Kamasutra 6.5

6.5

lābhaviśeṣāḥ

6.5.1

gamyabāhulye bahu pratidinaṃ ca labhamānā naikaṃ pratigṛhṇīyāt//

When a courtezan is able to realize much money every day, by reason of many customers, she should not confine herself to a single lover; under such circumstances, she should fix her rate for one night, after considering the place, the season, and the condition of the people, also having regard to her own good qualities and good looks, and after comparing her rates with those of other courtezans. She can inform her lovers, and friends, and acquaintances about these changes. If, however, she can obtain a great gain from a single lover, she may resort to him alone, and live with him like a wife.

6.5.2

deśaṃ kālaṃ sthitim ātmano guṇān saubhāgyaṃ cānyābhyo nyūnātiriktatāṃ cāvekṣya rajanyām arthaṃ sthāpayet//

6.5.3

gamye dūtāṃś ca prayojayet/ tat pratibaddhāṃś ca svayaṃ prahiṇuyāt//

6.5.4

dvis triś catur iti lābhātiśayagrahārtham ekasyāpi gacchet/ parigrahaṃ ca caret//

6.5.5

gamyayaugapadye tu lābhasāmye yad dravyārthinī syāt tad dāyini viśeṣaḥ pratyakṣa ity ācāryāḥ//

Now, the Sages are of opinion, that, when a courtezan has the chance of an equal gain from two lovers at the same time, a preference should be given to the one who would give her the kind of thing which she wants. But Vatsyayana says that the preference should be given to the one who gives her gold, because it cannot be taken back like some other things, it can be easily received, and is also the means of procuring anything that may be wished for. Of such things as gold, silver, copper, bell metal, iron, pots, furniture, beds, upper garments, under vestments, fragrant substances, vessels made of gourds, ghee, oil, corn, cattle, and other things of a like nature, the first viz., gold, is superior to all the others.

6.5.6

apratyādeyatvāt sarvakāryāṇāṃ tan mūlatvād dhiraṇyada iti vātsyāyanaḥ//

6.5.7

suvarṇarajatatāmrakāṃsyalohabhāṇḍopaskarāstaraṇa^prāvaraṇavās oviśeṣagandhadravyakaṭukabhāṇḍaghṛtatailadhānya^paśujātīnāṃ pūrvapūrvato viśeṣaḥ/

6.5.8

yat tatra sāmyād vā dravyasāmye mitravākyād atipātitvād āyatito gamyaguṇataḥ prītitaś ca viśeṣaḥ//

When the same labor is required to gain any two lovers, or when the same kind of thing is to be got from each of them, the choice should be made by the advice of a friend, or it may be made from their personal qualities, or from the signs of good or bad fortune that may be connected with them.

6.5.9

rāgityāginos tyāgini viśeṣaḥ pratyakṣa ity ācāryāḥ//

When there are two lovers, one of whom is attached to the courtezan, and the other is simply very generous, the Sages say that a preference should be given to the generous lover, but Vatsyayana is of opinion that the one who is really attached to the courtezan should be preferred, because he can be made to be generous, even as a miser gives money if he becomes fond of a woman, but a man who is simply generous cannot be made to love with real attachment. But among those who are attached to her, if there is one who is poor, and one who is rich, the preference is of course to be given to the latter.

6.5.10

śakyo hi rāgiṇi tyāga ādhātum//

6.5.11

lubdho 'pi hi raktas tyajati na tu tyāgī nirbandhād rajyata iti vātsyāyanaḥ//

6.5.12

tatrāpi dhanavad adhanavator dhanavati viśeṣaḥ/ tyāgiprayojanakartroḥ prayojanakartari viśeṣaḥ pratyakṣa ity ācāryāḥ//

When there are two lovers, one of whom is generous, and the other ready to do any service for the courtezan, some Sages say that the one who is ready to do the service should be preferred, but Vatsyayana is of opinion that a man who does a service thinks that he has gained his object when he has done something once, but a generous man does not care for what he has given before. Even here the choice should be guided by the likelihood of the future good to be derived from her union with either of them.

