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The Complete Kama Sutra: The First Unabridged Modern Translation of the Classic Indian Text
Durata: 1 ora e 22 min
Se esiste un'opera che restituisce il significato del termine erotismo meglio di ogni altra, questa è sicuramente il Kāmasūtra (dal sanscrito: Kāma, "il desiderio", e sūtra, "aforisma"), raccolta indiana scritta tra il IV e il VII secolo e attribuita a Vatsyayana.
Questo trattato classico dell'induismo si prodiga in consigli di seduzione per una vita di coppia armoniosa attraverso 64 posizioni sessuali, e raccomanda l'uso di musica, cibo, profumi...
Esso mostra inoltre come la sessualità non sia legata soltanto alla funzione sessuale o riproduttiva, ma prima di tutto è una questione di sensi, di desiderio e di immaginazione.
Letto da Enzo Decaro è accompagnato dalle ambientazioni sonore di Riccardo Cimino.
©2021 Lindau (P)2021 Lindau
Se esiste un'opera che restituisce il significato del termine erotismo meglio di ogni altra, questa è sicuramente il Kāmasūtra (dal sanscrito: Kāma, "il desiderio", e sūtra, "aforisma"), raccolta indiana scritta tra il IV e il VII secolo e attribuita a Vatsyayana.
Questo trattato classico dell'induismo si prodiga in consigli di seduzione per una vita di coppia armoniosa attraverso 64 posizioni sessuali, e raccomanda l'uso di musica, cibo, profumi...
Esso mostra inoltre come la sessualità non sia legata soltanto alla funzione sessuale o riproduttiva, ma prima di tutto è una questione di sensi, di desiderio e di immaginazione.
Letto da Enzo Decaro è accompagnato dalle ambientazioni sonore di Riccardo Cimino.
©2021 Lindau (P)2021 Lindau
137 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 300
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About the author
Mallanaga Vātsyāyana
118 books157 followersVātsyāyana is the name of a Hindu philosopher in the Vedic tradition who is believed to have lived around 3rd century CE in India. His name appears as the author of the Kama Sutra and of Nyāya Sutra Bhāshya, the first commentary on Gotama's Nyāya Sutras.
Hardly anything is known about him, although it is believed that his disciples went on his instructions, on the request of the Hindu Kings in the Himalayan range to influence the hill tribals to give up the pagan cult of sacrifices. He is said to have created the legend of Tara among the hill tribes as a tantric goddess. Later as the worship spread to the east Garo hills,the goddess manifest of a 'yoni' goddess Kamakhya was created. His interest in human sexual behavior as a medium of attaining spirituality was recorded in his treatise Kama Sutra.
At the close of the Kama Sutra this is what he writes about himself:
"After reading and considering the works of Babhravya and other ancient authors, and thinking over the meaning of the rules given by them, this treatise was composed, according to the precepts of the Holy Writ, for the benefit of the world, by Vatsyayana, while leading the life of a religious student at Benares, and wholly engaged in the contemplation of the Deity. This work is not to be used merely as an instrument for satisfying our desires. A person acquainted with the true principles of this science, who preserves his Dharma (virtue or religious merit), his Artha (worldly wealth) and his Kama (pleasure or sensual gratification), and who has regard to the customs of the people, is sure to obtain the mastery over his senses. In short, an intelligent and knowing person attending to Dharma and Artha and also to Kama, without becoming the slave of his passions, will obtain success in everything that he may do."
Hardly anything is known about him, although it is believed that his disciples went on his instructions, on the request of the Hindu Kings in the Himalayan range to influence the hill tribals to give up the pagan cult of sacrifices. He is said to have created the legend of Tara among the hill tribes as a tantric goddess. Later as the worship spread to the east Garo hills,the goddess manifest of a 'yoni' goddess Kamakhya was created. His interest in human sexual behavior as a medium of attaining spirituality was recorded in his treatise Kama Sutra.
At the close of the Kama Sutra this is what he writes about himself:
"After reading and considering the works of Babhravya and other ancient authors, and thinking over the meaning of the rules given by them, this treatise was composed, according to the precepts of the Holy Writ, for the benefit of the world, by Vatsyayana, while leading the life of a religious student at Benares, and wholly engaged in the contemplation of the Deity. This work is not to be used merely as an instrument for satisfying our desires. A person acquainted with the true principles of this science, who preserves his Dharma (virtue or religious merit), his Artha (worldly wealth) and his Kama (pleasure or sensual gratification), and who has regard to the customs of the people, is sure to obtain the mastery over his senses. In short, an intelligent and knowing person attending to Dharma and Artha and also to Kama, without becoming the slave of his passions, will obtain success in everything that he may do."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 624 reviews
October 27, 2011
"Get a bigger flute!" "Increase ur Size! 6" "Don’t walk with tail between your legs." "V|agr.a, C|a.li5, and Phen.term.|ne CHeep!!"
Was the Kama Sutra the original idea for spam email?
"Take pomegranate and cucumber seeds, extract the juice of elabāluka (eluva, Gisekia pharmaceoides) and bhatakataiyā (Solanum indicum, eggplant). Cook in oil over a low heat. Use it to massage the penis. It will remain swollen for six months."
...It didn't sound so bad until I got to the last line...
"Ram's or he-goat's testicles boiled in sugared milk increase sexual prowess."
...Can I have some more Rocky Mountain Oyster Pudding, grandma?
"If a man anoints his penis with datura, black pepper [maricha], and long pepper [pippalī], crushed and mixed with honey, its use will allow him to bewitch and subjugate his partners."
...Or at least cause them to be doubled over in fiery pain.
Once you're done mucking about with spicy peppers, priapisms, and testes, why not try this ancient recipe:
"By rubbing one's hand with the excrements of a peacock, which has been made to take haritāla [yellow myrobalan] and manashilā [red arsenic], everything one touches becomes invisible."
...Infallable.
Okay, in an attempt to save you, Dear Reader, a ton of time may I present:
All You Will Ever Need To Know About the Kama Sutra*
1) There are no pictures in the original Kama Sutra, much to the chagrin of reviewers on Amazon.
2) For the naughtiest parts, go straight to Chapter Six
3) You aren't going to learn any new tricks unless you're a sweet, innocent teenager.
4) The Kama Sutra is extremely repetitive. (This explains my low-ish rating - I'd probably put it at a 2.5. And those stars are just there for the aforementioned chuckles at the insanity. Ancient people were batshitcrazy. It's a miracle we're still around.) There is a good reason for the repetitiveness - as a teaching text, a student is supposed to read the original with enlightened commentary. Unfortunately this translation includes 2 extra commentaries after every paragraph. The translator even apologizes in the intro for its "maladroitness." Even with good reason, doesn't make it fun to read.
5) A lot of the advice is violent - scratching, slapping, bleeding, etc.
6) The Kama Sutra wasn't exactly written by Vātsyāyana - he collected the "erotic science" sections of the Kama Shastra (which were becoming harder and harder to find).
7) The history of the Kama Sutra is interesting, as is the background of the three Shastras - go learn about them. Maybe I'm too dense, but I didn't learn much about history by reading the original text.
8) The Kama Sutra tries to explain all sexual practices, even those that are not recommended or are forbidden. Vātsyāyana felt it very important to be complete. Which I can get behind.
*(unless you are an ancient Indian scholar, of course.)
Was the Kama Sutra the original idea for spam email?
"Take pomegranate and cucumber seeds, extract the juice of elabāluka (eluva, Gisekia pharmaceoides) and bhatakataiyā (Solanum indicum, eggplant). Cook in oil over a low heat. Use it to massage the penis. It will remain swollen for six months."
...It didn't sound so bad until I got to the last line...
"Ram's or he-goat's testicles boiled in sugared milk increase sexual prowess."
...Can I have some more Rocky Mountain Oyster Pudding, grandma?
"If a man anoints his penis with datura, black pepper [maricha], and long pepper [pippalī], crushed and mixed with honey, its use will allow him to bewitch and subjugate his partners."
...Or at least cause them to be doubled over in fiery pain.
Once you're done mucking about with spicy peppers, priapisms, and testes, why not try this ancient recipe:
"By rubbing one's hand with the excrements of a peacock, which has been made to take haritāla [yellow myrobalan] and manashilā [red arsenic], everything one touches becomes invisible."
...Infallable.
Okay, in an attempt to save you, Dear Reader, a ton of time may I present:
All You Will Ever Need To Know About the Kama Sutra*
1) There are no pictures in the original Kama Sutra, much to the chagrin of reviewers on Amazon.
2) For the naughtiest parts, go straight to Chapter Six
3) You aren't going to learn any new tricks unless you're a sweet, innocent teenager.
4) The Kama Sutra is extremely repetitive. (This explains my low-ish rating - I'd probably put it at a 2.5. And those stars are just there for the aforementioned chuckles at the insanity. Ancient people were batshitcrazy. It's a miracle we're still around.) There is a good reason for the repetitiveness - as a teaching text, a student is supposed to read the original with enlightened commentary. Unfortunately this translation includes 2 extra commentaries after every paragraph. The translator even apologizes in the intro for its "maladroitness." Even with good reason, doesn't make it fun to read.
5) A lot of the advice is violent - scratching, slapping, bleeding, etc.
6) The Kama Sutra wasn't exactly written by Vātsyāyana - he collected the "erotic science" sections of the Kama Shastra (which were becoming harder and harder to find).
7) The history of the Kama Sutra is interesting, as is the background of the three Shastras - go learn about them. Maybe I'm too dense, but I didn't learn much about history by reading the original text.
8) The Kama Sutra tries to explain all sexual practices, even those that are not recommended or are forbidden. Vātsyāyana felt it very important to be complete. Which I can get behind.
*(unless you are an ancient Indian scholar, of course.)
August 25, 2016
Unable to read. Pages were stuck together.
July 4, 2010
Coming from a strong background in philosophy and the Classics, I found this book to be an invigorating read.
In general, nobody has any idea what Kama Sutra means, what the books is or what the author intended it to be. Simply put, dispel yourself of any preconceived notions before you read even the first paragraph of this opus or my review.
I was consistently intrigued by the exotic perspective and expansive scope of the Kama Sutra. In a sentence, the book is an exposition of the author's personal experience of and his well-read study of carnal enjoyment. I found this perspective to be particularly interesting because you must set the narrative within the context of a highly stratified caste society with little to no social/economic/spiritual/political mobility. This book forced me to recognize that this society elevated, at least theoretically, carnal pleasure to a spiritual and cultural (pseudo)-science whereby these stratifications may be bent, re-interpreted and, to use a word in its literal sense, humanized. Do not underestimate the empirical and scientific level at which the author has applied his mind. I am certain that Aristotle or Aquinas would have been enraptured. Surprisingly to me, the scope of the Kama Sutra did not extend to other aspects of carnal pleasure to include among other things the culinary sciences. Perhaps, this is because the arts of cooking and the enjoyment of taste were not within the purview of the audience of the Kama Sutra.
