South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses c8.s7.31

c8.s7.31

PRADYUMNA, KAMADĒVA or MANMATHA. Pradyumna, which is mentioned among the twenty-four general names of Vishnu, occurs in the Sanskrit lexicon Amarakōsa as a synonym of the god Kāmadēva or Manmatha, who is recognized as a son of Krishna-Vishnu. His consort is ‘Love’ (Rati). This god of Love was reduced to ashes by Siva. His form that was thus destroyed is still alive but is visible only to Rati. The metaphysical meaning of the story is more or less clear. Rati and Manmatha are often found among the sculptures in a temple. The latter is represented as a graceful youth of unparalleled elegance. He has eight hands in four of which he holds the conch, lotus, bow and arrow. The four other arms embrace his four beautiful wives called Rati (love), Prīti (pleasure), Sakti (power) and Bhēda-Sakti (jealousy). Kāma has five arrows, each arrow being a fragrant flower; the crocodile (makara) is his banner. More often he is represented with two hands, riding on a chariot (or a parrot) with his chief queen Rati by his side (fig. 41). Vasanta, the Spring, is his intimate friend and ally. His five arrows are the flowers of lotus, asōka, mango, jasmine, and blue-lily; and he shoots them with his graceful bow of sugarcane. Mayamata says that Manmatha’s arrows are made of the cruel teeth of women and are called tāpani, “the tormentor,” dāhini “the consumer,” sarvamōhini “that which completely infatuates,” visva-mardini “the all-destroyer” and mārani “the killer.”