Chapter 21 - Introduction to Kama-Shastra (erotic literature)

The pursuit of duty, dharma, wealth, artha, kama, sensual pleasures and moksa, salvation are the fourfold aims of life propounded by Indian thinkers for an ideal life with the result that they have discussed in depth the subject of sensual pleasures along with the other three. The oldest work available on this subject is the Kamasutra of Vatsyayana which is considered to be a work of the 3 rd cen. A.D. Written in prose with a mixture of verse it discusses in its seven parts in detail the special characteristics of a town-bred man possessed of civility; the love affair, the marriage, the ladies, distinguished as svakiya and parakiya, one's own wife and the wife of some one else, the courtesans, the success in love and the various postures in lovemaking. Vatsyayana makes a reference in his work to the views of earlier authorities on the subject which is very useful for the study of the social life and the rites and customs of the contemporary society. In the 13 th century Yasodhana wrote a commentary Jayamangala on the Kamasutra which is very helpful in understanding the technical terms therein. Vatsyayana's work has left a deep imprint on Indian literature and art. Of the other works on Erotics mention could be made of the Pancasayaka of Jyotirisvara, the Ratirahasya of Kokka (before A.D.P 1200), Ratimanjari of Jayadeva identified with the author

of the same name who composed the Gitagovinda, the Anangaranga of Kalyanamalla (12 century A.D.) and the Ratisastra of Nagarjuna of unknown period identified erroneously on the basis of the similarity of name with the Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna