It may be interesting to some persons
to learn how it came about that Vatsysysna was first brought to light and translated into
the English language. It happened thus: While translating with the pundits the
AnungaRunga, or the Stages of Love, reference
was frequently found
to be made to one Vatsya. The sage Vatsya was of this opinion, or that opinion. The sage Vatsya said this, and so on. Naturally questions were asked who the sage was, and the pundits replied that Vatsya was the author of the standard work on love in Sanscrit literature, that no Sanscrit library was complete without his work, and that it was most difficult now to obtain in its entire state. The copy of the manuscript obtained in Bombay was defective, and so the pundits wrote to Benares, Calcutta and Jeypoor for copies of the manuscript from Sanscrit libraries in those places. Copies having been obtained, they were then compared with each other, and with the aid of a commentary called Jayamangla a revised copy of the entire manuscript was prepared, and from this copy the English translation was made. The following is the certificate of the chief pundit:
‘The accompanying manuscript is
corrected by me after comparing four different copies of the work. I had the
assistance of a commentary called Jayamangla for correcting the portion in the first five
parts, but found great difficulty in correcting the remaining portion because, with the
exception of one copy thereof which was tolerably correct, all the other copies I had were
far too incorrect. However, I took that portion as correct in which the majority of
the copies agreed with each other’
The Aphorisms on Love by Vatsyayana
contain about one thousand two hundred and fifty slokas or verses, and are divided into
parts, parts into chapters, and sixty-four paragraphs. Hardly anything is known
about the author. His real name is supposed to be Mallinaga or Mrillana, Vatsyayana
being his family name. At the close of the work this is what he writes about
himself:
‘After reading and considering the
works of Babhravya and other ancient authors, and thinking over the meaning of the rules
given by them, this treatise was composed, according to the precepts of the Holy Writ, for
the benefit of the world, by Vatsysyana, while leading the life of a religious student at
Benares, and wholly engaged in the contemplation of the Deity. This book is not to be used
merely as an instrument for satisfying our desires. A person acquainted with the
true principles of this science, who preserves his
Dharma (virtue or religious merit), his Artha (worldly wealth) and his Kama (pleasure or
sensual gratification), and who has regard to the customs of the people, is sure to obtain
the mastery over his senses. In short, an intelligent and knowing person, attending
to Dharma and Artha and also to Kama, without becoming the slave of his passions, will
obtain success in everything that he may do.
It is impossible to fix the exact date
either of the life of Vatsyayana or of his work. It is supposed that he must have
lived between the first and sixth century of the Christian era, on the following grounds:
He mentions that Satkarni Satvahan, a king of Kuntal, killed Malayavati his wife with an
instrument called kartari by striking her in the passion of love, and Vatsya quotes this
case to warn people of the danger arising from some old customs of striking women when
under the influence of this passion. Now this king of Kuntal is believed to have
lived and reigned during the first century AD, and consequently Vatsya must have lived
after him. On the other hand, Virahamihira, in the eighteenth chapter of his
Brihatsamhita, treats of the science of love, and appears to have borrowed largely from
Vatsyayana on the subject. Now Virahamihira is said to have lived during the sixth
century AD, and as Vatsya must have written his works previously, therefore not earlier
than the sixth century AD, must be considered as the approximate date of his existence.
On the text of the Aphorisms of Love by
Vatsyayana, only two commentaries have been found, one called Jayamangla or Sutrabashya,
and the other Sutravritti. The date of the Jayamangla is fixed between the tenth and
thirteenth century AD, because while treating of the sixty-four arts an example is taken
from the Kavyaprakasha, which was written about the tenth century AD. Again, the
copy of the commentary procured was evidently a transcript of a manuscript which once had
a place in the library of a Chalukyan king named Vishaladeva, a fact elicited from the
following sentence at the end of it:
‘Here ends the part relating to
the art of love in the commentary on the Vatsyayana Kama Sutra, a copy from
the library of the king of kings, Vishaladeva, who was a powerful hero, as it were a
second Arjuna, and the head jewel of the Chalukya family’.
Now it is well known that this king
ruled in Guzerat from 1244 to 1262 AD, and founded a city called Visalnagur. The
date, therefore, of the commentary is taken to be not earlier than the tenth and not later
than thethirteenth century. The author of it is supposed to be one Yashodhara, the
name given him by his preceptor being Indrapada. He seems to have written it during
the time of affliction caused by his separation from a clever and shrewd woman, at least
that is what he himself says at the end of each chapter. It is presumed that he
called his work after the name of his absent mistress, or the word may have some
connection with the meaning of her name.
This commentary was most useful in
explaining the true meaning of Vatsyayana, for the commentator appears to have had a
considerable knowledge of the times of the older author, and gives in some places very
minute information. This cannot be said of the other commentary, called Sutravritti,
Which was written about 1789 AD by Narsing Shastri, a pupil of a Sarveshwar Shastri; the
latter was descendant of Bhaskar, and so also was our author, for at the conclusion of
every part he calls himself Bhaskar Narsing Shastri. He was induced to write the
work by order of the learned Raja Vrijalala, while he was residing in Benares, but as to
the merits of this dation. In many cases the writer does not appear to have
understood the meaning of the original author, and has changed the text in many places to
fit in with his own explanations.
An abridged translation of the original
work now follows. It has been prepared in complete accordance with the text of the
manuscript, and is given, without further comments, as made from it.
Thus ends the Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, which might otherwise be called a treatise on men and women, their mutual relationship, and connection with each other. It is a work that should be studied by all; both old and young; the former will find in it real truths, gathered by experience, and already tested by themselves, while the latter will derive the great advantage of learning things, which some perhaps may otherwise never learn at all, or which they may only learn when it is too late to profit by the learning.
It can also be fairly commended to the student of social science and of humanity, and above all to the student of those early ideas, which have gradually filtered down through the sands of time, and which seem to prove that the human nature of today is much the same as the human nature of long ago. It has been said of Balzac that he seemed to have inherited a natural and intuitive perception of the feeling of men and women, and has described them with an analysis worthy of a man of science. The author of the present work must also have had a considerable knowledge of humanity. Many of his remarks are so full of simplicity and truth, which they have stood the test of time, and stand out still as clear and true as when they were first written, some eighteen hundred years ago.
As a collection of facts, told in plain and simple language, it must be remembered that in those early days there was apparently no idea of embellishing the work, either with a literary style, a flow of language, or quantity of superfluous padding. The author tells the world what he knows I very concise language, without any attempt to produce an interesting story. From his facts how many novels could be written!
And now, one word about the author of the work, the food old sage Vatsyayana. It is much to be regretted that nothing can be discovered about his life, his belongings, and his surroundings. He states that he wrote the work while leading the life of a religious student (probably at Benares) and while wholly engaged in the contemplation of the Deity. He must have arrived at a certain age at that time, for throughout he gives us the benefit of his experience and of his opinions, and these bear the stamp of age rather than youth; indeed the work could hardly have been written by a young man.
In a beautiful verse of the Bedas of the Christians it has been said of the peaceful dead, that they rest from their labors, and that their works do follow them. Yes indeed, the works of men of genius do follow them, and remain as a lasting treasure. And though there may be disputes and discussions about the immortality of the body or the soul, nobody can deny the immortality of genius which ever remains as a bright and guiding star to the struggling humanities of succeeding ages. This work, then, which has stood the test of centuries, has placed Vatsyayana among the immortals, and on this, and on him no better elegy or eulogy can be written than the following line:
So long as lips shall kiss, and eyes shall see,
So long lives this, and This gives life to thee.