Long before Valentine’s Day happened to India there was already a day which stands for love and devotion: Vasant Panchmi (or Basant Panchmi
It is also the day of Kamadeva. It was
on this day that Kamadeva played cupid to bring Lord Shiva and Parvati
together.
On Vasant Panchami, Goddess Saraswati is worshipped. But there’s
another interesting story associated with this day. Since love is in the air, a
not so well known legend of Shiva, Parvati and Kamdev begs retelling.
Now let us briefly look at the popular legend associated with
Vasant Panchami.
After the demise of his wife Sati, Shiva
renounced the world and went to live on his own in the Himalayas.
Taking advantage of the situation, the Demon Tarakasura sought Brahma’s boon, with the clause that only a son of Shiva could overpower him.
Tarakasur
began creating havoc everywhere with his new found invincibility. Shiva wasn’t
interested in marriage at all! So no chance of a son being born to him.
Now
the gods went to Brahma, who had created the mess! Well, he had a solution. He
instructed all the Gods to worship Adi Parashakti, the supreme deity, who
promised to reincarnate as Himalaya’s daughter Parvati and marry Shiva.
However,
things weren’t working out as planned. The charm and beauty of Parvati failed
to entice Shiva and bring him out of his deep meditation.
That’s
when the Gods (led by Indra) summoned Kamdev, aka Lord Manmatha, who is the
Indian Cupid.
Legends have it that Kamdev was son of Vishnu and Laxmi. He
married Rati, the goddess of lust and infatuation. As per some other stories
Kamdev was the son of Brahma.
Kamdev
is portrayed as a handsome young man with golden wings holding a bow and
arrows, riding a parrot.
Everyone was scared of Shiva’s wrath, but
for the sake of saving the three worlds, Kamdev accepted this dangerous mission
and set off! With a little help from the Lord of Vasant (spring), a favourable
atmosphere was created with singing birds and blooming blossoms everywhere, and
Kamdev aimed his special sugar coated bow, with the bowstring soaked in honey,
strung by a line of bees, at Shiva who was meditating silently.
Do you know that Kamdev has 5 arrows to make you fall in love?!
Each arrow causes the ‘target’ to swoon under a certain effect of love, and is
tipped with a special fragrant flower.
The
five flowers are white lotus, Ashoka tree flowers, Mango tree flowers, Jasmine
and blue lotus. The names of these flowers in Sanskrit in order are Aravinda,
Ashoka, Choota, Navamallika, and Neelotpala.
Kamdeva’s
five arrows are associated with five effects that desire has on one afflicted
by it.
Wondering what the 5 arrows of Kamdev do to
you? The first arrow is aimed at the heart, it causes initial excitement and a
youthful cheerfulness.
The second arrow is aimed at the lips, it causes one to cry out
in this excitement. The third arrow is aimed at the head/brain, it makes one
lose their mind / go crazy with love. The fourth arrow is aimed at the eyes, it
makes you see things (even hallucinate). The fifth arrow is basically designed
to hit you anywhere causing the ‘target’ to simply be absorbed with love.
Well,
The story doesn’t end there. Shiva was overwhelmed for a few moments before
regaining his senses. He’d lost his composure momentarily.
Although Kamdev had
managed to ignite passion in Shiva’s heart for Parvati, it did not take long
for the God of Destruction to get back to his senses.
Once
Shiva recovered from the effects of the spell, he was infuriated and started
looking for the perpetrator of the heinous act. Soon Shiva found Kamdev, who
was trembling in fright, holding his sugarcane bow.
Shiva immediately realised who was responsible for the deed!
He opened his third eye instantly, and burnt the hapless Kamdev to ashes.
It
was too late for the rest of the Gods, who rushed to Kamdev’s rescue. Kamdev’s
consort Rati was understandably aghast at the situation, and inconsolable.
Struck
with maddening grief she approached Parvati to convince Shiva to bring her
husband back to life. Coaxed by His new love, Parvati, Shiva’s heart melted and
he granted Kamdev’s life.
However,
since his body had been incinerated, Kamdev would live without a physical form
as the invisible power of love and desire prevailing in creation.
Thus,
Kamdev came to be known as Ananga, the one who exists without a body. Rati had
got her husband back but only as a disembodied image and not in body. It can be
said that this was Shiva’s way of ensuring that Kamdev symbolised true love and
longing, and not just physical lust.
And if you’re still wonderingyes, the arrows worked: Shiva did marry Parvati and together they had a son, Kartikeya, who became the general of the gods and destroyed the demon Tarakasura.
Vasant
Panchami also marks the beginning of the ‘spring’ a season which brings
newness, freshness, colour, warmth and sunshine after the chills and glooms of
the winter.
It
is the season in which flowers bloom, trees bear new leaves, birds sing and
bees buzz. Every human being feels a new energy and warmth in his heart. This
is also a reason that Vasant Panchami is celebrated as a day to remember your
loved ones (spouse) and express love and emotions.
The End
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