Contents of the Book

Kama Sutra - Part One

Chapter One: Contents of the Book

  Invocation.

  Origin and development of erotic science, or Kàma Úàstra

  Summary of subjects dealt with in the Kàma Sùtra

1—2 Praised be the three aims of life, virtue [dharma], prosperity [artha], and love [kama], which are the subject of this work.

Why does Vàtsyàyana begin his work thus, without invoking other gods? It is in order to explain this that I have written this commentary.

There are four social functions in this world, namely the priest’s, the warrior’s, the merchant’s, and the artisan’s, as well as four stages of life, that of the student, the married man, withdrawal into the forest, and the mendicant monk. For Bràhmaóa and others, so long as they are heads of a family, the search for spiritual realization is not practicable, and the aims of life are limited to three. The advocates of eroticism consider that love, given its results, is the most important inasmuch as virtue and prosperity both depend on it and without it they would not exist. According to the most ancient scholars, the prophet of the Asuras, Mallanaga, created this science after studying its means of accomplishment. Treatises have been written on the ways to acquire virtue and wealth, but love, being practiced with another person, requires other methods, methods concerning mutual relations. Such methods are expounded mthe Kàma Úàstra, and not in works on economy [Artha Úàstra] or ethics [Dharma Úàstra]. Because it depends on relations with another, because it deals with men and women, love requires a know-how that is explained only in the Kàma Sùtra.

The methods indicated by erotic science are easy to put into practice, but are difficult for those who act alone or who follow the opinions of someone who does not know the Kàma Sùtra. Inventing procedures one knows nothing about is like trying to read a text from the channels traced in wood by worms: its accomplishment is absolutely impossible for the ignorant.

Since there are so many ways of doing things, townsmen cannot without instruction behave like men of culture. That is the reason for the saying, “Those that claim to accomplish something without knowing its theory are like those who read texts traced by worms.”

Although those that know the texts may make mistakes if they are clumsy in putting them into practice, it is not the fault of the texts. The texts are valid for all cases. Not everyone follows the same rules of eating and drinking, laid down in medical books. First of all, one must respect and venerate the Smptures and try to understand their meaning, before putting them into practice.

This is why, before bowing down before the gods, Vdtsydyana first invokes the Scriptures, in order to remove any obstacles that may hinder the composition of his work, hence the opening invocation, “I bow before dhanna, virtue, wealth, and love,” since the aim of this work is to teach virtue, prosperity, and eroticism, which are mutually interdependent.

“The first things mentioned are those to which one wishes to give importance,” says the proverb. This treatise begins by mentioning love, together with virtue and wealth, which are the three aims of life, and it teaches the means of attaining them:

“The three aims must be pursued simultaneously, since they are connected to each other and are of the same nature.” Although procreation is connected to ethics and material goods, however, erotic desire (rati) is an instinctive impulse, and is not tied to the pursuit of an aim.

In considering the order of values, the gods are the most important, but their worship depends on speech. Virtue and prosperity are defined by words. The gods cannot be greeted without using words. The gods’ supremacy, moreover, depends on their worshipers.

Love is necessary to satisfy the mind, ethics to satisfy the conscience, and spiritual seeking for peace of soul. Without food and clothes, the body becomes thin and weak. Without eroticism, the mind becomes restless and unsatisfied. Without virtue (ethics), the conscience goes astray. Without spirituality, the soul is degraded.

This is why, even with the spiritual life in view, it is necessary to earn money and enjoy women. Whoever seeks money and pleasure without taking spiritual values into account is a materialist and sensualist. When people are only attached to money and pleasure, the decadence of their country is inevitable. Only when profit and pleasure are controlled by ethics can they become instruments of spiritual progress, but not if they are contrary to ethics. That is why Master Vàtsyàyana, in his Kàma Sùtra, describes a moral eroticism leading to spiritual realization, and not the sating of the passions or the encouragement of pleasure seekers.

3— 4 I also salute the sages of old, who expounded the concepts of their own time concerning our subject.

