2. Works on Kāmaśāstra (i): Bābhravyakārikā

It is known from the Kāmasūtra of Vātsyāyana that Bābhravya was an earlier authority of Kāmaśāstra. In several places, Vātsyāyana quotes Bābhravya to strengthen and establish his theories. There are no texts available now that belong to Bābhravya. The present work Bābhravyakārikā is available with a Sanskrit commentary by Kāmarāja who was the son of Sāmarājadīkṣita (Author of Ratikallolinī). But, there is no solid evidence to prove that this work belongs to Bābhravya. As referred to Vātsyāyana, the Kāmasūtra of Bābhravya was a gigantic text which comprises of 150 chapters. The present discourse Bābhravyakārikā includes only 7 adhikaraṇas, 16 prakaraṇas and 145 kārikas. Like Vātsyāyanakāmasūtra, here also the chapters are classified as adhikaraṇas namely, Sādhāraṇa, Sāmprayogika, Kanyāsamprayukta, Bhāryādhikārika, Pāradārika Vaiśika and Aupaniṣadika. The text deals with almost all the topics discussed by Vātsyāyana in an abridged form. Valid evidences are seen in the text to prove easily that the whole work is an interpretation or an attempt at restoring the text in the name of Bābhravya.

At the starting of the text, the commentator praises the goddess Rati (wife of Kāma) for the successful completion of the work;

haranayanānalakīlapradagdhakāyasya kāmasya | punarujjīvanakartrī, kāmeśī naḥ sadā pāyāt ||

Here, the word “punarujjīvanakartrī” (one who gives life again) is used to address Ratī, therefore it is clear that the commentator’s aim is to revive the text of Bābhravya.

Another example can be cited here to prove that the date of this work is after Vātsyāyana. In the last chapter, Aupaniṣadika, the author referred to Vātsyāyana and his Kāmasūtra^[1]. Therefore, till the discovery of a valid text of any predecessors of Vātsyāyana, it can be undoubtedly said that Kāmasūtra is the source text in the field of erotics.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

bābhravīyāṃśca sūtrārthānāgamya ca vimṛśyaśca | vātsyāyanaścakāredaṃ, kāmaśāstraṃ yathāvidhi || (bābhravyakārikā, 7. 8)