There are several ideas, traditions, and customs from a particular part of the world that once they’re taken in by mainstream culture, their original message gets diluted, generalized, or worse, stereotyped. One example of this is the sacred Hindu text written by Vātsyāyana, the Kama Sutra.
Just hearing the title conjures imagery of sexual positions so intricate only Olympic gymnasts or Cirque du Soleil acrobats could pull off. In reality only a small percentage of the holy book is dedicated to teaching these particular moves. The rest of the text is a guidebook to life in accordance to Hindu teachings, specifically achieving the four goals of life:
Dharma (righteous path),
Artha (acquiring material things)
Kama (passion and desire)
Moksha (freedom of the soul)
The text says that each of these should be sought out at different points of life, and of course there are hierarchies. Moksha is the ultimate goal of one’s entire life. Following a virtuous life will lead to that fulfillment, but the financial security is not to be overlooked. The side of sensuality and desire is noted as an imperative part of a woman’s upbringing.
Since the Kama Sutra is believed to be a compendium of several writings produced between 400 BCE and 200 CE, it’s no wonder that at one point the question is raised on whether women should study this art since they shouldn’t study any science whatsoever. Yet, surprisingly the book’s answer is quite a progressive one, for it believes that women should have knowledge of particular arts and sciences. Not only to be considered eligible by possible suitors but also in the case that one day they no longer have a husband and need to support themselves.
Some of the recommended studies for women are:
Union of dancing, singing, and playing instrumental music.
Writing and drawing.
Tattooing.
Arraying and adorning an idol with rice and flowers.
Coloring the teeth, garments, hair, nails, and bodies.
The art of making beds, and spreading out carpets and cushions for reclining.
Playing on musical glasses filled with water.
Storing and accumulating water in aqueducts, cisterns and reservoirs.
Art of preparing perfumes and odors.
Magic or sorcery.
Quickness of hand or manual skill.
Culinary art.
Making lemonades, sherbets, acidulated drinks, and spirituous extracts with proper flavor and color.
Tailor’s work and sewing.
Making parrots, flowers, tufts, tassels, bunches, bosses, knobs, &c., out of yarn or thread.
Solution of riddles, enigmas, covert speeches, verbal puzzles and enigmatical questions.
Practice with sword, single stick, quarter staff, and bow and arrow.
Carpentry.
Architecture.
Chemistry and mineralogy
Art of cock fighting, quail fighting and ram fighting.
Art of teaching parrots and starlings to speak
Knowledge of dictionaries and vocabularies.
Knowledge of the art of war.
Art of knowing the character of a man from his features.
Knowledge of scanning or constructing verses.
Arithmetical recreations.
Further along the text also makes a point of listing the qualities women should strive to have. Here are some of the attributes we need according to the ancient book of wisdom:
Intelligence
Good disposition
Good manners
Be straightforward in behavior.
Be grateful.
Consider well the future before doing anything.
To have a knowledge of the proper times and places for doing thing.
To speak always without meanness, loud laughter, malignity, anger, avarice, dullness, or stupidity.
To have a knowledge of the Kama Sutra, and to be skilled in all the arts connected with it.
But it’s not all up to the woman. There are traits considered desirable and vice versa in men. So when considering a possible partner you might set up this possible framework for choosing someone who will join you in the journey of life. Whether long term or for a brief encounter.
Good knowledge of the world.
Poets.
Good story tellers.
Eloquent.
Energetic.
Skilled in various arts.
Possessed of great minds
Full of perseverance.
Free from anger.
Liberal.
Affectionate to their parents.
Powerful in sexual enjoyment.
Sociable.
Possessed of independent means of livelihood.
Free from envy and suspicion.
These are just some of the many suggestions to lead to a full life as advised by the writings of the philosopher Vātsyāyana. The text has notes on good citizenship, finding the right partner, wooing them, relationship advice, acquiring love as well as fame and money, stimulation of desire, amorous advances, ways to becoming a successful courtesan, practices of the occult, the art of attraction, and of course, 64 sexual types of sexual acts.
The book seems to focus on bringing together spirituality and mindfulness into the everyday life. So next time you feel like you could use some perspective in your day to day, read an excerpt of this sacred Hindu text, and walk one step closer to Nirvana.
Images are property of Clayton Woodley