Kamasutra 1.5

1.5.1

kāmaś caturṣu varṇeṣu sa:varṇataḥ śāstrataś cān:anya-pūrvāyāṃ prayujyamānaḥ putrīyo yaśasyo laukikaś ca bhavati.

When Kama is practiced by men of the four castes according to the rules of the Holy Writ (i.e., by lawful marriage) with virgins of their own caste, it then becomes a means of acquiring lawful progeny and good fame, and it is not also opposed to the customs of the world. On the contrary the practice of Kama with women of the higher castes, and with those previously enjoyed by others, even though they be of the same caste, is prohibited. But the practice of Kama with women of the lower castes, with women excommunicated from their own caste, with public women, and with women twice married, is neither enjoined nor prohibited. The object of practicing Kama with such women is pleasure only.

1.5.2

tad-viparīta uttama-varnāsu paraparigṛhītāsu ca. pratiṣiddho 'vara-varṇāsv a:niravasitāsu. veśyāsu punarbhūṣu ca na śiṣṭo na pratiṣiddhaḥ. sukhārthatvāt.

When Kama is practiced by men of the four castes according to the rules of the Holy Writ (i.e., by lawful marriage) with virgins of their own caste, it then becomes a means of acquiring lawful progeny and good fame, and it is not also opposed to the customs of the world. On the contrary the practice of Kama with women of the higher castes, and with those previously enjoyed by others, even though they be of the same caste, is prohibited. But the practice of Kama with women of the lower castes, with women excommunicated from their own caste, with public women, and with women twice married, is neither enjoined nor prohibited. The object of practicing Kama with such women is pleasure only.

1.5.3

tatra nāyikās tisraḥ kanyā punarbhūr veśyā ca. iti.

Nayikas, therefore, are of three kinds, viz., maids, women twice married, and public women. Gonikaputra has expressed an opinion that there is a fourth kind of Nayika, viz., a woman who is resorted to on some special occasion even though she be previously married to another. These special occasions are when a man thinks thus:—

1.5.4

anya-kāraṇa-vaśāt para-parigṛhītāpi pākṣikī caturthīti goṇikāputraḥ.

Nayikas, therefore, are of three kinds, viz., maids, women twice married, and public women. Gonikaputra has expressed an opinion that there is a fourth kind of Nayika, viz., a woman who is resorted to on some special occasion even though she be previously married to another. These special occasions are when a man thinks thus:—

1.5.5

sa yadā manyate svairiṇīyam..1.5.6 anyato 'pi bahuśo vyavasita-cāritrā tasyāṃ veśyāyām iva gamanam uttama-varṇinyām api na dharma-pīḍāṃ kariṣyati punarbhūr iyam.

Nayikas, therefore, are of three kinds, viz., maids, women twice married, and public women. Gonikaputra has expressed an opinion that there is a fourth kind of Nayika, viz., a woman who is resorted to on some special occasion even though she be previously married to another. These special occasions are when a man thinks thus:—

(a) This woman is self-willed, and has been previously enjoyed by many others besides myself. I may, therefore, safely resort to her as to a public woman though she belongs to a higher caste than mine, and in so doing I shall not be violating the ordinances of Dharma.

1.5.7

anyapūrvāvaruddhā nātra śaṅkāsti.

(b) This is a twice-married woman and has been enjoyed by others before me, there is, therefore, no objection to my resorting to her.

1.5.8

patiṃ vā mahāntam īśvaram asmad-a:mitra-saṃsṛṣṭam iyam avagṛhya prabhutvena carati. sā mayā saṃsṛṣṭā snehād enaṃ vyāvartayiṣyati.

(c) This woman has gained the heart of her great and powerful husband, and exercises a mastery over him, who is a friend of my enemy; if, therefore, she becomes united with me she will cause her husband to abandon my enemy.

1.5.9

vi:rasaṃ vā mayi śaktam apakartu-kāmaṃ ca prakṛtim āpādayiṣyati.

(d) This woman will turn the mind of her husband, who is very powerful, in my favor, he being at present disaffected towards me, and intent on doing me some harm.

1.5.10

tayā vā mitrī-kṛtena mitra-kāryam a:mitra-pratīghātam anyad vā duṣ:pratipādakaṃ kāryaṃ sādhayiṣyāmi.

