The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, Vatsyayana [short books to read txt] 📗
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End of Part VII.
CONCLUDING REMARKS.Thus ends, in seven parts, the Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, which might otherwise be called a treatise on men and women, their mutual relationship, and connection with each other.
It is a work that should be studied by all, both old and young; the former will find in it real truths, gathered by experience, and already tested by themselves, while the latter will derive the great advantage of learning things, which some perhaps may otherwise never learn at all, or which they may only learn when it is too late ("too late" those immortal words of Mirabeau) to profit by the learning.
It can also be fairly commended to the student of social science and of humanity, and above all to the student of those early ideas, which have gradually filtered down through the sands of time, and which seem to prove that the human nature of to-day is much the same as the human nature of the long ago.
It has been said of Balzac [the great, if not the greatest of French novelists] that he seemed to have inherited a natural and intuitive perception of the feelings of men and women, and has described them with an analysis worthy of a man of science. The author of the present work must also have had a considerable knowledge of the humanities. Many of his remarks are so full of simplicity and truth, that they have stood the test of time, and stand out still as clear and true as when they were first written, some eighteen hundred years ago.
As a collection of facts, told in plain and simple language, it must be remembered that in those early days there was apparently no idea of embellishing the work, either with a literary style, a flow of language, or a quantity of superfluous padding. The author tells the world what he knows in very concise language, without any attempt to produce an interesting story. From his facts how many novels could be written! Indeed much of the matter contained in parts III. IV. V. and VI., has formed the basis of many of the stories and the tales of past centuries.
There will be found in part VII., some curious recipes. Many of them appear to be as primitive as the book itself, but in later works of the same nature these recipes and prescriptions appear to have increased, both as regards quality and quantity. In the Anunga Runga or "The Stage of Love," mentioned at page 5 of the Preface in Part I., there are found no less than thirty-three different subjects for which one hundred and thirty recipes and prescriptions are given.
As the details may be interesting, these subjects are described as follows:
For hastening the paroxysm of the woman. For delaying the organs of the man. Aphrodisiacs. For thickening and enlarging the lingam, rendering it sound and strong, hard and lusty. For narrowing and contracting the yoni. For perfuming the yoni. For removing and destroying the hair of the body. For removing the sudden stopping of the monthly ailment. For abating the immoderate appearance of the monthly ailment. For purifying the womb. For causing pregnancy. For preventing miscarriage and other accidents. For ensuring easy labour and ready deliverance. For limiting the number of children. For thickening and beautifying the hair. For obtaining a good black colour to it. For whitening and bleaching it. For renewing it. For clearing the skin of the face from eruptions that break out and leave black spots upon it. For removing the black colour of the epidermis. For enlarging the breasts of women. For raising and hardening pendulous breasts. For giving a fragrance to the skin. For removing the evil savour of perspiration. For anointing the body after bathing. For causing a pleasant smell to the breath. Drugs and charms for the purposes of fascinating, overcoming, and subduing either men or women. Recipes for enabling a woman to attract and preserve her husband's love. Magical collyriums for winning love and friendship. Prescriptions for reducing other persons to submission. Philter pills, and other charms. Fascinating incense, or fumigation. Magical verses which have the power of fascination.Of the one hundred and thirty recipes given, many of them are absurd, but not more perhaps than many of the recipes and prescriptions in use in Europe not so very long ago. Love-philters, charms, and herbal remedies have been, in early days, as freely used in Europe as in Asia, and doubtless some people believe in them still in many places.
And now, one word about the author of the work, the good old sage Vatsyayana. It is much to be regretted that nothing can be discovered about his life, his belongings, and his surroundings. At the end of Part VII. he states that he wrote the work while leading the life of a religious student [probably at Benares] and while wholly engaged in the contemplation of the Deity. He must have arrived at a certain age at that time, for throughout he gives us the benefit of his experience, and of his opinions, and these bear the stamp of age rather than of youth; indeed the work could hardly have been written by a young man.
In a beautiful verse of the Vedas of the Christians it has been said of the peaceful dead, that they rest from their labours, and that their works do follow them. Yes indeed, the works of men of genius do follow them, and remain as a lasting treasure. And though there may be disputes and discussions about the immortality of the body or the soul, nobody can deny the immortality of genius, which ever remains as a bright and guiding star to the struggling humanities of succeeding ages. This work, then, which has stood the test of centuries, has placed Vatsyayana among the immortals, and on This, and on Him no better elegy or eulogy can be written than the following lines:
"So long as lips shall kiss, and eyes shall see,
So long lives This, and This gives life to Thee."
