An agni, son of Swahadevi. He was very handsome as per Mahabharata Vanaparva Chapter 219 verse 23.

The god of love and beauty.

The prajapati Dharma was born from Brahma’s left breast. Dharma was very handsome and to him were born Shama, Kama, Harsha, who were equally handsome too. Kama married Rati, Shama married Prapti and Harsha, Nanda, as per Mahabharata Adiparva Chapter 66 verses 31-33.

As per Kalikapurana. Brahma produced ten male prajapatis and then a female named Sandhya. Brahma and the prajapatis were fascinated by Sandhya’s beauty. From Brahma’s mind was then created a handsome man with a flower adorned bow in his hand, whose first question to Brahma was “whose mind should i strike”. Brahma told him to aim at the minds of all living beings and said that Daksha’s daughter Rati would make an ideal wife for him. Since he was born from Brahma;s mind, he was called Manmadha, and his beauty earned him the name Kama. Since his first question was ‘kam darpayami’, he was named Kandarpa as per Kathasaritasagara.

Once when Brahma was meditating, a maiden emerged from his mind and bowed before him. This was Saraswati. Brahma fell in love with her and decreed that she would exist on the tongues of all living beings, especially the learned ones. After that, he made her his wife. That was when he fealt remorse at his actions and he was angry with Kama for evoking the desire in him. He cursed that Kama would be eburned by Shiva’s third eye. Brahma gave the desire in his mind to Atri, who shared it with his wife Anasuya and from that was born Chandra, as per Brahmandapurana Chapter 43.

Under the leadership of Tarakasura, the asuras used to torment the devas. Tarakasura had received a boon from Brahma that he could only be killed by an offspring of Shiva. During that time, Himavan’s daughter Parvati was meditating to get Shiva as her husband. Indra decided to use this opportunity and sent Kama to distract Shiva from his meditation. Kama created a garden around Shiva, but Shiva opened his third eye and burned Kama. The place where his ashes fell was known as Anga. Because he lost his body Kama came to be known as Ananga as per Ramayana Balakanda Chapter 23.

Rati began praying to Shiva to get Kama back. As per Kathasaritasagara, Shiva blessed that Rati would be born as a human, would pray to Shiva for a child, and Kama would be born as her son. Rati was born as Mayavati and worked in the kitchens of the asura Shambara. During that time, Krishna approached Shiva and asked to be blessed with a son. Shiva blessed that Kama would be born as Rukmini’s son. Rukmini soon delivered a boy.

Shambara had received a boon from Shiva but was also told that he would die soon after Kama was reborn. Shambara was looking for signs of Kama’s rebirth. Shambara heard about Krishna’s son, kidnapped the child, and later threw it into the ocean. It was swallowed by a fish, which was caught by a fisherman who presented it to Shambara. Shambara opened the fish to find a beautiful boy. He asked Mayavati to raise him. She hesitated, but Narada appeared and told her that she was an incarnation of Rati and the boy was Kama. She looked after him. Years passed and Kama grew up to be a handsome young man. Mayavati started expressing her desire for him, but Kama was disconcerted by this. However Narada appeared and appraised him. Mayavati advised that they should kill Shambara and proceed to Dwaraka. Kama killed Shambara and with the help of Mayavati’s magic skills, flew to Dwaraka. There, he was reunited with his parents and was named Pradyumna in the presence of many sages. Pradyumna had a son named Anirudha who married Usha. He also had a daughter named Trisha as per Bhagavata Dashamaskanda. According to Kathasaritasagara, Udayana and Vasavadatta were incarnations of Kama and Rati.

Kama is also known as Madana, Manmadha, Mara, Pradyumna, Meenaketana, Kandarpa, Darpaka, Ananga, Panchashara, Smara, Shambarari, Manasija, Kasumeshu, Ananyaja, Pushpadhanva, Ratipati, Makaradhwaja, Aatmabhu (according to Amarakosha). In addition Iraja, Ishma, Kinkira, Abhirupa, Gridhukalakeli, Kanjana, Ramana, Deepaka, Madhudeepa, Shamantaka, Muhira, Rupastra, Murmura, Vama, Pushpaketana, Makaraketu, Ratinayaka, Ragavrinda, Samsaraguru, Gadayitnu, Mapatya, Mayi, Malarvilla are also his names.

Kama has a bow made of sugarcane whose string is made up of bugs, and arrows made of flowers. The parrot is his vehicle and the Makara fish is his flag symbol. Kama’s arrows are of many kinds -Aravinda, Ashoka, Chuta, Navamalika, Nilolpana, Unmadana, Tapana, Shoshana, Stambhana, Sammohana.

Kama travels across villages and towns wherever love exists. He works on those who have given up worldly pleasures and tries to evoke their senses. His favourite season is spring.

A sage. His wife was Chitrangada, born to Kukulstha and Urvashi. He had two sons named Tumburu and Suvarchas. Kapota borrowed money from Kuber and gave it to them. He once cursed Taravati, queen of Chandrashekhara, and said that she would have two monkey faced sons, as per Kalikapurana Chapter 56.

The son of Vishwamitra. After Vishwamitra rescued Shunasheffa from the sacrifice, his father Ajigarta came to Vishwamitra seeking the custody of the child. Vishwamitra said that Shunasheffa was his son just as Kaapileya and Babhrava as per Aitareyabrahmana.

Devised by the sage Kapila. He advised this to his mother Devahuti as per Devibhagavata Ashtamaskanda.

A river as per Mahabharata Bhishmaparva Chapter 9 verse 24.

The seventh division of Kushadweepa as per Mahabharata Bhishmaparva Chapter 12 verse 14.

A caste. They were once kshatriyas. When they became jealous of the rise of brahmins, they were demoted to a lower caste as per Mahabharata Anushasanaparva Chapter 35 verse 17.

A vrata undertaken in the month of Karthika. Prayers are offered to Krishna and Balarama and this ensures health and life for one samvatsara as per Agnipurana Chapter 177.

A region in ancient India as per Mahabharata Bhishmaparva Chapter 9 verse 40.