| Priti | |
|---|---|
| Goddess of Affection | |
 Kamadeva with Rati and Priti, c. 8th-9th century, Vidisha Museum | |
| Abode | Kamaloka |
| Texts | Skanda Purana, Garuda Purana |
| Consort | Kamadeva |
Priti (Sanskrit: प्रीति, romanized: prīti, lit. 'joy'), also known as Karnotpala, is a Hindu goddess. She is one of the two consorts of the god of love, Kamadeva, along with Rati.
Priti is regarded to represent affectionate love, while her co-wife, Rati, represents sensual pleasure. In other interpretations, Priti is regarded to be merely an epithet of Rati.
Legend
According to legend, Priti joined her father in taking up austere practices to propitiate Parvati, in the hope that she may find a suitable husband despite the fact that she was beyond her prime. Thus propitiated, the goddess appeared before Priti and prescribed her a ritual that would restore her youth and allow her to gain a husband. As Priti performed the ritual, Parvati encouraged Kamadeva to meet the newly youthful Priti, causing him to fall in love with her. When Kamadeva proposes marriage, Priti asks him to seek her father's consent. Priti weds Kamadeva to become his second consort.
She is also described to be an aspect of Vishnu's divine feminine energy.
Priti accompanies her consort, Kamadeva, in his quest to disturb the penance of the deity Shiva, in order to cause him to fall in love with Parvati.
The Garuda Purana prescribes the worship of Priti alongside Kamadeva and Rati.
References
- Benton, Catherine (2006-06-01). God of Desire: Tales of Kāmadeva in Sanskrit Story Literature. SUNY Press. pp. 34–35. ISBN 978-0-7914-6566-0.
- Chandra, Suresh (1998). Encyclopaedia of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Sarup & Sons. p. 168. ISBN 978-81-7625-039-9.
- Benton, Catherine (2006-06-01). God of Desire: Tales of Kamadeva in Sanskrit Story Literature. State University of New York Press. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-7914-8261-2.
- Dowson, John (2013-11-05). A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History and Literature. Routledge. p. 263. ISBN 978-1-136-39029-6.
- Benton, Catherine (2006-06-01). God of Desire: Tales of Kāmadeva in Sanskrit Story Literature. SUNY Press. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-7914-6566-0.
- Jordan, Michael (2014-05-14). Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses. Infobase Publishing. p. 155. ISBN 978-1-4381-0985-5.
- König.), Harṣa (Kanauj (1827). Retnavali, or the Necklace: a drama : Preface: Drammatic system of the Hindus ; Appendix. p. 18.
- Books, Kausiki (2021-07-11). Garuda Purana: Achara Khanda Part 2: English Translation only without Slokas: English Translation only without Slokas. Kausiki Books. p. 315.