Kamasutra 2.4

2.4.1

rāga-vṛddhau saṃgharṣātmakaṃ nakha-vilekhanam.

When love becomes intense, pressing with the nails or scratching the body with them is practiced, and it is done on the following occasions: On the first visit; at the time of setting out on a journey; on the return from a journey; at the time when an angry lover is reconciled; and lastly when the woman is intoxicated.

2.4.2

tasya prathama-samāgame pravāsa-pratyāgamane pravāsa-gamane kruddha-prasannāyāṃ mattāyāṃ ca prayogaḥ. na nityam a:caṇḍa-vegayoḥ.

When love becomes intense, pressing with the nails or scratching the body with them is practiced, and it is done on the following occasions: On the first visit; at the time of setting out on a journey; on the return from a journey; at the time when an angry lover is reconciled; and lastly when the woman is intoxicated.

But pressing with the nails is not an usual thing except with those who are intensely passionate, i.e., full of passion. It is employed together with biting, by those to whom the practice is agreeable.

2.4.3

tathā daśana-cchedyasya sātmya-vaśād vā.

But pressing with the nails is not an usual thing except with those who are intensely passionate, i.e., full of passion. It is employed together with biting, by those to whom the practice is agreeable.

2.4.4

tad [1] ācchuritakam [2] ardha-candro [3] maṇḍalaṃ [4] rekhā [5] vyāghra-nakhaṃ [6] mayūra-padakaṃ [7] śaśa-plutakam [8] utpala-pattrakam iti rūpato 'ṣṭa-vikalpam.

Pressing with the nails is of the eight following kinds, according to the forms of the marks which are produced, viz:

Sounding.

Half moon.

A circle.

A line.

A tiger's nail or claw.

A peacock's foot.

The jump of a hare.

The leaf of a blue lotus.

2.4.5

kakṣau stanau galaḥ pṛṣṭhaṃ jaghanam ūrū ca sthānāni.

The places that are to be pressed with the nails are as follows: the arm pit, the throat, the breasts, the lips, the jaghana, or middle parts of the body, and the thighs. But Suvarnanabha is of opinion that when the impetuosity of passion is excessive, then the places need not be considered.

2.4.6

pravṛtta-rati-cakrāṇāṃ na sthānam a:sthānaṃ vā vidyata iti suvarṇanābhaḥ.

The places that are to be pressed with the nails are as follows: the arm pit, the throat, the breasts, the lips, the jaghana, or middle parts of the body, and the thighs. But Suvarnanabha is of opinion that when the impetuosity of passion is excessive, then the places need not be considered.

2.4.7

tatra savya-hastāni praty:agra-śikharāṇi dvi-tri-śikharāṇi caṇḍa-vegayor nakhāni syuḥ.

Small

Middling

Large

2.4.8

anugata-rāji samam ujjvalam a:malinam a:vipāṭitaṃ vivardhiṣṇu mṛdu snigdha-darśanam iti nakha-guṇāḥ.

Large

2.4.9

dīrghāṇi hasta-śobhīny āloke ca yoṣitāṃ citta-grāhīṇi gauḍāṇāṃ nakhāni syuḥ.

Large nails, which give grace to the hands, and attract the hearts of women from their appearance, are possessed by the Bengalees.

2.4.10

hrasvāni karma-sahiṣṇūni vikalpa-yojanāsu ca svecchāpātīni dākṣiṇatyānām.

Small nails, which can be used in various ways, and are to be applied only with the object of giving pleasure, are possessed by the people of the southern districts.

2.4.11

madhyamāny ubhaya-bhāñji mahārāṣṭrakāṇām iti.

Middling nails, which contain the properties of both the above kinds, belong to the people of the Maharashtra.

2.4.12

taiḥ su:niyamitair hanu-deśe stanayor adhare vā laghu-karaṇam an:udgata-lekhaṃ sparśa-mātra-jananād romāñca-karam ante saṃnipāta-vardhamāna-śabdam [1] ācchuritakam.

