What is Kameshvara?
{{Infobox deity|type=Hindu|image=|caption=The modern depiction of Kameshvara|name=Kameshvara|deity_of=Supreme God;<br/>One of the Highest Forms of [[Shiva]]<br />The Governer of the Universe <br/>[[Para Brahman]], the Supreme Being|abode=[[Manidvipa]] / Śrī Nagara|weapon=[[Pasha (Hinduism)|Pasha]] (noose), [[Ankusha]] (elephant goad), arrow and sugarcane bow{{sfn|Kinsley|1998|p=112}}|consort=[[Tripura Sundari]]|mantra=Om Sri Mahakameshvaraya Namah|region=|festivals=Mahashivaratri|member_of=|other_names=Mahakameshvara, Laliteshvara, Rajarajeshvara, Shodasha|mount=[[Nandi]]|symbols=[[Sri Yantra]], [[Om]]|texts={{bulleted list|[[Brahmanda Purana]]|[[Tripura Rahasya]]}}|gender=[[Male]]|day=[[Monday]]}} [[File:Sculptures of god Shiva dancing Thandavam.jpg|thumb|Statue of Shiva doing the Tandavam.]] '''Kameshvara''' , '''Mahakameshvara''' is one of the highest forms of Lord [[Shiva]], the almighty god of the universe in the [[Shaivism|Shaiva]] tradition of [[Hinduism]]. He is mainly mentioned in the Hindu scriptures Lalita Mahatmyam of the the [[Brahmanda Purana]] and and Tripura Rahasyam.<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> Kameshvara is the highest form of Shiva and considered to be the [[omnipotent]] deity.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ravi|first=V|title=Lalita Sahasranama|publisher=MANBLUNDER|year=2010|isbn=9781456417635|pages=90}}</ref> == Nomenclature == Kameshvara means Lord of desires.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Paramacharya on Soundarya-Lahari|last=Krishnamurthy|first=V|year=2023|isbn=9798888693285|location=Notion Press}}</ref> == Iconography == Lord Kameshvara also has Noose, Goad, Arrows and Bow similar to Goddess Kameshvari.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Thus Spake The Divine - Vol. 1|last=Thyagarajan|first=Padmaa|publisher=Giri Trading Agency Private Limited|year=2018|isbn=9788179507889}}</ref> == References