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{{Orphan|date=September 2023}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| image = Kameswara mahadeva.jpg
| caption =
| day = {{hlist|[[Monday]]|[[Thrayodashi]]}}
| mantra = *[[Om Namah Shivaya]]
*[[Mahamrityunjaya Mantra]]
*Om Kameshvaraya Namaha
| affiliation = * Ishvara
* [[Paramatman]] ([[Shaivism]])
| deity_of = One of the Highest Forms of [[Shiva]]<br/>[[Para Brahman]], the Supreme Being
| weapon = [[Pasha (Hinduism)|Pasha]] (noose), [[Ankusha]] (elephant goad), arrow and sugarcane bow
| symbols = {{hlist|[[Lingam]]{{sfn|Fuller|2004|p=58}}|[[Crescent]] Moon|[[Damaru]] (Drum)|[[Third eye|The Third Eye]]}}
| children =
| abode = * [[Mount Kailash]]
* [[Manidvipa]]
| mount = [[Nandi (Hinduism)|Nandi]]
| festivals = {{hlist|[[Maha Shivaratri]]|[[Shravana (month)|Shravana]]|[[Kartik Purnima]]|[[Pradosha]]|[[Teej]]|[[Bhairava Ashtami]]{{sfn|Dalal|2010|pp=137, 186}}}}
| other_names = Mahakameshvara, Tripura Sundara, Rajarajeshvara, Shodasha
| member_of =
| consort = [[Tripura Sundari]]
}}
'''Kameshvara''' ([[Sanskrit]]: कामेश्वर, [[IAST]]: kāmeśvara) also known as '''Mahakameshvara''' and '''Shodasha''' is one of the supreme forms of Lord [[Shiva]], the supreme god of the universe in the [[Shaivism|Shaiva]] sect of Hinduism. He is mainly mentioned in Lalita Mahatmayam of [[Brahmanda Purana]] and [[Tripura Rahasya]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Tagare|first=G.V.|title=The Brahmanda Purana|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publications|year=2020|isbn=9788120838246}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Rao|first=Lakshmana|title=Shri Tripura Rahasya (Mahatmya Khanda)|year=2011|isbn=}}</ref>

== Etymology and nomenclature ==
The Sanskrit word ''Kama'' (काम) means desire. ''Ishwara'' is the Lord. Kameshvara is the lord of the desires. Shiva is [[Brahman]] (Shaivism) and created the entire world out of his desire (Kama), hence he is called Kameshvara.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

== Legend ==

=== Brahmanda Purana ===
According to the Lalitopakhayana of Brahmanda Purana, after Goddess Tripura Sundari came to destroy [[Bhandasura]], she took up her abode in the Sri Nagara, built by the [[Vishvakarma]]. There the supreme god appeared in the form of Kameshwara at the request of Lord Brahma to marry her.

{{Blockquote|text=Even as god Brahma was thinking thus, Maheshvara (Śiva) appeared in front of him assuming a form that fascinated the whole universe. He had a divine personality endowed with handsome features of ten million Kandarpas (God of Love) i.e. he was ten million times more beautiful than Kandarpa), dressed in divine robes, and wore divine garlands and was besmeared with heavenly scents and unguents. He was adorned with crown, necklaces, bracelets, earrings etc. He thus appeared in front of Brahma, assuming a form fascinating the world. Brahma, the grandfather of the worlds, embraced that youthful hero having a charming body and named him Kameshvara.|source=Brahmanda Purana (Lalitopakhyana), Chapter 14 Verses 18 to 21|author=G.V. Tagare}}

=== Tripura Rahasya ===
The Shakta scripture, Tripura Rahasya - Mahatmya Khanda mentioned, Goddess Tripura Sundari manifested Kameshvara from the right part of her body at the request of the demigods after manifesting herself in Manidvipa.
{{Blockquote|text=Hearing this Sadashiva who saw us ignorant, bowed to her and said thus: "Oh Devi! because you have fulfilled our desires (Kama) you will be kameshvari and the lord will be Kameshvara, because you are governors of us the king of kings you will be Rajarajeshvari and the lord will be Rajarajeshvara. You will be Tripurasundari and He will be Tripurasundara.|source=Shri Tripura Rahasya (Mahatmya Khanda), Chapter 55 Verses 73 to 75|author=T. B. Lakshmana Rao}}

=== Shiva Purana ===
The Shiva Purana states that out of the ten incarnations of Lord Shiva, the fifth incarnation is Shri Vidya Shodasha.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Shastri |first=J. L. |title=The Shiva Purana |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers |year=2011 |isbn=9788120838185}}</ref>

== Iconography ==
Kameshvara and Kameshvari (Tripura Sundari) are stated to be residing in Manidvipa (Island of Gems), which is amidst the ocean of nectar. Within that island, kameshvara and kameshvari's abode is inside a Fort, which is made of Chintamani, a precious gem, and is surrounded by gardens. There, They are sitting on a divine cot of which [[Brahma]], [[Vishnu]], [[Rudra]] and Maheshvara are the four legs and [[Sadasiva|Sadashiva]] is seat. Shakti is sitting on the left lap of Kameshvara.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Thyagarajan |first=Padmaa |title=Thus Spake The Divine - Vol. 1 |publisher=Giri Trading Agency Private Limited |year=2018 |isbn=9788179507889}}</ref>

Lord Kameshvara also has Pasha (noose), Ankusha (elephant goad), Arrows and bow similar to Goddess Kameshvari. V. Ravi states that Kameshvari is not carrying anything, but she is carrying the reflection of weapons which kameshvara hold.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ravi |first=V |title=Understanding worshipping Sri Chakra |publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform |year=2013 |isbn=9781493713639 |pages=89}}</ref>

== Assimilation of traditions ==
Elaine M. Fisher state that Nilakanta's Sivatattvarahasya clearly shows how Sri Vidya and [[Shaivism|Shaiva]] Siddhanta are interwoven and form of Shiva prevalent in [[Shri Vidya]], Kameshvara, is in fact a “highly esoteric” manifestation of the Saiddhantika Maheshvara.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Elaine |first=M. Fisher |title=Hindu Pluralism |publisher=University of California Press |year=2017 |isbn=978-0520293014 |edition=1st}}</ref>

K. Ramesh states that Shri Shiva Kameshvara is the First guru in the Shri Vidya sect and He realized Shri Maha Tripura Sundari in the form of Shri Vidya in a coded secret manner, thus became the first guru in that lineage.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ramesh |first=K |title=Thoughts On The Way |publisher=Shripuram Trust |year=2011 |edition=1st}}</ref>

==Temples==

* Kameshvara Temple is located at Rabindranath Tagore Rd, opp. Birla Birla Hospital, Machhodari, Varanasi, U.P, India

== References ==

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

===Works cited===
* {{cite book |last=Dalal |first=Roshen |title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC |year=2010 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0143414216}}
* {{cite book |last=Fuller |first=Christopher John |title=The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and society in India |year=2004 |publisher=Princeton University Press |location=Princeton, New Jersey |isbn=978-0691120485}}
* {{cite book |last=Ramesh |first=K |title=Thoughts On The Way |url=https://archive.org/details/thoughts-on-the-way-part-i-by-a-sri-vidya-traditionalist-scanned-copy-ramesh-kutticad/page/n29/mode/2up |year=2011 |publisher=Shripuram trust |isbn= |edition=1st}}

[[Category:Shiva]]
[[Category:Hindu gods]]

Kameshvara - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Creating a new article