Chapter 2.7 - Striking and Moaning

1 Vatsyayana opines that sexual union can be compared to a quarrel on account of the contrarieties of love and its tendency to dispute. Hence Van De Velde states- "Love-play should not and does not only express itself in kisses, but in touches and manual caresses in all degrees, from gentlest titillation and lightest stroking with the tips of fingers, to gripping and pressing with the palm and fingers together, though here, too, it may be enunciated as a rule that the lightest touches are ,,2 the most effective. Therefore rubbing, pressing and striking are necessary in coition. Sheikh Nefzaoui instructs a man in this way- "Woman is like a fruit which will not yield its sweetness until you rub it between your hands. Look at the basil plant, if you do not rub it and warm with your fingers it will not emit any scent. Do you not know that the amber unless it be handled and warmed keeps hidden within its pores the aroma contained in it? It is the same with woman. If you do not animate her with your toying intermixed with kissing, nibbling and touching, you will not obtain from her what 1. kalaharupam suratamacaksate vivadatmakatvadvamasilatvacya kamasya | @T•#•2•7•1 2. Ideal Marriage, pp. 141-142. 1

} 11 you are wishing. You will feel no enjoyment when you share her couch and you will waken in her heart neither inclination nor affection nor love for you; all her qualities will 3 remain hidden. Though rubbing, pressing, nibbling, striking etc. appear painful, they are essential in coition. Hence Vatsyayana compares cohabitation with a quarrel or with a battle. The idea of Vatsyayana is accepted and appreciated by the Sanskrit poets ever and anon. 4 The poet Bharavi declares that love although renowned for tenderness is truly cruel during sexual union. The purpose of the coition is of course to produce pleasure, but the pleasure is often achieved only through giving and receiving pain. Hence Jayadeva states that "Krsna was hugged by his beloved with her arms; he was pressed by her breasts; he was pierced by her nails; his lower lip was bit by her teeth; he was struck by her hips; she dragged his hair by her hand and infatuated by the honey of her lower lip. Still he got wonderful satisfaction! 3. Arabian Sex Technique. M. P.Khanchandani, Bombay, 1980, p.54. 4. saukumaryagunasambhutakirtirvama eva suratesvapi kamah | kirata . 9.49.

· 1 184 ,5 Strange are the ways of love! The same notion is mentioned by Ratnakara also. He says the prohibitive sentences of ladies uttered in the coition have become injunctions to 6 their lovers due to adverse nature of sex. have compared the cohabitation with a battle. it love-battle. Some poets They call Bilhana says- "I still remember her charming tenacity in the sex-battle without resorting to any weapons of fight, in which there were different positions of lying down and getting up without any force of arms, in which blood propped up when lips were bit by } teeth and nails were pressed deep (on her breasts, hips, 7 thighs etc.). Here the poet has described the love-sport as a battle without weapons. Kokkoka expresses the same 8 idea. Kalyanamalla also accepts that love-sport as a 5. dorbhyam samyamitah payodharabharenapiditah panije raviddho dasanaih ksatadharaputah sroni tatenahatah | hastenanamitah kace'dharamadhusyandena sammohitah kantah kamapi trptimapa tadaho kamasya vamagatih || gita . 12. 3. pr . 163. 6. kimapikalamudaharannatamurnidhuvana kelisu yanniseyavakyam | kamituragamayadvidhim tadasyah prabhavati vastusu vama evakamah || hara 27.35. 7. adyapi tatsuratakeli nirastra yuddham bandhopabandha patanotthita sunya hastam | dantosthapidana naksaksata rakta siktam tasyah smarami rati bandhuranisthuratvam || caura . 48. 8. mohanam madanayuddhamacire ...| rati . 10.52.

