[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Polity, Pleasure & Law](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti) › [Erotics and the Art of Love](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.kama) › [Kamasutra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.kama.vatsyayana) › 2.2.5 # Kamasutra 2.2.5 Kāmasūtra 2.2.5 - **Language:** Sanskrit ### [2.2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.kama.vatsyayana.2.2.5) vikalpavargāṇām aṣṭānāṃ nyūnādhikatvadarśanāt prahaṇanavirutapuruṣopasṛptacitraratādīnām anyeṣām api vargāṇām iha praveśanāt prāyovādo 'yam/ yathā saptaparṇo vṛkṣaḥ pañcavarṇo balir iti vātsyāyanaḥ// > This part of the Kama Shastra, which treats of sexual union, is also called "Sixty-four." (Chatushshashti). Some old authors say that it is called so, because it contains sixty-four chapters. Others are of opinion that the author of this part being a person named Panchala, and the person who recited the part of the Rig Veda called Dashatapa, which contains sixty-four verses, being also called Panchala, the name "sixty-four" has been given to the part of the work in honor of the Rig Vedas. The followers of Babhravya say on the other hand that this part contains eight subjects, viz., the embrace, kissing, scratching with nails or fingers, biting, lying down, making various sounds, playing the part of a man and the Auparishtaka, or mouth congress. Each of these subjects being of eight kinds, and eight multiplied by eight being sixty-four, this part is therefore named "sixty-four." But Vatsyayana affirms that as this part contains also the following subjects, viz., striking, crying, the acts of a man during congress, the various kinds of congress, and other subjects, the name "sixty-four" is given to it only accidentally. As, for instance, we say this tree is "Saptaparna," or seven-leaved, this offering of rice is "Panchavarna," or five-colored, but the tree has not seven leaves, neither has the rice seven colors. > — Richard Francis Burton & Foster Fitzgerald Arbuthnot 1883, The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana - [Previous: 2.2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.kama.vatsyayana.2.2.4) - [Next: 2.2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.kama.vatsyayana.2.2.6) - [Up: 2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.kama.vatsyayana.2.2) ## Translations (1) - [The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.kama.vatsyayana~en-burton.2.2.p2) — Richard Francis Burton & Foster Fitzgerald Arbuthnot 1883, English ## Commentaries (1) - [Jayamaṅgalā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.kama.vatsyayana!jayamangala.11.6) — Yaśodhara Indrapada, Sanskrit ## Other recensions (1) - [Text edited by Jean Fezas (with notes)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.kama.vatsyayana*fezas.2.2.5) — Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.kama.vatsyayana.2.2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.kama.vatsyayana.2.2.5) · Pramāṇa