[1] Dharma is acquisition of religious merit, and is fully described in Chapter 5, Volume III., of Talboys Wheeler's 'History of India,' and in the edicts of Asoka.
[2] Artha is acquisition of wealth and property, etc.
[3] Kama is love, pleasure and sensual gratification.
These three words are retained throughout in their original, as technical terms. They may also be defined as virtue, wealth and pleasure, the three things repeatedly spoken of in the Laws of Manu.
[4] These were certainly materialists who seemed to think that a bird in the hand was worth two in the bush.
[5] Among the Hindoos the four classes of men are the Brahmans or priestly class, the Kshutrya or warlike class, the Vaishya or agricultural and mercantile class, and the Shoodra or menial class. The four stages of life are, the life of a religious student, the life of a householder, the life of a hermit, and the life of a Sunyasi or devotee.
[6] Bali was a demon who had conquered Indra and gained his throne, but was afterwards overcome by Vishnu at the time of his fifth incarnation.
[7] Dandakya is said to have abducted from the forest the daughter of a Brahman, named Bhargava, and being cursed by the Brahman, was buried with his kingdom under a shower of dust. The place was called after his name the Dandaka forest, celebrated in the Ramayana, but now unknown.
[8] Ahalya was the wife of the sage Gautama. Indra caused her to believe that he was Gautama, and thus enjoyed her. He was cursed by Gautama and subsequently afflicted with a thousand ulcers on his body.
[9] Kichaka was the brother-in-law of King Virata, with whom the Pandavas had taken refuge for one year. Kichaka was killed by Bhima, who assumed the disguise of Draupadi. For this story the Mahabarata should be referred to.
[10] The story of Ravana is told in the Ramayana, which with the Mahabarata form the two great epic poems of the Hindoos; the latter was written by Vyasa, and the former by Valmiki.
[11] The author wishes to prove that a great many things are done by people from practice and custom, without their being acquainted with the reason of things, or the laws on which they are based, and this is perfectly true.
[12] The proviso of being married applies to all the teachers.
[13] This term would appear to apply generally to an inhabitant of Hindoostan. It is not meant only for a dweller in a city, like the Latin Urbanus as opposed to Rusticus.
[14] Gift is peculiar to a Brahman, conquest to a Kshatrya, while purchase, deposit, and other means of acquiring wealth belongs to the Vaishya.
[15] Natural garden flowers.
[16] Such as quails, partridges, parrots, starlings, &c.
[17] The calls of nature always performed by the Hindoos the first thing in the morning.
[18] A colour made from lac.
[19] This would act instead of soap, which was not introduced until the rule of the Mahomedans.
[20] Ten days are allowed when the hair is taken out with a pair of pincers.
[21] These are characters generally introduced in the Hindoo drama; their characteristics will be explained further on.
[22] Noonday sleep is only allowed in summer, when the nights are short.
[23] These are very common in all parts of India.
[24] In the 'Asiatic Miscellany,' and in Sir W. Jones's works, will be found a spirited hymn addressed to this goddess, who is adored as the patroness of the fine arts, especially of music and rhetoric, as the inventress of the Sanscrit language, &c., &c. She is the goddess of harmony, eloquence, and language, and is somewhat analogous to Minerva. For further information about her, see Edward Moor's 'Hindoo Pantheon.'
[25] The public women, or courtesans (Vesya), of the early Hindoos have often been compared with the Hetera of the Greeks. The subject is dealt with at some length in H. H. Wilson's 'Select Specimens of the Theatre of the Hindoos,' in two volumes, Trubner & Co., 1871. It may be fairly considered that the courtesan was one of the elements, and an important element too, of early Hindoo society, and that her education and intellect were both superior to that of the women of the household. Wilson says, "By the Vesya or courtesan, however, we are not to understand a female who has disregarded the obligation of law or the precepts of virtue, but a character reared by a state of manners unfriendly to the admission of wedded females into society, and opening it only at the expense of reputation to women who were trained for association with men by personal and mental acquirements to which the matron was a stranger."
[26] According to
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