185 battle where he says, striking and moaning are the two 9. parts of love-battle. Damodaragupta in the Kuttanimata sketches a prostitute who exhibits her fortune before her friends as her limbs are full of teeth and nail-marks 10 displaying the sex-battle with a prince. The same poet on another occasion states the same idea i.e. lovesport is like a battle. Thus the idea of Vatsyayana has been accepted by many erotic writers and the poets. The Kamasutra further instructs that when love becomes intense, strokes should be used on the shoulders, on the head, on the space between the breasts, on the back on 12 the thighs and on the sides. This striking is of four 14 kinds. The Pancasayaka names four types of striking. 13 9. kamayuddhe agayugmam syat karatadana sitkrte | anamga . 10.50. 10. prakatitadasananakhaksatirabhidadhati rajaputraratiyuddham | apara purah sakhinam varavadhuratatana saubhagyam || kutani . 335. 11. smrtijanmajanita vikrtivrataticchannam karoti samsaram | abaddhasuratasangara vimarda samksobhita dayita || kuttani . 573. 12. tasya ragavasatprahananamaigam skandhau sirah stanantaram prstham jaghanam paparva 'iti sthanani | ka . su . 2.7.2. 13. taccaturvidhamapahastakam prasutakam mustih samatalakamiti | ka . su . 27.3. 14. santadita- patakam kundala - bindumalah 1 pam . sa . 5.27.28.

186 According to Kalyanamalla striking is of four types, he divides the strokes into four kinds. 16 The poet 15 Damodaragupta describes this idea of striking through a prostitute, who was stating a man thus- "Dragging the hair is conferring benefits; striking is showing the favour; biting is delight; hail-prints are prosperity: ,,17 embracing tightly is exaltation. He says the breasts, though they are high are useless if they have not received 18 any strokes from the husband. Vatsyayana, having narrated the sex-sport as a love-battle, gives much importance to the idea of striking. But the poets, who agreed with Vatsyayana, show their keen interest in describing squeezing, rubbing etc. than striking. Hence we come across plenty of descriptions of mardana. 15. prasutenatha hastena mustina samapanina | tadanam syat caturthaivam || anamga . 10.51. 16. santanitam - sapatakam - bindumalah 17. kesagrahanamanugraham upakarastadanam mude damsah | kundalah | anamga . 10.54,55. nakhavilayanamabhyudayo drdhadehanipidanam samutkarsah || kuttani . 377. 18. durbhartrka raskanamalini kriyamanasobhamanudivasam | tujhjhamapi patitakalpam stanasalini tatpayodharadvandvam || kuttani . 821. 1

187 19 Magha describes the breasts of a beautiful lady which did not become crooked though they were squeezed and embraced by the passionate lover, due to their hardness. Ratnakara sketches a hero who caught his beloved's breasts 20 passionately for rubbing. Vikarala advises Malati to exhibit all limbs to her lover who wants to rub, who wants 21 to see and who wants to mark her body. Sriharsa at the time of the description of the dinner depicts a passionate youth who places two balls of sweets on the bosom of the gleaming figure of a woman reflected before him on a bowl filled with clarified butter. Then he scratches the balls with his finger nails and crushes them without pity. Here the youth imagines the two sweet balls to be his beloved's two breasts. Hence he wants to squeeze them. The same poet, while describing the honey-moon of Nala 22 19. dipitasmaramuratyupapidam vallabhe dhanamabhisvajamane | kathinatatisayena vakratam na yayatah kucakumbhau sumukhah kathinata tisayena || sisu . 10.47. 20. jagraha bimbadharamudhagadharamgam ramanya hrdayam ca kantah || hara . 27.20. 21. yadvachati hantum yadrastum yacca vilikhitum gatram | tattadapasaraniyam savegam dhaukaniyam ca || kuttani . 154. 22. ghrtaplute bhojanabhajane purah sphuratpurampratibimbitakrtih | yuva nidhayorati laddukadvayam nakhaililekhatha mamardanirdayam || naisa . 16. 103.

