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Thus it is.
The Story of Kamadeva
Yoga Shastra, Third Light, Verse 138
Due to the provocation of enmity, opposition, and distress from others, and due to the influence of the field, one naturally has to suffer various kinds of torments. Cutting the body with a saw, cooking in a cauldron, embracing a Śalmali tree with sharp thorns, swimming in the Vaitaraṇī river, etc., are great sufferings. Even in human life, there are many sufferings such as poverty, disease, illness, dependence, killing, bondage, etc. Even in the state of gods, there are sufferings such as envy, sorrow, burning with jealousy upon seeing the wealth of others, death, six months of suffering, etc. Thus, the cycle of worldly existence is full of suffering; contemplate on this sorrowful situation and consider how all the beings entangled in the illusions of the world can attain liberation by being free from all sufferings such as birth and death. After waking up, contemplate in this way. 309. Even in contact with obstacles, those who are steadfast in their vows are blessed. Such are Kamadeva and others, praised even by the Tirthankaras. ||138||
Meaning: Even when confronted with obstacles created by gods, humans, and animals, etc., those who are steadfast in the protection and observance of their vows, such as Śrīkamadeva and others, are blessed. The Tirthankara Bhagwan Mahāvīra himself praised them; contemplate in this way. ||138||
The traditional story of the Śrāvaka Kamadeva is as follows:
Steadfast in the face of obstacles: The Śrāvaka Kamadeva
On the banks of the Ganges River, there was a beautiful city named Campa, adorned with rows of bent bamboos and auspicious flags. In this city, King Jitasatru, with arms as long as a serpent's body, ruled, his kingdom as prosperous as the house of Lakshmi. In this same city, there lived a householder named Kamadeva, a wise man who provided shelter to many people, like a large shady tree standing on the road. His wife, named Bhadra, was beautiful and graceful, adorned with beauty and charm, like Lakshmi herself. Kamadeva had six crore gold coins buried safely in the ground; the same amount was invested in trade, and the same amount was invested in household goods and other things. He had six cowherds, each with a family of ten thousand cows.
Once, while wandering through various regions, Bhagwan Mahāvīra arrived there. He sat in the garden called Pūrṇabhadra, which was a beautiful adornment to the earth, outside the city. When Kamadeva heard this, he also went to the feet of the Lord and listened to his sweet and auspicious Dharma teachings. After that, Kamadeva, with a pure mind, accepted the householder Dharma with its twelve vows from the universally revered Bhagwan Mahāvīra. Kamadeva renounced all other women except Bhadra. He renounced all the other cowherds besides the six, and all the other treasures, trade, and household arrangements, keeping only six crore gold coins for each. He kept five hundred fields in the land for farming, with five hundred ploughs. He kept the same number of carts and wagons for bringing goods from foreign lands, and kept four carriages for travel, keeping them within the limits of the vows. He renounced all other carriages. He kept one fragrant saffron cloth for wiping his body, and renounced all others. He kept a tooth-brush made of green licorice root, and renounced all other kinds of tooth-brushes. He renounced all fruits except milk and amalaka. He renounced the use of oils except for massage with sahasrapāka or śatpāka. He renounced all other ubtans except for the fragrant clay ubtan to be applied to the body. He renounced the use of more than eight pitchers of water for bathing. He renounced all other pastes except for the paste of sandalwood and agarwood, and all other flowers except for garlands of flowers and lotuses. He renounced all ornaments except for earrings and a ring with his name on it. He renounced all other incense except for dasāng and agarbatti incense. He kept ghevar and khaja, and renounced all other sweets. He kept kaṣṭhapeya (guḍrab) prepared by boiling with pipparamūla, etc., and renounced all other drinks. He kept kalmi rice, and renounced all other rice. He kept uḍad, mung, and matar, and renounced all other dals (soups). He kept ghee made from cows that had calved in the autumn, and renounced all other oily substances. He kept swastika, mandaka, and palak vegetables, and renounced all other vegetables. He renounced all water except for rainwater, and all tambūl except for fragrant tambūl. In this way, taking vows, Kamadeva bowed to the Lord and returned home. When his wife Bhadra also heard about the
319| SR No. | 002418 |
| Book Title | Yogshastra |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Jayanandvijay |
| Publisher | Lehar Kundan Group |
| Publication Year | |
| Total Pages | 494 |
| Language | Sanskrit, Hindi |
| Classification | Book_Devnagari |
| File Size | 24 MB |