(e) By making this woman my friend I shall gain the object of some friend of mine, or shall be able to effect the ruin of some enemy, or shall accomplish some other difficult purpose.

1.5.11

saṃsṛṣṭo vānayā hatvāsyāḥ patim asmad-bhāvyaṃ tad-aiśvaryam evam adhigamiṣyāmi.

(f) By being united with this woman, I shall kill her husband, and so obtain his vast riches which I covet.

1.5.12

nir:atyayaṃ vāsyā gamanam arthānubaddham. ahaṃ ca niḥ:sāratvāt kṣīṇa-vṛtty-upāyaḥ. so 'ham anenopāyena tad-dhanam atimahad a:kṛcchrād adhigamiṣyāmi.

(g) The union of this woman with me is not attended with any danger, and will bring me wealth, of which, on account of my poverty and inability to support myself, I am very much in need. I shall, therefore obtain her vast riches in this way without any difficulty.

1.5.13

marma-jñā vā mayi dṛḍham abhikāmā sā mām an:icchantaṃ doṣa-vikhyāpanena dūṣayiṣyati.

(h) This woman loves me ardently, and knows all my weak points, if therefore, I am unwilling to be united with her, she will make my faults public, and thus tarnish my character and reputation. Or she will bring some gross accusation against me, of which it may be hard to clear myself, and I shall be ruined. Or perhaps she will detach from me her husband who is powerful, and yet under her control, and will unite him to my enemy, or will herself join the latter.

1.5.14

a:sad-bhūtaṃ vā doṣaṃ śraddheyaṃ duṣ:parihāraṃ mayi kṣepsyati yena me vināśaḥ syāt.

(h) This woman loves me ardently, and knows all my weak points, if therefore, I am unwilling to be united with her, she will make my faults public, and thus tarnish my character and reputation. Or she will bring some gross accusation against me, of which it may be hard to clear myself, and I shall be ruined. Or perhaps she will detach from me her husband who is powerful, and yet under her control, and will unite him to my enemy, or will herself join the latter.

1.5.15

āyatimantaṃ vā vaśyaṃ patiṃ matto vibhidya dviṣataḥ saṃgrāhayiṣyati.

(h) This woman loves me ardently, and knows all my weak points, if therefore, I am unwilling to be united with her, she will make my faults public, and thus tarnish my character and reputation. Or she will bring some gross accusation against me, of which it may be hard to clear myself, and I shall be ruined. Or perhaps she will detach from me her husband who is powerful, and yet under her control, and will unite him to my enemy, or will herself join the latter.

1.5.16

svayaṃ vā taiḥ saha saṃsṛjyeta. mad-avarodhānāṃ vā dūṣayitā patir asyās tad asyāham api dārān eva dūṣayan pratikariṣyāmi.

(i) The husband of this woman has violated the chastity of my wives, I shall therefore return that injury by seducing his wives.

(h) This woman loves me ardently, and knows all my weak points, if therefore, I am unwilling to be united with her, she will make my faults public, and thus tarnish my character and reputation. Or she will bring some gross accusation against me, of which it may be hard to clear myself, and I shall be ruined. Or perhaps she will detach from me her husband who is powerful, and yet under her control, and will unite him to my enemy, or will herself join the latter.

1.5.17

rāja-niyogāc cāntar:vartinaṃ śatruṃ vāsya nirhaniṣyāmi.

(j) By the help of this woman I shall kill an enemy of the king, who has taken shelter with her, and whom I am ordered by the king to destroy.

1.5.18

yām anyāṃ kāmayiṣye sāsyā vaśagā. tām anena saṃkrameṇādhigamiṣyāmi.

(k) The woman whom I love is under the control of this woman. I shall, through the influence of the latter, be able to get at the former.

1.5.19

kanyām a:labhyāṃ vātmādhīnām artha-rūpavatīṃ mayi saṃkrāmayiṣyati.

(l) This woman will bring to me a maid, who possesses wealth and beauty, but who is hard to get at, and under the control of another.