6.5.13

prayojanakartā sakṛt kṛtvā kṛtinam ātmānaṃ manyate tyāgī punar atītaṃ nāpekṣata iti vātsyāyanaḥ//

6.5.14

tatrāpy ātyayikato viśeṣaḥ/

6.5.15

kṛtajñatyāginos tyāgini viśeṣaḥ pratyakṣa ity ācāryāḥ//

When one of two lovers is grateful, and the other liberal, some Sages say that the liberal one should be preferred, but Vatsyayana is of opinion that the former should be chosen, because liberal men are generally haughty, plain spoken, and wanting in consideration towards others. Even though these liberal men have been on friendly terms for a long time, yet if they see any fault in the courtezan, or are told lies about her by some other woman, they do not care for past services, but leave abruptly. On the other hand, the grateful man does not at once break off from her, on account of a regard for the pains she may have taken to please him. In this case also the choice is to be guided with regard to what may happen in future.

6.5.16

ciram ārādhito 'pi tyāgī vyalīkam ekam upalabhya pratigaṇikayā vā mithyādūṣitaḥ śramam atītaṃ nāpekṣate/

6.5.17

prāyeṇa hi tejasvina ṛjavo 'nādṛtāś ca tyāgino bhavanti/

6.5.18

kṛtajñas tu pūrvaśramāpekṣī na sahasā virajyate/ parīkṣitaśīlatvāc ca na mithyā dūṣyata iti vātsyāyanaḥ//

6.5.19

tatrāpy āyatito viśeṣaḥ//

6.5.20

mitravacanārthāgamayor arthāgame viśeṣaḥ pratyakṣa ity ācāryāḥ//

When an occasion for complying with the request of a friend, and a chance of getting money come together, the Sages say that the chance of getting money should be preferred. But Vatsyayana thinks that money can be obtained tomorrow as well as today, but if the request of a friend be not at once complied with, he may become disaffected. Even here, in making the choice, regard must be paid to future good fortune.

6.5.21

so 'pi hy arthāgamo bhavitā/ mitraṃ tu sakṛd vākye pratihate kaluṣitaṃ syād iti vātsyāyanaḥ//

6.5.22

tatrāpy atipātato viśeṣaḥ//

6.5.23

tatra kāryasaṃdarśanena mitram anunīya śvobhūte vacanam astv iti tato 'tipātinam arthaṃ pratigṛhṇīyāt//

On such an occasion, however, the courtezan might pacify her friend by pretending to have some work to do, and telling him that his request will be compiled with next day, and in this way secure the chance of getting the money that has been offered her.

6.5.24

arthāgamānarthapratīghātayor arthāgame viśeṣaḥ pratyakṣa ity ācāryāḥ//

When the chance of getting money, and the chance of avoiding some disaster come at the same time, the Sages are of opinion that the chance of getting money should be preferred, but Vatsyayana says that money has only a limited importance, while a disaster that is once averted may never occur again. Here however, the choice should be guided by the greatness or smallness of the disaster.

6.5.25

arthaḥ parimitāvacchedaḥ, anarthaḥ punaḥ sakṛt prasṛto na jñāyate kvāvatiṣṭhata iti vātsyāyanaḥ//

6.5.26

tatrāpi gurulāghavakṛto viśeṣaḥ//

6.5.27

etenārthasaṃśayād anarthapratīkāre viśeṣo vyākhyātaḥ//

6.5.28

devakulataḍāgārāmāṇām karaṇam, sthalīnām agnicaityānāṃ nibandhanam, gosahasrāṇāṃ pātrāntaritaṃ brāhmaṇebhyo dānam, devatānāṃ pūjopahārapravartanam, tad vyayasahiṣṇor vā dhanasya parigrahaṇam ity uttamagaṇikānāṃ lābhātiśayaḥ//

The gains of the wealthiest and best kind of courtezans are to be spent as follows:

Building temples, tanks, and gardens; giving a thousand cows to different Brahmans; carrying on the worship of the Gods, and celebrating festivals in their honor; and, lastly, performing such vows as may be within their means.

6.5.29

sārvāṅgiko 'laṃkārayogo gṛhasyodārasya karaṇam/ mahārhair bhāṇḍaiḥ paricārakaiś ca gṛhaparicchadasyojjvalateti rūpājīvānāṃ lābhātiśayaḥ//

The gains of other courtezans are to be spent as follows:

6.5.30

nityaṃ śuklam ācchādanam apakṣudham annapānaṃ nityaṃ saugandhikena tāmbūlena ca yogaḥ sahiraṇyabhāgam alaṃkaraṇam iti kumbhadāsīnāṃ lābhātiśayaḥ//

Having a white dress to wear every day; getting sufficient food and drink to satisfy hunger and thirst; eating daily a perfumed tambula, i.e., a mixture of betel nut and betel leaves; and wearing ornaments gilt with gold. The Sages say that these represent the gains of all the middle and lower classes of courtezans, but Vatsyayana is of opinion that their gains cannot be calculated, or fixed in any way, as these depend on the influences of the place, the customs of the people, their own appearance, and many other things.

