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The Kama Sutra
The Kama Sutra
The Kama Sutra
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The Kama Sutra

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The Kama Sutra is an ancient Indian Hindu text widely considered to be the standard work on human sexual behavior in Sanskrit literature written by Vaatsyayana. A portion of the work consists of practical advice on sexual intercourse. It is largely in prose, with many inserted anustubh poetry verses. "Kama" which is one of the four goals of Hindu life, means desire including sexual desire the latter being the subject of the textbook, and "sutra" literally means a thread or line that holds things together, and more metaphorically refers to an aphorism (or line, rule, formula), or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual. Contrary to popular perception, especially in the western world, Kama sutra is not exclusively a sex manual; it presents itself as a guide to a virtuous and gracious living that discusses the nature of love, family life and other aspects pertaining to pleasure oriented faculties of human life.

 

The Kama Sutra is the oldest and most notable of a group of texts known generically as Kama Shastra (Sanskrit: Kama Sastra).

 

Historians attribute Kamasutra to be composed between 400 BCE and 200 CE. John Keay says that the Kama Sutra is a compendium that was collected into its present form in the 2nd century CE.
LanguageEnglish
PublisherMuhammadUsman
Release dateMar 27, 2019
ISBN9788832563252
Author

Vatsyayana

Vatsyayana was a Hindu philosopher believed to have lived sometime between the first and sixth centuries AD. He is credited with authoring the Kama Sutra, one of the world’s best-known guides to eroticism and human sexual behavior, which has formed the basis for modern erotic literature.

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    The Kama Sutra - Vatsyayana

    THE

    KAMA SUTRA

    VATSYAYANA

    PART I.

    THE VATSYAYANA SUTRA.

    INTRODUCTORY PREFACE.

    SALUTATION TO DHARMA, ARTHA AND KAMA.

    In the beginning, the Lord of Beings created men and women, and in the

    form of commandments in one hundred thousand chapters laid down rules

    for regulating their existence with regard to Dharma,[1] Artha,[2] and

    Kama.[3] Some of these commandments, namely those which treated of

    Dharma, were separately written by Swayambhu Manu; those that related to

    Artha were compiled by Brihaspati; and those that referred to Kama were

    expounded by Nandi, the follower of Mahadeva, in one thousand chapters.

    Now these 'Kama Sutra' (Aphorisms on Love), written by Nandi in one

    thousand chapters, were reproduced by Shvetaketu, the son of Uddvalaka,

    in an abbreviated form in five hundred chapters, and this work was again

    similarly reproduced in an abridged form, in one hundred and fifty

    chapters, by Babhravya, an inhabitant of the Punchala (South of Delhi)

    country. These one hundred and fifty chapters were then put together

    under seven heads or parts named severally--

    1st. Sadharana (general topics).

    2nd. Samprayogika (embraces, etc.).

    3rd. Kanya Samprayuktaka (union of males and females).

    4th. Bharyadhikarika (on one's own wife).

    5th. Paradika (on the wives of other people).

    6th. Vaisika (on courtesans).

    7th. Aupamishadika (on the arts of seduction, tonic medicines, etc.).

    The sixth part of this last work was separately expounded by Dattaka at

    the request of the public women of Pataliputra (Patna), and in the same

    way Charayana explained the first part of it. The remaining parts, viz.,

    the second, third, fourth, fifth, and seventh were each separately

    expounded by--

    Suvarnanabha (second part).

    Ghotakamukha (third part).

    Gonardiya (fourth part).

    Gonikaputra (fifth part).

    Kuchumara (seventh part), respectively.

    Thus the work being written in parts by different authors was almost

    unobtainable, and as the parts which were expounded by Dattaka and the

    others treated only of the particular branches of the subject to which

    each part related, and moreover as the original work of Babhravya was

    difficult to be mastered on account of its length, Vatsyayana,

    therefore, composed his work in a small volume as an abstract of the

    whole of the works of the above-named authors.

    FOOTNOTES:

    [Footnote 1: Dharma is acquisition of religious merit, and is fully

    described in Chapter 5, Volume III., of Talboys Wheeler's 'History of

    India,' and in the edicts of Asoka.]

    [Footnote 2: Artha is acquisition of wealth and property, etc.]

    [Footnote 3: Kama is love, pleasure and sensual gratification.

