Beginning and end of congress

Ratarambhavasanika Prakarana

n the pleasure-room, decorated with flowers, and fragrant with perfumes, attended by his friends and servants, the man should receive the woman, who will come bathed and dressed.

Love-play

Inviting a woman to partake of refreshment and drink freely, the man should seat her on his left. Then holding her hair, and touching the end of her garment, he should gently embrace her with his right arm. They can converse lightly on various subjects, including those considered coarse or unmentionable in society. They may enjoy singing with gestures, playing musical instruments, talk about the arts, and persuade each other to drink.

At last when the woman is overcome with love and desire, the man should dismiss his friends, giving them flowers, perfumes, and betel leaves. Such is the beginning of love-play.

After Congress

After enjoying each other, the lovers should modestly, without looking at each other, go separately for a wash. Then, sitting in their places, they should chew betel leaves, and the man should apply pure sandalwood paste or another unguent to the woman's body. Embracing her fondly, and with agreeable words, he should encourage her to drink from a cup held in his hand. They can partake of sweetmeats; drink soup and fresh juice, including that of the mango; eat meat, the extract of the juice of the citron tree mixed with sugar, or anything else that is sweet, soft and pure.

They may also sit on the terrace of the mansion and enjoy the moonlight, while carrying on an agreeable conversation. During this time, while the woman lies in his lap with her face towards the moon, the lover should show her the different planets, the morning star, the polar star, and Saptarishis, the Great Bear.

The Sixty-four Arts

When a man and a woman, in love with each other for some time, come together with great difficulty; or when one returns from a journey, or they reconcile after a quarrel, they unite in loving congress as per their liking and for as long as they choose.

When two persons unite while their love for each other is still in its infancy, this is known as the congress of induced love.

When a man carries on congress by exciting his beloved through the sixty-four ways, including kissing and embracing; or when a man and a woman unite, though they are actually attached to other partners, this is called temporary love. At this time all the methods mentioned in the Kama Shastra should be employed.

Throughout a sexual union, if a man imagines that he is enjoying another woman whom he loves, this is actually transferred love.

Congress between a man and a water carrier, or a servant of a caste lower than his own, lasting only till the physical desire is satisfied, is likened to impotent love. Here external touches, kisses and manipulations are kept to the minimum.

Love between a courtesan and a rustic, and between a nagarika and a woman of a village or distant country, is deceitful congress.

The sexual union of two persons who are attached to one another, and which is achieved according to their own liking, is spontaneous congress, and is most enjoyable.

A woman who is very much in love with a man cannot bear to hear her rival's name mentioned, to have any conversation about her, or be addressed by her name by mistake. If this happens, a great quarrel arises; the woman cries, becomes angry, tosses her hair, strikes her lover, falls from her bed or seat, casts aside her garlands and ornaments, and throws herself on the ground.

The lover should reconcile her with soothing words, pick her up gently and place her on her bed. Not replying to his questions, and with increased anger, she should pull down his head by pulling his hair, and having kicked him several times on his arms, head, bosom or back, should then rush out of the room. Dattaka adds that she should then sit angrily outside the door and shed tears. After some time, when she thinks that the conciliatory words and actions of her lover are satisfactory, she should embrace him, reproach him with harsh words, while simultaneously showing him a loving desire for reunion.

The warrior hero returns from the battlefield to a grand reception by his lover.

The couple makes ardent love in the sitting position. The woman sighs with contentment and draws support from a thick bolster as her hero draws pleasurable moans from her.

When the woman is in her own house, and has quarreled with her lover, she should go to him and show how angry she is, and leave him. Only later when the citizen sends the vita, the vidushaka or the pithamarda to pacify her, should she accompany them to his house, and spend the night with her lover.

Some shlokas proffer:

A man, employing the sixty-four arts mentioned by Babhravya, obtains his object, and enjoys congress with women of the first quality. Though he may speak well on other subjects, if he does not know the sixty-four divisions, no great respect will be paid to him.

A man, devoid of other knowledge, but well acquainted with the sixty-four arts, becomes a nayaka, leader, in any society of men and women. What man will not respect the sixty-four arts, considering that they are respected by intellectuals, by the cunning, and by courtesans? Since the sixty-four arts command respect, increase the charm in a relationship, and add to the talent of women, they are regarded by the acharyas as dear to women. A man skilled in the sixty-four arts is looked upon with love by his own wife, by the wives of others, and by courtesans.

A woman who is very much in love cannot bear to hear her rival's name. If this happens a quarrel arises. She becomes angry, cries, tosses her hair and kicks and strikes her lover.