Kamasutra 6.6

6.6.1

arthān ācaryamāṇān anarthā apy anūdbhavanty anubandhāḥ saṃśayāś ca//

It sometimes happens that while gains are being sought for, or expected to be realized, losses only are the result of our efforts; the causes of which losses are:

6.6.2

te buddhidaurbalyād atirāgād atyabhimānād atidambhād atyārjavād ativiśvāsād atikrodhāt pramādāt sāhasād daivayogāc ca syuḥ//

Weakness of intellect.

Excessive love.

Excessive pride.

Excessive self conceit.

Excessive simplicity.

Excessive confidence.

Excessive anger.

Carelessness.

Recklessness.

Influence of evil genius.

Accidental circumstances.

6.6.3

teṣāṃ phalaṃ kṛtasya vyayasya niṣphalatvam anāyatirāgam iṣyato 'rthasya nivartanam āptasya niṣkramaṇaṃ pāruṣyasya prāptir gamyatā śarīrasyapraghātaḥ keśānāṃ chedanaṃ pātanam aṅgavaikalyāpattiḥ/

The results of these losses are:

Expense incurred without any result.

Destruction of future good fortune.

Stoppage of gains about to be realized.

Loss of what is already obtained.

Acquisition of a sour temper.

Becoming unamiable to everybody.

Injury to health.

Loss of hair, and other accidents.

6.6.4

tasmāt tān ādita eva parijihīrṣed arthabhūyiṣṭhāṃś copekṣeta//

Loss of hair, and other accidents.

6.6.5

artho dharmaḥ kāma ity arthatrivargaḥ/

Now gain is of three kinds, viz.: gain of wealth, gain of religious merit, and gain of pleasure; and similarly, loss is of three kinds, viz.: loss of wealth, loss of religious merit, and loss of pleasure. At the time when gains are sought for, if other gains come along with them, these are called attendant gains. When gain is uncertain, the doubt of its being a gain is called a simple doubt. When there is a doubt whether either of two things will happen or not, it is called a mixed doubt. If while one thing is being done two results take place, it is called a combination of two results, and if several results follow from the same action, it is called a combination of results on every side.

6.6.6

anartho 'dharmo dveṣa ity anarthatrivargaḥ/

Now gain is of three kinds, viz.: gain of wealth, gain of religious merit, and gain of pleasure; and similarly, loss is of three kinds, viz.: loss of wealth, loss of religious merit, and loss of pleasure. At the time when gains are sought for, if other gains come along with them, these are called attendant gains. When gain is uncertain, the doubt of its being a gain is called a simple doubt. When there is a doubt whether either of two things will happen or not, it is called a mixed doubt. If while one thing is being done two results take place, it is called a combination of two results, and if several results follow from the same action, it is called a combination of results on every side.

6.6.7

teṣv ācaryamāṇeṣv anyasyāpi niṣpattir anubandhaḥ/

Now gain is of three kinds, viz.: gain of wealth, gain of religious merit, and gain of pleasure; and similarly, loss is of three kinds, viz.: loss of wealth, loss of religious merit, and loss of pleasure. At the time when gains are sought for, if other gains come along with them, these are called attendant gains. When gain is uncertain, the doubt of its being a gain is called a simple doubt. When there is a doubt whether either of two things will happen or not, it is called a mixed doubt. If while one thing is being done two results take place, it is called a combination of two results, and if several results follow from the same action, it is called a combination of results on every side.

6.6.8

saṃdigdhāyāṃ tu phalaprāptau syād vā na veti śuddhasaṃśayaḥ/

Now gain is of three kinds, viz.: gain of wealth, gain of religious merit, and gain of pleasure; and similarly, loss is of three kinds, viz.: loss of wealth, loss of religious merit, and loss of pleasure. At the time when gains are sought for, if other gains come along with them, these are called attendant gains. When gain is uncertain, the doubt of its being a gain is called a simple doubt. When there is a doubt whether either of two things will happen or not, it is called a mixed doubt. If while one thing is being done two results take place, it is called a combination of two results, and if several results follow from the same action, it is called a combination of results on every side.

