibrant color. Desire

gossip. Desire as vibrant color. Desire

as saying exactly what you mean. He's

as saying exactly what you mean. He's

deeply connected to springtime when

deeply connected to springtime when

everything starts blooming and suddenly

everything starts blooming and suddenly

the world feels unbearable with

the world feels unbearable with

possibility. And right beside him is his

possibility. And right beside him is his

wife Rati who is the spirit of passion

wife Rati who is the spirit of passion

and delight. She's the warmth of love,

and delight. She's the warmth of love,

the texture of it. But here's the twist.

the texture of it. But here's the twist.

Kamadeva's most famous story isn't about

Kamadeva's most famous story isn't about

getting to people together. It's s about

getting to people together. It's s about

what happens when desire tries to wake

what happens when desire tries to wake

up a god who has completely sworn off

up a god who has completely sworn off

the world. So let's zoom out. The

the world. So let's zoom out. The

universe is facing a cosmic crisis.

universe is facing a cosmic crisis.

Balance is off and a critical destiny

Balance is off and a critical destiny

can't unfold unless shiva great ascent

can't unfold unless shiva great ascent

the powerhouse of stillness returns to

the powerhouse of stillness returns to

active engagement with life. But Shiva

active engagement with life. But Shiva

is deep in meditation. We're talking

is deep in meditation. We're talking

total withdrawal. The universe could

total withdrawal. The universe could

throw a parade right in front of him and

throw a parade right in front of him and

he wouldn't even blink. The other gods

he wouldn't even blink. The other gods

are starting to panic because the cosmos

are starting to panic because the cosmos

can't run on stillness alone. It needs

can't run on stillness alone. It needs

creation. It needs motion. It needs

creation. It needs motion. It needs

relationship. It needs a pulse. So they

relationship. It needs a pulse. So they

decide to do something incredibly risky.

decide to do something incredibly risky.

They call kamadea. Imagine being

They call kamadea. Imagine being

Kamadeva and getting that call. Hey, so

Kamadeva and getting that call. Hey, so

we need you to do us a little favor. We

we need you to do us a little favor. We

need you to aim your flower arrows

need you to aim your flower arrows

at Shiva. That is like being asked to go

at Shiva. That is like being asked to go

prank a volcano.

prank a volcano.

It's a suicide mission. But Kamadeva

It's a suicide mission. But Kamadeva

understands his job. He doesn't see it

understands his job. He doesn't see it

as mischief. He sees it as a cosmic

as mischief. He sees it as a cosmic

necessity. In this worldview, desire

necessity. In this worldview, desire

isn't a weakness.

isn't a weakness.

It's a fundamental function of the

It's a fundamental function of the

universe. So, Kamadeva understanding the

universe. So, Kamadeva understanding the

stakes says yes. Kamadeva arrives where

stakes says yes. Kamadeva arrives where

Shiva is meditating. The scene is

Shiva is meditating. The scene is

silent, intense. Shiva is sealed inside

silent, intense. Shiva is sealed inside

himself like a locked temple and nearby

himself like a locked temple and nearby

is the goddess Parvity whose devotion to

is the goddess Parvity whose devotion to

Shiva is steady, fierce and patient. She

Shiva is steady, fierce and patient. She

isn't trying to seduce Shiva in some

isn't trying to seduce Shiva in some

cheap superficial way. She is embodying

cheap superficial way. She is embodying

pure devotion, presence and immense

pure devotion, presence and immense

spiritual power. Comediva's job is just

spiritual power. Comediva's job is just

to create that final spark. Just enough

to create that final spark. Just enough

of a nudge for Shiva to notice life

of a nudge for Shiva to notice life

again to notice her. So Kama draws his

again to notice her. So Kama draws his

sugar cane bow. He selects the perfect

sugar cane bow. He selects the perfect

arrow, the flower tipped one that

arrow, the flower tipped one that

carries longing, recognition, and the

carries longing, recognition, and the

sudden sweet memory of love. And he

sudden sweet memory of love. And he

shoots, "This is one of the most

shoots, "This is one of the most

important symbolic moments in the entire

important symbolic moments in the entire

mythic tradition.

mythic tradition.

Its desire daring to touch the absolute.

Its desire daring to touch the absolute.

It's a statement that says even the

It's a statement that says even the

highest stillness must eventually meet

highest stillness must eventually meet

life. And for a split second it works.

life. And for a split second it works.

Shiva stirs. The world holds its breath.

Shiva stirs. The world holds its breath.

But Shiva isn't just meditating like you

But Shiva isn't just meditating like you

or I might. He's in a state of immense

or I might. He's in a state of immense

worldaltering concentration. The inner

worldaltering concentration. The inner

force he's containing is so intense that

force he's containing is so intense that

an interruption isn't just annoying.

an interruption isn't just annoying.

It's a cosmic violation. He opens his

It's a cosmic violation. He opens his

third eye, the inner eye of direct

third eye, the inner eye of direct

perception, the eye that burns through

perception, the eye that burns through

all illusion. And in that instant,

all illusion. And in that instant,

Kamadiva is struck by its force. In many

Kamadiva is struck by its force. In many

versions of the story, Kama is reduced

versions of the story, Kama is reduced

to ash. his physical form is completely

to ash. his physical form is completely

erased. This isn't some petty act of

erased. This isn't some petty act of

revenge.

revenge.