1.5.20

mamā:mitro vāsyāḥ patyā sahaikī:bhāvam upagatas tam anayā rasena yojayiṣyāmīty evam:ādibhiḥ kāraṇaiḥ para-striyam api prakurvīta.

(m) My enemy is a friend of this woman’s husband, I shall therefore cause her join him, and will thus create an enmity between her husband and him.

For these and similar other reasons the wives of other men may be resorted to, but it must be distinctly understood that is only allowed for special reasons, and not for mere carnal desire.

1.5.21

iti sāhasikyaṃ na kevalaṃ rāgād eva.
iti para-parigraha-gamaṇa-kāraṇāni.

For these and similar other reasons the wives of other men may be resorted to, but it must be distinctly understood that is only allowed for special reasons, and not for mere carnal desire.

1.5.22

etair eva kāraṇair mahā-mātra-saṃbaddhā rāja-saṃbaddhā vā tatraika-deśa-cāriṇī kā cid anyā vā kārya-saṃpādinī vidhavā pañcamīti cārāyaṇaḥ.

Charayana thinks that under these circumstances there is also a fifth kind of of Nayika, viz., a woman who is kept by a minister, or who repairs to him occasionally; or a widow who accomplishes the purpose of a man with the person to whom she resorts.

1.5.23

saiva pravrajitā ṣaṣṭhīti suvarṇanābhaḥ.

Suvarnanabha adds that a woman who passes the life of an ascetic and in the condition of a widow may be considered as a sixth kind of Nayika.

1.5.24

gaṇikāyā duhitā paricārikā vān:anya-pūrvā saptamīti ghoṭakamukhaḥ.

Ghotakamukha says that the daughter of a public woman, and a female servant, who are still virgins, form a seventh kind of Nayika.

1.5.25

utkrānta-bāla-bhāvā kula-yuvatir upacārānyatvād aṣṭamīti gonardīyaḥ.

Gonardiya puts forth his doctrine that any woman born of good family, after she has come of age, is an eighth kind of Nayika.

1.5.26

kāryāntarā:bhāvād etāsām api pūrvāsv evopalakṣaṇam tasmāc catasra eva nāyikā iti vātsyāyanaḥ.

But these four latter kinds of Nayikas do not differ much from the first four kinds of them, as there is no separate object in resorting to them. Therefore, Vatsyayana is of opinion that there are only four kinds of Nayikas, i. e., the maid, the twice-married woman, the public woman, and the woman resorted to for a special purpose.

1.5.27

bhinnatvāt tṛtīya-prakṛtiḥ pañcamīty eke.

But these four latter kinds of Nayikas do not differ much from the first four kinds of them, as there is no separate object in resorting to them. Therefore, Vatsyayana is of opinion that there are only four kinds of Nayikas, i. e., the maid, the twice-married woman, the public woman, and the woman resorted to for a special purpose.

1.5.28

eka eva tu sārvalaukiko nāyakaḥ. pracchannas tu dvitīyaḥ. viśeṣālābhāt. uttamādhama-madhyamatāṃ tu guṇa-guṇato vidyāt. tāṃs tūbhayor api guṇā:guṇān vaiśike vakṣyāmaḥ.

But these four latter kinds of Nayikas do not differ much from the first four kinds of them, as there is no separate object in resorting to them. Therefore, Vatsyayana is of opinion that there are only four kinds of Nayikas, i. e., the maid, the twice-married woman, the public woman, and the woman resorted to for a special purpose.

1.5.29

a:gamyās tv evaitāḥ kuṣṭhiny unmattā patitā bhinna-rahasyā prakāśa-prārthinī gata-prāya- yauvanātiśvetātikṛṣṇā dur:gandhā saṃbandhinī sakhī pravrajitā saṃbandhi-sakhi-śrotriya- rāja-dārāś ca.

The following women are not to be enjoyed:—

A leper.

A lunatic.

A woman turned out of caste.

A woman who reveals secrets.

A woman who publicly expresses a desire for sexual intercourse.

A woman who is extremely white.

A woman who is extremely black.

A bad-smelling woman.

A woman who is a near relation.

A woman who is a female friend.

A woman who leads the life of an ascetic.

And, lastly the wife of a relation, of a friend, of a learned Brahman, and of the king.