6.6.9

idaṃ vā syād idaṃ veti samkīrṇaḥ/

Now gain is of three kinds, viz.: gain of wealth, gain of religious merit, and gain of pleasure; and similarly, loss is of three kinds, viz.: loss of wealth, loss of religious merit, and loss of pleasure. At the time when gains are sought for, if other gains come along with them, these are called attendant gains. When gain is uncertain, the doubt of its being a gain is called a simple doubt. When there is a doubt whether either of two things will happen or not, it is called a mixed doubt. If while one thing is being done two results take place, it is called a combination of two results, and if several results follow from the same action, it is called a combination of results on every side.

6.6.10

ekasmin kriyamāṇe kārye kāryadvayasyotpattir ubhayato yogaḥ/

Now gain is of three kinds, viz.: gain of wealth, gain of religious merit, and gain of pleasure; and similarly, loss is of three kinds, viz.: loss of wealth, loss of religious merit, and loss of pleasure. At the time when gains are sought for, if other gains come along with them, these are called attendant gains. When gain is uncertain, the doubt of its being a gain is called a simple doubt. When there is a doubt whether either of two things will happen or not, it is called a mixed doubt. If while one thing is being done two results take place, it is called a combination of two results, and if several results follow from the same action, it is called a combination of results on every side.

6.6.11

samantād utpattiḥ samantatoyoga iti tān udāhariṣyāmaḥ//

We shall now give examples of the above.

6.6.12

vicāritarūpo 'rthatrivargaḥ/ tad viparīta evānarthatrivargaḥ//

As already stated, gain is of three kinds, and loss, which is opposed to gain, is also of three kinds.

6.6.13

yasyottamasyābhigamane pratyakṣato 'rthalābho grahaṇīyatvam āyatir āgamaḥ prārthanīyatvaṃ cānyeṣāṃ syāt so 'rtho 'rthānubandhaḥ//

(a) When by living with a great man a courtezan acquires present wealth, and in addition to this becomes acquainted with other people, and thus obtains a chance of future fortune, and an accession of wealth, and becomes desirable to all, this is called a gain of wealth attended by other gain.

6.6.14

lābhamātre kasya cid anyasya gamanaṃ so 'rtho niranubandhaḥ//

(b) When by living with a man a courtezan simply gets money, this is called a gain of wealth not attended by any other gain.

6.6.15

anyārthaparigrahe saktād āyaticchedanam arthasya niṣkramaṇaṃ lokavidviṣṭasya vā nīcasya gamanam āyatighnam artho 'narthānubandhaḥ//

(c) When a courtezan receives money from other people besides her lover, the results are: the chance of the loss of future good from her present lover; the chance of disaffection of a man securely attached to her; the hatred of all; and the chance of a union with some low person tending to destroy her future good. This gain is called a gain of wealth attended by losses.

6.6.16

(svena vyayena śūrasya mahāmātrasya prabhavato vā lubdhasya gamanaṃ niṣphalam api vyasanapratīkārārthaṃ mahataś cārthaghnasya nimittasya praśamanam āyatijananaṃ vā so 'nartho 'rthānubandhaḥ//)

(d) When a courtezan at her own expense, and without any results in the shape of gain, has connection with a great man, or an avaricious minister for the sake of diverting some misfortune, or removing some cause that may be threatening the destruction of a great gain, this loss is said to be a loss of wealth attended by gains of the future good which it may bring about.

6.6.17

kadaryasya subhagamāninaḥ kṛtaghnasya vātisaṃdhānaśīlasya svair api vyayais tathārādhanam ante niṣphalaṃ so 'nartho niranubandhaḥ//

(e) When a courtezan is kind, even at her own expense, to a man who is very stingy, or to a man proud of his looks, or to an ungrateful man skilled in gaining the heart of others, without any good resulting from these connections to her in the end, this loss is called a loss of wealth not attended by any gain.

6.6.18

tasyaiva rājavallabhasya krauryaprabhāvādhikasya tathaivārādhanam ante niṣphalaṃ niṣkāsanaṃ ca doṣakaraṃ so 'nartho 'narthānubandhaḥ//

(f) When a courtezan is kind to any such men as described above, but who in addition are favorites of the King, and moreover cruel and powerful, without any good result in the end, and with a chance of her being turned away at any moment, this loss is called a loss of wealth attended by other losses.

6.6.19

evaṃ dharmakāmayor apy anubandhān yojayet//

In this way gains and losses, and attendant gains and losses in religious merit and in pleasures may become known to the reader, and combinations of all of them may also be made.

6.6.20

paraspareṇa ca yuktyā saṃkired ity anubandhāḥ//

Thus end the remarks on gains and losses, and attendant gains and losses.

