Kamadeva’s Mission and His Burning to Ashes
For the sake of the gods, Kamadeva attempts to disturb Shiva’s meditation. Shiva’s fiery wrath reduces him to ashes, leaving the gods and Rati in distress.
Bal Kand · Episode 23 / 59
Episode Text
तदपि करब मैं काजु तुम्हारा। श्रुति कह परम धरम उपकारा॥ पर हित लागि तजइ जो देही। संतत संत प्रसंसहिं तेही॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tadapi karaba maiṃ kāju tumhārā। śruti kaha parama dharama upakārā॥ para hita lāgi tajai jo dehī। saṃtata saṃta prasaṃsahiṃ tehī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Still, I will do your work, for the Vedas declare that doing good to others is the highest duty. One who gives up his body for the welfare of others is always praised by the saints.
अस कहि चलेउ सबहि सिरु नाई। सुमन धनुष कर सहित सहाई॥ चलत मार अस हृदयँ बिचारा। सिव बिरोध ध्रुव मरनु हमारा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
asa kahi chaleu sabahi siru nāī। sumana dhanuṣa kara sahita sahāī॥ calata māra asa hṛdayaṃ bicārā। siva birodha dhruva maranu hamārā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Saying this, and bowing to all, Kamadeva went forth with his flower-bow in hand, accompanied by his helpers. As he walked, he thought in his heart, 'If I oppose Shiva, my death is certain.'
तब आपन प्रभाउ बिस्तारा। निज बस कीन्ह सकल संसारा॥ कोपेउ जबहिं बारिचरकेतू। छन महुँ मिटे सकल श्रुति सेतू॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taba āpana prabhāu bistārā। nija basa kīnha sakala saṃsārā॥ kopeu jabahiṃ bāricharaketū। chana mahuṃ miṭe sakala śruti setū॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Then he spread his influence and brought the whole world under his control. The moment that fish-bannered Kamadeva became angry, in an instant all the boundaries of the Vedas vanished.
ब्रह्मचर्ज ब्रत संजम नाना। धीरज धरम ग्यान बिग्याना॥ सदाचार जप जोग बिरागा। सभय बिबेक कटकु सबु भागा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
brahmacarja brata saṃjama nānā। dhīraja dharama gyāna bigyānā॥ sadācāra japa joga birāgā। sabhaya bibeka kaṭaku sabu bhāgā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Celibacy, vows, restraint, many kinds of fortitude, righteousness, knowledge, insight, good conduct, repetition of the Name, yoga, and detachment—all the army of discrimination fled in fear.
जे सजीव जग अचर चर नारि पुरुष अस नाम। ते निज निज मरजाद तजि भए सकल बस काम॥ ८४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
je sajīva jaga acara cara nāri puruṣa asa nāma। te nija nija marajāda taji bhae sakala basa kāma॥ 84 ॥
Meaning:
All living beings in the world—mobile and immobile, male and female—gave up their own boundaries and came under the sway of desire.
सब के हृदयँ मदन अभिलाषा। लता निहारि नवहिं तरु साखा॥ नदीं उमगि अंबुधि कहुँ धाईं। संगम करहिं तलाव तलाईं॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saba ke hṛdayaṃ madana abhilāṣā। latā nihāri navahiṃ taru sākhā॥ nadīṃ umagi aṃbudhi kahuṃ dhāīṃ। saṃgama karahiṃ talāva talāīṃ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Desire arose in everyone's heart. Seeing the creepers, the tree branches bent down. Rivers swelled and rushed toward the sea, and ponds and pools seemed to seek union as well.
जहँ असि दसा जड़न्ह कै बरनी। को कहि सकइ सचेतन करनी॥ पसु पच्छी नभ जल थल चारी। भए कामबस समय बिसारी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jahaṃ asi dasā jaṛanha kai baranī। ko kahi sakai sacetana karanī॥ pasu pacchī nabha jala thala cārī। bhae kāmabasa samaya bisārī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
If such a condition was described even of insentient things, who can describe the actions of conscious beings? Beasts and birds, creatures of sky, water, and land—all forgot the right time and came under the sway of desire.