Speaking of Aristotle and the Greeks, the Kama Sutra contains an interesting comparative comment on the nature of prostitutes and their differing capacities in the Indian and Greek worlds. In the method of pre-Industrial revolution works, the author enjoys "scientific" proofs of his arguments by natural analogy. For example, the author supports his conclusions on that natural behaviors of mankind by analogies to his empirical observations of nature and animal life. This method, of course, will be immediately recognizable to any student of philosophy.
The books follows a logical plan, which comprises of small treatises regarding specific aspects of the topic including the opinions of previous scholars and the author's agreement or disagreement with them. The work starts with an exhortation to the study of Kama, its benefits and its general nature. The book also includes treatises on the nature of man and woman, the nature of desire, the nature of union both carnal and spiritual, the nature of a wife and, the most unusual part in my opinion, the nature of the prostitute. Unfortunately, a collection of only a handful of the thousand of verses of this work has received notice and attention by the modern world - namely the verses, which describe the 64 arts of Kama ranging from cooing and biting to sexual positions and the appropriate setting for such sexual union. I do not understand why people believe that they will discover some sexual awakening from a book, whose focus is spiritual and philosophical in nature; if you are looking for this, there are obviously more available sources of this information.
I conclude my review with a longing that the many works and authors, which are cited in this book, are unavailable and lost as far as I can tell. The book is a good foothold in Hindu culture and philosophy and has encouraged me to download the Rig Veda to my iPad/iPhone.
The Kama Sutra deserves a read by any curious mind and has earned a solid 5-star rating.
In general, nobody has any idea what Kama Sutra means, what the books is or what the author intended it to be. Simply put, dispel yourself of any preconceived notions before you read even the first paragraph of this opus or my review.
I was consistently intrigued by the exotic perspective and expansive scope of the Kama Sutra. In a sentence, the book is an exposition of the author's personal experience of and his well-read study of carnal enjoyment. I found this perspective to be particularly interesting because you must set the narrative within the context of a highly stratified caste society with little to no social/economic/spiritual/political mobility. This book forced me to recognize that this society elevated, at least theoretically, carnal pleasure to a spiritual and cultural (pseudo)-science whereby these stratifications may be bent, re-interpreted and, to use a word in its literal sense, humanized. Do not underestimate the empirical and scientific level at which the author has applied his mind. I am certain that Aristotle or Aquinas would have been enraptured. Surprisingly to me, the scope of the Kama Sutra did not extend to other aspects of carnal pleasure to include among other things the culinary sciences. Perhaps, this is because the arts of cooking and the enjoyment of taste were not within the purview of the audience of the Kama Sutra.
Speaking of Aristotle and the Greeks, the Kama Sutra contains an interesting comparative comment on the nature of prostitutes and their differing capacities in the Indian and Greek worlds. In the method of pre-Industrial revolution works, the author enjoys "scientific" proofs of his arguments by natural analogy. For example, the author supports his conclusions on that natural behaviors of mankind by analogies to his empirical observations of nature and animal life. This method, of course, will be immediately recognizable to any student of philosophy.
The books follows a logical plan, which comprises of small treatises regarding specific aspects of the topic including the opinions of previous scholars and the author's agreement or disagreement with them. The work starts with an exhortation to the study of Kama, its benefits and its general nature. The book also includes treatises on the nature of man and woman, the nature of desire, the nature of union both carnal and spiritual, the nature of a wife and, the most unusual part in my opinion, the nature of the prostitute. Unfortunately, a collection of only a handful of the thousand of verses of this work has received notice and attention by the modern world - namely the verses, which describe the 64 arts of Kama ranging from cooing and biting to sexual positions and the appropriate setting for such sexual union. I do not understand why people believe that they will discover some sexual awakening from a book, whose focus is spiritual and philosophical in nature; if you are looking for this, there are obviously more available sources of this information.
I conclude my review with a longing that the many works and authors, which are cited in this book, are unavailable and lost as far as I can tell. The book is a good foothold in Hindu culture and philosophy and has encouraged me to download the Rig Veda to my iPad/iPhone.
The Kama Sutra deserves a read by any curious mind and has earned a solid 5-star rating.
January 10, 2022
Sutra nghĩa là kinh. Phàm kinh cổ thì cứ nên đọc hết, bất cứ thuộc tôn giáo tín ngưỡng nào thì cũng đều hay cả. Hay thì nó mới thành kinh và tồn tại tới giờ ;)) Kama nghĩa là khoái lạc thì lại càng nên đọc lắm =)) Tóm lại, Kama Sutra hay vì nó đúc rút từ cả một nền văn hóa rực rỡ, tồn tại qua thử thách thời gian và quan trọng nhất: Nó rất là thật, rất con người, điều sách vở hiện đại vốn đạo đức tới vô đạo đức thường không có =))))
Đến cả một người thuộc diện ham đọc như tôi mà giờ mới đọc Kama Sutra thì đúng là cuốn sách này bị hậu thế lãng phí quá :"> Kama Sutra thì tất nhiên là có các thể loại sex position mà tất cả các bạn có ý định sex đều nên học hỏi ;)) Nhưng khác với sex thông thường bắt đầu bằng động chạm thì Kama Sutra bắt đầu từ suy nghĩ, tức là dạy cách tán nhau á =)) buồn cười vãi nồi có dạy cưa vợ kẻ thù rồi thì làm sao để moi hết tiền của đàn ông và đá họ gọn gàng =))
Tất nhiên có những vấn đề nhỏ như quan điểm trọng nam, rồi dính líu tôn giáo nữa và thành thật là có nhiều cái không xa lạ gì nhưng kiểu gì cũng học hỏi được không nhiều thì ít. Mà chả học hỏi thì sách cũng có tính giải trí rất cao =))) Nên đọc nên đọc (nhưng đừng giới thiệu cho người yêu đọc hoho)
Đến cả một người thuộc diện ham đọc như tôi mà giờ mới đọc Kama Sutra thì đúng là cuốn sách này bị hậu thế lãng phí quá :"> Kama Sutra thì tất nhiên là có các thể loại sex position mà tất cả các bạn có ý định sex đều nên học hỏi ;)) Nhưng khác với sex thông thường bắt đầu bằng động chạm thì Kama Sutra bắt đầu từ suy nghĩ, tức là dạy cách tán nhau á =)) buồn cười vãi nồi có dạy cưa vợ kẻ thù rồi thì làm sao để moi hết tiền của đàn ông và đá họ gọn gàng =))
Tất nhiên có những vấn đề nhỏ như quan điểm trọng nam, rồi dính líu tôn giáo nữa và thành thật là có nhiều cái không xa lạ gì nhưng kiểu gì cũng học hỏi được không nhiều thì ít. Mà chả học hỏi thì sách cũng có tính giải trí rất cao =))) Nên đọc nên đọc (nhưng đừng giới thiệu cho người yêu đọc hoho)
February 2, 2016
الكاماسوترا: نص هندي قديم يتناول السلوك الجنسي فى المجتمع الهندى فى المقام الأول.
تحدّث عن الضرما والأرثا والكما، عن أوضاع الجماع.
عن استمالة قلب المرأة الهندية، واستمالتها للرجل، وطقوس زواجهم.
عن الزوجات، وزوجات الآخرين.
الطريف هُنا هو مسميات الأشياء فمثلًا تجد قفزة الأرنب، ووثبة الكلب، وجماع قطيع البقر. :'D
الكاتب يناقش الموضوع بأسلوب أبعد ما يكون عن الألفاظ البذيئة.
الأمور هنا تتم بروحانية على الطريقة الهندية.
يقول فاتسياتانا مؤلف الكتاب:
"ما دامت هناك شِفاه تُقبَِل، وعيون تُبصِر
فإن هذا الكتاب سيبقى وسيهب لك الحياة"
تحدّث عن الضرما والأرثا والكما، عن أوضاع الجماع.
عن استمالة قلب المرأة الهندية، واستمالتها للرجل، وطقوس زواجهم.
عن الزوجات، وزوجات الآخرين.
الطريف هُنا هو مسميات الأشياء فمثلًا تجد قفزة الأرنب، ووثبة الكلب، وجماع قطيع البقر. :'D
الكاتب يناقش الموضوع بأسلوب أبعد ما يكون عن الألفاظ البذيئة.
الأمور هنا تتم بروحانية على الطريقة الهندية.
يقول فاتسياتانا مؤلف الكتاب:
"ما دامت هناك شِفاه تُقبَِل، وعيون تُبصِر
فإن هذا الكتاب سيبقى وسيهب لك الحياة"
May 28, 2012
Like most children, my brother and I knew where everything was in our house, paying particular attention to the things we weren't supposed to know about. This book was contained in a shoebox in the closet of my parent's bedroom.
The Kama Sutra is commonly mismarketed as a sex guide or as pornography. Although courtesans are mentioned, it is not about the sex trade but includes discussion of marriage, adultery, transvestism, homosexuality etc. Most memorable from the childhood perusal of it is the long listing of positions for coitus, many, if not all, of them named for various animals. This was weirdly fascinating, not for any erotic charge--there isn't any--but for the suggestions it implanted about how strange Indian culture must have been.
I suppose Mom and Dad must have been disappointed also, neither of them having evinced any particular interest in the mores of medieval India.
The Kama Sutra is commonly mismarketed as a sex guide or as pornography. Although courtesans are mentioned, it is not about the sex trade but includes discussion of marriage, adultery, transvestism, homosexuality etc. Most memorable from the childhood perusal of it is the long listing of positions for coitus, many, if not all, of them named for various animals. This was weirdly fascinating, not for any erotic charge--there isn't any--but for the suggestions it implanted about how strange Indian culture must have been.
I suppose Mom and Dad must have been disappointed also, neither of them having evinced any particular interest in the mores of medieval India.
January 6, 2012
Arguably the hottest non-fiction book I've ever read - the translator has done a fantastic job of not only providing a translation of the original text, but also including translations of the commentaries by ancient Hindu authorities.
The book is less pornographic than you would think - I have seen countless "reproductions" that merely involve couples photographed in the positions. These detract from the content of the original, as does the reputation that proceeds this book.
This actually is more of a list of erotic behavior than it is a manual - anyone that reads this will never have a need to read an issue of 'Cosmo' again. (but then, anyone who has gone further than the missionary position probably doesn't need to read Cosmo either ;)
Instead of a "sex manual" it is more of an insight to the sexuality of middle-ages India - there are entire chapters on biting, scratching, sexual positions, courting, seduction, quarrels and fights, "emergency cures and potions," as well as whole sections on homosexual behavior. The commentary (which was originally written a century or so after the original text) gives further advice, stating that certain behavior is not "suitable" for people of certain castes, or that women of certain regions prefer certain behaviors but shun others, etc.
As someone interested in both anthropology and sexology, this volume is indispensable - but if you're someone looking for a quick, kinky read, I wouldn't recommend it.
