Social Life in Ancient India: Studies in Vatsyayana's Kamasutra c7.47.1

c7.47.1

In the first place, the M a h ā m ā t r a is mentioned many times in the book, side by side with the king, as of a very high position in society. Vātsyāyana, when writing his work, had in mind as his prospective readers the daughters of kings and Mahāmātras who were likely to profit by his book, because in the first place, as he observes, among females it was specially they who received a liberal education—had their intellect sharpened by a study of the literature on a subject (śāstra)³. On festive occasions near the house of the Mahāmātra, a lover would try to meet and win over the lady he loved¹. A person who was in the good books of the Mahāmātra was considered a desirable lover by the hetaeræ². The favour of the Mahāmātras was sought to be won by men in some parts of India in ways that were far from honorable, and certainly not sanctioned by codes of morality³. Vātsyāyana advises the Mahāmātras never to enter another’s house on any amorous expedition, because other people would imitate the conduct of great men themselves, and he adds that just as the sun, high up in the sky, is watched by all people in his journey across the heavens, similarly the movements of the Mahāmātras are keenly watched by men; therefore they should not do anything that was unworthy or dishonourable.