मदन अंध ब्याकुल सब लोका। निसि दिनु नहिं अवलोकहिं कोका॥ देव दनुज नर किंनर ब्याला। प्रेत पिसाच भूत बेताला॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
madana aṃdha byākula saba lokā। nisi dinu nahiṃ avalokahiṃ kokā॥ deva danuja nara kiṃnara byālā। preta pisāca bhūta betālā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Everyone became troubled, blinded by desire. The chakor birds did not observe night or day. Gods, demons, humans, kinnaras, serpents, ghosts, spirits, and vampires—
इन्ह कै दसा न कहेउँ बखानी। सदा काम के चेरे जानी॥ सिद्ध बिरक्त महामुनि जोगी। तेपि कामबस भए बियोगी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
inha kai dasā na kaheuṃ bakhānī। sadā kāma ke cere jānī॥ siddha birakta mahāmuni jogī। tepi kāmabasa bhae biyogī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
I will not recount their condition, for they are always regarded as servants of desire. Even perfected beings, renunciates, great sages, and yogis became separated and helpless under the sway of desire.
भए कामबस जोगीस तापस पावँरन्हि की को कहै। देखहिं चराचर नारिमय जे ब्रह्ममय देखत रहे॥ अबला बिलोकहिं पुरुषमय जगु पुरुष सब अबलामयं। दुइ दंड भरि ब्रह्मांड भीतर कामकृत कौतुक अयं॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhae kāmabasa jogīsa tāpasa pāvaṃranhi kī ko kahai। dekhahiṃ carācara nārimaya je brahmamaya dekhata rahe॥ abalā bilokhahiṃ puruṣamaya jagu puruṣa saba abalāmayaṃ। dui daṇḍa bhari brahmāṃḍa bhītara kāmakṛta kautuka ayaṃ॥
Meaning:
When even yogis and ascetics came under the sway of desire, what need is there to speak of the lowly? Those who used to see all moving and unmoving creation as Brahman now saw it as female. Women saw the whole world as male, and men saw it as female. For two daṇḍas of time, within the universe, this was the wonder wrought by desire.
धरी न काहूँ धीर सब के मन मनसिज हरे। जे राखे रघुबीर ते उबरे तेहि काल महुँ॥ ८५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dharī na kāhūṃ dhīra saba ke mana manasija hare। je rākhae raghubīra te ubare tehi kāla mahuṃ॥ 85 ॥
Meaning:
No one kept courage in the heart; Kamadeva captured everyone's mind. Only those whom Shri Raghubir protected survived in that time.
उभय घरी अस कौतुक भयऊ। जौ लगि कामु संभु पहिं गयऊ॥ सिवहि बिलोकि ससंकेउ मारू। भयउ जथाथिति सबु संसारू॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ubhaya gharī asa kautuka bhayau। jau lagi kāmu sambhu pahiṃ gayau॥ sivahi biloki sasaṃkeu mārū। bhayau jathāthiti sabu saṃsārū॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Such a spectacle lasted for two ghari-s until Kamadeva reached Shiva. Seeing Shiva, Kamadeva grew afraid, and then the whole world returned to its former state.
भए तुरत सब जीव सुखारे। जिमि मद उतरि गएँ मतवारे॥ रुद्रहि देखि मदन भय माना। दुराधरष दुर्गम भगवाना॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhae turata saba jīva sukhāre। jimi mada utari gaeṃ matavāre॥ rudrahi dekhi madana bhaya mānā। durādharaṣa durgama bhagavānā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
At once all living beings became happy, just as the intoxicated feel relief when the wine wears off. Seeing the dreadful and inaccessible Lord Rudra, Kamadeva became filled with fear.
फिरत लाज कछु करि नहिं जाई। मरनु ठानि मन रचेसि उपाई॥ प्रगटेसि तुरत रुचिर रितुराजा। कुसुमित नव तरु राजि बिराजा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
phirata lāja kacchu kari nahiṃ jāī। maranu ṭhāni mana racesi upāī॥ pragaṭesi turata rucira riturājā। kusumita nava taru rāji birājā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
He felt ashamed to turn back and could do nothing else. So, resolving in his heart to die, he devised a plan. At once the beautiful king of seasons, spring, appeared, and rows of blossoming new trees became splendid.
