Chapter 1.4 - The life of Citizens and Educated persons

The fourth adhyaya gives a picture of the life of citizens. Here, a citizen means a civilized or dignified or educated man and it is not meant only for a dweller in a city. We see a vivid description of Nagaraka's house, his diary, his daily duties, occasional duties and his friends' circle. The Kamasutra directs a Nagaraka "to build a house in a city or large village or in the vicinity of good people. This abode should be situated near some water and surrounded by a lovely garden. It should contain different compartments for different purposes. Two parts must be there for dwelling. The inner part is for females. The outer part, sweet smelling with rich perfumes, should contain a soft bed which is low in the middle part with a white clean cloth to cover it. There should be two pillows one at the top and another at the bottom. A stool should be at the head on which are placed pigments, perfumes, garlands, bark of citron, betel and a box of cosmetics. A spitton should be there on the ground near the couch. There should be a lute hanging from a peg, books, a drawing board, a vessel containing perfumes and some garlands. Not far from the couch and on the ground there should be a round seat and a board for playing dice. There should be cages of birds outside the room. Separate places should be left there for spinning, carving etc. In the garden there should be a whirling swing and 2

a common swing as well as a bower of creepers full of flowers, in which a raised parterre should be there for sitting. house. *35 Really this is a description of an ideal Vatsyayana has given much importance for a house which is an abode of Grhastha and which gives him peace and pleasure. Having understood this idea of Kamasutra many poets have described houses, bed rooms etc., according to the tenets of love. Sudraka's elaborate description of Vasantasena's house resembles the above description and gives a glimpse of what was considered luxury in those days. Maitreya, the vidusaka, having seen that house, not only wonders but also gives a graphic picture of that house. He describes the doors, the rows of balconies, the part in which oxen, buffaloes, rams and horses were tied, the couches, the books, the gambling table, the kitchen, the birds, the parts meant for architect as well 47 35. nagare pattane kharvane mahati va sajjanasraye sthanam | yatravasadva | tatra bhavanamasannodakam vrksavatikavadvibhakta-karmakaksa dvivasagrham karayet | bayai ca vasagrhe supalaksanamubhayopadhanam madhye vinatam suklottaracchadam sayaniyam syat pratisayika ca | tasya siro bhage kurcasthanam | vedika ca | tatra ratrisesamanulepanam malyam siktha karandakam saugandhika-putika matulumgatvacastambulani ca syuh | bhumau patadgahah, nagadantavasakta vina, citraphalaka vartika samugdako, yah kascit pustakah murantakamalasca | natidure bhumau vrttastaranam samastakam | akarsaphalakam dyutaphalakam ca | tasya bahih kridasakunipamjarani | ekante ca tarka -taksana-sthanamanyasam ca kridanam | svastirna premkhadola vrksavatikayam sapracchaya sthandilapithika ca sakusumeti bhavanavinyasah | ka . su . 1.4.2.-15.

36 as music and the garden. house in the same manner. 37 Kalidasa's Yaksa describes his "There is a well which has steps of emerald slabs, a garden which has a red Asoka, Bakula trees and a bower prepared by Madhavi and Kuravaka creepers. There is a peacock which dances in the evening 39 to the gingling tune of bangles of his wife. There is also a starling in the cage which has sweet tone, "40 Some poets have described only the bed-chambers. 41 Bana describes the bed-room which reminds us of the description in the Kamasutra. He describes the holy place of walrmyha 36. IVth act of Mrcchakatika. Ed. M. R.Kale, Motilal Banarasidass, Delhi, 1982. 37. vapicasminmarakatasilabaddhasopanamarga ...| maigha . 78. Ed. R. D. Karmarkar. Venus Book Stall, Poona, 1947. 38. raktasokascala kisalayah kesaravacatra kantah pratyasannau kurabaka - vrtermadhavimandalasya || megha . 80. 39. talaih simjavalayasubhagairnartitah kantaya mai yamadhyaste divasavigame nilakanthah suhrdah || megha . 6 | 40. madhuravacanam sarikam pamjarastham f 41. 1 megha . 87 pravivesa ••• sanathena sopadhanena svastirnena sayanena sobhamanam sayanasirobhagasthitena ca krtakumudasobhena kusumayudhasaha cikayagatena sasineva nidrakalasena rajatena virajamanam vasagrham | harsa pr . 248. Ed. K. P. Parab, Nirnayasagara Press, Bombay, 1946. | 48