(1) When a person presses the chin, the breasts, the lower lip, or the jaghana of another so softly that no scratch or mark is left, but only the hair on the body becomes erect from the touch of the nails, and the nails themselves make a sound, it is called a "sounding or pressing with the nails."

2.4.13

prayojyāyāṃ ca tasyāṅga-saṃvāhane śirasaḥ kaṇḍūyane piṭaka-bhedane vyākulī-karaṇe bhīṣaṇena prayogaḥ.

This pressing is used in the case of a young girl when her lover shampoos her, scratches her head, and wants to trouble or frighten her.

2.4.14

grīvāyāṃ stana-pṛṣṭhe ca vakro nakha-pada-niveśo [2] ardha-candraḥ.

(2) The curved mark with the nails, which is impressed on the neck and the breasts is called the "half moon."

2.4.15

tāv eva dvau parsa-parābhimukhau maṇḍalam.

(3) When the half moons are impressed opposite to each other, it is called a "circle." This mark with the nails is generally made on the navel, the small cavities about the buttocks, and on the joints of the thigh.

2.4.16

nābhi-mūla-kakundara-vaṃkṣaṇeṣu((10)) tasya prayogaḥ.

(3) When the half moons are impressed opposite to each other, it is called a "circle." This mark with the nails is generally made on the navel, the small cavities about the buttocks, and on the joints of the thigh.

2.4.17

sarva-sthāneṣu nāti:dīrghā [4] lekhā((11)).

(4) A mark in the form of a small line, and which can be made on any part of the body, is called a "line."

2.4.18

saiva vakrā [5] vyāghra-nakhakam ā stana-mukham.

(5) This same line, when it is curved, and made on the breast, is called a "tiger's nail."

2.4.19

pañcabhir abhimukhair lekhā cūcukābhimukhī((12)) [6] mayūra-padakam.

(6) When a curved mark is made on the breast by means of the five nails, it is called a "peacock's foot." This mark is made with the object of being praised, for it requires a great deal of skill to make it properly.

2.4.20

tat-saṃprayoga-ślāghāyāḥ stana-cūcuke saṃnikṛṣṭāni pañca-nakha-padāni [7] śaśa-plutakam.

(7) When five marks with the nails are made close to one another near the nipple of the breast, it is called "the jump of a hare."

(6) When a curved mark is made on the breast by means of the five nails, it is called a "peacock's foot." This mark is made with the object of being praised, for it requires a great deal of skill to make it properly.

2.4.21

stana-pṛṣṭhe mekhalā-pathe cotpala-pattrākṛtīty [8] utpala-pattrakam.

(8) A mark made on the breast or on the hips in the form of a leaf of the blue lotus, is called the "leaf of a blue lotus."

2.4.22

ūrvoḥ stana-pṛṣṭhe ca pravāsaṃ gacchataḥ smāraṇīyakaṃ saṃhatāś catasras tisro vā lekhāḥ.
iti nakha-karmāṇi.

When a person is going on a journey, and makes a mark on the thighs, or on the breast, it is called a "token of remembrance." On such an occasion three or four lines are impressed close to one another with the nails.

Here ends the marking with the nails. Marks of other kinds than the above may also be made with the nails, for the ancient authors say, that as there are innumerable degrees of skill among men (the practice of this art being known to all), so there are innumerable ways of making these marks. And as pressing or marking with the nails is dependent on love, no one can say with certainty how many different kinds of marks with the nails do actually exist. The reason of this is, Vatsyayana says, that as variety is necessary in love, so love is to be produced by means of variety. It is on this account that courtezans, who are well acquainted with various ways and means, become so desirable, for if variety is sought in all the arts and amusements, such as archery and others, how much more should it be sought after in the present case.

2.4.23

ākṛti-vikāra-yuktāni cānyāny api kurvīta.

Here ends the marking with the nails. Marks of other kinds than the above may also be made with the nails, for the ancient authors say, that as there are innumerable degrees of skill among men (the practice of this art being known to all), so there are innumerable ways of making these marks. And as pressing or marking with the nails is dependent on love, no one can say with certainty how many different kinds of marks with the nails do actually exist. The reason of this is, Vatsyayana says, that as variety is necessary in love, so love is to be produced by means of variety. It is on this account that courtezans, who are well acquainted with various ways and means, become so desirable, for if variety is sought in all the arts and amusements, such as archery and others, how much more should it be sought after in the present case.