In the next place we come to doubts, which are again of three kinds, viz.: doubts about wealth, doubts about religious merit, and doubts about pleasures.

In this way gains and losses, and attendant gains and losses in religious merit and in pleasures may become known to the reader, and combinations of all of them may also be made.

6.6.21

paritoṣito 'pi dāsyati na vety arthasaṃśayaḥ/

(a) When a courtezan is not certain how much a man may give her, or spend upon her, this is called a doubt about wealth.

6.6.22

niṣpīḍitārtham aphalam utsṛjantyā artham alabhamānāyā dharmaḥ syān na veti dharmasaṃśayaḥ/

(b) When a courtezan feels doubtful whether she is right in entirely abandoning a lover from whom she is unable to get money, she having taken all his wealth from him in the first instance, this doubt is called a doubt about religious merit.

6.6.23

abhipretam upalabhya paricārakam anyaṃ vā kṣudraṃ gatvā kāmaḥ syān na veti kāmasaṃśayaḥ/

(c) When a courtezan is unable to get hold of a lover to her liking, and is uncertain whether she will derive any pleasure from a person surrounded by his family, or from a low person, this is called a doubt about pleasure.

6.6.24

prabhāvavān kṣudro 'nabhimato 'narthaṃ kariṣyati na vety anarthasaṃśayaḥ/

(d) When a courtezan is uncertain whether some powerful but low principled fellow would cause loss to her on account of her not being civil to him, this is called a doubt about the loss of wealth.

6.6.25

atyantaniṣphalaḥ saktaḥ parityaktaḥ pitṛlokaṃ yāyāt tatrādharmaḥ syān na vety adharmasaṃśayaḥ/

(e) When a courtezan feels doubtful whether she would lose religious merit by abandoning a man who is attached to her without giving him the slightest favor, and thereby causing him unhappiness in this world and the next, this doubt is called a doubt about the loss of religious merit.

6.6.26

rāgasyāpi vivakṣāyām abhipretam anupalabhya virāgaḥ/ syān na veti dveṣasaṃśayaḥ/ iti śuddhasaṃśayāḥ//

(f) When a courtezan is uncertain as to whether she might create disaffection by speaking out, and revealing her love, and thus not get her desire satisfied, this is called a doubt about the loss of pleasure.

Thus end the remarks on doubts.

6.6.27

atha saṃkīrṇāḥ//

Mixed Doubts

6.6.28

āgantor aviditaśīlasya vallabhasaṃśrayasya prabhaviṣṇor vā samupasthitasyārādhanam artho 'nartha iti saṃśayaḥ/

(a) The intercourse or connection with a stranger, whose disposition is unknown, and who may have been introduced by a lover, or by one who possessed authority, may be productive either of gain or loss, and therefore this is called a mixed doubt about the gain and loss of wealth.

6.6.29

śrotriyasya brahmacāriṇo dīkṣitasya vratino liṅgino vā māṃ dṛṣṭvā jātarāgasya mumūrṣor mitravākyād ānṛśaṃsyāc ca gamanaṃ dharmo 'dharma iti saṃśayaḥ/

(b) When a courtezan is requested by a friend, or is impelled by pity to have intercourse with a learned Brahman, a religious student, a sacrificer, a devotee, or an ascetic who may have all fallen in love with her, and who may be consequently at the point of death, by doing this she might either gain or lose religious merit, and therefore this is called a mixed doubt about the gain and loss of religious merit.

6.6.30

lokād evākṛtapratyayād aguṇo guṇavān vety anavekṣya gamanaṃ kāmo dveṣa iti saṃśayaḥ/

(c) If a courtezan relies solely upon the report of other people (i.e., hearsay) about a man, and goes to him without ascertaining herself whether he possesses good qualities or not, she may either gain or lose pleasure in proportion as he may be good or bad, and therefore this is called a mixed doubt about the gain and loss of pleasure.

6.6.31

saṃkirec ca paraspareṇeti saṃkīrṇasaṃśayāḥ//

(c) If a courtezan relies solely upon the report of other people (i.e., hearsay) about a man, and goes to him without ascertaining herself whether he possesses good qualities or not, she may either gain or lose pleasure in proportion as he may be good or bad, and therefore this is called a mixed doubt about the gain and loss of pleasure.

