The Kama Sutra of Vatsayayana | Page 5

have some
connection with the meaning of her name.
This commentary was most useful in explaining the true meaning of
Vatsyayana, for the commentator appears to have had a considerable
knowledge of the times of the older author, and gives in some places
very minute information. This cannot be said of the other commentary,
called 'Sutra vritti', which was written about A.D. 1789, by Narsing
Shastri, a pupil of a Sarveshwar Shastri; the latter was a descendant of
Bhaskur, and so also was our author, for at the conclusion of every part
he calls himself Bhaskur Narsing Shastri. He was induced to write the
work by order of the learned Raja Vrijalala, while he was residing in
Benares, but as to the merits of this commentary it does not deserve
much commendation. In many cases the writer does not appear to have
understood the meaning of the original author, and has changed the text
in many places to fit in with his own explanations.
A complete translation of the original work now follows. It has been
prepared in complete accordance with the text of the manuscript, and is
given, without further comments, as made from it.

PART I
CHAPTER I
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 inheritant of the Punchala
(South of Delhi) country. These one hundred and fifty chapters were
then put together under seven heads or parts named severally

Sadharana (general topics)
Samprayogika (embraces, etc.)
Kanya Samprayuktaka (union of males and females)
Bharyadhikarika (on one's own wife)
Paradika (on the wives of other people)

Vaisika (on courtesans)
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.
PART I: INTRODUCTORY

Preface
Observations on the three worldly attainments of Virtue, Wealth, and

Love
On the study of the Sixty-four Arts
On the Arrangements of a House, and Household Furniture; and about
the Daily Life of a Citizen, his Companions, Amusements, etc.
About classes of Women fit and unfit for Congress with the Citizen,
and of Friends, and Messengers

PART II: ON SEXUAL UNION

Kinds of Union according to Dimensions, Force of Desire, and Time;
and on the different kinds of Love
Of the Embrace
On Kissing
On Pressing or Marking with the Nails
On Biting, and the ways of Love to be employed with regard to Women
of different countries
On the various ways of Lying down, and the different kinds of
Congress
On the various ways of Striking, and of the Sounds appropriate to them
About females acting the part of Males
On holding the Lingam in the Mouth
How to begin and how to end the Congress. Different kinds of
Congress, and Love Quarrels

PART III: ABOUT THE ACQUISITION OF A WIFE

Observations on Betrothal and Marriage
About creating Confidence in the Girl
Courtship, and the manifestation of the feelings by outward signs and
deeds
On things to be done only by the Man, and the acquisition of the Girl
thereby. Also what is to be done by a Girl to gain over a Man and
subject him to her
On the different Forms of Marriage

PART IV: ABOUT A WIFE

On