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Introduction

wo thousand years ago, on the misty ghats of the Ganga in Banaras, the sage Vatsayayana composed the Kama Sutra, the science of love, as part of his religious duties. The original, in Sanskrit, has one thousand two hundred and fifty shlokas or verses. A sutra is an aphorism, the briefest way to state a principle. In the oral tradition prevalent in the age, it provided the easiest form of retaining knowledge. Down the ages, these succinct ideas needed expansion into commentaries (as in the case of Jayanangala of the tenth century) on which subsequent writers relied in order to give shape and dimension to their studies. To this day, the Kama Sutra remains one of the greatest books of the world — a classic love manual, a watershed in the rich tradition of Indian erotica. It says to the world: ‘Happiness and sexual equality belong to every human being’. One of the earliest attempts to define the wholesome nature of the relationship between a man and a woman, with disarming sexual frankness and candour, and without any trace of guilt, the Kama Sutra explores the way you should behave as you set out to seek a companion, and the many ways you can achieve sexual fulfillment, while keeping both your wife and concubine happy. The Kama Sutra must not be seen solely as a book about just the famous ‘sixty-four’, a label that has been unfairly stuck to this treatise for the number of love-positions described in it. Vatsayayana was conscious of the gravity of his task, and wrote: ‘This book is not to be used merely as an instrument for the satisfaction of our desires. A person acquainted with the true principles of this science, who preserves his virtue (dharma), his wealth (artha), and his sensual pleasures (kama), and who has regard 5

for the customs of the people, is sure to obtain mastery over his senses. In short, an intelligent and knowing person, attending to dharma, artha, and kama, without becoming a slave of his passions, will obtain success in everything he may doâ€™. Kama, the Hindu God of Love, does not merely represent sexual pleasure, but all pleasures emanating from the five senses of sound, sight, smell, touch and taste. Anything that appeals to these can give a man unbounded happiness. It is for this reason, therefore, that six chapters, out of the original seven, dealt with the conduct of a person in society. The hidden arts of sexuality or the bodyâ€™s rapture cannot ever be divorced from the raptures of the soul. This book is meant to enhance your perception of pleasure in the world around you, as you live your life on this bounteous planet.

betel leaf, check yourself in the mirror, and then you are ready to perform your daily chores. You should bathe daily, rub yourself with fragrant oil every other day, use soap every third day and shave every fourth day. You should do all this without fail and rub off the sweat of the armpits every now and then. Also, take three meals a day; in the forenoon, the afternoon, and at night. Teach your parrots and mynahs to talk after breakfast, followed by cock, quail, and ram-fights in the afternoon. Before your nap, spend some time with pithamardas, vitas, and vidhushakas to sharpen your wits. 10

You should dress up for the evening in all your finery and ornaments and find time for conversing with friends or going out to a house of pleasure to discuss the fine arts. You should return home in time to light incense in your house and await the arrival of your lover with her attendants. You may even send a maid to fetch her. Welcome her and entertain her with lively conversation as she sits beside you. These are your duties on a normal day. On special occasions or festivities, it is your duty to help organize celebrations to honour deities in the temples. Always be quick to contribute your share to the cost of these festivals. Be especially nice to the participants who have travelled long distances for the occasions. Never neglect them on any account. You should organize special intellectual meets at your own house or at the house of a famous courtesan, where you and your friends can mingle with members of the opposite sex in an atmosphere of joviality and literary repartee. Throw lavish parties when it is your turn. Do not cut corners; decorate your house as befits your status, with garlands of fragrant flowers in a well-lit garden. Bring out your best wines, and serve them with a variety of tasty snacks. Go out for picnics in shady glens near spots with flowing water or a lake. Take with you your servants loaded with a selection of the choicest eatables. Leave at dawn, gambol in the water with the women (be careful of crocodiles!), and turn homeward at dusk. You should be nice to your friends – some of whom you may know from childhood – the children of your maids or people you’ve studied with or those whom you can trust with secrets. Give them in return what you feel they give you, not just in the material sense, but give loyalty, good companionship, help in hard times and always affection. Give trust in return for trust, and never run them down or insult them. Be nice to pithamardas, those destitute store-houses of knowledge; vitas can teach you a thing or two even though they’ve lost all their fortunes; and vidhushakas, who live by their wits, will come in handy in making the right connections!

Of courtesans and desire

sually, no woman will take up with a man for profit, but to those who persist in looking for gain through sexuality, the Kama Sutra advises them to try to hide their real motive by masking it with a pretence of desire. Men are prone to flattery and each lover must leave the bedroom feeling that he is the greatest lover of all time. Never let him feel that it is the money you are after. He must be convinced that he arouses in you such lust that the rest just follows.

Other practical tips

v Be well-dressed and wear good make-up always. v From the safety of your dwellings, keep your eyes upon the road so that those with wandering eyes can see you. v Befriend persons who can help you to have men who are attracted to you, and will help you in hard times and protect you from nasty lovers. v Good allies can be found amongst city-guards, lawyers, astrologers, and learned men â€“ that is, men of authority. Also helpful are humbler people found among flower-sellers, perfume and liquor vendors, washer-men, barbers, beggars, and others who are helpful to the men you desire. While hunting around for a lover, look for unattached young men with lots of money and a generous nature. Those who have inherited money from their fathers will spend it without a care in the world. Look for ascetics who still lust after women; old acquaintances who know what is going on; rich astrologers; those who have influence on the king. 25

Shun men of low intellect. Pick and choose carefully from men of eminence and wisdom who have a talent for knowing what is going on around them. Your abode should become a home away from home for all who come there. Let artists, painters, musicians, writers, and poets find solace there. Of these, take one who is kind, has good manners, and is generous. Yes! A good lover never gossips, quarrels or carries tales. Let him add sparkle to parties so long as he takes you with him. Of course, he should be well-built, handsome, gallant, chivalrous, and an expert in the Kama Sutra. Who do you stay away from? Watch out for men with infectious diseases. Never take a lover with a foul mouth, an ill-temper, or bad breath. Misers, rogues, spies, and men in love with their wives are best given a wide berth. A great courtesan is one who is: v With an attractive body and a voice like a nightingale. v Well-mannered and adept at lovemaking. v A person who values character above all things. v Faithful to her lovers and graceful at social gatherings. v Discreet and eager to learn. v Never argumentative or irritable. v Always well dressed. v An expert in the Kama Sutra and willing to please at all times. Those who do not have all the above qualities will fail as courtesans. The sages of old spent a good deal of time trying to figure out why a girl would want to become a courtesan. Is it love, they wondered. Or could she be promiscuous in her nature? Was it fear? The desire for revenge? Dubious fame? Or could it be in her nature to yield to men? What is it, then, that a woman seeks when she turns her back on society and gets little but notoriety in return? In the Kama Sutra, we are told, there are just three causes: greed, escape from poverty, or the need to be loved. A girl is advised to weigh with abundant caution the reasons why she would like to become a courtesan, for there is no turning back once the choice is made. Is she really so desperate for money? However, once a girl has made up her mind to be a courtesan, she must value money above all other things.

The Sensuous Woman

The Sensuous Woman The Sensuous Woman

“ I am no longer myself as I watch my reflection ... clouding instant recognition.”