Social Life in Ancient India: Studies in Vatsyayana's Kamasutra c8.76

c8.76

Vātsyāyana says, that for the selection of the girl, the father, mother and relatives of the young man should stir themselves and besides, mutual friends of the two parties should carry on messages between them.⁴ Vātsyāyana gives the advice that those charged with the *varaṇa* should exaggerate the defects present and prospective, of other suitors and should expiate on the qualifications of their *Nāyaka*, both personal and hereditary, as well as such qualities as are likely to further their object; besides, they should enlarge upon such advantages possessed by him at the time, or likely to accrue to him in subsequent years, as would commend themselves to the girl's mother.⁵ The advantage of winning the favour of the girl's mother⁶ is emphasised upon and clever tricks also are recommended by Vātsyāyana for assuring success in the endeavour. Some of the friends of the youngman should drive the mother wild by enumerating to her his chances of winning girls from other desirable parties.¹ One of the youngman's friends, again, may get himself up as an astrologer and give an account of the wealth and prosperity that would come to the *Nāyaka* in after years as promised by omens and portents, by the position of the planets and also by marks on his body.²