1.5.30

dṛṣṭa-pañca-puruṣā nā:gamyā kā cid astīti bābhravīyāḥ.

The followers of Babhravya say that any woman who has been enjoyed by five men is a fit and proper person to be enjoyed. But Gonikaputra is of opinion that even when this is the case, the wives of a relation, of a learned Brahman and of a king should be excepted.

1.5.31

saṃbandhi-sakhi-śrotriya-rāja-dāra-varjam iti goṇikāputraḥ.

The followers of Babhravya say that any woman who has been enjoyed by five men is a fit and proper person to be enjoyed. But Gonikaputra is of opinion that even when this is the case, the wives of a relation, of a learned Brahman and of a king should be excepted.

1.5.32

saha-pāṃsu-krīḍitam upakāra-saṃbaddhaṃ samāna-śīla-vyasanaṃ sahādhyāyinaṃ yaś cāsya marmaṇi rahasyāni ca vidyāt yasya cāyaṃ vidyād vā dhātr-apatyaṃ saha-saṃvṛddhaṃ mitram.

The following are the kind of friends:—

One who has played with you in the dust, i. e., in childhood.

One who is bound by an obligation.

One who is of the same disposition and fond of the same things.

One who is a fellow student.

One who is acquainted with your secrets and faults, and whose faults and secrets are also known to you.

One who is a child of your nurse.

One who is brought up with you.

1.5.33

pitṛ-paitāmaham a:visaṃvādakam a:dṛṣṭa-vaikṛtaṃ vaśyaṃ dhruvam a:lobha-śīlam a:parihāryam a:mantra-visrāvīti mitra-saṃpat.

One who is an hereditary friend.

These friends should possess the following qualities:—

They should tell the truth.

They should not be changed by time.

They should be favorable to your designs.

They should be firm.

They should be free from covetousness.

They should not be ceapable of being gained over by others.

They should not reveal your secrets.

1.5.34

rajaka-nāpita-mālākāra-gāndhika-saurika-bhikṣuka-gopālaka-tāmbūlika-sauvarṇika-pīṭhamarda- viṭa-vidūṣakādayo mitrāṇi. tad-yoṣin mitrāś ca nāgarakāḥ syur iti vātsyāyanaḥ.

Charayana says that citizens form friendships with washer-men, barbers, cowherds, florists, druggists, betal-leaf sellers, tavern keepers, beggars, Pithamardas, Vitas, and Vidushekas, as also with the wives of all these people.

1.5.35

yad ubhayoḥ sādhāraṇam ubhayatrodāraṃ viśeṣato nāyikāyāḥ su:visrabdhaṃ tatra dūta-karma.

A messenger should possess the following qualities:—

1.5.36

paṭutā dhāṣṭryam iṅgitākāra-jñatā pratāraṇa-kāla-jñatā viṣahya-buddhitvaṃ laghvī pratipattiḥ sopāyā ca
iti dūta-guṇāḥ.

Skilfulness.

Boldness.

Knowledge of the intention of men by their outward signs.

Absence of confusion, i. e., no shyness.

Knowledge of the exact meaning of what others do or say.

Good manners.

Knowledge of appropriate times and places for doing different things.

Ingenuity in business.

Quick comprehension.

Quick application of remedies, i. e., quick and ready resources.

And this part ends with a verse:—

A messenger should possess the following qualities:—

1.5.37

bhavati cātra ślokaḥ.
ātmavān mitravān yukto bhāvajño deśa-kāla-vit. a:labhyām apy a:yatnena striyaṃ saṃsādhayen naraḥ..

The man who is ingenious and wise, who is accompanied by a friend, and who knows the intentions of others, as also the proper time and place for doing everything, can gain over, very easily, even a woman who is very hard to be obtained.

1.5_2

iti śrīvātsyāyanīye kāmasūtre sādhāraṇe prathame 'dhikaraṇe nāyaka-sahāya-dūtī-karma-vimarśaḥ pañcamo 'dhyāyaḥ..livre 2 sāṃprayogikaṃ dvitīyam adhikaraṇam

1.5.p1

leçon 1 prathamo 'dhyāyaḥ
section (prakaraṇa)6 ratāvasthāpana-prakaraṇam