6.5.31

etena pradeśena madhyamādhamānām api lābhātiśayān sarvāsām eva yojayed ity ācāryāḥ//

6.5.32

deśakālavibhavasāmarthyānurāgalokapravṛttivaśād aniyatalābhādiyamavṛttir iti vātsyāyanaḥ//

6.5.33

gamyam anyato nivārayitukāmā saktam anyasyām apahartukāmā vā anyāṃ vā lābhato viyuyukṣamāṇāgamyasaṃsargād ātmanaḥ sthānaṃ vṛddhim āyatim abhigamyatāṃ ca manyamānā anarthapratīkāre vā sāhāyam enaṃ kārayitukāmā saktasya vā ^anyasya vyalīkārthinī pūrvopakāram akṛtam iva paśyantī kevala prīty arthinī vā kalyāṇabuddher alpam api lābhaṃ
pratigṛhṇīyāt//

When a courtezan wants to keep some particular man from some other woman; or wishes to get him away from some woman to whom he may be attached; or to deprive some woman of the gains realized by her from him; or if she thinks that she would raise her position; or enjoy some great good fortune; or become desirable to all men by uniting herself with this man; or if she wishes to get his assistance in averting some misfortune; or is really attached to him and loves him or wishes to injure somebody through his means; or has regard to some former favor conferred upon her by him; or wishes to be united with him merely from desire; for any of the above reasons, she should agree to take from him only a small sum of money in a friendly way.

6.5.34

āyaty arthinī tu tam āśritya cānarthaṃ praticikīrṣantī naiva pratigṛhṇīyāt//

6.5.35

tyakṣyāmy enam anyataḥ pratisaṃdhāsyāmi, gamiṣyati dārair yokṣyate nāśayiṣyaty anarthān, aṅkuśabhūta uttarādhyakṣo 'syāgamiṣyati svāmī pitā vā, sthānabhraṃśo vāsya bhaviṣyati calacittaś ceti manyamānā tadātve tasmāl lābham icchet//

When a courtezan intends to abandon a particular lover, and take up with another one; or when she has reason to believe that her lover will shortly leave her, and return to his wives; or that having squandered all his money, and become penniless, his guardian, or master, or father would come and take him away; or that her lover is about to lose his position, or lastly, that he is of a very fickle mind, she should, under any of these circumstances, endeavour to get as much money as she can from him as soon as possible.

6.5.36

pratijñātam īśvareṇa pratigrahaṃ lapsyate adhikaraṇaṃ sthānaṃ vā prāpsyati vṛttikālo 'sya vā āsannaḥ vāhanam asyā gamiṣyati sthalapattraṃ vā sasyam asya pakṣyate kṛtam asmin na naśyati nityam avisaṃvādako vety āyatyām icchet/ parigrahakalpaṃ vācaret// bhavanti cātra ślokāḥ---

On the other hand, when the courtezan thinks that her lover is about to receive valuable presents; or get a place of authority from the King; or be near the time of inheriting a fortune; or that his ship would soon arrive laden with merchandise; or that he has large stocks of corn and other commodities; or that if anything was done for him it would not be done in vain; or that he is always true to his word; then should she have regard to her future welfare, and live with the man like a wife.

There are also verses on the subject as follows:

6.5.37

kṛcchrādhigatavittāṃś ca rājavallabhaniṣṭhurān/
āyātyāṃ ca tadātve ca dūrād eva vivarjayet//

"In considering her present gains, and her future welfare, a courtezan should avoid such persons as have gained their means of subsistence with very great difficulty, as also those who have become selfish and hard-hearted by becoming the favorites of Kings."

6.5.38

anartho varjane yeṣāṃ gamane 'bhyudayas tathā/
prayatnenāpi tān gṛhya sāpadeśam upakramet//

"She should make every endeavor to unite herself with prosperous and well to do people, and with those whom it is dangerous to avoid, or to slight in any way. Even at some cost to herself she should become acquainted with energetic and liberal-minded men, who when pleased would give her a large sum of money, even for very little service, or for some small thing."

6.5.39

prasannā ye prayacchanti svalpe 'py agaṇitaṃ vasu/
sthūlalakṣān mahotsāhāṃs tān gacchet svair api vyayaiḥ//

6.5.39.p1

6.6.arthānarthanubandhasaṃśayavicārā veśyāviśeṣāś ca