# Kama

Kama (Sanskrit, Pali; Devanagari: काम) means "desire, wish, longing" in Hindu and Buddhist literature.

## Quotes

* Kama, in the mythology of India, the god of love. During the Vedic age (2nd millennium–7th century BCE), he personified cosmic desire, or the creative impulse, and was called the firstborn of the primeval Chaos that makes all creation possible. In later periods he is depicted as a handsome youth, attended by heavenly nymphs, who shoots love-producing flower-arrows. His bow is of sugarcane, his bowstring a row of bees. Once directed by the other gods to arouse Shiva’s passion for Parvati, he disturbed the great god’s meditation on a mountaintop. Enraged, Shiva burned him to ashes with the fire of his third eye. Thus, he became Ananga (Sanskrit: “the Bodiless”). Some accounts say Shiva soon relented and restored him to life after the entreaties of Kama’s wife, Rati. Others hold that Kama’s subtle bodiless form renders him even more deftly omnipresent than he would be if constrained by bodily limitation.
** Encyclopædia Britannica in: Kama, Encyclopædia Britannica.com
* The Sanskrit term kama also refers to one of the four proper aims of human life—pleasure and love. A classic textbook on erotic love and human pleasure, the Kama-sutra (5th century CE), is attributed to the sage Vatsyayana.
** Encyclopædia Britannica in: "Kama"
* Unlike the Mahabharata, which is specifically recognized as tradition to be a Kavya, a sastra, and a smriti all in one, the Ramayana is not regarded as anything other than a Kavya. But the Northern Recensions contain a stanza, which states that the reader of the Ramayana really learns the great science of Polity (Dandaniti), and also the three professions (Trayivarta), i.e., Agriculture, breeding of cattle and trade. Moreover it is said to teach the Artha and the Dharma, to which another verse adds Kama as well. It is an interesting problem that the Ramayana, although held with reverence by the Hindus, is not stated to be conducive to Moksha.
** Ananda W. P. Guruge in: The Society of the Ramayana, Abhinav Publications, 1 January 1991, p. 2
* The concept of love represented in the Ramayana appears to be the same as that current in later Indian literature. The feeling of love had been conceived as a god, who was known as Manmatha, Kama, Ananga and Kandarpa.
** Ananda W. P. Guruge in: "The Society of the Ramayana", p. 187
* To Kala there is no relationship, no reason, no valour; it (respects) no friendship or kinship no cause nor one’s control. But the evolution of Kala should be well observed by him who sees. Dharma, Artha, and Kama are established in the course of Kala (Kalakrama).
** Ananda W. P. Guruge in: "The Society of the Ramayana", p. 187
* Hinduism takes a comprehensive view of the human condition and classifies all the things people seek in the world and beyond into four broad categories called purushaarthas, kama, artha, dharma and moksha.
** J. Lipner, quoted in Asia Journal of Global Studies, Issues 1-2, Universal-Publishers,History, 1 January 2012, p. 95
* Basic Life Attributes. Four purusharthas or goals of the life be, So very crystal clear in life undisputedly: 1 Artha getting useful wealth and prosperity, Finding the meaning for living herein truly; 2 Kama fulfilling desires, acting repeatedly, It the physical, material desire fulfillment be; 14 Dharma - the foundation of all human goals be, Refers to obligations, conduct, moral duties; 25 Moksha - the liberation from the web of maya be, Freedom from the cycles of birth and death clearly; 33 As all the rivers must lead to the sea eventually, All spiritual paths leading to the same goal finally; 43 And all of the variety of life are created certainly, By combination of the three Gunas undisputedly. 44 That the backdrop for the Bhagwad Gita surely be, All three gunas so held to delude the World clearly: 75 World deluded by Three Gunas does not know Me: Who beyond these Gunas, imperishable does be. 76 If Brahman an infinite ocean, then Atma a wave within be, Ocean not different from its waves, the waves as ocean be; They are but one and the same very similar in actuality, So Brahman and Atma are one and the same in reality.
** Munindra Misra in: Goals of Life, amazon.ca , 11 March 2014
* The first three goals pertain to the world we know, whereas moksha involves freedom from the world and from desires... Moksha, although the ultimate goal, is emphasized more in the last two stages of life, while artha and kama are primary only during Grihasthshram, the householder stage.... Hindus themselves prefer to use the Sanskrit term sanatana dharma for their religious tradition.... According to Hinduism, our experience, our reason and our dialogue with others - especially with enlightened individuals - provide provide various means of testing our understanding of spiritual and moral truth...
** Derrick M. Nault in: "http://books.google.com/books?id=w9EDT1F-ZeUC&pg=PA95 Asia Journal of Global Studies, Issues 1-2], Universal-Publishers, 1 January 2012, p. 95
* Because the goddess has come to the great mountain Nilakuta to have sexual enjoyment with me [Shiva], she is called Kamakhya, who resides there in secret. Because she gives love, is a loving woman, is the embodiment of love, is the beloved, she restores the limbs of Kama, she is called Kamakhya. Now hear of the great glory of Kamakhya, who, as primordial nature, sets the entire world in motion.
** Kalika Purana (KP 62.1-3) quoted by Hugh B. Urban in: Matrix of Power: Tantra, Kinship, and Sacrifice in the Worship of Mother Goddess Kamakhya, South Asia: South Asia Journal of Asian Studies, n.s., Vol. XXXI, no.3, tandfonline.com, December 2008
* Desire (kama) as a [[w:Cosmology|cosmogonic force, even more than the purusa motif of Rg 10.90, imparts a psychological tone to the present hymn, for the impulse behind the creation of the universe is here said to be a familiar human emotion occurring in the divine mind. p.22
