6.7. Importance of Sex Education in Ancient India

[Full title: Ancient Indian Social Life: Excerpts from Kāmaśāstra (7): Importance of Sex Education]

Education is one of the most important factors in the human life and man seeks to become learned in everything. Sexuality is also to be learned with much importance. The present social scenario discusses such subjects very freely but while going deeply it is seen that an unwanted fear or shyness is working in the in-depth of the mindset of human morality. In this case it is very relevant to think about the outlook towards sex education in an earlier period gleaned from Kāmaśāstra works.

In Kāmasūtra Vātsyāyna’s quotations in the form of Pūrvapakṣa is remarkable and it may consider as obstacles or misconceptions which are to be overcome while introducing a new theory. In the context of sex education also seen there is an important doubt raised by opponents.

They ask thus:

“The rules of Dharma, which are connected with the spiritual life, can only be known through authoritative texts. The secrets of Artha or material success, on the other hand are a matter of experience and the texts merely indicate how such experience should be put into practice. Since Kāma or eroticism is a universal natural phenomenon which is common to all animals, certain people ask why a specialized treatise on eroticism is needed”^[1].

This imperative question has risen by Vātsyāyana in Kāmasūtra presented as asked by the opponents (pūrvapakṣa). Answer is also very important and sufficient to strengthen own theory (siddhāntapakṣa). Vātsyāyana answers thus:

“Given the importance of the preliminary acts or samprayoga, the couples need rules of conduct. Among the creatures, with a relatively low level of consciousness, the females urged on by an unconscious instinct; behave according to their desire when the season arrives”^[2].

Some other texts of Kāmaśāstra also discussed on the topic Kāmaprayojana separately. They are almost repetitions and feels like a commentary of Vātsyāyana’s theory. For the general awareness those may quoted here.

According to Kokkoka,

“The usage of Kāmaśāstra mainly depended upon three ways, they are; attracting a woman who is not easily attainable, making love and trust in attained women and then enjoy the intercourse with a full-fledged pleasure with her. The delightful state of life is only sustainable one in the unstable world and to enjoy this pleasure, one should be aware about the science of erotics. If the man is ignorant about this knowledge, cannot attain the topmost level of pleasure and if he gets a lady, it is also useless as a monkey gets an unprocessed coconut”^[3].

In Nāgarasarvasva and Smaradīpikā it has uniquely said that;

“One who is expert in the science of erotics he will become the favorite of females and he can attract himself to the females; if one is ignorant about erotics, he will do sexual intercourse with women same as like animal. It is given to human by birth that the pleasure acquisition from sexual intercourse with different kinds of sexual techniques. That’s why a bull even it is surrounded by hundreds of cows could not feel or enjoy the pleasure in sex. Protecting own wife, attracting other’s wife, types of males and females according to different kinds of postures and knowledge in various sexual techniques are the result by learning Kāmaśāstra. Many times, he has seen many years of service, which means that he has lived hundred years while enjoying sexual pleasure, he has seen this world returning again and again.^[4] ”

In Paurūravamanasijasūtra;

“The sexual life of men who is not aware about the techniques said in Kāmaśāstra is same as like dog and who can never attain the pleasure. To know and experience the pleasure of sex, it is necessary to learn Kāmaśāstra in its right sense. The acting after the study will increase the level of pleasure. Otherwise sexual act will be useless and become like animals, it will lead to distress only. So, for the pleasure of sex, learning of this śāstra is necessary. Because, by the proper learning of the science of pleasure only, one will act sex in a right way, otherwise all of his acts will be like a bull.^[5] ”

In Anaṅgaraṅga, Kalyāṇamalla says;

“It is true that no joy in the world of mortals can compare with the satisfaction and pleasure arising from the possession of a beautiful woman. But, if someone is ignorant in the science of pleasure; his sexual life will be like animals even he got a beautiful women. One who is well versed in the art of this science, he will charm the hearts of women with different kinds of artistic acts. In this way, such kind of people will get the complete result of sexual pleasure in the intercourse.^[6] ”

While evaluating all the above given uses by learning Kāmaśāstra said by different scholars, a uniqueness is perceivable. Ignorance about the sexual knowledge will lead one to the state of animals. Vātsyāyana has already mentioned about the act of animals in sex and their aim of engaging intercourse^[7]. But in the case of humans, sex is a basic instinct as well as entertainment which lead them to make more and more expectations and inspirations in life. So, a detailed learning of these subjects is necessary to enrich material life according to the nāgarakas, because they lived only for enjoying the life. The objection is; there is no consideration about women here.

But in the beginning sections of Vātsyāyana’s thesis, some indications on the empowerment of sexual education among women can be found.

“A woman should study the Kāmasūtra and its subsidiary sciences before she reaches the prime of her youth, and she should continue when she has been married, only with the wishes and permission of her husband”^[8].

But the opposition side completely disagree with this statement and says thus;

“Since females cannot grasp knowledge and it is utter useless to teach women Kāmasūtra or any other texts”^[9].

Finally Vātsyāyana concludes his argument as:

“Women should learn and understand the practice, and the practice is based on texts”^[10].