It's a cosmic consequence. Aiming desire

It's a cosmic consequence. Aiming desire

at the absolute is powerful. Yes, but

at the absolute is powerful. Yes, but

it's also incredibly dangerous. And in

it's also incredibly dangerous. And in

that moment, kamadeva becomes ana, which

that moment, kamadeva becomes ana, which

means the bodyless one. Let that sink in

means the bodyless one. Let that sink in

for a moment. Desire doesn't die. it

for a moment. Desire doesn't die. it

just loses its visible body. This is one

just loses its visible body. This is one

of the most psychologically true things

of the most psychologically true things

ever written in a myth because you can

ever written in a myth because you can

try to defeat desire socially. You can

try to defeat desire socially. You can

suppress it, shame it, exile it, but it

suppress it, shame it, exile it, but it

always comes back, doesn't it? It comes

always comes back, doesn't it? It comes

back as a mood, as an obsession, as a

back as a mood, as an obsession, as a

projection, as a longing that you can't

projection, as a longing that you can't

even put a name to. Comma becomes

even put a name to. Comma becomes

invisible. But he is far from gone. Now

invisible. But he is far from gone. Now

Rody, his wife, does what real love does

Rody, his wife, does what real love does

when it's faced with loss.

when it's faced with loss.

She grieavves. She weeps.

She grieavves. She weeps.

She prays. She demands that this

She prays. She demands that this

sacrifice have meaning. Her grief is so

sacrifice have meaning. Her grief is so

powerful that the gods realize their

powerful that the gods realize their

mistake. They used Kameda like a tool.

mistake. They used Kameda like a tool.

And now they see the deeply personal

And now they see the deeply personal

cost. A negotiation begins. In many

cost. A negotiation begins. In many

versions, Shiva isn't portrayed as cruel

versions, Shiva isn't portrayed as cruel

here. He is simply embodying cosmic law.

here. He is simply embodying cosmic law.

But once the necessary awakening has

But once the necessary awakening has

occurred, once Shiva's own path toward

occurred, once Shiva's own path toward

union with poverty is set in motion,

union with poverty is set in motion,

there is room for mercy. Kamadva is

there is room for mercy. Kamadva is

granted a return but in a new form.

granted a return but in a new form.

Sometimes he's reborn later. Sometimes

Sometimes he's reborn later. Sometimes

he's restored as a force in the world,

he's restored as a force in the world,

but he is forever changed. He's no

but he is forever changed. He's no

longer just the cute cupid of the

longer just the cute cupid of the

pantheon. He's the god who proved that

pantheon. He's the god who proved that

desire can touch the divine and survive

desire can touch the divine and survive

even if it has to become invisible to do

even if it has to become invisible to do

so. So why does this story matter so

so. So why does this story matter so

much? This myth isn't saying desire is

much? This myth isn't saying desire is

bad. Not at all. It's saying that desire

bad. Not at all. It's saying that desire

is incredibly powerful. You have to

is incredibly powerful. You have to

handle it like fire. If you aim your

handle it like fire. If you aim your

desire at something sacred, you can

desire at something sacred, you can

absolutely awaken it. But you can also

absolutely awaken it. But you can also

get burned if you treat that sacredness

get burned if you treat that sacredness

like a toy. It's also saying something

like a toy. It's also saying something

very adult, very profound.

very adult, very profound.

Sometimes

Sometimes

individual desire must be sacrificed for

individual desire must be sacrificed for

a larger, more cosmic union to happen.

a larger, more cosmic union to happen.

Kamadeva is loss is what clears the way

Kamadeva is loss is what clears the way

for Shiva and Parvity consciousness and

for Shiva and Parvity consciousness and

part two finally unite. And from their

part two finally unite. And from their

union comes protection, order, and a new

union comes protection, order, and a new

cosmic balance. In a way, Kama is the

cosmic balance. In a way, Kama is the

martyr of intimacy. He's the god who

martyr of intimacy. He's the god who

took the hit so that the entire universe

took the hit so that the entire universe

could move forward. And it gets even

could move forward. And it gets even

deeper when Kama becomes bodyless.

deeper when Kama becomes bodyless.

Ananga, he also becomes omniresent. You

Ananga, he also becomes omniresent. You

can't point to him and say, "There he

can't point to him and say, "There he

is." But you can feel him. You feel him

is." But you can feel him. You feel him

in the spring air. You hear him in a

in the spring air. You hear him in a

piece of music. You find him in a sudden

piece of music. You find him in a sudden

memory. You feel him in that

memory. You feel him in that

inexplicable urge to text someone you

inexplicable urge to text someone you

swear you're over. That's ana energy.

swear you're over. That's ana energy.

The love god didn't die. He just went

The love god didn't die. He just went

undercover, embedding himself into the

undercover, embedding himself into the

very fabric of our lives. He's the ghost

very fabric of our lives. He's the ghost

in the machine of love, forever

in the machine of love, forever

reminding us that what is essential is

reminding us that what is essential is

invisible to the eye. Thanks so much for

invisible to the eye. Thanks so much for

watching. If you enjoyed this journey

watching. If you enjoyed this journey

into mythology, don't forget to like,

into mythology, don't forget to like,

subscribe, and hit that notification

subscribe, and hit that notification

bell for more stories that explain the

bell for more stories that explain the

world. See you next time.

world. See you next time.