Trevor51P0492 at 12:10, 23 July 2025

2025-07-23T12:10:14Z

>Arunram: /* Medieval and modern texts */ Added link to Ratimanjari :de page

2019-09-11T19:55:10Z

Medieval and modern texts: Added link to Ratimanjari :de page

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{{Unreliable sources|date=July 2007}}
In [[Indian literature]], '''Kāma[[shastra]]''' refers to the tradition of works on [[Kāma]]: Desire (love, erotic, sensual and sexual desire in this case). It therefore has a practical orientation, similar to that of [[Arthashastra]], the tradition of texts on politics and government. Just as the latter instructs kings and ministers about government, Kāmashastra aims to instruct the townsman (nāgarika) in the way to attain enjoyment and fulfillment.

== Etymology ==
'''Kaama''' ({{lang|sa|काम}} '''{{IAST|kāma}}''') is a [[Sanskrit]] word that has the general meanings of "wish", "desire", and "intention" in addition to the specific meanings of "pleasure" and "(sexual) love".<ref>[[Arthur Anthony Macdonell]]. ''A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary''. p. 66.</ref> Used as a proper name it refers to [[Kamadeva]], the [[Hindu]] god of Love.

== History ==
During the 8th century BC, Shvetaketu, son of Uddalaka, produced a work too vast to be accessible. A scholar called Babhravya, together with his group of disciples, produced a summary of Shvetaketu's summary, which nonetheless remained a huge and encyclopaedic tome. Between the 3rd and 1st centuries BC, several authors reproduced different parts of the Babhravya group's work in various specialist treatises. Among the authors, those whose names are known are Charayana, Ghotakamukha, Gonardiya, Gonikaputra, Suvarnanabha, and Dattaka.

However, the oldest available text on this subject is the ''[[Kama Sutra]]'' ascribed to [[Vatsyayana|Vātsyāyana]] who is often erroneously called "Mallanaga Vātsyāyana". Yashodhara, in his commentary on the ''Kama Sutra'', attributes the origin of erotic science to Mallanaga, the "prophet of the [[Asura]]s", implying that the ''Kama Sutra'' originated in prehistoric times. The attribution of the name "Mallanaga" to Vātsyāyana is due to the confusion of his role as editor of the ''Kama Sutra'' with the role of the mythical creator of erotic science. Vātsyāyana's birth date is not accurately known, but he must have lived earlier than the 7th century since he is referred to by Subandhu in his poem Vāsavadattā''. On the other hand, Vātsyāyana must have been familiar with the Arthashastra of Kautilya. Vātsyāyana refers to and quotes a number of texts on this subject, which unfortunately have been lost.

Following Vātsyāyana, a number of authors wrote on Kāmashastra, some writing independent manuals of erotics, while others commented on Vātsyāyana. Later well-known works include [[Kokkaka]]'s ''[[Ratirahasya]]'' (13th century) and ''[[Anangaranga]]'' of Kalyanamalla (16th century). The most well-known commentator on Vātsyāyana is [[Jayamangala]] (13th century).

== List of Kamashastra works ==
=== Lost works ===

* '''Kâmashâstra''' of [[Nandi (bull)|Nandi]] or Nandikeshvara. (1000)
* '''Vâtsyâyanasûtrasara''', by the [[Kashmir]]i [[Kshemendra]]: eleventh-century commentary on the ''Kama Sutra''

== Chapters ==
* '''Kâmashâstra''', by Auddalaki Shvetaketu (500 chapters)
* '''Kâmashâstra''' or '''Bâbhravyakârikâ'''
* '''Kâmashâstra''', by Chârâyana
*
* '''Kâmashâstra''', by Gonikâputra
* '''Kâmashâstra''', by Dattaka (according to legend, the author was transformed to a woman during a certain time)
* '''Kâmashâstra''' or '''Ratinirnaya''', by Suvarnanâb
*'''[[Kama Sutra]]''', by [[Vatsayana]]

