Chapter 1.3 - The supplementary Arts and Sciences

The third adhyaya deals with the arts and sciences which are supplimentary to the Kamasastra. Vatsyayana 16. samprayoga - paradhinatvat stripumsayorupayamapeksate | sa caupaya pratipattih kamasutraditi vatsyayanah | ka . su . 1.2.22, 23. 17. jatisvabhavagunadesaja-dharmacesta- bhavam gatesu vikalo ratitantramudhah | labdhavapi hi skhalati yauvanamamgananam kim narikelaphalamapya kapih karoti || rati . 1.8. 18. asadhyayah sukham siddhih siddhayam canuramjanam | raktayasca ratih samyak kamasastraprayojanam || rati . 1.7.

instructs not only young men but also young maids to learn Kamasutra with its subordinate arts and sciences before 19 marriage. Even after the marriage a lady may continue 20 to study with the permission of her husband. The Kamasutra, further says that a woman should learn this science 21 or at least a part of it from some confiding friend. Her teacher may be a daughter of nurse brought up with her, and already married, or a female friend who is trustworthy, or the sister of her mother, or a woman of equal age or an old female servant or a female beggar who may have formerly lived in the family, or her own sister, who 22 can always be trusted. 39 Sanskrit literature refers to many heroes and heroines who studied all the arts under their teachers. Rajasri grew up in the harem with her friends. 19. prayovanatstri | ka . su . 1.3.2. 20. pratta ca patyurabhiprayat | ka . su . 1.3.2. 23 21. tasmadvaisva sikajjanadrahati prayogamchastramekadesam va stri grhaniyat | ka . su . 1.3.13. Candrapida 22. acaryastu kanyanam pravrtta-purusasamprayoga sahasampravrddha dhatreyika tathabhuta ca va niratyayasambhasanasakhi, svayasca, matrsvasa vistrabdha tatsthaniya vrdvadasi, purvasamsrsta va bhiksuki, svasa ca visvasa - samprayogat | ka . su . 1.3.15. 23. atha rajasrirapi vidagdhasu sakhisu sakalasu kalasu avardhata | ... harsa pr . 233. Harsacarita of Bana. Ed. K. P . Parab, Nirnayasagara Press, Bombay, 1946.

learnt all the arts under his teacher. 24 Malati in the Kuttanimata, Vasantsena in the Mrcchakatika, Kankali in the Samayamatrka were well-versed in this science through an old woman. The Kamasutra having instructed the young people to study the subsidiary arts, gives the names of those subsidiary sixtyfour arts. There is no uniformity in the names of sixtyfour arts, because Vatsyayana, having given the list of sixtyfour arts remarks that there is another group of sixtyfour arts belonging to Pancala country, which will be described in the Samprayogika 25 Adhikarana. Yasodhara, the commentator of the Kamasutra gives another list of sixtyfour arts which he calls 'original arts' and which are found in different science. These sixtyfour arts are divided into four divisions viz., 24 arts depending upon action; 20 arts which are based on gambling; 16 arts which are on bed and 4 arts 26 39 24. candrapida ... acaryairupadisyamanah sarva vidya jagaha | kamda 1 .126. Kadambari of Bana. Ed. M. R. Kale, Motilal Banarasidass, Delhi, 1968. 25. pamcaliki ca catuhsasthirapara | tasyah prayogananvavetya samprayogakai vaksamah | ka . su . 1. 3. 17, 18. 26. sastrantare catusasthirmulakala uktah | jaya . 1.3.15. Jayamangala, Commentary on Kamasutra. Ed.Gosvami Damodara Shastri, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series, Benaras, 1929.