In Kāmasūtra Vātsyāyana has said even for worthless that the equality in the pleasure acquisition of both men and women in sex will be praised^[11]; but while going back to the history, it is known that such theoretical definitions are not practically applied and only male dominated ideologies are fulfilled.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

dharmasyālaukikatvāttadabhidāyakaṃ śāstraṃ yuktam | upāyapūrvakatvādarthasiddheḥ | upāyapratipattiḥ śāstrāt | tiryagyoniṣvapi tu svayaṃ pravṛttatvāt kāmasya nityatvācca na śāstreṇa kṛtyamastītyacāryāḥ || (kāmasūtra, 1. 2. 16-17)

[2]:

saṃprayogaparādhīnatvāt strīpuṃsayorupāyamapekṣate | sā copāyapratipattiḥ kāmasūtrādidi vātsyāyanaḥ | tiryagyoniṣu punaranāvṛtatvāt strījāteśca, ṛtau yāvadarthaṃ pravṛtterabuddhipūrvakatvācca pravṛttīnāmanupāyaḥ pratyayaḥ || (kāmasūtra, 1. 2. 18-20)

[3]:

asādhyāyāḥ sukhaṃ siddhiḥ siddhāyāścānurañjanam | raktāyāśca ratiḥ samyak kāmaśāstraprayojanam ||  saṃsāre paṭalāntatoyatarale sāraṃ yadekaṃ paraṃ yasyāyaṃ ca samagra eva viṣayagrāmaprapaṃco mataḥ | tatsaukhyaṃ paratatvavedanamahānandopamaṃ mandadhīḥ ko vā vindati sūkṣmamanmathakalāvaicitryamūḍho janaḥ || jāti-svabhāvaguṇadeśajadharmaceṣṭābhāveṅkiteṣu vikalo ratitantramūḍhaḥ | labdhvāpi hi skhalati yauvanāṅganānānāṃ kiṃ nārikelaphalamāpya kapiḥ karoti || (ratirahasyam, 1. 6-8)

[4]:

nānā vicitraiḥ suratopacāraiḥ krīḍāsukhaṃ janmaphalaṃ narāṇām |
kiṃ saurabheyīśatamadhyavartī vṛṣo'pi sambhogasukhaṃ na bhuṅkte || (nāgarasarvasvam, 1. 3)
kāmaśāstrasya tatvajñāḥ jāyante sundarīpriyāḥ |
kāmaśāstramajānanto ramante paśuvatstriyam ||
nānānibandhaiḥ suratopacāraiḥ krīḍāsukhaṃ janmaphalaṃ narāṇāṃ |
kiṃ saurabheyīśatamadhyavartī vṛṣo'pi sambhogasukhaṃ na bhuṅkte ||
svanārī rakṣaṇaṃ puṃsāṃ paranāryanurañjanam |
bandhabhedeṅgitajñānametatphalamudāhṛtam ||
yena saṃvatsaro dṛṣṭaḥ sakṛtkāmassusevitaḥ |
tena sarvamidaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ punarāvartitaṃ jagat || (smaradīpikā, 1. 7-10)

[5]:

ratiśāstraparijñāne ye vihīnā narādhamāḥ | teṣāṃ ratiḥ śvānavatsyāt na rateḥ sukhamaśnute || rateḥ sukhasya jñānārthaṃ kāmaśāstraṃ samabhyaset | jñātvā karmāṇi kurvīta tatrānando bhavedhruvam || anyathā paśuvatteṣāṃ ratikarma suniṣphalam | na cānando na ca sukhaṃ duḥkhasyaiva tu kāraṇam || tasmādratisukhārthaṃ vai etacchāstraṃ samabhyaset | adhīte ratiśāstre tu tātparyajñānapūrvakam || tatkarmaṇyadhikārī syānnānyathā vṛṣavadbhavet || (paurūravamanasijasūtram, 1. 3-6)

[6]:

niḥsāre jagati prapañcanilaye sāraṃ kuraṅgīdṛśāmekaṃ bhogasukhaṃ parātmaparamānandena tulyaṃ viduḥ |
kṣajjātyadivivekamūḍhamanaso labdhvā'pi nānāṅganāḥ saṃvindanti na kāmatantravikalāḥ paśvādivanmānavāḥ ||
suviditaparamārthaḥ kāmaśāstrasya vidvān vividharativinodaiḥ kāminīnāṃ manāṃsi |
anudinamanurāgadrañjayedyaḥ salīlaṃ phalamavikalameva prāpnuyānmānavaḥ saḥ || (anaṅgaraṅgaḥ, 1. 5-6)

[7]:

tiryagyoniṣu punaranāvṛtatvāt strījāteśca, ṛtau yāvadarthaṃ pravṛtterabuddhipūrvakatvācca pravṛttīnāmupāyaḥ pratyayaḥ || (kāmasūtra, 1. 2. 20)

[8]:

prāgyauvanāt strī | prattā ca patyurabhiprāyāt || (kāmasūtra, 1. 3. 2)

[9]:

yoṣitāṃ śāstragrahaṇasyābhāvādanarthakamiha śāstre strīśāsanamityacāryāḥ || (kāmasūtra, 1. 3. 3)

[10]:

prayogagrahaṇaṃ tvāsām | prayogasya ca śāstrapūrvakatvāditi vātsyāyanaḥ || (kāmasūtra, 1. 3. 4.)

[11]:

parasparasukhāsvādā krīḍā yatra prayujyate | viśeṣayantī cānyonyaṃ saṃbandhaḥ sa vidhīyate || (kāmasūtra. 3. 1. 23.)