=== Medieval and modern texts ===

* '''[[Anangaranga]]''', by Kalyanmalla
* '''Dattakasûtra''', by King Mâdhava II of the Ganga dynasty of [[Mysore]]
* '''Janavashya''' by Kallarasa: based on Kakkoka's ''Ratirahasya''
* '''[[Jayamangala]]''' or '''Jayamangla''', by Yashodhara: important commentary on the ''Kama Sutra''
* '''Jaya''', by Devadatta Shâstrî: a twentieth-century Hindi commentary on the ''Kama Sutra''
* '''Kâmasamuha''', by Ananta (fifteenth century)
* '''Kandarpacudamani'''
* '''Kuchopanishad''' or '''Kuchumâra Tantra''', by Kuchumâra
* '''Kuchopanisad''', by Kuchumara (tenth century)
* '''Kuttanimata''', by the eighth-century Kashmiri poet Damodaragupta (Dāmodaragupta's ''Kuṭṭanīmata'', though often included in lists of this sort, is really a novel written in Sanskrit verse, in which an aged bawd [''kuṭṭanī''] named Vikarālā gives advice to a young, beautiful, but as yet unsuccessful courtesan of Benares; most of the advice comes in the form of two long moral tales, one about a heartless and therefore successful courtesan, Mañjarī, and the other about a tender-hearted and therefore foolish girl, Hāralatā, who makes the mistake of falling in love with a client and eventually dies of a broken heart.)
* '''Mânasollâsa''' or '''Abhilashitartha Chintâmani''' by King Someshvara or Somadeva III of the Châlukya dynasty by [[Kalyâni]] A part of this encyclopedia, the ''Yoshidupabhoga'', is devoted to the Kamashastra. (Manasolasa or Abhilashitachintamani)<ref>http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/erotica/manas.htm</ref><ref>http://www.kamat.com/database/books/sociallife/note.htm</ref>
* '''Nagarasarvasva''' or '''Nagarsarvasva''', by Bhikshu Padmashrî, a tenth- or eleventh-century Buddhist
* '''Panchashâyaka''', '''Panchasakya''', or '''Panchsayaka''', by Jyotirîshvara Kavishekhara (fourteenth century)
* '''Rasamanjari''' or '''Rasmanjari''', by the poet [[Bhânudatta]]
* '''Ratikallolini''', by Dikshita Samaraja
* '''[[Ratirahasya]]''', by Kokkoka
* '''[[w:de:Ratimanjari|Ratimanjari]]''', by the poet [[Jayadeva]]: a synthesis of the ''Smaradîpika'' by Minanatha
* '''Ratiratnapradîpika''', by Praudha Devarâja, fifteenth-century [[Maharaja]] of [[Vijayanagara]]
* '''Shringararasaprabandhadîpika''', by Kumara Harihara
* '''Smaradîpika''', by Minanatha.
* '''[[Samaya Mātrikā|Samayamatrka]]''', a satire by 11th century Kashmiri poet [[Kshemendra|Ksemendra]].
* '''Shrngaradipika''', by Harihar.
* '''Smarapradîpika''' or '''Smara Pradipa''', by Gunâkara (son of Vachaspati)
* '''Sûtravritti''', by Naringha Shastri: eighteenth-century commentary on the ''Kama Sutra''

== Kamashastra and Kāvya poetry ==
One of the reasons for interest in these ancient manuals is their intimate connection with [[Sanskrit]] ornate poetry ([[Kāvya]]). The poets were supposed to be proficient in the Kamashastra. The entire approach to love and sex in Kāvya poetry is governed by the Kamashastra.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
*''The Complete Kama Sutra'', Translated by Daniélou, Alain. {{ISBN|0-89281-492-6}}












[[Category:Kamashastra| ]]
[[Category:Hindu tantra]]
[[Category:Sanskrit literature]]
[[Category:Hindu texts]]

Kamashastra - Revision history

Trevor51P0492 at 12:10, 23 July 2025

>Arunram: /* Medieval and modern texts */ Added link to Ratimanjari :de page