189 ,,,23 Further the poet describes and Damayanti, states- "Her breasts, stout and firm as a pitcher, transmitted the lustre of the pearl-string over them to her lover's tender lotus-hands which wanted to squeeze them in their grasp. the love-sport of that couple and says- "On account of the musk paint of her bosom being erased in contact with his perspiring fingers; that he had kneaded his beloved's breasts, was likely to be echoed round among her maiden #24 friends. Thus Sriharsa has described the rubbing act according to the words of the Kamasutra. 25 Tanusakharam, in his tippani on Nagarasarvasva quotes one subhasita which says- "The following things will give pleasure when they are rubbed. Curds, sandal, ketel, cotton, breasts in coition, sugarcane sesamum and fool. Here the poet has mentioned crushing the breasts in lovesport. Mankhaka also describes a youth who not only hugs his beloved but he opens her blouse to knead her 23. pidanaya mrduni vigahya tau kantapaninaline sprhavati | tatkucau kalasapina nisthurau harahasavihate vitenatuh || nesa . 18. 100. 24. svidyatkaramguli luptaka starile pamudraya | putkaryapiinau cakre sa sakhisu priyastanau || naisa . 20. 145. 25. dadhicandanatambulam kucau karpasamaithune | | iksudandastilamurkha mardanam gunavardhanam || nagara . pu . 102. i

189 26 breasts. Nayacandrasuri depicts that no lover failed to kiss the lower-lip, to squeeze the breasts, to scratch with nails when they were in the embrace of their beloveds. Jayadeva describes Lord Krsna whose hands are exper: in squeezing the breasts of Gopikas. 28 Anantabhatta refers to the kneading of breasts when he describes the sexsport of Arjuna and Ulupi. In this way rubbing the limbs has been described by most of the poets in various manner. All the poets, who acceded to the opinion of Vatsyayana, have depicted the love-sport as a quarrel and as a battle. 27 The Kamasutra further narrates that the characteristics of manhood are said to consist of roughness and 26. nispiditanatatam drdhabahubandha bandhum sahela krtakanthahathagraham ca | nirmucya kamcukamathamcita locanabhi statkarmanah padamakalpyata kantalokah || srikantha . 15.1. 27. adharapanavidhau stanamardana nakharado likhane parirambhane | kvacidapi skhalati sma na kaminam matirihapyavadhanabhrtamiva || hammira . 7.95. 28. gopipinapayodharamardanaca calaka rayugasali | gita . 5.2. pr .10. 29. panyojya mirsakathinyam tasya tatkucamardana | tasyascatanmukhasvade phlayabhavadvijihvata || cam . bha . 3.25.

190 impetuosity, while weakness, tenderness and an inclination to turn away from unpleasant things are the distinguishing It further states that women, due marks of womanhood. 30 to their tenderness and weakness moan in various ways and 31 moaning is of eight kinds. In the Kuttanimata the old procuress Vikarala suggests a young harlot thus- "At the time of sex-sport, having understood the emotions of your partner, you should show your love, co-operation, ,,32 skill, maturity and weakness. Further she opines that the weakness of the females encourages the males at the 33 time of love-union. But a lover should not show any mercy to his partner having seen her delicateness. Hence Vikatanitamba instructs a lover in Mandakranta metre thus- "She is a girl and delicate one, such doubts should nipped by you. Have you not seen the Obee which sucks even the Therefore you should rub her without any pity flower-bud? 30. parusyam rabhasatvam ca paurusam teja ucyate | asaktirarartivyavrttirabalatvam ca yositah || ka . su . 2.7.21. 31. tadudbhavam ca sitkrtam tasyatirupatvat tadanekavidham | virutani castau | ka . su . 2.7.4, 5. 32. anubandhamanukulyam vamatvam praudhatamasamarthyam | suratesu darsayisyati kamukabhavam sphutam buddhva || kuttani . 159. 33. yavadyavadamsaktim prathayati lalanahi mohanakranta | tavattavatpumsamutsahah pallavan samutsrjati || kuttani . 1053.

I 1 in secret. Because the sugarcane will not emit its juice if it is pressed lightly. 34 " + 191 The Kamasutra describes the eight types of moaning i.e. sitkara. Those sitkaras are as follows. The sound --of 'Him, the thundering sound, the sound 'sut, ' the sound 'dut' and the sound 'phat. $35 Further it proceeds thus- "Besides these, there also words having a meaning such as 'mother' and those that are expressive of prohibition, desire of liberation and sufficiency. 136 Kamasutra states, at the time of coition 'Him' and other sounds may be made 37 irregularly and optionally. The influence of these aphorisms on literature is seen abundantly. According to words of the Kamasutra, Sriharsa describes Damayanti thus- sriharsa 34. bala tanvi mrduriyamiti tyajyatamatrasaka kamcida drstva bhramarabharati manjaribhajyamanam | tasmadesa rahasi bhavata nirdayam pidaniya mandakranta visrjati rasam neksuyastih samagrabh || su .ra.bha . 2, pr . 332. 35. himkara stanita kujita rudita sutkrta dutkrta phutkrtani | ka . su . 2.7.6. 36. ambarthah sabdah varanartha moksanarthascalamarthasta carthayogat | ka . su . 2.7.7. 37. tatra himkaradinamaniyamenabhyasena vikalpena ca tatkalamevaprayogah | ka . su . 2.7.13.