27 which are used after the coition. M. Sridharamurthy gives ten different lists of these arts and says that the list given by Vatsyayana is popular. 28 40 The following are the sixtyfour arts as given in 29 the Kamasutra: 1) singing, 2) playing on musical instruments, 3) dancing, 4) painting, 5) special drawing, 6) arraying and adorning a design with rice and flowers, 7) arranging 27. karmasraya caturvimsatih | dyutasraya vimsatih | sayanopacarika sodya | catastrah uttarakalah | jaya . 1.3.15. 28. 64 Kalegalu Bangalore University. • M.Shridharamurthy (in Kannada), - • 1. manibhumika - 29. 1. gitam 2. vadyam 3. nrtyam 4. alekhyam 5. visesakacchedyam 6. tandulakusumavali - vikarah 7. puspastaranam 8. dasanavasanamgaragah karma 10. sayanaracanam || udakavadyam 12. udakaghatah 13. citrasca yogah 14. malyagrathanavikalpah 15. sekharakapidapojanam 16. nepathyaprayogah 17. karnapatrabhamgah 18. gandhayuktih 19. bhusanayojanam 20. aindrajalah 21 kaucumarascayogah 22. hastalaghavam 23. vicitrasakayusamaksyavikarakriya 24. panakarasaragasavayojanam 25. sucivanakarmani 26. sutrakrida़ा 27. vinadamaruka vadyani 28. prahelika 29. pratimala 30. duva cikayogah 31. pustakavacanam 32. natakakhyayika darsanam 33. kavyasamasyapuranam 34. pattika vetravanavikalpah 35. taksakarmani 36 . taksanam kundakarmanyapadravyarthani 37. vastuvidya 38. rupyaratnapariksa 39 dhatuvadah 40. maniragakarajnanam 41. vrksayurvedayogah 42. mesakukkutalavakayuddhavidhih 43. sukasarika pralapanam 44. utsadane samvahane kesamardane ca kausalam 45. aksaramustika kathanam 460 mlecchitavikalpah 47. desabhasavijnanam 48. puspasakatika 49. nimittajnanam 50. yantramatrka 51. dharanamatrka 52. sampadayam 53. manasi kavyakriya 540 abhidhanakosah 55. chandovijnanam 56. kriyakalpah 57. chalitakayogah 58. vastragopanani 59. dyutavisesah 60. akarsakrida 61. balakridanakani 62. vainayikinam 63. vaijiyikanam 64. vyayamakinam ya vidyanam jnanamiti catuhsasthiramgavidyah kamasutra tyavayavinyah | ka . sa. 1.3.16. .

41 a bed of flowers, 8) colouring the teeth, garments and body, 9) fixing stained glass on a floor, 10) art of making beds, 11) playing on musical glasses filled with water which is popular as 'Jalataranga, Jalataranga, ' 12) beating with water, 13) various plans (which are described in Aupanisadika Prakarana), 14) stringing various garlands, 15) preparing chaplets, 16) stage playing, 17) art of making ear-ornaments, 18) preparing perfumes, 19) adorning with ornaments, 20) sorcery or magic, 21) executing plans explained by Kucumara, 22) dexterity, 23) culinary art or cookery, 24) making lemonades and acidulous drinks, 25) tailoring, 26) playing with thread, 27) playing on lute and drum, 28) solutions of riddles, 29) a game generally called antyaksarl which starts from the last syllable of a verse quoted by the opponent party, 30) speaking in such a manner that it should not be understood easily, 31) reading the books, 32) presenting dramas and akhyayikas, 33) completing the verse given as riddle, 34) preparing mats and chairs with cane, 35) carpentary, 36) preparing apadravya, 37) architecture, 38) examining gold, silver and diamonds, 39) mineralogy, 40) knowledge of mines and quarries, 41) horticulture, 42) art of cock quail and ram fighting, 43) teaching parrots and starlings to speak, 44) proficiency in cleaning, in massaging and in braiding, 45) telling the written matter in cipher, 46) speaking by

42 changing the forms of words, 47)knowledge of vernacular dialects, 48) art of making flower carriages, 49) knowledge of omens, 50) framing mystical diagrams, 51) remembering everything, 52) showing intelligence, 53) composing poems in the mind, 54) knowledge of dictionaries, 55) knowledge of prosody, 56) commenting on poems, 57) art of chainging the appearance of things, 58) hiding through clothes, 59) various ways of gambling, 60) gambling having understood the heart of dices, 61) preparing toys for children sports, 62) art of discipline, 63) art of winning, 64) knowledge of gymnastics. All these arts help the young people in one or the other way in their life. These arts are useful not only lm to gain love but also to lead a happy life. The classical Sanskrit literature gives many examples of heroes and heroines who were well-versed in these arts. Malayavati of the Nagananda was knowing the art of singing. Mahasveta in the Kadambari was playing on lute. Kalidasa's Malavika knew the art of dancing. Priyadarsika of Sriharsa was acquainted with drawing and painting. Many maid-servants were educated in preparing the bed according to the circumstances. Females in the harem were expert in watersport. Vasavadatta of Bhasa had profound knowledge of the art of stringing various garlands. Anasuye and

