The World of Courtesans c8.7

c8.7

The *Jayamangala* commentary on the *Kamasutra* relates an interesting story about how Dattaka wrote his work on *Vaishika*. According to this legend, a Brahman from Mathura made Pataliputra his home. Here a son was born to him in his old age. The mother died as soon as the child was born. His father allowed someone else to adopt the child and in course of time the father also died. The boy was lovingly called Dattaka (the adopted one) by his adopted mother. He was a brilliant child and in course of time he became adept as a teacher in the traditional arts and sciences and was known as Acharya Dattaka. This great teacher, with a view to studying certain aspects of human behaviour which could only be learnt in the proximity of courtesans, approached them for enlightenment. Later on, at their request he wrote *Vaishikamadhtkaranam*, which dealt with the artifices adopted by the courtesans to please and entice their clients.