The world was in crisis, overrun by a demon named Taraka who was making the lives of the gods miserable. They learned that only one being had the ability to defeat Taraka: a son born to the great god, Shiva. However, Shiva was committed to ascetic discipline. There was little chance that he would break his focus on meditation long enough to father a child.

So the gods needed a plan. Indra resolved to send Kamadeva, the god of desire, to arouse desire in Shiva for the goddess Parvati. Naturally, Kama was afraid, knowing that Shiva was unconquerable and that such schemes often result only in one’s own destruction.

At first Kama sought to agitate the mind of Shiva with emotion. He thought, “Anger follows hatred. Envy, powerful friend of desire, puts non-attachment to flight and destroys resolve. After agitating his mind, I will place pleasures before Shiva’s senses.”

Seeing him seated among the trees with black bees buzzing all around, Kama entered Shiva’s mind through an opening in his ear. Immediately, Shiva began thinking about Parvati and his deep state of meditation was shattered. Knowing he had been tricked, Shiva plunged himself back into his state of deep concentration. Kama withdrew.

Kama then sent a mango-blossom arrow to strike the heart of Shiva. Feeling passion rising, Shiva knew his emotions were beginning to take control. Filled with anger, he opened the third eye and saw Kama. Sparks flew from this third eye and Kama was instantly reduced to ashes. To prevent the whole world from being burned up, Shiva distributed the fire of Kama part by part: in the mango tree, in honey, in the moon, in flowers, in black bees, and in cuckoos.

Ultimately, Shiva did father a son named Kartikeya, who went on to defeat the demon Taraka and end his reign of terror.