The Emerald cover image

A Brief History of Want: Longing and Its Place in Cosmos and Consciousness

The Emerald

CHAPTER

Shiva and Parvati in a Great Battle

Kama enters Shiva's body as a buzzing bee, trying to buzz him into a state of longing from the inside out. Shiva expels the bee through his left nostril, and kama resumes his form. The two have a great battle, an eternal battle, between death and life, restraint and desire. In the height of the battle finally, Shiva opens his third eye, and a blazing beam of light erupts for me. And kama is fried to ashes, a little pile of ashes. But at what cost? The annihilation of kama, say the Puranas, left the entire earth barren and infertile. Lovers no longer woo each other, poets no longer

00:00
Transcript
Play full episode

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
App store bannerPlay store banner