** N. Ross Reat in: The Origins of Indian Psychology, Jain Publishing Company, 1 January 1990, p. 22
* As one might expect, having noted the emotional orientation of manas clearly expressed in the “Nasadiya” hymn [Hymn of Creation in Rigveda] — where it is said that desire (kama) is the original seed of manas — the most common function of manas in the Rg Veda is its function as the locus of a wide range of emotions.
** N. Ross Reat in: "The Origins of Indian Psychology", p. 109
* Of these desire (kama), and volition (kratu) have already been noted. These two attributes of manas relate to sankalpa as creative conceptualization in what is perhaps a surprising way, i.e. through the mechanism of karma and rebirth.
** N. Ross Reat in: "The Origins of Indian Psychology", p. 244
* Thereafter rose Desire [Kama] in the beginning, Desire the primal seed and germ of Spirit, Sages who searched with their heart's thought discovered the existent's kinship in the non-existent.
** Rigveda in: Beth Wright A Study Companion to Introduction to World Religions, Fortress Press, 1 November 2013, p. 56
* There are lovely figures [in Khajuraho temples of India] the most beautiful females in numberless gaysome postures: Playing with ball, holding a mirror, writing a letter, waiting on the threshold, removing thorn from the foot, uncovering under intense Kama—passion, bathing, dancing, playing on the flute, and worshipping; their rounded legs, rich marble thighs, thin waist, fully developed rounded and [[[w:Voluptous|voluptuous]] breasts and shapely arms present several perfect eras of ideal feminine beauty
** Manohar Laxman Varadpande in: Woman in Indian Sculpture, Abhinav Publications, 1 January 2006, p. 149
* A man practicing Dharma, Artha and Kama enjoys happiness both in this world and in the world to come. The good perform these actions in which there is no fear as to what is to result from them in the next world, and in which there is no danger to their welfare. Any action which conduces to the practice of Dharma, Artha and Kama together, or of any two, or even one of them should be performed. But an action which conduces to the practice of one of them at the expense of the remaining two should not be performed.
** Vatsyayana in: The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana: Translated From the Sanscrit in Seven Parts With Preface, Introduction and Concluding Remarks, Library of Alexandria, p. 27
* A person acquainted with the true principles of this science, who preserves his Dharma (virtue or religious merit), his Artha (worldly wealth) and his Kama (pleasure or sensual gratification), and who has regard to the customs of the people, is sure to obtain the mastery over his senses. In short, an intelligent and knowing person attending to Dharma and Artha and also to Kama, without becoming the slave of his passions, will obtain success in everything that he may do.
** Vatsyayana in: The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana: Translated from the Sanscrit. In seven parts, with preface, introduction, and concluding remarks, Kama Shastra Society of London and Benares, 1883, p.9
* Karma is the enjoyment of appropriate objects by the five senses of hearing, feeling, seeing, tasting and smelling, assisted by the mind together with the soul. The ingredient in this is a peculiar contact between the organ of sense and its object, and the consciousness of pleasure which arises from that contact is called Kama.
** Vatsyayana in: The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana: Translated from the Sanskrit. In seven parts, with preface, introduction, and concluding remarks, Kama Shastra Society of London and Benares, 1883, P. 17
* Kama is also learnt from the Kama Sutra (aphorisms on [[love) and from the practice of citizens.
** Vatsyayana in: "The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana: Translated from the Sanskrit. In seven parts, with preface, introduction, and concluding remarks", p. 18
* When all three viz., Dharma, Artha, and Kama together, the former is better than the one which follows it, i.e., Dharma is better than Artha, and Artha is better than Kama. But Artha should be always practiced by the king, for the livelihood of men is to be obtained from it only. Again, Kama being the occupation of public women, they should prefer to the other two, and these are exceptions to the general rule.
** Vatsyayana in: "The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana: Translated from the Sanskrit. In seven parts, with preface, introduction, and concluding remarks", p. 18
* Man, the period of whose life is one hundred years, should practice Dharma, Artha, and Kama at different times and in such a manner that they may harmonize, and not clash in any way. He should acquire learning in his childhood; in his youth and middle age he should attend to Artha and Kama, and in his old age he should perform Dharma, and thus seek to gain Moksha, that is, release from further transmigration.
** Vatsyayna Mallanaga in: Kama Sutra, New Line Publishing, 1 January 2004
* In Atharva Veda, Kama is associated with the broad range of human desire; wanting enemies to be defeated; wanting lovers to reciprocate feelings of infatuation, lust, affection, wanting more money and more power; in short wanting to be successful in love and work.
** Atharva Veda Quoted in God of Desire: Tales of Kamadeva in Sanskrit Story Literature, "God of Desire: Tales of Kamadeva in Sanskrit Story Literature", p. 110