The book is less pornographic than you would think - I have seen countless "reproductions" that merely involve couples photographed in the positions. These detract from the content of the original, as does the reputation that proceeds this book.
This actually is more of a list of erotic behavior than it is a manual - anyone that reads this will never have a need to read an issue of 'Cosmo' again. (but then, anyone who has gone further than the missionary position probably doesn't need to read Cosmo either ;)
Instead of a "sex manual" it is more of an insight to the sexuality of middle-ages India - there are entire chapters on biting, scratching, sexual positions, courting, seduction, quarrels and fights, "emergency cures and potions," as well as whole sections on homosexual behavior. The commentary (which was originally written a century or so after the original text) gives further advice, stating that certain behavior is not "suitable" for people of certain castes, or that women of certain regions prefer certain behaviors but shun others, etc.
As someone interested in both anthropology and sexology, this volume is indispensable - but if you're someone looking for a quick, kinky read, I wouldn't recommend it.
September 22, 2019
3.75 stars
Admittedly I was curious as to what this book actually was. It's an infamous book that has made it on to numerous "must read before you die" and "taboo" book lists, but that doesn't necessarily mean I knew what it was. When I had the chance to read this small snippet of it I took it. I remember hearing it was a guide of sorts on sex. It isn't necessarily a "how to" guide on sexual positions so don't come with that mind set if you want to read it. There are descriptions and pictures on certain positions but not "put hand here while licking neck of partner" kind of instructions. A few people I know thought that which makes me laugh now because how is any of that sexy haha.
This was a quick read version with art and words of long ago that I enjoyed reading. You have to appreciate that someone took the time to make a guide promoting equality in sexual pleasure. Heck some people don't even believe these things even now. If you think you'll be embarrassed to read the Karma Sutra but are still curious then I suggest giving this edition a shot. It's short at only 64 pages so won't take too much time to finish. I wouldn’t mind reading a different version for comparison in the future.
Admittedly I was curious as to what this book actually was. It's an infamous book that has made it on to numerous "must read before you die" and "taboo" book lists, but that doesn't necessarily mean I knew what it was. When I had the chance to read this small snippet of it I took it. I remember hearing it was a guide of sorts on sex. It isn't necessarily a "how to" guide on sexual positions so don't come with that mind set if you want to read it. There are descriptions and pictures on certain positions but not "put hand here while licking neck of partner" kind of instructions. A few people I know thought that which makes me laugh now because how is any of that sexy haha.
This was a quick read version with art and words of long ago that I enjoyed reading. You have to appreciate that someone took the time to make a guide promoting equality in sexual pleasure. Heck some people don't even believe these things even now. If you think you'll be embarrassed to read the Karma Sutra but are still curious then I suggest giving this edition a shot. It's short at only 64 pages so won't take too much time to finish. I wouldn’t mind reading a different version for comparison in the future.
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March 18, 2025Non riesco ad assegnare un voto in stelle a questa lettura che, lo confesso, ho fatto fatica a portare a termine.
Se qualcuno pensa che si tratti di un testo similpornografico, sta fresco! 😅
La curiosità mi ha spinto ad aprire queste famigerate pagine, cosa che avevo in programma da tanto tempo, poi sempre puntualmente rimandata. E avrei fatto bene a rimandarla ancora perché non dico che sia di una noia mortale, ma certo gli sbadigli sono fioccati durante i tentativi di lettura che, a passo di bradipo, spesso si sono ridotti a una/due paginette per volta, e neanche tutti i giorni.
In Occidente si è diffuso il falso mito del Kamasutra come peccaminoso libro a sfondo esclusivamente sessuale, ma ci si sbaglia di grosso; sì, ovvio, si parla in maniera esplicita anche di sesso (probabilmente oggi roba per principianti ed educande al confronto di tanta volgarità qui in circolazione a livello sia reale che virtuale), però il Kamasutra è anzitutto un forte concentrato di filosofia indiana in relazione a una società molto complessa (basti solo pensare al sistema delle caste) che la nostra cultura fatica a comprendere pienamente, tant'è che esso viene considerato un autentico capolavoro di antica letteratura sotto quelle latitudini. Una sorta di manuale di comportamento di certo non rivolto agli appartenenti alla casta più bassa, ma a chi abbia buone risorse finanziarie al punto tale da pagare mogli e anche cortigiane.
A parte la noia pura e semplice dei capitoli in generale, alcuni paragrafi inducono al sorriso, se non a fragorose risate; per esempio: "I differenti modi di percuotere, i lamenti e i miagolii appropriati" (si sappia che alla fine di un rapporto "devono essere emessi suoni simili a quelli delle quaglie o delle
oche"); "Il compito della mezzana"; "I metodi per riuscire a ottenere denaro" (esistono "metodi naturali o legali e metodi artificiali"); etc. 🤣🤣🤣
Mi perdonino gli amanti della cultura indiana (di cui, in verità, mi affascina lo Yoga), non è mia intenzione essere irriverente, ma si riconoscerà che si tratta davvero di un mondo assai lontano dal nostro. E siamo noi - questo lo affermo seriamente - a mancare purtroppo di spiritualità.
Libro consigliato ad altri lettori?
Solo se fortemente motivati.
Se qualcuno pensa che si tratti di un testo similpornografico, sta fresco! 😅
La curiosità mi ha spinto ad aprire queste famigerate pagine, cosa che avevo in programma da tanto tempo, poi sempre puntualmente rimandata. E avrei fatto bene a rimandarla ancora perché non dico che sia di una noia mortale, ma certo gli sbadigli sono fioccati durante i tentativi di lettura che, a passo di bradipo, spesso si sono ridotti a una/due paginette per volta, e neanche tutti i giorni.
In Occidente si è diffuso il falso mito del Kamasutra come peccaminoso libro a sfondo esclusivamente sessuale, ma ci si sbaglia di grosso; sì, ovvio, si parla in maniera esplicita anche di sesso (probabilmente oggi roba per principianti ed educande al confronto di tanta volgarità qui in circolazione a livello sia reale che virtuale), però il Kamasutra è anzitutto un forte concentrato di filosofia indiana in relazione a una società molto complessa (basti solo pensare al sistema delle caste) che la nostra cultura fatica a comprendere pienamente, tant'è che esso viene considerato un autentico capolavoro di antica letteratura sotto quelle latitudini. Una sorta di manuale di comportamento di certo non rivolto agli appartenenti alla casta più bassa, ma a chi abbia buone risorse finanziarie al punto tale da pagare mogli e anche cortigiane.
A parte la noia pura e semplice dei capitoli in generale, alcuni paragrafi inducono al sorriso, se non a fragorose risate; per esempio: "I differenti modi di percuotere, i lamenti e i miagolii appropriati" (si sappia che alla fine di un rapporto "devono essere emessi suoni simili a quelli delle quaglie o delle
oche"); "Il compito della mezzana"; "I metodi per riuscire a ottenere denaro" (esistono "metodi naturali o legali e metodi artificiali"); etc. 🤣🤣🤣
Mi perdonino gli amanti della cultura indiana (di cui, in verità, mi affascina lo Yoga), non è mia intenzione essere irriverente, ma si riconoscerà che si tratta davvero di un mondo assai lontano dal nostro. E siamo noi - questo lo affermo seriamente - a mancare purtroppo di spiritualità.
Libro consigliato ad altri lettori?
Solo se fortemente motivati.
February 25, 2020
A seemingly antiquated theory of finding love, giving it, and keeping it. As stated prior. I do wish to respect all religions, especially those of the Hindu dharma. Although there are some good points in here, most is thorny, demeaning to women, and misleading to men. It's not very poignant in it's explainations or tied to any real truth. It bothers me.
I find there are better ways to advise love. Honestly. The truth is differnent from the media's interpretation of what Kama Sutra is, which would be, an intuitive guide to basically all concievable sexual positions.
It's a lot more than that. This book is a religious text, meant for followers of the faith a guide to fullfilling love life. It's a way out there culture, for me, an American. Being said, it is a good break into what ciuld be an influential finding of human behavior. Not of love, but what could be. It's interesting, but can also cloud good judgement, and obscure rightous conduct.
All I have to say, thank you all. Please do not let my review discourage you from diverisfying your views, this is just my take, make wisdom of what you find.
I find there are better ways to advise love. Honestly. The truth is differnent from the media's interpretation of what Kama Sutra is, which would be, an intuitive guide to basically all concievable sexual positions.
It's a lot more than that. This book is a religious text, meant for followers of the faith a guide to fullfilling love life. It's a way out there culture, for me, an American. Being said, it is a good break into what ciuld be an influential finding of human behavior. Not of love, but what could be. It's interesting, but can also cloud good judgement, and obscure rightous conduct.
All I have to say, thank you all. Please do not let my review discourage you from diverisfying your views, this is just my take, make wisdom of what you find.
January 14, 2008
admittedly i did not read cover to cover, but i read enough to get a good sense. i was surprised to discover that much of it read like emily post's book of etiquette but for subjects such as kissing, scratching and biting (as in love play), how to behave toward the first wife if you are the second wife, personal adornment, and lying with courtesans.
June 16, 2011
I've always wondered about this book after I heard about it in my history class in 8th grade. When I was downloading things on ibook I saw this and I felt myself enough of an adult to finally read it without being embarrassed.
It was a historical guide to relations with the opposite sex in all different castes in India. So this included the beggar all the way to royalty. To be honest much of it was tiresome and repetitive, but then every once in awhile you would stumble on something interesting like how the women of a polygamist should always be fighting one another unless it causes to much discomfort to the husband. Just all the women's rights just never existed and they were treated worse than cattle, since cattle of course are holy in India.
It would also talk about how best to cheat on your spouse, and how you could tell if someone was cheating on you.
Courtship was also very interesting with its formalities and what was permitted. Pressing with nails and biting were something that always came up in the book as something to communicate to others either by doing it to them, or by biting or pressing you nails on a gift for them like a flower.
There was also a couple chapters on sex, but they can be easily skipped if that's not your cup of tea. Especially the chapter on Eunuchs, just wierd.
An odd book that after reading a few choice parts to my spouse, we were left laughing out loud a few times. I am glad to say that I now have an opinion about this "historical classic".
It was a historical guide to relations with the opposite sex in all different castes in India. So this included the beggar all the way to royalty. To be honest much of it was tiresome and repetitive, but then every once in awhile you would stumble on something interesting like how the women of a polygamist should always be fighting one another unless it causes to much discomfort to the husband. Just all the women's rights just never existed and they were treated worse than cattle, since cattle of course are holy in India.
It would also talk about how best to cheat on your spouse, and how you could tell if someone was cheating on you.
Courtship was also very interesting with its formalities and what was permitted. Pressing with nails and biting were something that always came up in the book as something to communicate to others either by doing it to them, or by biting or pressing you nails on a gift for them like a flower.
There was also a couple chapters on sex, but they can be easily skipped if that's not your cup of tea. Especially the chapter on Eunuchs, just wierd.
