With the gods unable to defeat Taraka, Indra calls Kama and asks him to wake Shiva's love for Parvati. Kama goes with Rati and Vasanta; the forest blooms out of season. As Parvati comes to worship, Kama shoots Shiva with his flower arrow. Shiva's mind is stirred; he looks round, sees Kama with his bow drawn, and from his third eye a fire leaps out that burns Kama to ash. Rati laments over the ashes. The gods plead; Shiva promises that Kama will be born again as Pradyumna, son of Krishna and Rukmini.
Shiva Purana, Rudra Samhita, Parvati Khanda 17 to 19, English translation (Wisdom Library) § 3.17; Shiva Purana, Rudra Samhita, Parvati Khanda 17 to 19, English translation (Wisdom Library) § 3.19
Some days before the Phalguna full moon a castor stalk is planted as Kama's flag in the village. Each night people sing Rati's lament. Two sides argue in song, one saying Kama was burnt, the other that he was not. On the full moon a figure of Kama is burnt; sandal paste is put on the ashes to cool his burns, and he is said to come back to life.
A village festival with a flag, songs and a debate; Kama comes back on the night itself.
Kaman Pandigai, Tamil Nadu's Holi (Talking Myths; Hindu Blog; holifestival.org)
Sources: Shiva Purana, Rudra Samhita, Parvati Khanda 17 to 19, English translation (Wisdom Library); Kaman Pandigai, Tamil Nadu's Holi (Talking Myths; Hindu Blog; holifestival.org)
A demon made from Kama's ashes takes half the strength of any foe; the gods offer their bodies to a great fire, Lalita rises from the light, and she chooses Kameshvara with a garland.
Lalita's army of goddesses against Bhanda: Bala, aged nine, kills his thirty sons; Mahaganapati, born from her smile, breaks Vishukra's sleeping-charm; avatars spring from her fingernails; the Mahakameshvara missile ends Bhanda; her glance brings Kama back.
Brahma's body splits into a male and a female half.
Brahma's mind-born daughter Sandhya is so beautiful that Kama tests his new arrows on the gathering.
Sati is reborn as the daughter of Himavat and Mena and grows up loving Shiva.
Taraka can die only to a son of Shiva, and Shiva sits in grief and meditation after Sati.
In the late Kalki Purana, Kalki learns from Parashurama, receives a horse, a sword and a talking parrot from Shiva, and through the parrot finds Padmavati of Simhala, whose every suitor turns into a woman; he marries her and the cursed kings become men again.
At Janaka's court in Mithila no king can lift the bow of Shiva that is Sita's bride-price; the young Rama lifts it, strings it and breaks it in two, and wins Sita. Tulsidas sets it at a crowded contest, and brings in Parashurama, furious at the sound.