### God of Desire: Tales of Kamadeva in Sanskrit Story Literature

Catherine Benton in: God of Desire: Tales of Kamadeva in Sanskrit Story Literature, SUNY Press, 1 June 2006
* This god of desire is known as Kamadeva, literally the god (deva) of desire/passion (Kama). Just as passion forms the backdrop for good stories everywhere, the passion evoked by Kamadeva promises captivating and amusing drama, as well as an exploration of the myriad ethical and philosophical questions raised by desire.
** In: p. 1
* Kama dies in the central story involving his struggle with Shiva, but is resuscitated out of his own ashes so that life can continue. A world without Kamadeva is shown repeatedly to be barren, dry, leafless — indeed, unbearable.
** In: p. 3
* When the Indians describe Kama in terms of sexual relations they do not mean to restrict the operation of this attitude to just those objects with which one can come into a sexual relationship, but are rather pointing to sexual relationships as typically involving instances of the taking of this kind of attitude.
** In: p. 5
* According to Brahma, in the moment the male and female beheld one another, desire simply happened. Overwhelmed with the beauty of Sandhya, Brahma looked up to see Kama, fully formed and well armed, with his own beauty, five flower arrows, and a seductive gaze.
** In: p. 26
* Identifying desire with memory, passages from ancient texts such as the Atharva Vedas refer to Kama as Smara, and contemporary literature continues to use this epithet for the god of desire. Indeed, connections between desire and remembering are found throughout Sanskrit literary and philosophical texts.
** In: p. 43
* Rather, after being struck and burning Kama, Shiva returns to the steadfast depth of his meditation. The message of these narratives is that asceticism is stronger than desire. The serious ascetic will defeat even the most powerful form of desire.
** In: p. 47
* Without announcing himself, Kama pervades our environment and disturbs our equanimity. On another level, the revival of Kama as invisible establishes the dominance of Shiva over Kama, the possibility that ascetic discipline can conquer craving.
** In: p. 50
* This Shiva Purana variant establishes a specific power relationship between desire and discipline, as Kama becomes Shiva's gana, one of his troops, permanently attached to the great god.
** In: p. 54
* That steadfast Kama, begotten of Vasudeva [Krsna] in Rukmini, that one who was known as the destroyer of Sambara, was the handsome Pradyumna who looked like Kama.
** In: p. 67