Kamashastra is the subject of human passions (sexual desires included) has been dealt by most human civilizations in varying proportions. Indian civilization also has not been an exception to this rule. Like the other Shastra on different subjects, here again, we find many great works covering this subject in great details. The main compositions under this subject are:
1. Ratirahsya by Kukkoha,
2. Panchasakya (also called by alternate name of Jyotirisha) by Vaschitorma,
3. Smara Pradipa by Gunakara,
4. Ratimanjari (Garland of Love) by Jayadeva,
5. Kok Shastra/Kam Shastra by Bhanudatta, and
6. Anaga Ranga (Stage of Love) by Kullianmull.
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The length of these books range from 400 verses to 1200 verses. Jyotirisha is best known for the famous sixty-four positions as well as first genuine book on various teachings on music as a science. The first book, Ratirahsya contains, among other issues, categorization of women in four distinct types, namely, Padmini, Chitrini, Shankini and Hastini. The description of each of these goes quite into details. Just for reference, let us look at description of the first type, Padmini:
"She is in whom the following sign and symptoms appear—is called Padmini; her face is pleasing as the full moon, her body well clothed with flesh, is soft as the mustard flower, her skin is fine, tender and fair as the yellow lotus. Her eyes are bright and beautiful, well cut and having red corners. Her bosom is hard, full and high; she has good neck; her nose is straight and lovely shaped and three folds of wrinkle cross her middle-about the umbilical region. Her yoni resembles as the opening lotus bud and her love seed is perfumed like the lily that has newly burst. She walks with swan like gait and her voice is low and musical as the note of Kokila bird, she delights in white garments, in fine jewels and rich dresses. She eats little, sleeps lightly and being as respectful and religious as she is clever and courteous, she is ever anxious to worship and to enjoy the conversation of Brahmins. Such, then is the Padmini (Lotus Woman)."
The details are numerous and the subject matter has been dealt with, at the same time, as science and art. But the most popular book on the subject certainly the most talked about book on erotica and certainly considered a manual of everything sexual is Kama Sutra by Vatsyayan. But it will be interesting to note that Kama Sutra had remained in oblivion for most part of its existence. It so happened that some researcher was studying Ananga Ranga and was curious to find many references made to a name called Vatya as an expert or an authority on the subject.
While undertaking search on his works, all main libraries in Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur and Varanasi were checked and separate texts were traced attributed on the same title. Later, with the help of a Sanskrit expert, the texts were combined with the help of 'Jayamangla' a commentary on Kama Sutra by keeping what matched in more than one text and ignoring what didn't. What we have today, under the Kama Shastra dedicated to Vatsyayan, consists of around 1200 shlokas divided into parts, parts divided into chapters into paragraphs, which is more of a redaction than the original.
Interestingly, Vatsyayan is his family name and his first name is not even known. During the composition of Kama Sutras, Vatsyayan was leading the life of a religious student at Banaras and was in full contemplation of his Ishta deva. The book is basically an encyclopedia or compendium or a full-fledged thesis on all matters related to passion of love and sexuality. This work is not to be taken as an instrument of satisfying desires at all. On the contrary, it is like walking through the gigantic maze of an activity, which is supposed to come to humans naturally as hunger to all living beings. But after reading this book, one may get surprised as to how little he/she knew about this subject. The book also declares right in the beginning that success will come only to that person who attends to the main objectives in life in the priority of Dharma, Artha and Kama without becoming slaves of his passions. (Burton, 1883)
Similar to Dharma Shastra and Artha Shastra, Kama Shastra is also grounded to the entire subject with practical orientation and provides detailed guidance to the populace to attain enjoyment and fulfillment. Again, it is not to be taken as the very first composition of its kind as Vatsyayan is found referring to around ten previous authors on the subject and borrows from their concepts and findings exactly in the same manner in which today's researcher quotes from other earlier sources to lend credence to his work.
Interestingly, Kama Sutra ignores any reference to social classes and all it necessitates to go for the enjoyment is money. Also, Kama Sutra advocated meat eating as a normal part of ordinary human life while Dharma Shastra recommends eating meat only under specified situations. Kama Sutra deals with all aspects of human sexual behaviour. Written in prose, it has many poems also inserted in between. It is wrong to take it as a sex manual as considered by many in the West. On the contrary, Kama Sutra deals with ideas for a virtuous and satisfied/blessed life by discussing nature of love, family life and aspects relating to normal pleasure oriented faculties of human life.
Regarding the period of its composition, one major reference is traced to a king who ruled around 100 CE giving an indication that it is surely composed after that period. Taking other such references and the style of language and comments about social systems, experts conclude that Kama Sutra would have been composed around 300 CE.
Let us now look at some important parts of this book. We begin with very definition of Kama, as explained in the second part as:
"It is enjoyment of appropriate object by the five senses of hearing, feeling, seeing, tasting and smelling, assisted by the mind and soul. The ingredient in this is a peculiar contact between sense organ and its object and the consciousness of pleasure which arises from that contact is called Kama"
In its true approach as a detailed compendium, Kama Sutra lists out arts that are desired to be studied together with Kama. The composers of Kama Sutra prescribe obtaining perfection in many arts to perfect art of Kama and this shows their level of thinking. The Arts requiring perfection by a lady aiming success in Kama and as mentioned in the original serial are — singing, playing musical instrument, dancing, combining the previous three arts together, drawing/writing, tattooing, adorning idols, arranging beds and flowers around bed, colouring teeth garments and hair, fixing stained glasses, making beds with arranging cushions for comfort and reclining, playing music with water filled glass, storing waters in reservoirs, making trimming and decorating pictures, making rosaries necklaces and garlands, making of various kind of turbans, stage playing, ear ornament arts, art of perfuming and odours and several such other arts totaling to sixty four categories. Main of the other arts listed includes solving riddles, mimicry; carpentry; architecture, and knowledge of gold and silver coins, calligraphy, mental exercises, composing poems, gambling and knowledge of rules of the society. A lady who was well versed in all these arts was called "Ganika" who enjoyed a high place in society and was respected by kings and praised by learned men. How is anyone to conclude that Kama Sutra is all about sex?
In a series of many such detailed listings, there are list of signs from woman which are to be taken by men as signs of rejections (list of 24 points), list of men who generally obtain success with women (total of 24 types), types of women who can be gained easily (total of 41), list of excuses which can be deployed by a woman to get money out of his man (list of 27) and list of ways to get rid of unwanted man by a woman (list of 28 points). These are just a few examples of the great details in which the book has covered its subject matter. Again, looking at this book just as a guide to sexual positions is but demeaning. Finally, the Kama Sutra compares the passion with an uncontrolled horse. It says that people engaged in this lust pay no attention about its dangers. But in the next line itself it says,
"However, to guard against such dangers, do read Kama Sutra and use your own head (intelligence)."
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