1 , 192 "While she knit her eye-brows during love-union, it seemed as if Cupid bent his bow. The moaning sound which she then made was Cupid's hum while discharging his arrows. Here Damayanti groans due to her tenderness. 38 Nayacandrasuri depicts a woman who mutters being pained by the stout laps of her lover which are hugged her tightly at the end of sex-sport.39 Vikarala, an old whore, advises Malati a new harlot thus- "You should make hum sound when you are bitten, various sounds when you are kneaded, sitkara when you are marked by nails, weeping sound when you receive 140 strokes. The poet Damodaragupta has given the importance of wailing in sex-sport and he further opines that "The sinful ones do not hear the murmuring sound, the humming and the groaning of a lady, when she makes it while she is bitten without any mercy in love-sport. ,,41 1 38. yadavau kutilate tayarate manmathena tadanami kamukam | yattu hum humiti sa tada vyadhattatsamarasya saramuktihumkrtam || naisa . 18.93. 39. rativiramabhavadapaguhanat vighatanecchumavetya para priyam | sudrdhamuruyugena nipidyam tyatata hum humiti smitajalpitam || hammira . 7. 106. 40. damse savyathahumkrtimamarde vividhakantharatitani | nakhavilekhane ca sitkrtimaghatesulbanam kvanitam || kuttani . 155. 41. nirdayatarausthakhandana savyathahumkaramurchitam surate | aheti vacastasya apunyabhajo na srunvanti || kuttani . 572.

1 193 The different types of moaning has been described Magha describes some by the poets in varioussmanners. 42 beautiful ladies who artificially weep, though they feel pleasure, when their lovers' hands come near their knot. Here the poet has mentioned the weeping sound according to the words of the Kamasutra. Bharavi mentions sitkara of women when they are crushed in secret place. Ratnakara sketches a beloved who makes sitkara when her 44 43 lover catches her breasts tightly. Radha in the GitaGovinda, havinghot seen Krsna thinks that somebody is enjoying Krsna. Radha thinks- "She might have smiled having seen Lord Krsna. She might have done cocing sound 45 in sex-sport. In this description the poet has referred to cooing sound. Bilhana says- "I still remember my beloved, who being exhausted by the exertions of the sex- 42. panirodhamavirodhitava cham bhartsanasca madhurasmitagarbhah | kaminah sma kurute karabhoruhari suska ruditam ca sukhe'pi || sisu . 10.69. 43. panipallava vidhunanamantah sitkrtani nayanardhanimesah | yositam rahasi gadgadavacama stratamupayayurmadanasya || kirata . 9.50. 44. salila nirdhatakararavinda sitkarasamdhucita manmathayah | jagraha bimbadharamudhagadharagam ramanya hrdayam ca kantah || hara . 27.20. 45. dayitavilokitala jjitahasita | bahuvidhakujita ratirasarasita || gita . 7.5. pr . 101.