2.4.24

vikalpānām an:antatvād ānantyāc ca kauśala-vidher abhyāsasya ca sarva-gāmitvād rāgātmakatvāc chedyasya prakārān ko 'bhisamīkṣitum arhatīty ācāryāḥ..2.4.25 bhavati hi rāge 'pi citrāpekṣā. vaicitryāc ca parasparaṃ rāgo janayitavyaḥ. vaicakṣaṇya-yuktāś ca gaṇikās tat-kāminaś ca parasparaṃ prārthanīyā bhavanti. dhanur-vedādiṣv api hi śastra-karma-śāstreṣu vaicitryam evāpekṣyate kiṃ punar iheti vātsyāyanaḥ.

Here ends the marking with the nails. Marks of other kinds than the above may also be made with the nails, for the ancient authors say, that as there are innumerable degrees of skill among men (the practice of this art being known to all), so there are innumerable ways of making these marks. And as pressing or marking with the nails is dependent on love, no one can say with certainty how many different kinds of marks with the nails do actually exist. The reason of this is, Vatsyayana says, that as variety is necessary in love, so love is to be produced by means of variety. It is on this account that courtezans, who are well acquainted with various ways and means, become so desirable, for if variety is sought in all the arts and amusements, such as archery and others, how much more should it be sought after in the present case.

2.4.26

na tu para-parigṛhītāsv evaṃ kuryāt. pracchanneṣu pradeśeṣu tāsām anusmaraṇārthaṃ rāga-vardhanāc ca viśeṣān darśayet.

The marks of the nails should not be made on married women, but particular kinds of marks may be made on their private parts for the remembrance and increase of love.

2.4.27

nakha-kṣatāni paśyantyā gūḍha-sthāneṣu yoṣitaḥ. cirotsṛṣṭāpy abhinavā prītir bhavati peśalā((13))..

"The love of a woman who sees the marks of nails on the private parts of her body, even though they are old and almost worn out, becomes again fresh and new. If there be no marks of nails to remind a person of the passages of love, then love is lessened in the same way as when no union takes place for a long time."

2.4.28

cirosṛṣṭeṣu rāgeṣu prītir gacchet parābhavam. rāgāyatana-saṃsmāri yadi na syān nakha-kṣatam..

"The love of a woman who sees the marks of nails on the private parts of her body, even though they are old and almost worn out, becomes again fresh and new. If there be no marks of nails to remind a person of the passages of love, then love is lessened in the same way as when no union takes place for a long time."

2.4.29

paśyato yuvatiṃ dūrān nakhocchiṣṭa-payodharām. bahu-mānaḥ parasyāpi rāga-yogaś ca jāyate..

Even when a stranger sees at a distance a young woman with the marks of nails on her breast, he is filled with love and respect for her.

2.4.30

puruṣaś ca pradeśeṣu nakha-cihnair vicihnitaḥ. cittaṃ sthiram api prāyaś calayaty eva yoṣitaḥ..

A man, also, who carries the marks of nails and teeth on some parts of his body, influences the mind of a woman, even though it be ever so firm. In short, nothing tends to increase love so much as the effects of marking with the nails, and biting.

2.4.31

nānyat paṭutaraṃ kiṃ cid asti rāga-vivardhanam. nakha-danta-samutthānāṃ karmaṇāṃ gatayo yathā.

A man, also, who carries the marks of nails and teeth on some parts of his body, influences the mind of a woman, even though it be ever so firm. In short, nothing tends to increase love so much as the effects of marking with the nails, and biting.

2.4_2

iti śrīvātyāyanīye kāmasūtre sāṃprayogike dvitīye 'dhikaraṇe caturtho 'dhyāyaḥ. ādito navamaḥ.

2.4.p1

leçon 5 pañcamo 'dhyāyaḥ.
section (prakaraṇa)11