Madan Kamdev (Pron: mdn/md:n kmdev/kmdev) is an archaeological

site in Baihata, Kamrup, Assam. This place dates back to the 9th and 10th century AD.
Excavation and ruins here shows the prosperity and might of Pala dynasty of Kamarupa.[1][2]
After crossing over a footpath, one can find the ruins of Madan Kamdev, scattered all over a
secluded place. Madan Kamdev is spread over a stretch of 500 meters. Uma Maheshwar's
embraced idols, carved on the stones of medieval temples can be seen here. The main statues
among these are that of Sun's, Ganesha's and Vidhyadhar's.

Contents

1 Discovery and Excavation

2 Environment

3 Architecture

4 See also

5 References

Discovery and Excavation

Initially archeologists differed on the issue of when and who constructed these temples. But
among them the opinion of Dr. Pradeep Sharma, assistant director of the Archeological
Directorate, and Assam seems logical and evidential. He says that possibly when Captain Daltan
has written about 15 temple ruins found around the famous Silsako Bridge (a historical bridge
that was destroyed in the 1897 earthquake) in his Asian Society of Bengal (1855) magazine, then
it might necessarily be about Madan Kamdev.
Again, after a long time span, in 1943 and 1949, the inspector of primary education, Tarnikant
Sharma, gave same important information regarding the historical facts about the area in the
Assam research society (Kamarupa Anusandhan Samiti) 1949 magazine. But till 1976, no
research work had been carried upon towards this direction. In the meanwhile the religious
people of the villages took the previous statues away or hunters carried them from one place to
another.
In 1977, the Archeological Directorate, of Assam took over the responsibility for this area. They
started the excavations of the statues under the supervision of Dr. Pradeep Sharma, this
exploration mission had unearthed several interesting and valuable facts. According to them,
apart from the main temple, ruins of 12 temples have been excavated. By observing these
temples and the idols engraved on the walls, one comes to the conclusion that these were
constructed during the 10th and 12th centuries. According to Dr. Sharma, Kamarupa kings of
Pala dynasty namely Ratna Pala, Indra Pala and Go Pala involved in constructions of this place.
Bhairav with six heads, four headed Shiva, Kalpavriksha, Sun various Apsara, Vishnu with 6
heads, Saraswati and various other statues of animals have been found from here.

Environment
In the year 1977, when the refurbishment process of this area started, the hill was surrounded by
immense variety of forests, snakes- scorpions, and wild animals like tigers. Even still, deep
forests hem the place, and one can come across savage tigers and deers on the adjacent hills. On
the other hand, the melodic chirping of the birds make the environment so pleasant and the
natural milieu, strewn all ovaries very alluring. Right below the Kamdev river madankuri flows
in the east and towards the north, just beneath the hill is a vast stretch of swampy land which has
the chain of hills of Gopeshwar from the north to west and Natuar nacha and Sangsari in the east.
There are a few puranic beliefs prevalent regarding Madan Kamdev. According to one of thoseGod Shiva in a spurt of fury, had burnt god of love- Kam or Madan, to cinders. Madan was
reborn at this place.

Architecture
Other than Madan-Kamdev (the main temple), ruins of other huge and small temples are also
scattered around it. After viewing the ruins it can be easily inferred that among all the temples of
medieval period, existing in the Brahmaputra valley, Madan Kamdev had an incomparable
structure and possessed unblemished beauty. According to the Architectural directorate, there
still exist the possibility of excavation of the ruins of twelve more temples.[citation needed]
Near Madan Kamdev there is an old temple of lord shiva by name Gopeshwar situated in village
Deuduar, close to this temple there is a large cave known as Parvati Guha (Parvati Cave).

See also
Khajuraho

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Madan Kamdev.
1.
2.

"Madan Kamdev". indiatravelnext.com. Retrieved 2012-01-24.

"Madan Kamdev". assamtribune.com. Retrieved 2012-01-24.