194 act, spoke many sweet coaxing words, the right meaning of which was made difficult, owing to the syllables coming ,,46 out in broken order in a trembling indistinct voice, Here the poet has indirectly mentioned the muttering sounds of his beloved. Anantabhatta describes the sitkara when the pictures the dalliance of Arjuna with Ulupi. Thus most of the poets have followed the words of Vatsyayana. 47 The Kamasutra further says- "At all the times when kissing and such like things are begun, the woman should 48 It give a reply with a sitkara. Magha being impressed by this aphorism, describes thus- "An innocent girl, who was kissed by her lover without any fear in dalliance, gave a reply through sitkara like a cakravaka bird. Here 46. adyapi catusatadurlalitocitartham tasyah smarami surataklama- vihvalayah | avyaktanih svanitakatarakadhyamana- samkirnavarnaruciram vacanam priyayah || caura . 21. 47. bhogaya tasya bhujagendraputryah phutkara eva sphuta sitkriyasit | kasturikaikojani kanthanailyam phanamanih pallavasekharo'bhut || cam . bha . 3.24. 48. sarvatra cumbanadisapakrantayah satitkrtam tenaiva pratyuttaram | ka . sa. 2.7.18. 49. mugdhayah smaralalitesu cakravakya nihsaikam dayitatamena cumbitayah | pranasanabhi vidadharvidhatahasta sitkaram samucitamuttaram tarunyah || sisu . 8.13.

195 the girl makes hissing sound when she was kissed. The same Here the idea is depicted by the poet in another way thus- "The women, whose lovers scratched by nails, bit by teeth, and ´ dragged their hair, did sitkara sound and showed ruby like 1,50 teeth which have lustre of the morning sun. sitkara is reply for scratching, biting and dragging the hair. Sriharsa also describes this idea when he sketches the climax of love-sport of Nala and Damayanti thus- "At that time, making sitkara and passing through violent emotional tremors, the fair damsel declared, even without the medium of language, that her consort's face while ..51 kissing was like the cold-rayed moon. Thus sitkara is an answer given by a beloved to her lover when he expresses his passion in love-union. 50. 51. sarasanakhapadantardastakaimokam pranayini vidadhane yositamullasantyah | vidadhati dasananam sitkrtaviskrtana- mabhinavara vibhasah padmaraganukaram | sisu . 11.54. ahanathavadanasya cumbatah sa sma sitakaratamanaksaram | sitkrtani sudati vitanvati sattvadattaprthurvepathustada | naisa . 18.104.

196 1.1 Vatsyayana has said that the women in excitement not only moan but also utter some words expressive of prohibiThe poets 52 tion, sufficiency or desire of liberation. being attracted by these words, picture this notion in different ways. Magha describes this situation thusThe young ladies, though they felt pleasure when they were rubbed, pretended pain and stammered prohibitive ,,53 words. On another occasion the poet states- "Women made sitkaras, uttered pitiful words and showed their love by expressing sufficiency. Their laughter and the sound of their ornaments were as if the words stated in the Kamasutra. 54 Here the poet has clearly mentioned Kamasutra by which he was much influenced in describing erotic amusements. Nayacandrasuri describes the behaviour of a young lady, who was new to sex-sport and who utters indistinct words like 'Oh, enough, no, no' etc. as if she D 52. Supra Fn.36, p. 53. varanarthapada gadgadavacamiya muhurapatrapaya ca | kurvata sma sudrsamanukulam pratikulikatayaiva yuvanah || sisu . 10.70. 54. sitkrtani bhanitam karanoktih snigdhamukta malamarthavacamti | hasabhusanaravasca ramanyah kamasutrapadatamupajagmuh || sisu . 10.75. 1

1 recites the mantras to enkindle love. 55 The same poet 56 pictures the same type of occasion in other words also. Here the poet being influenced by the Kamasutra, mentions clearly the words of negation, prohibition, liberation and words of pain and pleasure. Kumaradasa in the Janakiharana, depicts this idea in an interesting manner thus- "sita bashfully beats the cage, which was near to their bed and in which a parrot having remembered the words of the union repeats 'I am unable, leave me' etc. "57 Here sita has expressed her tenderness and wants liberation. The same type of occasion is pictured by Amaruka thus- "When the house-parrot which had heard the words exchanged during the night between married couple, repeats them beyond measure in the presence of elders, the young bride, afflicted by 197 55. raktakalam kalayatya suvallabhe kimapi kuncimukhi sumukhi nava | hahana neti mameti vacomisan madanadopanamamtramivasmarat || hammira . 7.111. 56. da gani yatha yathatikathinanyesa navodha rate vaike dhatta tatha tatha tikathinam ceto'pi cittapriyah | ma ma mana na munca munca haha hetyullapavatyam mutu- stasyam no kathamanyathasya karuna tarunyamasadayat || hammira . 7 116. 57. ratnatalpa nikata sthita mujhe samgatau hrdi nidhaya bhasitam | nikatasthita nihsahami visujeti jalpati vridita parijaghanapamjaram || janaki . 8. 31.

