Social Life in Ancient India: Studies in Vatsyayana's Kamasutra c7.40

c7.40

Of the higher professions, we have a reference to the astrologer (*Daivajña*)⁵ and the physician (*Vaidya*)⁶. There is no indication in Vātsyāyana’s work to show whether they formed separate castes. The *Vaidya* probably occupied a respectable position, in as much as in two passages in the *Kāmasūtra*, he is mentioned with the Mahāmātra as an influential person and in another passage, the *Vaidya* is considered to be a person whose favour is worth acquiring by a courtesan⁷. The literature used by the *Vaidya*, that is the science of mdeicine is called V a i d y a k a by Vātsyāyana and the Āyurveda, or the ‘science of life’ is also mentioned along with the Veda and the Vidyātantras, i.e. works on various branches of science¹.