Categories:
Archaeological sites in Kamrup region
Archaeological sites in Assam

Archaeological monuments in India

Visitor attractions in Assam

Tourism in North East India

For other uses, see kama (disambiguation).

"Manmadhan" redirects here. For other uses, see Manmadhan (disambiguation).
"Manmatha" redirects here. For the 2007 film, see Manmatha (film).

Kamadeva (Madan)
Hindu god of love, attraction and
sexuality

Madan on his parrot

Devanagari

Sanskrit
Kmadeva
Transliteration
Affiliation

Pradyumna, Vasudeva

Abode

Ketumala-varsa

Mantra

(kma-gyatr)[1]

Weapon

Sugarcane Bow and Floral

Arrow(pushpa dhanu and
pushpa shar)

Consort

Rati, Priti

Mount

Parrot

Kmadeva (Sanskrit in Devanagari: ),(Bengali: ), also called Mra, is the Hindu

god of human love[2] or desire. Other names for him include; Manmathudu (Telugu:
)
Atanu(Telugu: ) (one without a body), Ragavrinta (stalk of passion), Ananga
(incorporeal), Kandarpa (inflamer even of a god),Madan[3][4] "Manmatha" Manmadha
(churner of hearts), Manasija {he who is born of mind}, a contraction of the Sanskrit phrase Sah
Manasah jta), Madana (intoxicating), Ratiknta (lord of Rati), Pushpavn, Pushpadhanva,
Kusumashara (one with arrow of flowers) or just Kma (longing). Kamadeva is the
son of the Hindu goddess Sri and, additionally, Pradyumna, Krishnas son, is considered to be an
incarnation of Kamadeva.[2]

Contents

1 Etymology and usage

2 Iconography

3 Reference in scripture
o

3.1 The incineration of Kama: Madana-bhasma (or sometimes Kama

Dahana)

4 Worship

5 Temples

6 See also

7 Footnotes

8 References

9 External links

Etymology and usage

The name Kama-deva (IAST kma-deva) can be translated as 'god of love'. Deva means
heavenly or divine. Kama (IAST kma) meaning "desire" or "longing", especially as in sensual
or sexual love. The name is used in Rig Veda (RV 9, 113. 11).[4] Kamadeva is a name of Vishnu
in Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana (SB 5.18.15) and of Krishna as well as of Shiva. It is the
name of author of Sanskrit work Prayaschita padyata. Kama is also a name used for Agni. The
other name used to refer Kamadeva is Abhipura, which is also the other name of both Shiva and
Vishnu.[5]

Iconography
Kmadeva is represented as a young, handsome winged man with green skin who wields a bow
and arrows. His bow is made of sugarcane with a string of honeybees, and his arrows are
decorated with five kinds of fragrant flowers.[6][7] The five flowers are Ashoka tree flowers, white
and blue lotus flowers, Mallika plant (Jasmine) and Mango tree flowers. A terracotta murti of
Kamadeva of great antiquity is housed in the Mathura Museum, UP, India.[8]

Reference in scripture

Kamadeva shooting his love-arrow at Shiva

Images and stories about Hindu god Kamadeva are traced to the verses of the Rig Veda and
Atharva Veda although he is better known from prominent and lesser known stories of the
Puranas.[6]
The story of the birth of Kamadeva has several variants in different Puranas.[9] In some
Kamadeva arises from the mind of the creator god, Brahma:[10] in others he is the son of Sri.
Kamadeva is sometimes portrayed as being at the service of Indra:[11] one of his names is
"obedient to Indra". Kamadeva's consort Rati, whose very essence is desire, carries a discus and
a lotus, her arms are compared with lotus-stalks.[12] Rati is a minor character in many traditional
dramas involving Kamadeva and in some ways represents an attribute.[13] The goddess Vasanta,
who also accompanies Kamadeva, emerges from a sigh of frustration.[14] Kama often takes part in
Puranic battles with his troops of soldiers.[15]
The incineration of Kama: Madana-bhasma (or sometimes Kama Dahana)

