Essay name: Kamashastra and Classical Sanskrit literature (study)
Author:
Vishwanath K. Hampiholi
Affiliation: Karnatak University / Department of Sanskrit
This essay in English studies the influence of Kamashastra on classical Sanskrit literature by exploring the significance of Kama (sexual desire) within Indian philosophy and literature. It is highlighted tat ancient Indians valued both spiritual and worldly aspects of life. The treatise "Kamasutra" by Vatsyayana is highlighted as a pioneering erotic text, addressing sexual pleasure as an art form.
Chapter 1 - Introdcution to Kama and Kamashastra literature
18 (of 31)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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19
The available earliest text on erotics is the Kama-
sutra of Vatsyayana Mallanaga. In that work he says that
the erotic science was composed by the Lord Prajapati.50
Nandi summarised it in thousand chapters. Vatsyayana
gives the names of his predecessors such as Svetaketu,
B膩bhravya, C膩r膩ya峁嘺, Dattaka, Ghotakamukha, Gonardiya,
Go峁噄k膩putra and Kucum膩ra. But we do not get the works
of these authors. The successive erotic writers mention
some more authors and works. Among them M奴ladeva, Kar峁嚹玸uta,
Muni, MunIndra, Nandike艣vara, Rajaputra, Madanodaya,
Vitaputra, Rantideva, Kasyapa, Candramauli, Mahesh etc.,
were very popular. Following are some of the important
erotic texts.
Kamasutra
The ancient erotic text which is available is the
Kamasutra.
It is written by V盲tsy膩yana Mallan膩ga. Malla-
naga was his name and V盲tsy膩yana was his gotra. Not much
is known about Vatsy膩yana. In the last chapter of the
Kamasutra it is said that while writing this book V膩tsy膩yana
51 maintained celibacy strictly.
50. Infra. Chapter II, O.
32 fn. 1.
51. 啶むう啷囙え啶︵ 啶啶班す啷嵿ぎ啶氞ぐ啷嵿く啷囙ぃ 啶ぐ啷囙ぃ 啶� 啶膏ぎ啶距ぇ啶苦え啶� 啷�
啶掂た啶灌た啶む 啶侧啶曕く啶距い啷嵿ぐ啶距ぐ啷嵿ぅ啶� 啶� 啶班ぞ啶椸ぞ啶班啶ム啶洁じ啷嵿く 啶膏啶掂た啶оた啶� 啷� 啶曕ぞ. 啶膏. [tadenad brahmacarye峁嘺 pare峁嘺 ca sam膩dhin膩 |
vihita峁� lokay膩tr膩rtha峁� na r膩g膩rtho'sya sa峁僾idhi岣� || k膩. s奴. ] 7.2.57.
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