The Gods of love in different mythologies

Love has been a powerful force throughout history. Numerous wars have been fought and lives slain for the sake of love. Even in history we find many inspiring and emotional tales where Gods had to intervene to stop conflicts or unite two lovers. And so with time, just like any other need, humans started to pray to Gods and Goddesses of love and desire to make sure their lives remained fulfilled and love lives were away from sorrows and conflicts but filled with abundance. Across different cultures, these Gods represent love, desire, passion and fertility and are prayed to by men and women to remain blessed and fulfilled.
Here we list 7 deities of love worshipped across different cultures.

The 4 basic tenets of Hinduism are - Dharm, Artha, Kama and Moksha. This age old practice is evidence of how the desire for love and intimacy has its ground for humans all around the world. And so, in Hinduism, Kamadeva is reverred as the god of love along with his wife Rati. He can be seen in images as a youthful deity with a sugarcane bow, shooting floral arrows. His mission is to arouse desire and ignite the flames of passion in the hearts of gods and mortals alike. The presence of Kamadeva is an indication of the awakening of dormant emotions and wholesome connection between individuals.

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The famous Roman God of love, made even more known through the movies and sitcomes in Cupid. Cupid is the embodiment of desire and affection and is portrayed as a mischievous cherub armed with a bow and arrows. He is known for striking unsuspecting hearts with his arrows and then making love blossom between two people. It is said that Cupid's arrows are infused with the magic of enchantment.

A strong figure in different cultures, Aphrodite is the radiant goddess of love and beauty in Greek beliefs. She is known to captivate people’s affection and attention with her unparalleled charm. It is said that Aphrodite was born from the sea foam and has an aura of sensuality and passion in her. She is worshipped as the Goddess of romantic love, fertility and desire. She has also been a topic of admiration in Western literature and artwork.

As the Goddess of love in Norse mythology we see a figure named Freyja. Freyja is described as the goddess of love, fertility and war. Frejya is worshipped for her beauty and is known to bestow people with passion and sensuality. Frejya also has a warrior spirit and receives in her hall half of those who die in battle. Beyond love and desire, Freyja is also known as a woman who was strong, empowering, strong-willed and determined.

The deity of love in Chinese folklore is ‘Yue Lao’ or the ‘Old Man Under the Moon’. It is said that he holds the strings of fate in matters of love, marriage and desires. Legend has it that he binds destined couples together by tying a red string around their ankles, ensuring they will meet and fall in love and nothing will be able to prevent their union after that. Yue Lao is said to live under the moon or in places no one can find him.

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The God love in Irish culture is Cliodhna. She is worshipped as the goddess of love and beauty and is often associated with the sea and the waves. Some stories also say that Cliodhna was a part of or the Queen of ‘Banshees’ or fairies. It is believed that Cliodhna remained pure and chaste till she found her one love who turned out to be a mortal instead of a God and eventually she left the immortal realm to live with him.

Among the Yoruba community, a West African tribe, Oshun is the goddess of love, fertility and rivers. It is believed that Oshun radiated warmth and generosity and is the perfect example of feminine grace and sensuality. To some people she is also the Goddess of rivers and the Osun River in Nigeria bears her name. Oshun is said to overlook the various aspects of romantic life. From romance and childbirth to artistic inspiration, her love, blessings and healing are much sought after in the African regions.

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