Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.324

c9.324

Happily pleased at the above words of Brahmā Kāma held up in his hands the bow and arrows of flowers and decided to shoot five arrows, i.e. harṣaṇam (pleasing or gladdening), rocanam (attracting or tempting), mohanam (deluding or infatuating), śoṣaṇam (weakening) and māraṇam (killing). He decided to use the arrows first against Brahmā and then against the prajāpatis. Accordingly the arrows shot forth and Brahmā and all the prajāpatis overwhelmed by sexual passion stared at Sandhyādevī. Sandhyā also got excited and from her body sprouted up 49 parts; 64 kalās (arts) also were born from her. She used incessantly against the leaders of the world (Brahmā and others) who were downed by the arrows of sexual passion, arrows dear to Manmatha. The expressions of Brahmā made Sandhyā sick with love.