An odd book that after reading a few choice parts to my spouse, we were left laughing out loud a few times. I am glad to say that I now have an opinion about this "historical classic".
April 29, 2024
Као што је наведено у Уводу, Кама Сутра (што у преводу значи нешто као "афоризми о љубави" (погледајте како учено и образовано можете да звучите кад прочитате увод неке књиге!)) је дјело које је у оригиналу заузимало импресивних хиљаду поглавља, док је ово скраћена верзија скраћене верзије скраћене верзије коју је саставио легендарни мудри старац Ватсјајана. Књига обилује толико корисним савјетима да је просто невјероватно како су људи уопште успијевали да воде љубав прије њеног појављивања, тј. како је човјечанство уопште доспјело до степена развоја да може да компонује једну Кама Сутру. Живот је заиста пун мистерија. Једна од њих је можда и шта се до ђавола десило са оригиналним текстом од хиљаду поглавља (којег је ова књига можда петнаести дио или тако нешто). Али ово лупам напамет јер ми је мрско да гуглам, тако да то на крају крајева можда и није никаква мистерија.
Но, да се ми посветимо анализи овог ултимативног текста о љуцким љубавним и кексуалним односима. Корисност савјета изложених овде не може бити јаснија него нпр. кад бацимо поглед на сљедећи пасус:
"The wedge on the bosom, the scissors on the head, the piercing instrument on the cheeks, and the pincers on the breasts and sides may also be taken into consideration (...) but Vatsyayana is of the opinion that the practice of them is painful, barbarous, and base, and quite unworthy of imitation."
Да сам умро прије десет дана, уопште ми не би пало на памет да жену не треба млатити маказама по глави или јој пробијати образ шарафцигером. Кад је о злостављању ријеч, ипак се треба ограничити на оно које можете да спроведете голим рукама:
"When the man, making the sound Phat, strikes the woman on the head with the fingers of his hand a little contracted, it is called Prasritaka, which means striking with the fingers of the hand a little contracted."
Међутим, Кама Сутра није само књига о вођењу љубави (у ужем смислу). Тај дио заправо заузима само једно поглавље. Овде можете да нађете и гомилу практичних савјета општије природе, нпр. како доћи до дјевојке која вам се свиђа, ако иста одбије да сарађује:
"The man should, with the connivance of the daughter of the nurse, carry off the girl from her house while she is asleep, and then, having enjoyed her before she recovers from her sleep, should bring fire from the house of a Brahman, and proceed as before." (Ако занемаримо врло респектабилно умијеће неопходно да украдете цуру док спава, однесете је кући и обљубите, све то прије него што се пробуди, неко би могао да прокоментарише како је ово заправо чисто силовање, али то само показује колико је данашње друштво запало у жабокречину политичке коректности.)
"When the girl goes to a garden, or to some village in the neighborhood, the man should, with his friends, fall on her guards, and having killed them or frightened them away, forcibly carry her off, and proceed as before." (Ако би органи реда и закона замјерили на овако мирном и достојанственом методу завођења, то би био знак крајње злобности с њихове стране).
С друге стране, не желећи да доводим у сумњу неограниченост мудрости старих Индијаца, а посебно премудрог и пресвијетлог Ватсјајане, усуђујем се у својој нискости и неразумијевању да за, уз максимално уважавање, запитам о дјелотворности неких савјета наведених у књизи. На примјер, у поглављу које описује како да улетите у краљев харем (да, има и то):
"He may also go in and out, concealed in a folded bed, or bed covering, or with his body made invisible, by means of external applications, a recipe for one of which is as follows:
The heart of an ichneumon, the fruit of the long gourd (Tumbaki), and the eyes of a serpent should all be burned without letting out the smoke; the ashes should then be ground and mixed in equal quantities with water. By putting this mixture upon the eyes a man can go about unseen."
Ето, ако сте се икад запитали о рецепту за невидљивост - ето вам га ту. Нема никакве сумње да је он некад функционисао, јер га иначе премудри мудрац Ватсјајана сигурно не би ставио у своју књигу, али да ли би неко данас могао то да искористи нпр. да ушета и опљачка неку банку, то је већ отворено за расправу.
Коначно, морам да се осврнем на сљедећи пасус:
"If a man mixes the powder of the milk hedge plant and the kantaka plant with the excrement of a monkey and the powdered root of the lanjalika plant, and throws this mixture on a woman, she will not love anybody else afterward."
Можда вам се може учинити да овај савјет није сасвим добар, тј. да би гађање вољене особе мјешавином егзотичног индијског биља и мајмунског измета прије узроковало да она замрзи ВАС умјесто будућих удварача, али то је само зато што смо се ми у ово модерно вријеме одвојили од природе па не можемо да спознамо њене ефекте на различите аспекте нашег живота. Замислите да сте знали за овај савјет кад сте били јако млади и кад сте у директном преносу гледали како вашу средњошколску симпатију отима неки идиот само зато што су вам се ноге одсијецале сваки пут кад сте близу ње! (Ooops, this was oddly specific...)
Но, да се ми посветимо анализи овог ултимативног текста о љуцким љубавним и кексуалним односима. Корисност савјета изложених овде не може бити јаснија него нпр. кад бацимо поглед на сљедећи пасус:
"The wedge on the bosom, the scissors on the head, the piercing instrument on the cheeks, and the pincers on the breasts and sides may also be taken into consideration (...) but Vatsyayana is of the opinion that the practice of them is painful, barbarous, and base, and quite unworthy of imitation."
Да сам умро прије десет дана, уопште ми не би пало на памет да жену не треба млатити маказама по глави или јој пробијати образ шарафцигером. Кад је о злостављању ријеч, ипак се треба ограничити на оно које можете да спроведете голим рукама:
"When the man, making the sound Phat, strikes the woman on the head with the fingers of his hand a little contracted, it is called Prasritaka, which means striking with the fingers of the hand a little contracted."
Међутим, Кама Сутра није само књига о вођењу љубави (у ужем смислу). Тај дио заправо заузима само једно поглавље. Овде можете да нађете и гомилу практичних савјета општије природе, нпр. како доћи до дјевојке која вам се свиђа, ако иста одбије да сарађује:
"The man should, with the connivance of the daughter of the nurse, carry off the girl from her house while she is asleep, and then, having enjoyed her before she recovers from her sleep, should bring fire from the house of a Brahman, and proceed as before." (Ако занемаримо врло респектабилно умијеће неопходно да украдете цуру док спава, однесете је кући и обљубите, све то прије него што се пробуди, неко би могао да прокоментарише како је ово заправо чисто силовање, али то само показује колико је данашње друштво запало у жабокречину политичке коректности.)
"When the girl goes to a garden, or to some village in the neighborhood, the man should, with his friends, fall on her guards, and having killed them or frightened them away, forcibly carry her off, and proceed as before." (Ако би органи реда и закона замјерили на овако мирном и достојанственом методу завођења, то би био знак крајње злобности с њихове стране).
С друге стране, не желећи да доводим у сумњу неограниченост мудрости старих Индијаца, а посебно премудрог и пресвијетлог Ватсјајане, усуђујем се у својој нискости и неразумијевању да за, уз максимално уважавање, запитам о дјелотворности неких савјета наведених у књизи. На примјер, у поглављу које описује како да улетите у краљев харем (да, има и то):
"He may also go in and out, concealed in a folded bed, or bed covering, or with his body made invisible, by means of external applications, a recipe for one of which is as follows:
The heart of an ichneumon, the fruit of the long gourd (Tumbaki), and the eyes of a serpent should all be burned without letting out the smoke; the ashes should then be ground and mixed in equal quantities with water. By putting this mixture upon the eyes a man can go about unseen."
Ето, ако сте се икад запитали о рецепту за невидљивост - ето вам га ту. Нема никакве сумње да је он некад функционисао, јер га иначе премудри мудрац Ватсјајана сигурно не би ставио у своју књигу, али да ли би неко данас могао то да искористи нпр. да ушета и опљачка неку банку, то је већ отворено за расправу.
Коначно, морам да се осврнем на сљедећи пасус:
"If a man mixes the powder of the milk hedge plant and the kantaka plant with the excrement of a monkey and the powdered root of the lanjalika plant, and throws this mixture on a woman, she will not love anybody else afterward."
Можда вам се може учинити да овај савјет није сасвим добар, тј. да би гађање вољене особе мјешавином егзотичног индијског биља и мајмунског измета прије узроковало да она замрзи ВАС умјесто будућих удварача, али то је само зато што смо се ми у ово модерно вријеме одвојили од природе па не можемо да спознамо њене ефекте на различите аспекте нашег живота. Замислите да сте знали за овај савјет кад сте били јако млади и кад сте у директном преносу гледали како вашу средњошколску симпатију отима неки идиот само зато што су вам се ноге одсијецале сваки пут кад сте близу ње! (Ooops, this was oddly specific...)
September 27, 2019
Un prontuario su come raggiungere l’equilibrio nella propria vita che passa attraverso le tre dimensioni importanti per l’uomo: Dharma, la verità che si raggiunge solo con la maturità; Artha, il senso di realizzazione a cui si arriva all’apice della giovinezza; e il Kama, il godimento che passa attraverso il piacere sessuale. Kama-sutra quindi letteralmente parlando racchiuderebbe una serie di aforismi legati all’amore e alla sfera del piacere.
Una volta chiariti i principi base, la trattazione diventa molto tecnica e indica i modi di raggiungere il godimento sessuale, da cui tutto ciò che riguarda la sfera dell’amore inteso come raggiungimento del piacere fisico: baci, abbracci, morsi, i rapporti che un uomo può intrecciare con una donna, le varie categorie di uomo e donna che fra di loro possono legarsi, come nelle caste, i vari tipi di amore fino ad arrivare alle famose posizioni utilizzabili per raggiungere il piacere sessuale, che sono nell’immaginario collettivo la più scandalosa delle parti del libro, nella realtà la più noiosa da leggere e meno interessante ai fini del libro.
Se si leggesse di più e si parlasse di meno molti stereotipi verrebbero a cadere.
Nel complesso una lettura interessante, una disamina lucida e dettagliata, depurata di alcune parti che davvero risultano poco appetibili al lettore, per uno scritto che risale al VI secolo d.C.
Una volta chiariti i principi base, la trattazione diventa molto tecnica e indica i modi di raggiungere il godimento sessuale, da cui tutto ciò che riguarda la sfera dell’amore inteso come raggiungimento del piacere fisico: baci, abbracci, morsi, i rapporti che un uomo può intrecciare con una donna, le varie categorie di uomo e donna che fra di loro possono legarsi, come nelle caste, i vari tipi di amore fino ad arrivare alle famose posizioni utilizzabili per raggiungere il piacere sessuale, che sono nell’immaginario collettivo la più scandalosa delle parti del libro, nella realtà la più noiosa da leggere e meno interessante ai fini del libro.
Se si leggesse di più e si parlasse di meno molti stereotipi verrebbero a cadere.