Madan-Bhasma (Shiva Turns Kama to Ashes)

One of the principal myths regarding Kama is that of his incineration by Shiva. It occurs in its
most developed form in the Matsya Purana (verses 227-255)[16] but is also repeated with variants
in the Shaiva Purana and other Puranas.[17]
Indra and the gods are suffering at the hands of the demon Tarakasur, who cannot be defeated
except by Shiva's son. Brahma who advises that Parvati woo Shiva; their offspring will be able to

defeat Taraka. Indra assigns Kamadeva to break Shiva's meditation. To create a congenial
atmosphere, Kamadeva (Madana) creates an untimely spring (akAl vasanta). He evades Shiva's
guard, Nandin, by taking the form of the fragrant southern breeze, and enters Shiva's abode.

Kama with his two wives Rati and Priti.

After he awakens Shiva with a flower arrow, Shiva, furious, opens his third eye, which
incinerates Madana instantaneously and he is turned into ash. However Shiva observes Parvati
and asks her how he can help her. She enjoins him to resuscitate Madana, and Shiva agrees to let
Madana live but in a disembodied form, hence Kamadeva is also called 'Ananga' (an- = without;
anga = body, "bodiless"), or 'Atanu' (a- = without; tan = body). The spirit of love embodied by
Kama is now disseminated across the cosmos: it affects Shiva whose union with Parvati is
consummated. Their son Kartikeya goes on to defeat Taraka.[18]
This story is used in the Matsya Purana to underline a relationship between Krishna and
Kamadeva.[7] Later Kama is reincarnated in the womb of Krishna's wife Rukmini as Pradyumna.
Vaishnavas believe he is not the Pradyumna (name of Vishnu) but belongs to the category of
jiva-tattva, or conditioned souls and, due toting special power in the category of demigods,
devas, he became a part of the prowess of Vishnu form Pradyumna. This is the view of the Six
Gosvamis, who maintained that Kamadeva was burned to ashes by the anger of Shiva and later
merged into the body of Vasudeva. And it is explained that in order to get his body again he was
placed in the womb of Rukmini. Particularly in the Gaudiya tradition, Krishna is identified as
Kamadeva, and in Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Kamadeva is directly a part of Vasudeva. It is believed
that because he was begotten by Krishna himself, his qualities were similar to those of Krishna,
such as his colour, appearance and attributes.[19]
The attributes of demigod Kamadeva are as such: his companions are a cuckoo, a parrot,
humming bees, the season of spring, and the gentle breeze. All of these are symbols of spring
season, when his festival is celebrated as Holi, Holika or Vasanta.

According to the text Shiva Purana, Kamadeva is a son or a creation of Brahma, while according
to other sources including the Skanda Purana, Kamadeva is a brother of Prasuti; they are both the
children of Shatarupa, a creation of Brahma. Later interpolations consider him the son of
Vishnu[20] Kamadeva is wed to Rat, the daughter of Daksha, created from his sweat.

Worship
The deity of Kamadeva along with his consort Rati is included in the pantheon of VedicBrahmanical deities such as Shiva and Parvati.[21] In Hindu traditions for the marriage ceremony
itself, the bride's feet are often painted with pictures of Suka, the parrot vahana of Kamadeva.[22]
The religious rituals addressed to him offer a means of purification and reentry into the
community. Devotion to Kamadeva keeps desire within the framework of the religious tradition.
[23]
Kamadeva also appears in other stories and becomes the object of certain devotional rituals
for those seeking health, physical beauty, husbands, wives, and sons. In one story Kamadeva
himself succumbs to desire, and must then worship his lover in order to be released from this
passion and its curse.
According to some traditions worshiping Radha Krishna, Radha is without equal in the universe
for beauty, and her power constantly defeats the god of love, Kamadeva.[24] when Krishna played
his flute, as described Bhgavata Pura,the women from vraj came to Krishna but not because
of the influence of kamadeva but because of love. It is a misconception that kama means love,
kama literally means trishNa(Sanskrit) i.e. desire or thirst. On that day all the gopis and krishna
played 'Rasa' and the 5 chapters which describes this rasa-leela is known as rasa-panchadhyayi
and it is called as kama-vijayi-granth(the book which conquers the cupid. kamadeva)

Kama (left) with Rati on a temple wall of Chennakesava Temple, Belur.