    These three words are retained throughout in their original, as

    technical terms. They may also be defined as virtue, wealth and

    pleasure, the three things repeatedly spoken of in the Laws of Manu.]

    PART I.

    CHAPTER I.

    BEING THE INDEX TO OR CONTENTS OF THE WORK.

    Chapter II. Observations on the three worldly attainments of

    Virtue, Wealth and Love.

    "   III. On the study of the Sixty-four Arts.

    "    IV. On the Arrangements of a House, and Household Furniture;

    and about the Daily Life of a Citizen, his

    Companions, Amusements, &c.

    "     V. About classes of Women fit and unfit for Congress with

    the Citizen, and of Friends, and Messengers.

    PART II.

    ON SEXUAL UNION.

    Chapter I. Kinds of Union according to Dimensions, Force of Desire,

    and Time; and on the different kinds of Love.

    "   II. Of the Embrace.

    "  III. On Kissing.

    "   IV. On Pressing or Marking with the Nails.

    "    V. On Biting, and the ways of Love to be employed with

    regard to Women of different countries.

    "   VI. On the various ways of Lying Down, and the different

    kinds of Congress.

    "  VII. On the various ways of Striking, and of the Sounds

    appropriate to them.

    " VIII. About females acting the part of Males.

    "   IX. On holding the Lingam in the Mouth.

    "    X. How to begin and how to end the Congress. Different

    kinds of Congress, and Love Quarrels.

    PART III.

    ABOUT THE ACQUISITION OF A WIFE.

    Chapter I. Observations on Betrothal and Marriage.

    "   II. About creating Confidence in the Girl.

    "  III. Courtship, and the manifestations of the feelings by

    outward signs and deeds.

    "   IV. On things to be done only by the Man, and the

    acquisition of the Girl thereby. Also what to be done

    by a Girl to gain over a Man and subject him to her.

    "    V. On the different Forms of Marriage.

    PART IV.

    ABOUT A WIFE.

    Chapter I. On the manner of living of a virtuous Woman, and of her

    behaviour during the absence of her Husband.

    "   II. On the conduct of the eldest Wife towards the other

    Wives of her husband, and of the younger Wife towards

    the elder ones. Also on the conduct of a Virgin Widow

    re-married; of a Wife disliked by her Husband; of the

    Women in the King's Harem; and of a Husband who has

    more than one Wife.

    PART V.

    ABOUT THE WIVES OF OTHER PEOPLE.

    Chapter I. On the Characteristics of Men and Women, and the reason

    why Women reject the Addresses of Men. About Men who

    have Success with Women, and about Women who are

    easily gained over.

    "   II. About making Acquaintance with the Woman, and of the

    efforts to gain her over.

    "  III. Examination of the State of a Woman's mind.

    "   IV. The business of a Go-between.

    "    V. On the Love of Persons in authority with the Wives of

    other People.

    "   VI. About the Women of the Royal Harem, and of the keeping

    of one's own Wife.

    PART VI.

    ABOUT COURTESANS.

    Chapter I. Of the Causes of a Courtesan resorting to Men; of the

    means of Attaching to herself the Man desired, and

    the kind of Man that it is desirable to be acquainted

    with.

    "   II. Of a Courtesan living with a Man as his Wife.

    "  III. Of the means of getting Money; of the Signs of a Lover

    who is beginning to be weary, and of the way to get

    rid of him.

    "   IV. About a Re-union with a former Lover.

    "    V. Of different kinds of Gain.

    "   VI. Of Gains and Losses, attendant Gains and Losses, and

    Doubts; and lastly, the different kinds of

    Courtesans.

    PART VII.

    ON THE MEANS OF ATTRACTING OTHERS TO ONE'S SELF.

    Chapter I. On Personal Adornment, subjugating the hearts of others,

    and of tonic medicines.

    "   II. Of the Means of exciting Desire, and of the ways of

    enlarging the Lingam. Miscellaneous Experiments and

    Receipts.

    PART I.

    CHAPTER II.

    ON THE ACQUISITION OF DHARMA, ARTHA AND KAMA.