“I bow before the wise men who have taught us the concepts of ethics, prosperity, and love of their own time, since such concepts are not permanent, but change according to custom: I therefore bow before the writings representing the values of a certain epoch, and not before others.”

The masters of old were wont to say that ethics are based on knowledge. Prosperity and ethics are the cornerstones of civilization. Without satisfaction of a material kind, no interest is felt for the spiritual life. Just as the soul needs the spiritual life, the conscience needs ethics, the mind love, and the body requires well-being. Without well-being and sexuality, no form of life can exist.

Like ethics and prosperity, sexuality is one of the bases of civilization. Eroticism, like ethics and money, is an aid to spiritual realization.

The fundamental aspirations of the individual are of three kinds: alimentary, sexual, and social. To fulfill the desire for wealth, procreation, and reputation is the very source of happiness.

The Taittinya Upaniûad says that “beings issued forth from bliss (ananda). Born of bliss, all things and all living creatures live in bliss and dissolve in bliss. Bliss is everything.”

The instrument for measuring success or failure in life is happiness. If something is lacking, it is considered an injustice.

Man derives happiness from his relationship to or with things.

In his commentary on the Brahma Sutra, Shankaracharya says, “In every misfortune to my wife or children, I see a personal injury.”

The coupling of one being with another is called Eros, uniting the object of desire with its possessor. Primeval energy is compared to erotic desire, “He was alone and became aware of it” (Brihad Aranyaka, 1.4.1). The spirit was alone. He knew he was male, but knew no one beside himself. His first word was “I am,” but it did not give him pleasure. That is why he desired to be two. The second was the object of his desire, which, gradually, took on multiple forms.

This desire, which is the origin of everything, is the procreative Eros. But, with the manifestation of duality, fear also appeared in his mind. Fear begot rejection and then attachment manifested itself once more, since alone there is no enjoyment.

Fear comes from difference and, where difference exists, the desire for possession becomes manifest in order to destroy fear. Thus are established the dualities of attraction/repulsion, attachment/detachment, love/ hate, desire/fear, which are manifestations of the creative illusion (maya).

In the Shiva Puràóa, it is said that “the power to create comes from Eros.” Vàtsyàyana defines Eros as the tendency to seek to satisfy hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell, which are mental activities. The Shaivas like the Shaktas consider creation as copulation. “Nada, primordial sound, represents the copulation of Shiva and Shakti. The idea is that duality precedes the birth of the Word (shabda) and that duality implies a relation, or copulation, between two principles. Respect, devotion, love, affection, sympathy, friendship, courtship, embraces, kisses are all manifestations of attraction, of relations of an erotic kind. Eros inflames the mind. All philosophical systems consider that “the principle of Kàma precedes the creative word” (Rig Veda).

Indeed, desire is the seed of thought, the first thing that appears in a child’s mind. Eros is an immense force, manifest in the feelings, emotions, and impulses of human beings. It is the first of the gods, the prime force that activates the mechanism of the mind.

In his Kàma Sùtra, Vàtsyàyana has summarized the works of ancient authors. In acknowledgement of his debt, he bows before them.

5     Prajapati, the Lord of the Creatures, after creating man, composed a treatise of one hundred thousand verses, defining the rules of social life at the triple level of civic virtue, prosperity, and sexuality.

6     Manu, the spn of the god born of himself, set aside the aphorisms concerning civic virtues and ethics in his Dharma Úàstra.

7     Brihaspati set aside the aphorisms concerning politics, economy, and prosperity in his Artha. Úàstra.

8     Shiva’s companion, Nandi, set aside the one thousand chapters concerning sexuality, thus creating the Kàma Úàstra.

9     Shvetaketu, the son of Uddalaka, summarized Nandi’s Kàma. Sheutra in five hundred chapters.

10 Later on, the sons of Babhru, of the country of Panchala, reduced the five hundred chapters of Shvetaketu to one hundred and fifty, grouped in seven parts, under the titles General Remarks, Amorous Advances, The Choice of a Wife, A Wife’s Duties and Rights, Relations with Other Men’s Wives, On Courtesans, Occult Practices.

