Ancient Indian Philosophy of Kama Sutra: On Foreplay
Kama Sutra
Chapter X Kama Sutra - On Foreplay, Post Coition & Lovers Quarrels
In the pleasure room, decorated with flowers, and fragrant with
perfumes, attended by his friends and servants, the citizen should
receive the woman, who will come bathed and dressed, and will invite
her to take refreshment and to drink freely. He should then seat her on
his left side, and holding her hair, and touching also the end and knot
of her garment, he should gently embrace her with his right arm. They
should then carry on an amusing conversation on various subjects, and
may also talk suggestively of things which would be considered as
coarse, or not to be mentioned generally in society. They may then
sing, either with or without gesticulations, and play on musical
instruments, talk about the arts, and persuade each other to drink. At
last when the woman is overcome with love and desire, the citizen
should dismiss the people that may be with him, giving them flowers,
ointments, and betel leaves, and then when the two are left alone, they
should proceed as has been already described in the previous chapters.
Such is the beginning of sexual union. At the end of the congress, the
lovers with modesty, and not looking at each other, should go
separately to the washing-room. After this, sitting in their own
places, they should eat some betel leaves, and the citizen should apply
with his own hand to the body of the woman some pure sandal wood
ointment, or ointment of some other kind. He should then embrace her
with his left arm, and with agreeable words should cause her to drink
from a cup held in his own hand, or he may give her water to drink.
They can then eat sweetmeats, or anything else, according to their
likings and may drink fresh juice, 1 soup, gruel, extracts of meat,
sherbet, the juice of mango fruits, the extract of the juice of the
citron tree mixed with sugar, or anything that may be liked in
different countries, and known to be sweet, soft, and pure. The lovers
may also sit on the terrace of the palace or house, and enjoy the
moonlight, and carry on an agreeable conversation. At this time, too,
while the woman lies in his lap, with her face towards the moon, the
citizen should show her the different planets, the morning star, the
polar star, and the seven Rishis, or Great Bear. This is the end of
sexual union.
Congress is of the following kinds:
Loving congress
Congress of subsequent love
Congress of artificial love
Congress of transferred love
Congress like that of eunuchs
Deceitful congress
Congress of spontaneous love
When a man and a woman, who have been in love with each other for some
time, come together with great difficulty, or when one of the two
returns from a journey, or is reconciled after having been separated on
account of a quarrel, then congress is called the 'loving congress'. It
is carried on according to the liking of the lovers, and as long as
they choose.
When two persons come together, while their love for each other is
still in its infancy, their congress is called the 'congress of
subsequent love'.
When a man carries on the congress by exciting himself by means of the
sixty-four ways, such as kissing, etc., etc., or when a man and a woman
come together, though in reality they are both attached to different
persons, their congress is then called 'congress of artificial love'.
At this time all the ways and means mentioned in the Kama Shastra
should be used.
When a man, from the beginning to the end of the congress, though
having connection with the woman, thinks all the time that he is
enjoying another one whom he loves, it is called the 'congress of
transferred love'.
Congress between a man and a female water carrier, or a female servant
of a caste lower than his own, lasting only until the desire is
satisfied, is called 'congress like that of eunuchs'. Here external
touches, kisses, and manipulation are not to be employed.
The congress between a courtesan and a rustic, and that between
citizens and the women of villages, and bordering countries, is called
'deceitful congress'.
The congress that takes place between two persons who are attached to
one another, and which is done according to their own liking is called
'spontaneous congress'.
Thus end the kinds of congress.
We shall now speak of love quarrels.
A woman who is very much in love with a man cannot bear to hear the
name of her rival mentioned, or to have any conversation regarding her,
or to be addressed by her name through mistake. If such takes place, a
great quarrel arises, and the woman cries, becomes angry, tosses her
hair about, strikes her lover, falls from her bed or seat, and, casting
aside her garlands and ornaments, throws herself down on the ground.
At this time, the lover should attempt to reconcile her with
conciliatory words, and should take her up carefully and place her on
her bed. But she, not replying to his questions, and with increased
anger, should bend down his head by pulling his hair, and having kicked
him once, twice, or thrice on his arms, head, bosom or back, should
then proceed to the door of the room. Dattaka says that she should then
sit angrily near the door and shed tears, but should not go out,
because she would be found fault with for going away. After a time,
when she thinks that the conciliatory words and actions of her lover
have reached their utmost, she should then embrace him, talking to him
with harsh and reproachful words, but at the same time showing a loving
desire for congress.
When the woman is in her own house, and has quarrelled with her lover,
she should go to him and show how angry she is, and leave him.
Afterwards the citizen having sent the Vita, the Vidushaka or the
Pithamarda 2 to pacify her, she should accompany them back to the
house, and spend the night with her lover.
Thus end the love quarrels.
In conclusion.
A man, employing the sixty-four means mentioned by Babhravya, obtains
his object, and enjoys the woman of the first quality. Though he may
speak well on other subjects, if he does not know the sixty-four
divisions, no great respect is paid to him in the assembly of the
learned. A man, devoid of other knowledge, but well acquainted with the
sixty-four divisions, becomes a leader in any society of men and women.