6.6.32

yatra parasyābhigamane 'rthaḥ saktāc ca saṃgharṣataḥ sa ubhayayo 'rthaḥ/

(a) If, when living with a lover, a courtezan gets both wealth and pleasure from him, it is called a gain on both sides.

6.6.33

yatra svena vyayena niṣphalam abhigamanaṃ saktāc cāmarṣitād vittapratyādānaṃ sa ubhayato 'narthaḥ/

(b) When a courtezan lives with a lover at her own expense without getting any profit out of it, and the lover even takes back from her what he may have formerly given her, it is called a loss on both sides.

6.6.34

yatrābhigamane 'rtho bhaviṣyati na vety āśaṅkā sakto 'pi saṃgharṣād dāsyati na veti sa ubhayato 'rthasaṃśayaḥ/

(c) When a courtezan is uncertain whether a new acquaintance would become attached to her, and, moreover, if he became attached to her, whether he would give her any thing, it is called a doubt on both sides about gains.

6.6.35

yatrābhigamane vyayavati pūrvo viruddhaḥ krodhād apakāraṃ kariṣyati na veti sakto vāmarṣito dattaṃ pratyādāsyati na veti sa ubhayato 'narthasaṃśayaḥ/ ity auddālaker ubhayatoyogāḥ//

(d) When a courtezan is uncertain whether a former enemy, if made up to by her at her own expense, would do her some injury on account of his grudge against her; or, if becoming attached to her, would take away angrily from her anything that he may have given to her, this is called a doubt on both sides about loss.

6.6.36

bābhravīyās tu ---

Babhravya has described the gains and losses on both sides as follows:

6.6.37

yatrābhigamane 'rtho 'nabhigamane ca saktād arthaḥ sa ubhayato 'rthaḥ/

(a) When a courtezan can get money from a man whom she may go to see, and also money from a man whom she may not go to see, this is called a gain on both sides.

6.6.38

yatrābhigamane niṣphalo vyayo 'nabhigamane ca niṣpratīkāro 'narthaḥ sa ubhayato 'narthaḥ/

(b) When a courtezan has to incur further expense if she goes to see a man, and yet runs the risk of incurring an irremediable loss if she does not go to see him, this is called a loss on both sides.

6.6.39

yatrābhigamane nirvyayo dāsyati na veti saṃśayo 'nabhigamane sakto dāsyati na veti sa ubhayato 'rthasaṃśayaḥ/

(c) When a courtezan is uncertain, whether a particular man would give her anything on her going to see him, without incurring expense on her part, or whether on her neglecting him another man would give her something, this is called a doubt on both sides about gain.

6.6.40

yatrābhigamane vyayavati pūrvo viruddhaḥ prabhāvavān prāpsyate na veti saṃśayo 'nabhigamane ca krodhād anarthaṃ kariṣyati na veti sa ubhayato 'narthasaṃśayaḥ//

(d) When a courtezan is uncertain, whether, on going at her own expense to see an old enemy, he would take back from her what he may have given her, or whether by her not going to see him he would cause some disaster to fall upon her, this is called a doubt on both sides about loss.

6.6.41

eteṣām eva vyatikare 'nyato 'rtho 'nyato 'narthaḥ, anyato 'rtho 'nyato 'rthasaṃśayaḥ, anyato 'rtho 'nyato 'narthasaṃśaya iti ṣaṭsaṃkīrṇayogāḥ//

By combining the above, the following six kinds of mixed results are produced, viz.:

(a) Gain on one side, and loss on the other.

(b) Gain on one side, and doubt of gain on the other.

(c) Gain on one side, and doubt of loss on the other.

(d) Loss on one side, and doubt of gain on the other.

(e) Doubt of gain on one side, and doubt of loss on the other.

(f) Doubt of loss on one side, and loss on the other.

6.6.42

teṣu sahāyaiḥ saha vimṛśya yato 'rthabhūyiṣṭho 'rthasaṃśayo gurur anarthapraśamo vā tataḥ pravarteta//

A courtezan, having considered all the above things and taken counsel with her friends, should act so as to acquire gain, the chances of great gain, and the warding off of any great disaster. Religious merit and pleasure should also be formed into separate combinations like those of wealth, and then all should be combined with each other, so as to form new combinations.