Nel complesso una lettura interessante, una disamina lucida e dettagliata, depurata di alcune parti che davvero risultano poco appetibili al lettore, per uno scritto che risale al VI secolo d.C.
September 9, 2020
#مراجعة_كتاب_الكاماسوترا #فاتسيايانا
نص هندي قديم يتناول السلوك الجنسي لدى الإنسان. يعتبر على نحو واسع عمل قياسي للحب في الأدب السنسكريتي. وضع النص الفيلسوف الهندي فاتسيايانا Vatsyayana، كخلاصة قصيرة للكثير من مؤلفات سابقة قديمة مختلفة تعود إلى تقليد يعرف باسم كاما شاسترا Kama Shastra، وهو يعني علم الحب، كلمة كاما Kama تعني الرغبة، بينما كلمة سوترا فتدلل على سلسلة من الحِكَمِ. مصطلح سوترا كان تعبير تقنياً قياسياً هنالك اعتقاد شعبي قديم بأن الفيلسوف فاتسيايانا كان أعزباً ويعتقد أيضا بأنه عاش في وقت ما بين القرنين الأول إلى القرن السادس، في فترة الازدهار الثقافية العظيمة في العصر الغوبتي .أنا مهتمة بقراءة النصوص السنسكريتية لا أعلم لما لكن فلسفتها على مستوى عالي تعجبني بعيداً عن هدفها أو ما تحتويه طبعاً للتنويه القراءة بغير اللغة الأم ستفقدك لذة الكلمات لأن النصوص هذه موزونة ومنظمة بشكل عالي وكأنها قصائد شعرية أو سجع أستمع لها أحياناً داخل فيلم ولكن دون الترجمة لكن تجد فيها لحناً باهراً وانسجام . للوهلة الأولى ستعتبر الكتاب فاسد أو بذيء أو كُتب فقط للذة لكن هذه الأمور هي جزء لا يتجزأ ولا ينفصل عن حياة الإنسان وكان آنذاك كُتب للتعريف بالحب لدى الجاهل والأمي والمبتدأ وللمرأة والرجل كافة، هذا النص ينبثق من صميم الحياة يعطي المرأة مكانها اللائق بها ستفهم أن كل نصوص الكاماسوترا تهدف لغرض وحيد وهو تأليه المرأة وتقديسها باختصار الكتاب أقرب للفلسفة وتطرق للنصائح النفسية والجسدية للمرأة والرجل طبعاً ، ما أحبه أكثر في الأدب السنسكريتي الاستماع لقصص الآلهة المتعددة والمعاركة والمخطوطات والآداب وقوانيهم المعقدة التي يفرضونها وأعيادهم وطقوسهم الغريبة .
نص هندي قديم يتناول السلوك الجنسي لدى الإنسان. يعتبر على نحو واسع عمل قياسي للحب في الأدب السنسكريتي. وضع النص الفيلسوف الهندي فاتسيايانا Vatsyayana، كخلاصة قصيرة للكثير من مؤلفات سابقة قديمة مختلفة تعود إلى تقليد يعرف باسم كاما شاسترا Kama Shastra، وهو يعني علم الحب، كلمة كاما Kama تعني الرغبة، بينما كلمة سوترا فتدلل على سلسلة من الحِكَمِ. مصطلح سوترا كان تعبير تقنياً قياسياً هنالك اعتقاد شعبي قديم بأن الفيلسوف فاتسيايانا كان أعزباً ويعتقد أيضا بأنه عاش في وقت ما بين القرنين الأول إلى القرن السادس، في فترة الازدهار الثقافية العظيمة في العصر الغوبتي .أنا مهتمة بقراءة النصوص السنسكريتية لا أعلم لما لكن فلسفتها على مستوى عالي تعجبني بعيداً عن هدفها أو ما تحتويه طبعاً للتنويه القراءة بغير اللغة الأم ستفقدك لذة الكلمات لأن النصوص هذه موزونة ومنظمة بشكل عالي وكأنها قصائد شعرية أو سجع أستمع لها أحياناً داخل فيلم ولكن دون الترجمة لكن تجد فيها لحناً باهراً وانسجام . للوهلة الأولى ستعتبر الكتاب فاسد أو بذيء أو كُتب فقط للذة لكن هذه الأمور هي جزء لا يتجزأ ولا ينفصل عن حياة الإنسان وكان آنذاك كُتب للتعريف بالحب لدى الجاهل والأمي والمبتدأ وللمرأة والرجل كافة، هذا النص ينبثق من صميم الحياة يعطي المرأة مكانها اللائق بها ستفهم أن كل نصوص الكاماسوترا تهدف لغرض وحيد وهو تأليه المرأة وتقديسها باختصار الكتاب أقرب للفلسفة وتطرق للنصائح النفسية والجسدية للمرأة والرجل طبعاً ، ما أحبه أكثر في الأدب السنسكريتي الاستماع لقصص الآلهة المتعددة والمعاركة والمخطوطات والآداب وقوانيهم المعقدة التي يفرضونها وأعيادهم وطقوسهم الغريبة .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2009
This is a funny book! Since the book was written in the ancient India, many of the non-sexual instructions like courtship, concubines, courtesan, prostitutes, are just passe and ridiculous!
However, the sexual parts (which is just 1 out of 7 parts of the book)are still thought provoking and could still bewilder one's imaginations! This being an instruction book and an undeniably an indespensable part of classic literature is nothing but a must read piece of work of art.
Thanks again Tata J for lending me this book! I hope you will find more books like this, read them right away and pass them on to your equally voracious brother!
However, the sexual parts (which is just 1 out of 7 parts of the book)are still thought provoking and could still bewilder one's imaginations! This being an instruction book and an undeniably an indespensable part of classic literature is nothing but a must read piece of work of art.
Thanks again Tata J for lending me this book! I hope you will find more books like this, read them right away and pass them on to your equally voracious brother!
January 18, 2023
I can respect this book for its culture but man was that a wild ride, I can’t imagine living during that era and having to follow these guidelines 😬 both weirdly progressive in some aspects then it takes three steps back in others
August 13, 2016
Este livro é um autêntico tsunami cultural. Foca-se nos escritos de Vatsyayana (que terá vivido algures entre os séculos I e VI da nossa era), um dos sábios hindus que, através da observação atenta e da própria experiência de vida, escreveu estes Aforismos sobre o Amor utilizando uma linguagem simples e direta, descrevendo o mundo que o cercava em termos de relacionamentos.
Fiquei fascinada com a cultura que encontrei aqui retratada, que desconhecia por completo. Uma grande surpresa que tive foi ao perceber a diferença abismal da perceção que se tinha da mulher (naquele tempo) na Índia e a que se tinha dela no mundo ocidental - a minha surpresa ao descobrir que neste velho mundo retratado por Vatsyayana as mulheres tinham um mínimo de voz, eram incentivadas a adquirirem cultura de maneira a poderem conversar sobre os mesmos assuntos que/com os homens, estudavam o Kama Shastra antes de se casarem para terem uma ideia do que as esperava (e para descobrirem como dar e receber prazer); os homens eram incentivados a conhecerem realmente as esposas, a não forçarem nada que elas não quisessem de livre vontade, entre outros.
Passo a citar algumas das frases (se fossem todas não saíamos daqui) que me chamaram a atenção ou surpreenderam - devido à época em que isto foi escrito - enquanto lia:
- Tudo quanto um dos amantes faça ao outro deverá ser-lhe retribuído na mesma moeda;
- O homem que proceda de acordo com as inclinações da jovem deve procurar conquistá-la para que ela possa amá-lo e depositar nele a sua confiança. [...] Aquele que sabe fazer-se amar pelas mulheres, assim como contribuir para a sua dignidade e criar confiança nelas, tem assegurado o seu amor. Porém, aquele que não devota a sua atenção à jovem, pensando que ela é demasiado tímida, é desprezado por ela por não compreender o espírito feminino;
- [...]por muito apaixonadamente que um homem ame uma mulher, nunca conseguirá conquistá-la sem conversar muito com ela;
- De todos os amantes de uma rapariga, só será o seu verdadeiro marido aquele que possuir as qualidades que ela preza, e só um marido assim desfruta de verdadeiro ascendente sobre ela porque o é por amor;
- O desejo, que nasce da natureza, é aumentado pela arte [...]. Um homem sagaz, que dependa das suas próprias qualidades, que observe cuidadosamente as ideias e desígnios das mulheres [...] é geralmente bem sucedido com elas;
- A dimensão do amor de uma mulher não é conhecida nem sequer por aqueles que são objecto da sua afeição, devido à sua subtileza, assim como em consequência da cupidez e natural inteligência do sexo feminino.
Como é dito nas observações finais da obra, "trata-se de uma obra que deveria ser estudada tanto por novos como por velhos; estes encontrarão nela verdades autênticas, colhidas da experiência e já comprovadas por eles próprios, ao passo que os primeiros desfrutarão da importante vantagem de aprender coisas que alguns nunca chegarão talvez a aprender ou que apenas poderão aprender quando for demasiado tarde para beneficiar dessa aprendizagem."
Pequena nota: os Kama Sutras que geralmente se vêem por aí a circular (geralmente recheados de imagens explícitas chamativas) não o costumam ser, realmente. Essas versões mais recentes são já uma mistura de pouco ou quase nada de Kama Sutra (digamos, mais teórico) com uma grande parte de Kama Shastra (ciência prática do próprio Kama - prazer apreendido pelos cinco sentidos, embora seja habitualmente associado ao amor, prazer e satisfação sensual). Esta versão que li não tem o Kama Shastra incluído, embora seja mencionado várias vezes ao longo do texto.
Fiquei fascinada com a cultura que encontrei aqui retratada, que desconhecia por completo. Uma grande surpresa que tive foi ao perceber a diferença abismal da perceção que se tinha da mulher (naquele tempo) na Índia e a que se tinha dela no mundo ocidental - a minha surpresa ao descobrir que neste velho mundo retratado por Vatsyayana as mulheres tinham um mínimo de voz, eram incentivadas a adquirirem cultura de maneira a poderem conversar sobre os mesmos assuntos que/com os homens, estudavam o Kama Shastra antes de se casarem para terem uma ideia do que as esperava (e para descobrirem como dar e receber prazer); os homens eram incentivados a conhecerem realmente as esposas, a não forçarem nada que elas não quisessem de livre vontade, entre outros.