Goddess Parvati, which was full of smoke due to the continuous burning of resin. Dandi also similarly describes the bed-room of Kalpasundari as following- "In it there were well-spread couches of flowers, caskets of lotus leaves filled with materials of amorous enjoyment, an 43 ivory fan and vase filled with fragrant water. Bana as well as DandI have used the word 'Svastirna' which is used by the Kamasutra. Mankhaka says: In the bed-room the smoke due to the burning of incense became a curtain to the deer-eyed females whose clothes were dragged by 44 their lovers. The above examples show that the fragrance in the home or in the bed-chamber was common at that time. After describing the house, Kamasutra narrates the diary of Nagaraka. He should get up early in the morning and complete his morning duties. Having taken bath he s 42. anavarata - daddayamanaguggulu - bahula-dhumandhakaritesu candikagrhesu 1 kadam pr . 108 ... 43. tatra vasit svastirna kusumasayanam suratopakaranavastugarbhasca kamalinipalasasamputah dantamayastalavrntah surabhisalila-bharitasca bhamgarah | dasa . pr . 113. Ed.M.R.Kale, Motilal Banarasidasa, Delhi, 1979. 44. prakranta - caila - haranesu yadrcchayaiva-jajne kuramgakadrsam ratimamdiresu | nirdahyamana - bahula guru- dhumapumjaistatrasitamsuka - tiraskarini-nivesah || || srikantha . 15.4. Ed. Durgaprasada and K.P.Parab, Nirnayasagara Press, Bombay, • 1887. : 49

1 50 should apply ointment and perfumes to his body, collyrium to his eyes, red colour to his lips. The Kamasutra further tells about his meals, his works, his duty and his friendscircle. It gives us an idea how he should pass his time. There are some acts to be done occasionally by a Nagaraka as diversions or amusements, such as celebrating festivals, social gatherings, drinking parties, picnics, other social works etc. The elaborate description of Nagaraka by Vatsyayana gives us an idea that he was a social man with He was cultured and well-versed in all arts. He was taking active part in every social function. He had deep knowledge of human psychology especially of women's nature. We see that all the heroes of dramas or of poems have the characteristics of Nagaraka. Especially Sudraka's Carudatta, Kalidasa's Agnimitra, Vikrama, Dusyanta, Bhavabhuti's Madhava, Harsa's Vatsaraja, Jimutavahana and Bana's Candrapida are good examples for Nagaraka. Jayadeva calls Krsna as Nagara Narayana. Thus Kamasutra good behaviour. 'had indeed a profound influence on the dramas as well as on poems. Water-sports, drinking parties etc. which are occasional amusements of Nagaraka are seen often in the literature. Kings and heroes were drinking wine and playing in water with their queens and with courtesans. Meeting the i