6.6.43

evaṃ dharmakāmav apy anayaiva yuktyodāharet/ saṃkirec ca paraspareṇa vyatiṣañjayec cety ubhayatoyogāḥ//

A courtezan, having considered all the above things and taken counsel with her friends, should act so as to acquire gain, the chances of great gain, and the warding off of any great disaster. Religious merit and pleasure should also be formed into separate combinations like those of wealth, and then all should be combined with each other, so as to form new combinations.

6.6.44

saṃbhūya ca viṭāḥ parigṛhṇanty ekām asau goṣṭhīparigrahaḥ/

When a courtezan consorts with men she should cause each of them to give her money as well as pleasure. At particular times, such as the Spring Festivals, etc., she should make her mother announce to the various men, that on a certain day her daughter would remain with the man who would gratify such and such a desire of hers.

6.6.45

sā teṣām itas tataḥ saṃsṛjyamānā pratyekaṃ saṃgharṣād arthaṃ nirvartayet/

When a courtezan consorts with men she should cause each of them to give her money as well as pleasure. At particular times, such as the Spring Festivals, etc., she should make her mother announce to the various men, that on a certain day her daughter would remain with the man who would gratify such and such a desire of hers.

6.6.46

suvasantakādiṣu ca yoge yo me imam amuṃ ca saṃpādayiṣyati tasyādya gamiṣyati me duhiteti mātrā vācayet/

When a courtezan consorts with men she should cause each of them to give her money as well as pleasure. At particular times, such as the Spring Festivals, etc., she should make her mother announce to the various men, that on a certain day her daughter would remain with the man who would gratify such and such a desire of hers.

6.6.47

teṣāṃ ca saṃgharṣaje 'bhigamane kāryāṇi lakṣayet/

When young men approach her with delight, she should think of what she may accomplish through them.

6.6.48

ekato 'rthaḥ sarvato 'rthaḥ ekato 'narthaḥ sarvato 'narthaḥ ardhato 'rthaḥ sarvato 'rthaḥ ardhato 'narthaḥ sarvato 'narthaḥ/ iti samantato yogāḥ//

The combination of gains and losses on all sides are: gain on one side, and loss on all others; loss on one side and gain on all others; gain on all sides, loss on all sides.

6.6.49

arthasaṃśayam anarthasaṃśayaṃ ca pūrvavad yojayet/ saṃkirec ca tathā dharmakāmāv api/ ity *anubandhārthānarthasaṃśayavicārāḥ//

A courtezan should also consider doubts about gain and doubts about loss with reference both to wealth, religious merit, and pleasure.

Thus ends the consideration of gain, loss, attendant gains, attendant losses, and doubts.

6.6.50

kumbhadāsī paricārikā kulaṭā svairiṇī naṭī śilpakārikā prakāśavinaṣṭā rūpājīvā gaṇikā ceti veśyāviśeṣāḥ//

The different kinds of courtezans are:

A bawd.

A female attendant.

An unchaste woman.

A dancing girl.

A female artisan.

A woman who has left her family.

A woman living on her beauty.

And, finally, a regular courtezan.

6.6.51

sarvāsāṃ cānurūpeṇa gamyāḥ sahāyās tad uparañjanam arthāgamopāyā niṣkāsanaṃ punaḥ sadhānaṃ lābhaviśeṣānubandhā arthānarthānubandhasaṃśayavicārāś ceti vaiśikam// bhavataś cātra ślokau ---

All the above kinds of courtezans are acquainted with various kinds of men, and should consider the ways of getting money from them, of pleasing them, of separating themselves from them, and of re-uniting with them. They should also take into consideration particular gains and losses, attendant gains and losses, and doubts in accordance with their several conditions.

Thus ends the consideration of courtezans.

There are also two verses on the subject as follows:

6.6.52

raty arthāḥ puruṣā yena raty arthāś caiva yoṣitaḥ//
śāstrasyārthapradhānatvāt tena yogo 'tra yoṣitām//

"Men want pleasure, while women want money, and therefore this Part, which treats of the means of gaining wealth, should be studied."

6.6.53

santi rāgaparā nāryaḥ santi cārthaparā api/
prāk tatra varṇito rāgo veśyāyogāś ca vaiśike//

"There are some women who seek for love, and there are others who seek for money; for the former the ways of love are told in previous portions of this work, while the ways of getting money, as practiced by courtezans, are described in this Part."

6.6.53.p1

7. aupaniṣadikaṃ

END OF PART VI.