    Man, the period of whose life is one hundred years, should practise

    Dharma, Artha, and Kama at different times and in such a manner that

    they may harmonize together and not clash in any way. He should acquire

    learning in his childhood, in his youth and middle age he should attend

    to Artha and Kama, and in his old age he should perform Dharma, and thus

    seek to gain Moksha, _i.e._, release from further transmigration. Or, on

    account of the uncertainty of life, he may practise them at times when

    they are enjoined to be practised. But one thing is to be noted, he

    should lead the life of a religious student until he finishes his

    education.

    _Dharma_ is obedience to the command of the Shastra or Holy Writ of the

    Hindoos to do certain things, such as the performance of sacrifices,

    which are not generally done because they do not belong to this world,

    and produce no visible effect; and not to do other things, such as

    eating meat, which is often done because it belongs to this world, and

    has visible effects.

    Dharma should be learnt from the Shruti (Holy Writ), and from those

    conversant with it.

    _Artha_ is the acquisition of arts, land, gold, cattle, wealth,

    equipages and friends. It is, further, the protection of what is

    acquired, and the increase of what is protected.

    Artha should be learnt from the king's officers, and from merchants who

    may be versed in the ways of commerce.

    _Kama_ is the enjoyment of appropriate objects by the five senses of

    hearing, feeling, seeing, tasting, and smelling, assisted by the mind

    together with the soul. The ingredient in this is a peculiar contact

    between the organ of sense and its object, and the consciousness of

    pleasure which arises from that contact is called Kama.

    Kama is to be learnt from the Kama Sutra (aphorisms on love) and from

    the practice of citizens.

    When all the three, viz., Dharma, Artha, and Kama come together, the

    former is better than the one which follows it, _i.e._, Dharma is better

    than Artha, and Artha is better than Kama. But Artha should be always

    first practised by the king, for the livelihood of men is to be obtained

    from it only. Again, Kama being the occupation of public women, they

    should prefer it to the other two, and these are exceptions to the

    general rule.

    _Objection 1._

    Some learned men say that as Dharma is connected with things not

    belonging to this world, it is appropriately treated of in a book; and

    so also is Artha, because it is practised only by the application of

    proper means, and a knowledge of those means can only be obtained by

    study and from books. But Kama being a thing which is practised even by

    the brute creation, and which is to be found everywhere, does not want

    any work on the subject.

    _Answer._

    This is not so. Sexual intercourse being a thing dependent on man and

    woman requires the application of proper means by them, and those means

    are to be learnt from the Kama Shastra. The non-application of proper

    means, which we see in the brute creation, is caused by their being

    unrestrained, and by the females among them only being fit for sexual

    intercourse at certain seasons and no more, and by their intercourse not

    being preceded by thought of any kind.

    _Objection 2._

    The Lokayatikas[4] say:--Religious ordinances should not be observed,

    for they bear a future fruit, and at the same time it is also doubtful

    whether they will bear any fruit at all. What foolish person will give

    away that which is in his own hands into the hands of another?

    Moreover, it is better to have a pigeon to-day than a peacock to-morrow;

    and a copper coin which we have the certainty of obtaining, is better

    than a gold coin, the possession of which is doubtful.

    _Answer._

    It is not so. 1st. Holy Writ, which ordains the practice of Dharma, does

    not admit of a doubt.

    2nd. Sacrifices such as those made for the destruction of enemies, or

    for the fall of rain, are seen to bear fruit.

    3rd. The sun, moon, stars, planets and other heavenly bodies appear to

    work intentionally for the good of the world.

    4th. The existence of this world is effected by the observance of the

    rules respecting the four classes[5] of men and their four stages of

    life.

    5th. We see that seed is thrown into the ground with the hope of future

    crops.

    Vatsyayana is therefore of opinion that the ordinances of religion must

    be obeyed.

    _Objection 3._

    Those who believe that destiny is the prime mover of all things say:--We

    should not exert ourselves to acquire wealth, for sometimes it is not

    acquired although we strive to get it, while at other times it comes to

    us of itself without any exertion on our part. Everything is therefore

    in the power of destiny, who is the lord of gain and loss, of success

    and defeat, of pleasure and pain. Thus we see the Bali[6] was raised to

    the throne of Indra by destiny, and was also put down by the same power,

    and it is destiny only that can re-instate him.