beloved in the garden, which is a duty of Nagaraka, is described in many dramas. Vatsyayana further defines Pithamarda, Vita and Vidusaka who are helpful in matters of quarrels and reconciliations between citizen and public 45 women. According to Kamasutra, Pithamarda is a man without wealth, alone in the world, whose only property consists of his 'Mallika' (a chair with a stick) and a red cloth. He comes from a good country and is skilled in all the arts. By teaching these arts he is received in the company of citizens and in the above of public 46 women. Visvanatha says: "He is called Pithamarda who is inferior to the hero; but who helps him in difficult "47 situations. Generally, he is known as a companion to the hero. But, here the qualities mentioned by Vatsyayana and Visvanatha differ from each other. Visvanatha opines that the help of Vita, Ceta, Vidusaka etc. should be taken in erotic movements as they are expert in removing the 45. ete vaisyanam nagarakanam ca mamtrinah sandhivigraha - niyuktah | ka T. sa. 1. 4. 47. 46. avibhavastu sariramatri mallika nikasayamatraparicchadah pujyadesadagatah kalasu vicaksanastadupadesena gosthya desocite ca sadhayedatmanamiti pithamardah | a gra ateAatchtafafa 476 ad: 1 $T• H• \ = 4• 44• duranuvartini syat tasya prasamgiketi vrtte tu | - kimcittadgunahinah sahaya evasya pithamardakhyah || sa .da. 3.64. Ed. Sivadatta Sastri, Pub. Krishnadasa Shetty, Bombay, 1917. 51

52 48 pride of young girls. * are called honest people. Here only, Vita, Ceta and vidusaka The name of the Pithamarda is not included in the list by Visvanatha. The reason may be that as Pithamarda is near to hero in the arts, he cannot work honestly for the hero. to many times in literature. But Pithamarda is referred In the Malavikaqnimitra, Gautama, Vidusaka, having seen Kausiki warns the hero "Look: Look! Her ladyship, the Queen Dharini has come placing in her front her Pithamardika, the learned Kausiki. is → The definition of a Vita according to the Kamasutra A Vita is a man, who has enjoyed all his property, who is endowed with merits, who has a wife, and who is 50 honoured in the assembly and in the houses of courtesans and lives on their means. The definition given by Visvanatha is as follows- "Vita is a jack of all arts, who has lost his property due to mis-fortune, but he earns respect in the assembly. He is sweet-tongued man .49 48. srrmgare'syasahayah vitacetavidusakayah syuh | bhakta karmasu nipunah kupitavadhumana -bhanjanah sudrah ||sa .da. 3. 65. 49. avidya avidya upasthita pithamardikam panditakosikom puraskrtya devi dharini | mala . pr . 18 Ed.P.S.Sane and others, Book Sellers Publishing Company, Bombay, 1950 50. bhuktavibhavastu gunavan sakalatri vaise gosthyam ca bahumatastadupajivi ca vitah | ka . su . 1. 4. 45.

and well-versed in convincing the whores. "51 There is not much difference between Vatsyayana and Visvanatha. A good example of a Vita is in the Mrochakatika. There, Vita who is a companion of Sakara, follows Vasantasena and requests her to glance at his friend. But when he comes to know that Vasantasena is interested in Carudatta, he gives Such a cultured full-stop to his efforts and returns. But, gradually Vita lost man was Vita in those days. his respect in society, as he became a lustful man. In the Prahasanas and Bhapas he is depicted as a rogue. The third companion of the hero is vidusaka or | Vaihasika who is defined by Vatsyayana thus- "He is a person acquainted with some of the arts and trusted by .52 all. Many dramatists have introduced this character in their plays. All these persons are helpful to the hero to get his object fulfilled without any difficulty, Therefore, they are called as ministers. In the Malavikagnimitra, Agnimitra says- "Here has come another minister in-charge of another kind of business. Iravati remarks- ,,53 1 51. sambhogahinasampada vitastu dhurtah kalaikadesajnah | vaisopacarakusalo vagmi madhuro'tha bahumato gosthyam || sa . da. 3.66. 52. Lamfaeng pisant faranzura fagunt derfant ar i ka . su . 1. 4. 46. 53. ayamaparah karyantara-sacivah asmanupasthitah | mala . pu . 1 4. 53

54 "This is the politics of this minister of science of Love. Makaranda in the Malatimadhava, Vasantaka in the Priyadarsika, Gautama in the Malavikagnimitra, Madhavya in the Abhijnana Sakuntala are good examples of jesters characterised by the dramatists according to the dictates of the Kamasutra.