बन उपबन बापिका तड़ागा। परम सुभग सब दिसा बिभागा॥ जहँ तहँ जनु उमगत अनुरागा। देखि मुएहुँ मन मनसिज जागा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bana upabana bāpikā taṛāgā। parama subhaga saba dīsā bibhāgā॥ jahaṃ tahaṃ janu umagata anurāgā। dekhi muehuṃ mana manasija jāgā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Forests and groves, wells and ponds, and all the divisions of the directions became supremely beautiful. Everywhere it seemed as if love itself was surging forth, and seeing this, even the dead had desire awakened in their minds.
जागइ मनोभव मुएहुँ मन बन सुभगता न परै कही। सीतल सुगंध सुमंद मारुत मदन अनल सखा सही॥ बिकसे सरन्हि बहु कंज गुंजत पुंज मंजुल मधुकरा। कलहंस पिक सुक सरस रव करि गान नाचहिं अपछरा॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jāgai manobhava muehuṃ mana bana subhagatā na parai kahī। sītala sugaṃdha sumaṃda māruta madana anala sakhā sahī॥ bikase saranhaṃ bahu kaṃja guṃjata puṃja maṃjula madhukarā। kalahaṃsa pika suka sarasa rava kari gāna nācahiṃ apacharā॥
Meaning:
Kamadeva awakened even in dead hearts; the beauty of the forest cannot be described. The true friend of the fire of desire was the cool, gentle, fragrant breeze. In the lakes, many lotuses bloomed, and swarms of lovely bees began to hum over them. Swan, cuckoo, and parrot sang sweetly, and the celestial nymphs danced as they sang.
सकल कला करि कोटि बिधि हारेउ सेन समेत। चली न अचल समाधि सिव कोपेउ हृदयनिकेत॥ ८६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sakala kalā kari koṭi bidhi hāreu sena sameta। calī na acala samādhi siva kopeu hṛdayaniketa॥ 86 ॥
Meaning:
Kamadeva, along with his army, tried countless strategies and arts, but Shiva's unshaken meditation did not move. Then Kamadeva became furious.
देखि रसाल बिटप बर साखा। तेहि पर चढ़ेउ मदनु मन माखा॥ सुमन चाप निज सर संधाने। अति रिस ताकि श्रवन लगि ताने॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dekhi rasāla biṭapa bara sākhā। tehi para caṛheu madanu mana mākhā॥ sumana cāpa nija sara saṃdhāne। ati risa tāki śravana lagi tāne॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing a fine branch of the mango tree, Cupid, filled with anger, climbed onto it. He fitted his arrow to the flower-bow, and with great fury drew it back to his ear, aiming at the target.
छाड़े बिषम बिसिख उर लागे। छूटि समाधि संभु तब जागे॥ भयउ ईस मन छोभु बिसेषी। नयन उघारि सकल दिसि देखी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
chāṛe biṣama bisikha ura lāge। chūṭi samādhi sambhu taba jāge॥ bhayau īsa mana chobhu biśeṣī। nayana ughāri sakala disi dekhī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Cupid released his sharp arrows, and they struck Shiva’s heart. Then his meditation was broken, and Shiva awoke. Great agitation arose in Shiva’s mind. He opened his eyes and looked in all directions.
सौरभ पल्लव मदनु बिलोका। भयउ कोपु कंपेउ त्रैलोका॥ तब सिवँ तीसर नयन उघारा। चितवत कामु भयउ जरि छारा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saurabha pallava madanu bilokā। bhayau kopu kaṃpeu trailokā॥ taba sivaṃ tīsara nayana ughārā। citavata kāmu bhayau jari chārā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
When Shiva saw Cupid hiding among the fragrant mango blossoms and leaves, he was filled with anger, and the three worlds trembled. Then Shiva opened his third eye, and merely by his gaze Cupid was burnt to ashes.