Holi as a Spring New Year Festival In southern India and many western regions. It is sometimes
called Madana-Mahotsava in Sanskrit, or Kama-Mahotsava. Some have suggested that the
replacement of Kamadeva by Krishna, had its germ in the early medieval period. Initially spring
festival Holi was being held in reverence to celestial Vedic figure of Kamadeva, however it is

presently dedicated to Krishna.[25] This festival is mentioned in Jaiminis early writings such as
Purvamimamsa-sutra, dated c.400 BC.[26] According to Gaudiya Vaishnava theologians of
medieval period, when in Bhgavata Pura, book X, Kamadeva is mentioned by the word
smara he is not the deva who incites lusty feelings. It is believed that the gopis are liberated
souls beyond the touch of material nature, therefore according to Gaudiya views it is not possible
for them to be contaminated by the lust which is produced of the mode of passion.[27]
According to the Matsya Purana, Visnu-Krishna and Kamadeva have a historical relationship.[7]
Krishna is sometimes worshiped as Kamadeva in Gaudiya traditions, and according to the
Krishna-centric Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Kamadeva was directly a form of Vasudeva Krishna after
this deva was burned down by Shiva. In this particular form Kamadeva is believed to be a
demigod of the heavenly planets especially capable of inducing lusty desires. Some Vaishnavas
distinguish a form of Kamadeva who is a deva, demigod in charge of inciting lusty desires, the
cause of generation and referred to in the Bhagavad Gita with the words prajanas casmi
kandarpa. It is this Kamadeva who tried distract Lord Siva from deep meditation with his
passionate influence and feminine associates. He is distinguished from spiritual Kamadeva.[27]
Krishna is believed by his bhaktas, devotees, to be the inciting power of Kamadeva and is known
as the ever-fresh transcendental god of love of Vrindavana.[28] He is believed by Gaudiyas to be
the origin of all forms of Kamadeva, but is considered above mundane forms of love in the
hierarchi of devotional rati, raga, kama, and prema.[27][29]
The word smara in the tenth book of Bhagavata Purana refers to Krishna, who through the
medium of his flute ever increases his influence on the devoted gopis. This, according to
Vaishnavas, is the meaning of the word smarodayam in Bhagavata Purana (SB 10. 21. 3) The
different symptoms of smarodayam as experienced by the gopis has been described by the
commentator Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakur in the following way:[30] "First comes attraction
expressed through the eyes, then intense attachment in the mind, then determination, loss of
sleep, becoming emaciated, uninterested in external things, shamelessness, madness, becoming
stunned and death. These are the ten stages of Cupids effects."[27]
The Ashoka tree is often planted near temples. The tree is said to be a symbol of love and is
dedicated to Kamadeva.[31]
Kama Gayatri Mantra || om kaam devaay vidmahe pushpabaanaay dheemahi tanno ananga
prachodayat || 108 Times in Pradosh Kaal(Evening Time or twilight) (Preferably From Basant
Panchami till Holi)

Temples
While there is common understanding that there are no temples to Kamadeva and no murtis
(images) of Kamadeva sold for the home worship in the market place,[32] some temples are
dedicated or related to this deva:

Kameshwara Temple, in Aragalur. The Sthala purana indicates that Kamadeva

woke up Shiva at this place.

Kameshvara Temple, in Kamyavan, one of the twelve forests of Vrindavana.[33]

Soundaraja Perumal Temple at thadikombu, near Dindigul, Tamil Nadu

Harsat-Mata Temple at Abhaneri has representation of Kamadeva. [34]