shame hinders its speech as she sticks a small ruby from 1 her ear-ornament into its beak under the pretext of a The words uttered in sex-sport are pomegranate seed. 58 referred to in this verse indirectly by the poet Amaruka. The same poet describes the same idea directly through 59 a hero in this way- "Her fair bosom was pressed low under the close embrace, and the skin bristled with happiness; the garment slipped off from her ample hips as the ardour of love rose to a pitch of intensity and she whispered weakly- Now do not, thou remover of my pride, do not commit any excess, it is enough, I wonder if she was sleeping or was dead or sunk into my heart or simply melted away! Here the poet has showed that he has trodden the path of Vatsyayana in describing the words of pleasure and pain. These words, which denote " 199 58. dampatyornisi jalpatigrhayukenakarnitam yada ca statpratargurusamnidhi nigadattastasyatimatram vadhuh | karnalambitapadmaragasakalam vinyasya ca cupute vridarta vidadhati dadimaphalavyajena vagbandhanam || amaruh 15. 59. gadhalingagana vamanikrtakuca prabhinnaromodgama sandra snaiharasa tireka vigalatkacipradesambara | ma ma manada mati mamalamiti ksamaksarollapini supta kim nu mrta nu kim manasi me lina vilina nu kim || amaru . 35.

the softness of women, should be uttered in sexual union. Therefore Vikarala, the old prostitute advises Malati thus- At the time of coition you should utter some indistinct words to your partner as 'O cruel one, do not -pain me, please leave me for a moment, kindly no, no, I am not able' etc. 60 Thus Sanskrit poets being influenced by the aphorisms of the Kamasutra, sketch the tenderness of women and their moanings stammerings etc. 199 The Kamasutra further adds some other sounds made by women at the time of cohabitation such as those of the dove, the cuckoo, the green pegion, the parrot, the 61 bee, the gallinule, the swan, the duck and the quail. The same has been stated by sriharsa when he says- "There, their murmurs of love were drowned in the notes of the lyres and the flutes, in the cooings and hummings of the cuckoos and bees, in the pleasure garden and in the noise of the bracelets and other ornaments of the dancers. 62 60. mama mamatipidaya, munca ksanamadaya no samartha'smi | iti gadgada sphuta ksaramabhidhatavyastvaya kami || kuttani . 158. 61. paravata- parabhrta harita dhuka madhukara datyuha-hamsa - karandava -lavaka virutani sitkrta bhuyisthani vikalpasah prayunjit | ka . su . 2.7.8. 62. yatravainaravavainavasvarai humkrtairapavani pikalinam | kankanali kalahascaiva nrtyatam kubjitam suratakujitamtayoh || naisa . 18.17.

Here the poet has suggested the sounds of cuckoo and bee made by Damayanti in love-sport. Damodaragupta instructs a woman through Vikarala thus- "O sweet voiced one, at love-union you should make hissing sound like a cuckoo, ,63 Here the a quail, a swan, a pigon and like a horse. poet has followed the sutras of Vatsyayana word by word. Anantabhatta describes this idea in an interesting way. When the fire (a lover) caught the sprouts (the lips) of the forest (beloved), the pitiable sound of doves was 64 heard everywhere. Here, when the lover bites the lips of his beloved, she makes the sound of pigeon with pain. i In the same way when the fire spreads and burns the sprouts in the forest, the doves which dwell there cry due to the danger. 200 Thus the sitkrta Prakarana, which deals with striking and moaning, has influenced most of the poets to a great extent. The poets have pictured the hissing sound done by women, according to the tenets of the Kamasutra as if they are displaying the knowledge of sexology through their kavyas, 63. parabhrta lavaka hamsaka paravata turagahrdaya nimvanitam | anukaryamucitakale kalakanthi rutaistvaya rasatah || kuttani . 157. 64. prathamam pavaka siो parirabhya grhitapallavosthapure | | upakanthe vanajerudayayadakula kapota nadatatih || cam . bha . 3. 115.