11 Dattaka, after consulting the courtesans of Pàtaliputra, summarized the sixth chapter on prostitutes in a separate work, called Kàma Úàstra.

12 Similarly, Charayana set forth separately the chapter of general remarks [sàdhàrana], Suvarnanabha the chapter on erotic approaches [samprayoga], Ghotakamukha the one on the art of seducing girls [kanyasamprayukta], Gonardrya the one on the wife’s duties and rights [bharyad hikarika], Gonikaputra the one on relations with other men’s women [paradarika], Kuchumara on occult practices (aupanisha-dika).

13 Thus it came about that, divided by different authors into separate works, this science had almost vanished.

14 By publishing the various chapters separately, Dattaka and the others had lost the overall concept and, due to its length, the text of the Bàbhravyas [the sons of Babhru] was difficult to study, which is why Vàtsyàyana summarized the great work of the sons of Bahhru and [correcting some lacunae] composed the Kàma. Sutra.

15 The contents of the various chapters are as follows:

16 The first part, “General Remarks,” comprises five chapters dealing with five subjects:

Contents of the book

The realization of the three aims of life

The counsels of common sense

Behavior of the educated man

Reflections on the use of intermediaries to assist the lover

17 The second part, “Amorous Advances,” comprises ten chapters dealing with seventeen subjects:

The possibilities of the moment and of the feelings

Various manifestations of love

Embraces and caresses

Kisses

The art of scratching

Biting

Behavior in various countries

Matters of Intercourse

Peculiar tastes

Of slaps and accompanying sighs

Mannish women

Sodomization of boys

Buccal coition

Behavior before and after the act

Variations on the sexual act

Lovers’ quarrels

18 The third part, “Acquiring a Wife,” comprises five chapters dealing with nine subjects:

Questions of choice

Decision to unite

Inspiring confidence in the girl

First overtures to the girl

Interpretation of her behavior

Union with one man only

Arousing the girl’s desire

Persuading the girl thus prepared to unite

Marriage

19 The fourth part, “Duties and Privileges of the Wife,” comprises two chapters dealing with eight subjects:

1)    The wife must love none but her husband

2)    Living in his place of residence

3)    Respect for the chief wife

4)    Behavior toward younger wives

5)    Accepting the arrival of a new wife

6)    Behavior of the repudiated wife

7)    Final duty

8)    The husband’s behavior toward many wives

20 The fifth part, “Relations with Other Men’s Wives,” comprises six chapters dealing with ten subjects:

1)    The establishment of a mutual attachment between man and woman

2)    Obstacles

3)    Men that please women

4)    Women able to free themselves

5)    Opportunities for getting to know each other

6)    Meetings

7)    Examination of feelings

8)    The procurer’s role

9)    The rich lover

10) The guards at the entry to the harem

21 The sixth part, “About Courtesans,” comprises six chapters dealing with twelve subjects:

1)    Reflections on prospective customers

2)    Reasons in favor of sexual relations

3)    The means of seduction

4)    Behaving like a lover

5)    Means of achieving one’s aims

6)    Signs of detachment

7)    How to get back a man who breaks away

8)    How to get rid of a lover

9)    Restarting an old affair

10) Special profits

11) Reflections on the advantages and disadvantages of a relationship

12) Various kinds of courtesan

This chapter describes the conduct (charitra) of prostitutes and the ways sleeping with them. Vàtsyàyana deems that keeping company with prostitutes is a bad thing in itself, harmful to ethics and health, but that prostitutes belong to society and society uses them. For this reason, in the interest of both prostitutes and society, their characteristics are studied in this chapter.

Experience shows that eroticism is a powerful, but highly unstable, force. This power grows according to the development of the feelings and impulses. Each amatory desire (vasana) is matched by an emotional experience. When our longings form a knot, it is called vasana. The intensity of amatory desire is manifest in the sexual impulse. An emotional state consists of favorable, or contrary, feelings rising in a man’s heart.

