kama

Kama is a Sanskrit term meaning desire, longing, or pleasure. In Hinduism it is one of the four Purusharthas, the aims of human life, alongside dharma (duty/ethics), artha (prosperity), and moksha (liberation). Kama encompasses both general longing and the erotic dimension of human experience.

In Hindu mythology, Kamadeva is the god of love and desire, often depicted as a youthful archer whose arrows incite longing and attraction. His consort is Rati, the goddess of passion. Kamadeva is linked to spring and the arts of attraction. A well-known legend tells of his confrontation with Shiva and the consequences of disturbing the ascetic's tapas, illustrating the power and limits of desire within the cosmic order.

The Kama Sutra, attributed to the sage Vatsyayana, is an ancient treatise on love, sexuality, and social relations. Dated roughly between the 2nd century BCE and the 4th century CE, it extends beyond a manual of sexual techniques to discuss courtship, relationship ethics, and the cultivation of intimacy within various social contexts.

In Buddhist and Jain thought, kama refers to sensual pleasures and attachment that can bind beings to cyclic existence. In many Buddhist traditions, kama is contrasted with renunciation and higher spiritual goals; some paths distinguish between kama (desire) and the more refined aims pursued through contemplation and ethical conduct. The related term kamma (or karma) in Buddhism denotes intentional action and its consequences, a separate but etymologically related concept.

The word Kama also appears in geographic names and other cultural contexts but is most widely recognized in its Hindu philosophical and mythological senses.