Passo a citar algumas das frases (se fossem todas não saíamos daqui) que me chamaram a atenção ou surpreenderam - devido à época em que isto foi escrito - enquanto lia:
- Tudo quanto um dos amantes faça ao outro deverá ser-lhe retribuído na mesma moeda;
- O homem que proceda de acordo com as inclinações da jovem deve procurar conquistá-la para que ela possa amá-lo e depositar nele a sua confiança. [...] Aquele que sabe fazer-se amar pelas mulheres, assim como contribuir para a sua dignidade e criar confiança nelas, tem assegurado o seu amor. Porém, aquele que não devota a sua atenção à jovem, pensando que ela é demasiado tímida, é desprezado por ela por não compreender o espírito feminino;
- [...]por muito apaixonadamente que um homem ame uma mulher, nunca conseguirá conquistá-la sem conversar muito com ela;
- De todos os amantes de uma rapariga, só será o seu verdadeiro marido aquele que possuir as qualidades que ela preza, e só um marido assim desfruta de verdadeiro ascendente sobre ela porque o é por amor;
- O desejo, que nasce da natureza, é aumentado pela arte [...]. Um homem sagaz, que dependa das suas próprias qualidades, que observe cuidadosamente as ideias e desígnios das mulheres [...] é geralmente bem sucedido com elas;
- A dimensão do amor de uma mulher não é conhecida nem sequer por aqueles que são objecto da sua afeição, devido à sua subtileza, assim como em consequência da cupidez e natural inteligência do sexo feminino.
Como é dito nas observações finais da obra, "trata-se de uma obra que deveria ser estudada tanto por novos como por velhos; estes encontrarão nela verdades autênticas, colhidas da experiência e já comprovadas por eles próprios, ao passo que os primeiros desfrutarão da importante vantagem de aprender coisas que alguns nunca chegarão talvez a aprender ou que apenas poderão aprender quando for demasiado tarde para beneficiar dessa aprendizagem."
Pequena nota: os Kama Sutras que geralmente se vêem por aí a circular (geralmente recheados de imagens explícitas chamativas) não o costumam ser, realmente. Essas versões mais recentes são já uma mistura de pouco ou quase nada de Kama Sutra (digamos, mais teórico) com uma grande parte de Kama Shastra (ciência prática do próprio Kama - prazer apreendido pelos cinco sentidos, embora seja habitualmente associado ao amor, prazer e satisfação sensual). Esta versão que li não tem o Kama Shastra incluído, embora seja mencionado várias vezes ao longo do texto.
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May 1, 2020That man over there . . . is a lover who fell madly in love with you at first sight. He has never been afflicted like this before, by anyone else, he is suffering terribly, burning up. It is quite possible that he will even die of this today.
On reflection, it appears that all of human life is permeated by sexuality . . . That is why the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says, ‘Man is sexual.’ Sexuality is the semen of the mind. —Devadatta Shastri, Jaya Commentary
__________
Richard Schmidt, the German translator, would wax lyrical: 'The burning heat of the Indian sun, the fabulous luxuriance of the vegetation, the enchanted poetry of moonlit nights permeated by the perfume of lotus flowers and, not least, the distinctive role the Indian people have always played, the role of unworldly dreamers, philosophers, impractical romantics—all combine to make the Indian a real virtuoso in love.'
The real Kamasutra by contrast, is not the sort of book to read in bed while drinking heavily, let alone holding the book with one hand in order to keep the other free. —Introduction
__________
This is not a book about sex positions, but it's also likely not as "interesting" as you think it is: even the second book for which this work is famous for. It all gets a bit repetitive.
Best read if you've got a historical interest in Ancient India and related customs.
This translation is very readable and can be recommended purely for the inclusion of the extensive included Jayamangala Sanskrit commentary.
['Y' and 'S' below indicate extracts taken from commentaries, not the main text]
__________
In recommending that the man not touch the woman sexually for the first three nights after marriage, using this time to understand her feelings, win her trust, and arouse her love, Vatsayana takes a momentous step in the history of Indian sexuality by introducing the notion of love in sex. He even goes so far as to advance the radical notion thatthe ultimate goal of marriage is to develop love between the couple and thus considers the love-marriage (which the religious texts regarded as ritually ‘low’ and disapproved of, and which is still a rarity in contemporary Indian society) to be the pre-eminent form of marriage.
Y: A man should not be congratulated
If he happens to succeed tag something without knowing its science,
For it is pure chance, like a bookworm eating a hole
In the shape of a letter of the alphabet.
Childhood is the time to acquire knowledge and other kinds of power, the prime of youth is for pleasure, and old age is for religion and release.
Y: There is a saying:
Until the age of sixteen a man is a child,
As long as he eats rice cooked in milk;
He is middle-aged until he is seventy; and after that he is said to be old.
S: Until the age of sixteen, a woman is called a girl, from sixteen to thirty a young woman. After the first age, when they re equal, the men are much older than the women with whom they are matched; a woman is old at fifty, a man at seventy.
Power, in the form of wealth, consists in acquiring knowledge . . .
Pleasure, in general, consists in engaging the ear, skin, eye, tongue, and nose each in its own appropriate sensation, all under the control of the mind and heart driven by the conscious self.
People should not indulge in pleasures . . . they make a man associate with worthless people and undertake bad projects; they make him impure, a man with no future, as well as careless, lightweight, untrustworthy, and unacceptable. And it is said that many men in the thrall of desire were destroyed, even when accompanied by their troops.
Undertake any project that might achieve
The three aims of life, or two, or even just one,
But not one that achieves one
At the cost of the other two.
When a man has become educated, he enters the householder stage of life and begins the lifestyle of a man-about-town, using the money that he has inherited, on the one hand, or obtained from gifts, conquest, trade, or wages, on the other, or from both. He settles down in a. City, a capital city, a market town, or some large gathering where there are good people, or wherever he has to stay to make a living.
But nothing rash should be done merely because of passion.
Y: For sometimes when a woman has made love with one man she may make love with other men who happen to be there. And so it is said:
A fire is never sated by logs,
Not the ocean by the rivers that flow into it;
Death cannot be sated by all the creatures in the world,
Nor a fair-eyed woman by men.
Y: Indeed, woman want a climax that takes a long time to produce, because they desire is eight times that of a man.
The man is aroused by the thought, ‘I am taking her’, the young woman by the thought, ‘I am being taken by him.’
When the wheel of sexual ecstasy is in full motion,
There is no textbook at all, and no order.
The emotions and fantasies
Conjured up in a moment
In the midst of sexual chaos
Cannot be imagined even in dreams.
With the flowers from her hair strewn about, her laughter interrupted by her hard breathing . . .
Y: As Vasishtha says:
‘But a man who copulates
In the mouth of his wife
Causes his ancestors to starve
For fifteen years.
[*Note: The passage that Y cites from Vasishtha is at 12.23, where the ancestors of the man who copulates in the mouth of his wife do not starve for fifteen years but, rather, are forced to eat nothing but his semen for a month.]
For the statement that ’There is a text for this’
Does not justify a practice.
. . . Medical science, for example,
Recommends cooking even dog meat,
For juice and virility;
But what intelligent person would eat it?
A room of his house dedicated to sex, a room decorated, full of flowers, and fragrant with perfume and incense . . .
Never court a girl
With a disgusting name
That is a constellation, a river, a tree,
Or ends in a syllable beginning with ‘l’ or ‘r’.
For it is commonly said: ‘Young women desire right from the start a man whom they know well and see all the time, but, even when they desire him, they do not make advances.’
Whenever he gives her anything or receives anything from her, he invests it with erotic feeling.
This suitor is the best
Because his very nature is love.
Now, there are ten stages of desire, and their signs are: love at first sight, the attachment oft he mind and heart, the stimulation of the imagination, broken sleep, weight loss, revulsion against sensual objects, the loss of all sense of shame, madness, loss of consciousness, and death.
He carries on a conversation that seems to be about something else but has a double meaning, about her . . .
He cooks the heart of a mongoose, the fruits of a fenugreek plant and a long gourd, and snake eyes, over a fire that does not smoke. Then he rubs into this the same measure of the collegium used as eye make-up. When he has smeared his eyes with this, he can move about without a shadow or a body.
When the man arrives, she gives him a love-gift, something that will arouse his love or erotic curiosity, saying, “This is for you alone, and no one else, to enjoy.”
__________
Yashodhara’s comment on 7.1.25 (‘Do this in such a way that the woman you want does not realize, “A man with something spread on his penis is making love to me”’) has inspired at least one reader to remark, ‘Any woman who would let you make love to her with all that stuff smeared on you would have to be madly in love with you already.’
April 9, 2012
The Kama Sutra handles subjects of marriage, hetero- and homosexuality, monogami and polygami alike, how to steal a woman from another man – as well as the life of courtesans, and last mot not least, how to attract a woman by extra ”medicines”.
It handles things quite ”scientifically” and is in no way erotic. In fact, only one out of seven parts discusses ”Sexual Union” while the rest focuses on more cultural issues and etiquette. Most of which are clearly outdated, but hence I have a great general historical interest – I found it both fascinating and, at times, comical to read about how you were supposed to behave around, and treat a woman 2000 or so years ago – also how a woman herself is to treat males of various castes and social standing.
In a way, it is not so different from those classic 19th-20th century ”house wife” books – and when taking time to reflect, it is not so much different from our woman world view before 20th century. The only difference is that in India, it’s been written down in, perhaps you might say, pure scientific matter of fact.
It handles things quite ”scientifically” and is in no way erotic. In fact, only one out of seven parts discusses ”Sexual Union” while the rest focuses on more cultural issues and etiquette. Most of which are clearly outdated, but hence I have a great general historical interest – I found it both fascinating and, at times, comical to read about how you were supposed to behave around, and treat a woman 2000 or so years ago – also how a woman herself is to treat males of various castes and social standing.
In a way, it is not so different from those classic 19th-20th century ”house wife” books – and when taking time to reflect, it is not so much different from our woman world view before 20th century. The only difference is that in India, it’s been written down in, perhaps you might say, pure scientific matter of fact.
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February 19, 2015كنت فاكره هاعرف مصدر (سرسوب) الحب الهندي .. و الرومانسية الاوفر :) اللى بيطلعوا علينا من افلامهم دي :) .. طلع موضوع تانى .. بس ما علينا .. لغاية دلوقتى شايفاه كتاب ديني عادي جدا
بيتناول الموضوع من منحى ديني و روحانى ...
*****
المقدس و المدنس ...
لسه موش قادرين نفهم تأويلاتهم و نفرق و نفصل مابينهم .. لسه موش قادرين نعرف ان احنا اللى بنضفي بافعالنا و تصرفاتنا و نوايانا صفة القداسة او الدناسة على اي شئ .. و ان مافيش شئ بذاته مقدس او مدنس غير اللى ربنا عز وجل اضفى عليه الصفة دى .. و الموضوع اللي بيناقشه الكتاب
موش مدنس في حد ذاته
.....
في القرآن الكريم كان فيه تعرض للمواضيع دي من منحى عقائدي زي ما فى الآية الكريمة :
(فَأْتُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ)
و من منحى سردي زي ما في سور يوسف ...