    _Answer._

    It is not right to say so. As the acquisition of every object

    pre-supposes at all events some exertion on the part of man, the

    application of proper means may be said to be the cause of gaining all

    our ends, and this application of proper means being thus necessary

    (even where a thing is destined to happen), it follows that a person who

    does nothing will enjoy no happiness.

    _Objection 4._

    Those who are inclined to think that Artha is the chief object to be

    obtained argue thus. Pleasures should not be sought for, because they

    are obstacles to the practice of Dharma and Artha, which are both

    superior to them, and are also disliked by meritorious persons.

    Pleasures also bring a man into distress, and into contact with low

    persons; they cause him to commit unrighteous deeds, and produce

    impurity in him; they make him regardless of the future, and encourage

    carelessness and levity. And lastly, they cause him to be disbelieved by

    all, received by none, and despised by everybody, including himself. It

    is notorious, moreover, that many men who have given themselves up to

    pleasure alone, have been ruined along with their families and

    relations. Thus, King Dandakya,[7] of the Bhoja dynasty, carried off a

    Brahman's daughter with evil intent, and was eventually ruined and lost

    his kingdom. Indra, too, having violated the chastity of Ahalya,[8] was

    made to suffer for it. In a like manner the mighty Kichaka,[9] who tried

    to seduce Draupadi, and Ravana,[10] who attempted to gain over Sita, were

    punished for their crimes. These and many others fell by reason of their

    pleasures.

    _Answer._

    This objection cannot be sustained, for pleasures, being as necessary

    for the existence and well being of the body as food, are consequently

    equally required. They are, moreover, the results of Dharma and Artha.

    Pleasures are, therefore, to be followed with moderation and caution. No

    one refrains from cooking food because there are beggars to ask for it,

    or from sowing seed because there are deer to destroy the corn when it

    is grown up.

    Thus a man practising Dharma, Artha and Kama enjoys happiness both in

    this world and in the world to come. The good perform those actions in

    which there is no fear as to what is to result from them in the next

    world, and in which there is no danger to their welfare. Any action

    which conduces to the practice of Dharma, Artha and Kama together, or of

    any two, or even one of them, should be performed, but an action which

    conduces to the practice of one of them at the expense of the remaining

    two should not be performed.

    FOOTNOTES:

    [Footnote 4: These were certainly materialists who seemed to think that

    a bird in the hand was worth two in the bush.]

    [Footnote 5: Among the Hindoos the four classes of men are the Brahmans

    or priestly class, the Kshutrya or warlike class, the Vaishya or

    agricultural and mercantile class, and the Shoodra or menial class. The

    four stages of life are, the life of a religious student, the life of a

    householder, the life of a hermit, and the life of a Sunyasi or

    devotee.]

    [Footnote 6: Bali was a demon who had conquered Indra and gained his

    throne, but was afterwards overcome by Vishnu at the time of his fifth

    incarnation.]

    [Footnote 7: Dandakya is said to have abducted from the forest the

    daughter of a Brahman, named Bhargava, and being cursed by the Brahman,

    was buried with his kingdom under a shower of dust. The place was called

    after his name the Dandaka forest, celebrated in the Ramayana, but now

    unknown.]

    [Footnote 8: Ahalya was the wife of the sage Gautama. Indra caused her

    to believe that he was Gautama, and thus enjoyed her. He was cursed by

    Gautama and subsequently afflicted with a thousand ulcers on his body.]

    [Footnote 9: Kichaka was the brother-in-law of King Virata, with whom

    the Pandavas had taken refuge for one year. Kichaka was killed by Bhima,

    who assumed the disguise of Draupadi. For this story the Mahabarata

    should be referred to.]

    [Footnote 10: The story of Ravana is told in the Ramayana, which with the

    Mahabarata form the two great epic poems of the Hindoos; the latter was

    written by Vyasa, and the former by Valmiki.]

    CHAPTER III.

    ON THE ARTS AND SCIENCES TO BE STUDIED.

    Man should study the Kama Sutra and the arts and sciences subordinate

    thereto, in addition to the study of the arts and sciences contained in

    Dharma and Artha. Even young maids should study this Kama Sutra along

    with its arts and sciences before marriage, and after it they should

    continue to do so with the consent of their husbands.

    Here some learned men object, and say that females, not being allowed to

    study any science, should not study the Kama Sutra.

    But Vatsyayana is of opinion that this objection does not

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