43 30 Priyamvada in the Abhijnana Sakuntala knew the art of adorning. Even the heroes studied these arts with great interest. The princes of the Dasakumara caritam were scholars in these arts. Udayana was famous for playing on lute, Nala and Bhima were expert in cookery. Bana gives a long description of Candrapida's education in different sciences. "He gained supreme proficiency in grammar, in mimamsa, in logic, in law, in political science, in different systems of gymnastics, in using all the weapons such as the bow, the disc, the sheild, the sword, the javelin, the spear, the axe, the mace etc., in driving a chariot, in riding on an elephant, in (playing on) various musical instruments such as the lute, the flute, the drum, the cymbals, the hallow pipe etc., in the works on dancing written by Bharata and others, in various musical treatises such as the one written by Narada etc. in training elephants, in ascertaining the age of a horse, in the marks on a person, in 30. pade, vakye, pramane dharmasastre, rajanitisu, vyayama - vidhatu, capa cakracarma - krpana - sakti - tomara-parasu - gadaprabhrtisu sarvesu ayudhavisesesu ratha- caryasu, gajaprsthesu vina venu - muraja- kamsya-tala- dardurapura - prabhutisu vahesu bharatadi-pranitesu nrttasastresu naradiya prabhrtisu gandharvaveda visesasu, hasita- siksayam, turamgavayojnane, purusalaksane, citrakarmani patraccheye pustaka vyapare, lekhyakarmani, sarvasudyatakalasu, sakunirutajnane, grahaganite, ratna pariksasu, darukarmani, dantavyapare, vastuvidyasu, ayurvede cantraprayoga, visapaharane, suramgipabhede, tarane lamghane, lutisu ratitantresu indrajale, kathasu, natakesu akhyayikasu, kavyesu, mahabharatapurana, itihasa ramayanesu sarvalipisu sarvabhasasu, sarvasamjnasu, sarva silpesu, chandah su anyesu api kala visesasu param kausalamavapa | kadam • pr . 126.

' drawing pictures, in painting 'patralata' decorations, in writing manuscripts, in engraving, in all the arts of gambling, in interpreting the chirping of birds, in making astronomical calculations, in testing precious stones, in carpentary, in ivory-carving, in the art of building, in the science of medicine, in using machines, in antidotes against poisons, in breaking open by means of mines, in swimming, in rowing, in jumping, in erotic arts, in magic, in (the study of) romances, dramas, tales, poems, Mahabharata, Puranas, historical works, Ramayana in all dialects of the country, in all the signs, in mechanical arts, in prosody and in different arts. Here Bana has taken many arts from the list of sixtyfour arts given by Vatsyayana. Kamasutra compels a courtesan to learn all these arts furnishing its uses. A public woman endowed with a good disposition, beauty and other winning qualities and who has studied the above arts obtains the fame of a Ganika of high status and receives a seat of honour in an assemblage of men. men. 31 Therefore Damodaragupta describes the skill of Malati, the young harlot, through a servant 31. abhirabhyucchrita vesya silarupagunanvita | labhate ganitasabdam sthanam ca jana-samsadi || ka . su . 5.20. 44

45 } before a young and rich man called Cintamani thus- "She (Malati) is acquainted with Vatsyayana, Madanodaya, Dattaka, Bharata, Visakhila and Dantila. She knows gardening, #32 At the drawing, sewing, sorcery, painting and cookery. time of Vatsyayana a harlot had great respect in the society. Hence the Kamasutra states that she (the harlot who studied 64 arts) is always respected by the king and 33 praised by learned men. S.K.De opines the same-"Judging from what Vatsyayana says as well as from the historical example of Ambapalika of Vaisall Licchivis and Vasantsena 'of Sudraka's drama, one should think that the accomplished courtesan, comparable to the Greek hataera occupied an important position in the social life of the period. At that time she had wealth, power and beauty. She had interest in literary and artistic taste. Nobody was hesitating to enter her house. Moreover, the man who a 34 used to visit her house was called dignified, civilized as well as lover of arts. ng 1 32. vatsyayana-madanodaya-dettaka - vitaputra - rajaputradyaih | ullapitam yatkimcit tat tasyah hrdayadesamadhyaste || bharata - visa khila-dantila - vrksayurveda citra sutresu | patraccheda vidhane bhramakarmani pustasudasastresu || kuttani . 123,124. 33. pujita sa sada rajna gunavadabhisca samstuta || ka . su . 1.3.21. 34. K. L.Mukhopadhyaya. Ancient Indian Erotic Literature, p.97, (Calcutta, 1959.) ! 1 1 1