و في المسيحية كان فيه (نشيد الانشاد) و اللى عن نفسي باشوفه مجرد شعر رقيق مرهف موش على الحد دا من الابتذال اللى بيحاول يصوره البعض دا غير انه بينسب لسيدنا سليمان و عروسه موش لله عزوجل عموما
فلازم نتقبل مناقشة مواضيع زي دي مادام من جوانب غير مبتذلة .. سواء دينية او علمية .. و لازم نحاول نفهم و نطلع على عقائد و علوم و اديان غيرنا .. لاننا فى مرحلة صدام حضارات دلوقتى :)
بيتناول الموضوع من منحى ديني و روحانى ...
*****
المقدس و المدنس ...
لسه موش قادرين نفهم تأويلاتهم و نفرق و نفصل مابينهم .. لسه موش قادرين نعرف ان احنا اللى بنضفي بافعالنا و تصرفاتنا و نوايانا صفة القداسة او الدناسة على اي شئ .. و ان مافيش شئ بذاته مقدس او مدنس غير اللى ربنا عز وجل اضفى عليه الصفة دى .. و الموضوع اللي بيناقشه الكتاب
موش مدنس في حد ذاته
.....
في القرآن الكريم كان فيه تعرض للمواضيع دي من منحى عقائدي زي ما فى الآية الكريمة :
(فَأْتُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ)
و من منحى سردي زي ما في سور يوسف ...
و في المسيحية كان فيه (نشيد الانشاد) و اللى عن نفسي باشوفه مجرد شعر رقيق مرهف موش على الحد دا من الابتذال اللى بيحاول يصوره البعض دا غير انه بينسب لسيدنا سليمان و عروسه موش لله عزوجل عموما
فلازم نتقبل مناقشة مواضيع زي دي مادام من جوانب غير مبتذلة .. سواء دينية او علمية .. و لازم نحاول نفهم و نطلع على عقائد و علوم و اديان غيرنا .. لاننا فى مرحلة صدام حضارات دلوقتى :)
March 6, 2016
I picked up this edition today at the Art Institute of Chicago and it isn’t ‘The Kama Sutra,’ but simply a collection of paintings with some random blocks of texts—which I didn’t enjoy reading.
December 5, 2021
In ancient India wisdom and sensuality were seen as two sides of an identical coin. To hold close and take pleasure in sex was considered to be a fundamental ingredient in the expedition of life to be enjoyed without culpability.
Sexuality was at the very spirit of all Hindu culture, including poetry, art, and music. Ancient Hindu sages preached the magnitude of sexual love; temple walls and religious caves were carved with delicately erotic sculptures; and Hindu paintings detailed unambiguous sexual activities.
One text has prominently stood the test of time to become the state-of-the-art sensible guide to great sex: the Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana.
Barely anything is known about Vatsyayana himself. His real name was purportedly Mallinaga or Mrillana, Vatsyayana being his family name. At the closing stages of his work, Vatsyayana wrote:
‘After reading and considering the works of Babhravya and other ancient authors, and thinking over the meaning of the rules given by them, this treatise was composed, according to the precepts of the Holy Writ, for the benefit of the world, by Vatsyayana, while leading the life of a religious student at Benares, and wholly engaged in the contemplation of the Deity. This work is not to be used merely as an instrument for satisfying our desires. A person acquainted with the true principles of this science, who preserves his dharma, his artha and his kama, and who has regard for the customs of the people, is sure to obtain mastery over his senses. In short, an intelligent and knowing person, attending to dharma and artha and also to kama, without becoming the slave of his passions, will obtain success in everything that he may do…’
Though it is unfeasible to put an exact date on Vatsyayana's life or work, based on certain references in his work, it is presumed that he lived sometime between the 1st and 6th century A.D.
Vatsyayana mentions that Satakarni Satavahana, a king of Kuntala, seized with the passion of love, deprived Malayavati, his wife, of her life by using kartari, a highly ardent scissor-like grip.
Vatsyayana quotes this to warn lovers of the danger of such practices when under the influence of an all-consuming passion. Since this king of Kuntala is believed to have lived and reigned during the 1st century A.D., Vatsyayana must have lived after him.
Varahamihira, who is believed to have lived during the 6th century, wrote ‘Brihatsamhita’, the Science of Love. In the 18th chapter he appears to have borrowed largely from Vatsyayana on the subject. Therefore Vatsyayana must have written his works earlier, though not earlier than the 1st century A.D., and not later than the 6th century.
The book consists of 36 chapters organised into 7 sections containing 1,250 verses. It examines 4 purusharthas or necessary ends of worldly human action:
1) Dharma (merit and virtue),
2) Artha (prosperity and authority),
3) Kama (pleasure) and
4) Moksha (deliverance) –
The book offers all-inclusive advice for a good and pleasurable life.
Although the guidance is offered from the vantage point of a sophisticated but virtuous male, it also pertains to women, with tips that cover almost every aspect of living, from youth through courtship, romance, sex and marriage.
It tells males and females what to wear, what to eat, with whom to socialise, and how to act in order to achieve the power that will be a magnet for others. Members of both genders are counselled to become well-versed in the arts of pleasure in all of its forms.
As after-dinner warm-up entertainments, the author chiefly recommends a list of ‘well-known games peculiar to different regions, like plucking the mango, eating roasted grain, nibbling lotus stems, collecting new leaves, squirting water, pantomimes, the silk-cotton tree game, and mock-fights with wild jasmine flowers.’
When it comes to sexual interaction, the author devotes broad attention to diverse methods of embracing, kissing, scratching, biting, hitting and moaning, oral sex and coital positions.
Four of the ‘embraces at the time of actual sexual union’, for example, include the ‘twining creeper’, the ‘climbing a tree’, the ‘sesame seeds and rice grains’, and the ‘milk and water’. Another involves using the thighs ‘like a pair of tongs’.
It sanctions sexual relations on grounds of pleasure, not just reproduction, and allows that females can also achieve orgasm.
Given that it was written so long ago, in a culture that the West has always alleged to be intensely rooted in misogynist traditions, the Kama Sutra’s philosophy of gender relations seems outstandingly progressive.
When the Kama Sutra was published for the general readership at the height of the Western sexual revolution in the 1960s, people were astonished by the diversity and portrayals of its lovemaking positions.
In the West, sex had been a repressed subject for a long time and was viewed as a conserve for male enjoyment merely. Women’s sexuality and sexual needs were hardly ever discussed or even acknowledged. It was extensively accepted that women put up with sex to please their husbands and to bear children. Unexpectedly, the West discovered what the East had known for thousands of years—that women were as orgasmic as men and could derive as much pleasure and contentment from sex as their partners.
Not only that, the skeptical Western reader also discovered that there were many other lovemaking positions to be thoroughly enjoyed over and above the male-dominant “Missionary position.”
The Kama Sutra is incredible for its non-judgmental and very no-nonsense approach to sexual matters, and a profusion of its teaching remains pertinent and fascinating to the modern man and woman.
The Kama Sutra certainly makes it very obvious that the woman’s approval is as important as the man’s and recent research confirms that most men now share this opinion.
Modern translations of the book demonstrates that Vatsyayana’s text was perhaps more noninterventionist and democratic than was formerly thought, and that Burton’s translation—though a superb attainment for its time—is marred by Victorian squeamishness and roundabout language that was not evident in the original Sanskrit.
The new translators even go so far as to suggest that Burton infrequently adapted the text to slot in Victorian values.
A predominantly unconcealed example is Burton’s translation of Vatsyayana’s description of what a woman should do when her husband is unfaithful:
“She should not blame him excessively, though she be a little displeased. She should not use abusive language toward him, but rebuke him with conciliatory words.”
The modern translation reveals that Vatsyayana in fact advised that the woman should reprimand her husband with rude language, whether he is alone or in company. These are two very dissimilar interpretations.
The Kama Sutra was written during a period of economic growth with greater scope for stylish living, and of increased cultural activity, in a society which recognized the legitimacy of pleasure as a basic human pursuit, along with that of virtue and wealth.
It expounded on the first, but also urged a balance with the other two, as is evident from the final verse of its epilogue.
Its meticulous expositions on the lifestyles of cultivated gentlemen and trendy courtesans give some idea of the audience to which it was addressed.
Later literary evidence would indicate that both used it as a guide for recreational and professional purposes. But it also dwells on other matters, particularly of marital import, such as:
1) The aesthetic education of girls;
2) The wooing of a prospective bride;
3) The role of partners in matrimony, monogamous as well as polygamous;
4) Romantic relationships outside marriage, and
5) Erotic techniques for the enhancement of sensual pleasure.
It is thus a practically all-inclusive guidebook on loving and living, and deals both with modern issues and others which are eternal.
Attitudes toward sex are continuously in flux, not only because of generational, religious, and cultural differences, but also because of ever-changing attitudes towards matters of health, economics, gender relationships, and societal conditions. Sexual matters that shock one group of people may be regarded as inconsequential or simply titillating by another.
Today, sex is no longer the forbidden subject that it once was in the West. The pendulum has in fact swung, and sex is all around us in the media, advertising, and the arts. All too often it is portrayed as a selling point without any emotional content. Regularly, it is presented as a combat zone between men and women: who dictates, who gets the better orgasm, and who lasts longer.
There is little mystery and romance to this modern-day depiction of sexuality.
Therefore, in the spirit of the original Kama Sutra, it should be the endeavour of the readers to remind themselves that good sex is developed out of deference for the distinctions and the similarities of the sexual and emotional needs of men and women.
Sexuality was at the very spirit of all Hindu culture, including poetry, art, and music. Ancient Hindu sages preached the magnitude of sexual love; temple walls and religious caves were carved with delicately erotic sculptures; and Hindu paintings detailed unambiguous sexual activities.
One text has prominently stood the test of time to become the state-of-the-art sensible guide to great sex: the Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana.
Barely anything is known about Vatsyayana himself. His real name was purportedly Mallinaga or Mrillana, Vatsyayana being his family name. At the closing stages of his work, Vatsyayana wrote:
‘After reading and considering the works of Babhravya and other ancient authors, and thinking over the meaning of the rules given by them, this treatise was composed, according to the precepts of the Holy Writ, for the benefit of the world, by Vatsyayana, while leading the life of a religious student at Benares, and wholly engaged in the contemplation of the Deity. This work is not to be used merely as an instrument for satisfying our desires. A person acquainted with the true principles of this science, who preserves his dharma, his artha and his kama, and who has regard for the customs of the people, is sure to obtain mastery over his senses. In short, an intelligent and knowing person, attending to dharma and artha and also to kama, without becoming the slave of his passions, will obtain success in everything that he may do…’
Though it is unfeasible to put an exact date on Vatsyayana's life or work, based on certain references in his work, it is presumed that he lived sometime between the 1st and 6th century A.D.
Vatsyayana mentions that Satakarni Satavahana, a king of Kuntala, seized with the passion of love, deprived Malayavati, his wife, of her life by using kartari, a highly ardent scissor-like grip.
Vatsyayana quotes this to warn lovers of the danger of such practices when under the influence of an all-consuming passion. Since this king of Kuntala is believed to have lived and reigned during the 1st century A.D., Vatsyayana must have lived after him.