An attachment that grows gradually takes the form of a sexual impulse or erotic excitement. The presence or remembrance of a person, or love (prema) for an imaginary person, arouses the sexual impulse. The presence of a sexual object, in one way or the other, causes a state of excitement (samvega). The Bhagavad Gita says, “Kàma (sexual attraction) is born from contact, and from attraction is born excitement. All amatory desire causes excitement.”

The attachments of the mind (chittavritti) are made up of knowledge, feeling (bhava), and action (kriya). Perception (jfiana) awakens feeling (bhava) and sexual impulse. Innumerable sparks accumulate in the mind’s whirl, stimulating erotic energy.

Every individual seeks variations of feeling: change, novelty, the taste for beauty, are all part of man’s nature. According to the Yoga Vasiûþha, “at the moment at which it is obtained, a thing gives you immediate satisfaction, but if you do not obtain it at once, you tend to idealize it.”

Novelty is another name for desire (abhiruchi). We always take pleasure in whatever is new. The sexual impulse makes our actions unpredictable. Commencing out of mere curiosity, the thirst for satisfaction (trishna) soon appears.

Once the sexual impulse is fully awakened, a day waiting for one’s lover seems an eternity.

When the presence of the object provoking our passion is denied, .our heart is in pain, our spirit fettered, and our mind troubled. A great effort is needed to behave according to the dictates of society. Thus, from age to age, society has experienced the impossibility of controlling erotic impulses. Society’s control is limited to the physical deeds resulting from passion, but the rebellion of the mind is still very powerful. One of the principles of this experience is that, in not allowing the passions to surface, they can be checked, but not rooted out.

When we repress our desires, they do not disappear but stay beneath the surface and continue to exert their influence. Prohibition arouses desire and suggests stratagems for satisfying it. From an ethical and social point of view, relations with other men’s wives are to be condemned. Copulation with them is forbidden. The result is that other men’s wives are considered to be the most piquant. This is taken into account by Vàtsyàyana in composing the chapter on courtesans, in considering the good of society.

22 The seventh part concerning occult media [aupanisha-dika] comprises two chapters dealing with six subjects:

1)    Means for becoming attractive

2)    How to infatuate

3)    How to increase sexual drive and achieve multiple coition

4)    How to develop the sexual organ

5)    Reviving a failing impulse

6)    Unusual copulation

Becoming attractive means improving one’s appearance and qualities.

To infatuate signifies taking control over someone by means of words, diagrams, and magic rites.

Sexual drive can be increased thanks to aphrodisiacs. Methods exist for increasing the size of the penis, as well as for reviving the ardor of one who has become impotent.

This text has a double basis, since it is connected with Tantrism. Excitation caused by magic involves sexual practices of a Tantric nature, which is why a chapter has been set apart to deal with magic practices. Such practices are not, however, very widespread. In sexual relations, magic practices also give results, which is why they are dealt with, since magical practices and their results form part of the subject.

23 Thus terminates the summary of the thirty-six chapters dealing with sixty-four subjects in seven parts and 1250 verses of these teachings based on earlier works.

24 Having established the plan in summary form, it will be reexamined in detail, since in this world, men of culture need to study matters both as a summary and in detail.

Vàtsyàyana has called this seventh chapter “aupanishadika,” a word with the popular meaning of “magic.” This chapter examines in detail the means of achieving sexual inclinations (kama vasana), with a view to success in the life of this world. What is written concerning magical practices in the form of drugs, etc., involves procedures that are effective, but not without risk, and are antisocial and unethical. They imply a form of risk, which must be clearly borne in mind.

Magical practices, diagrams, formulas, and rites are part of Indian culture. In all its literature, beginning with the Rig Veda and Atharua Veda down to our own days, they have always been a part of everyday life in India. For this reason, careful attention should be paid to Vatsya-yana’s words, since his aim is the pleasure and happiness of mankind. In reading it, ordinary people should neither be upset nor misled, since he refers constantly to the virtues of chastity and nonviolence.

End of the First Chapter

Contents of the Book

of the First Part entitled General Remarks