Page:Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Purānic.djvu/288

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ADITI, AND THE ADITYAS.

distressed the gods, they wished to destroy him. But only a son of Siva could accomplish this. In consequence of his intense grief at the loss of his wife Sati, Siva had unfortunately become insensible to love. The gods therefore instigated Kāma to assist by wounding him with his arrows. At last he was successful, just as Pārvati (Sati in a new form) was near, who at

SIVA SLAYING KAMADEVA.

once captivated the stricken deity. Angry with Kāma for his presumption, he caused a flame to issue from his third eye, which consumed the god who had interrupted his devotions. In the “Vamana Purāna"[1] is a lengthy account of the effect of Kāma's arrows. The wounded god could find no rest. He threw himself in the Kalindi river, but “the waters were dried

  1. Kennedy, “ Hindu Mythology."