why the rendering is not working its a reference error

ReferenceError: E:levelx_Express.jsmini_projectviewslogin.ejs:16
    14|     <form action="/login" method="post">

    15|       <h2>Login</h2>

 >> 16|       <% if (error ) { %>

    17|         <small style="color: red;"><%=  error  %></small>

    18|     <% }%>

    19|       <div class="input-field">


error is not defined
    at eval ("E:\levelx_Express.js\mini_project\views\login.ejs":12:8)
    at login (E:levelx_Express.jsmini_projectnode_modulesejslibejs.js:703:17)
    at tryHandleCache (E:levelx_Express.jsmini_projectnode_modulesejslibejs.js:274:36)
    at exports.renderFile [as engine] (E:levelx_Express.jsmini_projectnode_modulesejslibejs.js:491:10)
    at View.render (E:levelx_Express.jsmini_projectnode_modulesexpresslibview.js:135:8)
    at tryRender (E:levelx_Express.jsmini_projectnode_modulesexpresslibapplication.js:657:10)
    at Function.render (E:levelx_Express.jsmini_projectnode_modulesexpresslibapplication.js:609:3)
    at ServerResponse.render (E:levelx_Express.jsmini_projectnode_modulesexpresslibresponse.js:1048:7)
    at E:levelx_Express.jsmini_projectserver.js:34:9
    at Layer.handle [as handle_request] (E:levelx_Express.jsmini_projectnode_modulesexpresslibrouterlayer.js:95:5)

iam trying embed the condition to check the username and password valid or not in alogin form