Varahamihira, who is believed to have lived during the 6th century, wrote ‘Brihatsamhita’, the Science of Love. In the 18th chapter he appears to have borrowed largely from Vatsyayana on the subject. Therefore Vatsyayana must have written his works earlier, though not earlier than the 1st century A.D., and not later than the 6th century.
The book consists of 36 chapters organised into 7 sections containing 1,250 verses. It examines 4 purusharthas or necessary ends of worldly human action:
1) Dharma (merit and virtue),
2) Artha (prosperity and authority),
3) Kama (pleasure) and
4) Moksha (deliverance) –
The book offers all-inclusive advice for a good and pleasurable life.
Although the guidance is offered from the vantage point of a sophisticated but virtuous male, it also pertains to women, with tips that cover almost every aspect of living, from youth through courtship, romance, sex and marriage.
It tells males and females what to wear, what to eat, with whom to socialise, and how to act in order to achieve the power that will be a magnet for others. Members of both genders are counselled to become well-versed in the arts of pleasure in all of its forms.
As after-dinner warm-up entertainments, the author chiefly recommends a list of ‘well-known games peculiar to different regions, like plucking the mango, eating roasted grain, nibbling lotus stems, collecting new leaves, squirting water, pantomimes, the silk-cotton tree game, and mock-fights with wild jasmine flowers.’
When it comes to sexual interaction, the author devotes broad attention to diverse methods of embracing, kissing, scratching, biting, hitting and moaning, oral sex and coital positions.
Four of the ‘embraces at the time of actual sexual union’, for example, include the ‘twining creeper’, the ‘climbing a tree’, the ‘sesame seeds and rice grains’, and the ‘milk and water’. Another involves using the thighs ‘like a pair of tongs’.
It sanctions sexual relations on grounds of pleasure, not just reproduction, and allows that females can also achieve orgasm.
Given that it was written so long ago, in a culture that the West has always alleged to be intensely rooted in misogynist traditions, the Kama Sutra’s philosophy of gender relations seems outstandingly progressive.
When the Kama Sutra was published for the general readership at the height of the Western sexual revolution in the 1960s, people were astonished by the diversity and portrayals of its lovemaking positions.
In the West, sex had been a repressed subject for a long time and was viewed as a conserve for male enjoyment merely. Women’s sexuality and sexual needs were hardly ever discussed or even acknowledged. It was extensively accepted that women put up with sex to please their husbands and to bear children. Unexpectedly, the West discovered what the East had known for thousands of years—that women were as orgasmic as men and could derive as much pleasure and contentment from sex as their partners.
Not only that, the skeptical Western reader also discovered that there were many other lovemaking positions to be thoroughly enjoyed over and above the male-dominant “Missionary position.”
The Kama Sutra is incredible for its non-judgmental and very no-nonsense approach to sexual matters, and a profusion of its teaching remains pertinent and fascinating to the modern man and woman.
The Kama Sutra certainly makes it very obvious that the woman’s approval is as important as the man’s and recent research confirms that most men now share this opinion.
Modern translations of the book demonstrates that Vatsyayana’s text was perhaps more noninterventionist and democratic than was formerly thought, and that Burton’s translation—though a superb attainment for its time—is marred by Victorian squeamishness and roundabout language that was not evident in the original Sanskrit.
The new translators even go so far as to suggest that Burton infrequently adapted the text to slot in Victorian values.
A predominantly unconcealed example is Burton’s translation of Vatsyayana’s description of what a woman should do when her husband is unfaithful:
“She should not blame him excessively, though she be a little displeased. She should not use abusive language toward him, but rebuke him with conciliatory words.”
The modern translation reveals that Vatsyayana in fact advised that the woman should reprimand her husband with rude language, whether he is alone or in company. These are two very dissimilar interpretations.
The Kama Sutra was written during a period of economic growth with greater scope for stylish living, and of increased cultural activity, in a society which recognized the legitimacy of pleasure as a basic human pursuit, along with that of virtue and wealth.
It expounded on the first, but also urged a balance with the other two, as is evident from the final verse of its epilogue.
Its meticulous expositions on the lifestyles of cultivated gentlemen and trendy courtesans give some idea of the audience to which it was addressed.
Later literary evidence would indicate that both used it as a guide for recreational and professional purposes. But it also dwells on other matters, particularly of marital import, such as:
1) The aesthetic education of girls;
2) The wooing of a prospective bride;
3) The role of partners in matrimony, monogamous as well as polygamous;
4) Romantic relationships outside marriage, and
5) Erotic techniques for the enhancement of sensual pleasure.
It is thus a practically all-inclusive guidebook on loving and living, and deals both with modern issues and others which are eternal.
Attitudes toward sex are continuously in flux, not only because of generational, religious, and cultural differences, but also because of ever-changing attitudes towards matters of health, economics, gender relationships, and societal conditions. Sexual matters that shock one group of people may be regarded as inconsequential or simply titillating by another.
Today, sex is no longer the forbidden subject that it once was in the West. The pendulum has in fact swung, and sex is all around us in the media, advertising, and the arts. All too often it is portrayed as a selling point without any emotional content. Regularly, it is presented as a combat zone between men and women: who dictates, who gets the better orgasm, and who lasts longer.
There is little mystery and romance to this modern-day depiction of sexuality.
Therefore, in the spirit of the original Kama Sutra, it should be the endeavour of the readers to remind themselves that good sex is developed out of deference for the distinctions and the similarities of the sexual and emotional needs of men and women.
October 21, 2018
Found this again the other day in an old stack of books I needed to box up for storage. I ended up reading this again and lending it to a friend, as all good books should end up (if you have friends that return books).
I always find this book interesting and not for the commonly thought reasons. Yes it is a book about sex, but it also a book that leads up to the act by discussing social climates, moods and behavior, psychological conundrums and mindset and energy. There are bold pictures here, showing positions and processes that are interesting as well, and yet the overall read drew my eye to the words, with the plates and pictures as a compliment, always.
This stands as one of the greatest works of relationships, in many ways. It gets talked about as taboo or as outright disgusting old adult literature, but I disagree. There are many things going on in this book and the various positions, in talking, touching and physically exercising the usages here are myriad. Make no mistake, this book gets you going in many ways, but I feel that when the mind is stimulated, the heart and body follow along and the entire experiment yields the desired outcome.
Don't hear many people talk about this book anymore. There are variations of the translation out there in multitude, but this one I enjoy the most.
Danny
I always find this book interesting and not for the commonly thought reasons. Yes it is a book about sex, but it also a book that leads up to the act by discussing social climates, moods and behavior, psychological conundrums and mindset and energy. There are bold pictures here, showing positions and processes that are interesting as well, and yet the overall read drew my eye to the words, with the plates and pictures as a compliment, always.
This stands as one of the greatest works of relationships, in many ways. It gets talked about as taboo or as outright disgusting old adult literature, but I disagree. There are many things going on in this book and the various positions, in talking, touching and physically exercising the usages here are myriad. Make no mistake, this book gets you going in many ways, but I feel that when the mind is stimulated, the heart and body follow along and the entire experiment yields the desired outcome.
Don't hear many people talk about this book anymore. There are variations of the translation out there in multitude, but this one I enjoy the most.
Danny
January 23, 2023
Soooo this book was a thoughtful wedding gift from very good friends. It was an auspiciously perfect one at that. And I really wanted to like it but alas here I am one star-ing it. Admittedly I enjoyed the beginning two "books" and of course the hilariously lascivious pictures (it can't be overstated how outrageous they are). However the book ends in basically an ancient spam email on how to INCREASE YOUR SIZe and kEeP it TYGHt. I dunno maybe in reality two stars all in all but the ending was really that dumb. Also kinda rapey at times which is suboptimal so yeah I'll keep it at 1.
February 16, 2011
not just sex n make love, guyzz!!..
August 23, 2021
Five stars. A great finish.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
October 17, 2023dnf @10
January 25, 2013
It undoubtedly would've been helpful for me personally had I read this classic work as a younger man, rather than as one now approaching his 80's! Unfortunately, most Americans, hearing the name Kama Sutra, immediately think "sex manual". Here's how the 3rd cent. Indian author, Mallanaga Vatsyayanna, in the Epilogue sums it up:
"...One who understands [the Kama Sutra's] essence
will look to virtue, wealth and pleasure,
his own faith, the world around him,
and not act just out of passion...
Learned and adept in these,
looking to virtue, also wealth
and not seeking only pleasure
with a passion excessive,
he will succeed in what he does."
The Kama Sutra is eminently practical, but also explains the logical reasons behind what it suggests. I noticed, too, that over & over again it makes "recommendations": recognizing that each person has to approach the subject matter in view of his/her own circumstances, locality, social norms, etc. Such a book, it seems to me, would be an invaluable aid in sex education courses in helping young minds understand that it's definitely not "all about sex".
For the record, this edition, beautifully translated from the Sanscrit by A. N. D. Haksar in 2011, is not illustrated. I didn't actually notice this until I started reading some of the descriptions, and realized that probably I'd have been much too distracted from the content of the work had there been illustrations. Having read it and understood its purpose better, it could be helpful now to find a good illustrated edition for further perusal.
"...One who understands [the Kama Sutra's] essence
will look to virtue, wealth and pleasure,
his own faith, the world around him,
and not act just out of passion...
Learned and adept in these,
looking to virtue, also wealth
and not seeking only pleasure
with a passion excessive,
he will succeed in what he does."
The Kama Sutra is eminently practical, but also explains the logical reasons behind what it suggests. I noticed, too, that over & over again it makes "recommendations": recognizing that each person has to approach the subject matter in view of his/her own circumstances, locality, social norms, etc. Such a book, it seems to me, would be an invaluable aid in sex education courses in helping young minds understand that it's definitely not "all about sex".
For the record, this edition, beautifully translated from the Sanscrit by A. N. D. Haksar in 2011, is not illustrated. I didn't actually notice this until I started reading some of the descriptions, and realized that probably I'd have been much too distracted from the content of the work had there been illustrations. Having read it and understood its purpose better, it could be helpful now to find a good illustrated edition for further perusal.
January 13, 2012
The Kama Sutra by Vatsyayana is a great book that gives a detailed description on several aspects on sex, love and marriage in Sanskriti culture. There's a lot of cultural information in this collection of tales and advice that is really interesting and rather surprising. These examples are made using the highest ideal/potential one can work towards. It's not the general standard that was actually lived by but the standards a person was meant to aim for.
I would use this book as a part of sexual education. A clean, unbiased use of the book would give a decent background to people about what could be possible in a sexual relationship. It's not enough to cram down the negative fallout of what could happen if you have uninformed, unprotected sex. People should learn the varied depth of what emotional and physical pleasure is about.
I would use this book as a part of sexual education. A clean, unbiased use of the book would give a decent background to people about what could be possible in a sexual relationship. It's not enough to cram down the negative fallout of what could happen if you have uninformed, unprotected sex. People should learn the varied depth of what emotional and physical pleasure is about.
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