Kama Sutra: A Guide to the Art of Pleasure

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The 3rd-century text includes a number of themes, including subjects such as flirting that resonate in the modern era context, states a New York Times review.

In the Western media, such as in the American women's magazine Redbook, the Kamasutra is described as "Although it was written centuries ago, there's still no better sex handbook, which details hundreds of positions, each offering a subtle variation in pleasure to men and women. The word 'kama' means the desire for sensual pleasure in Sanskrit, and was considered an essential part of the well-rounded education of a young, urbane gentleman. This clear, accurate translation conveys all the original flavour and feel of this elegant, intimate and hugely enjoyable work; a masterpiece of pithy description and a wry account of human desires and foibles.Why not try fast sex sequences for instant pleasure – use all kinds of locations, from the kitchen table and bathroom shower to the living room sofa and even the office floor! The "Hindus were cowering under their scorn", states Doniger, and the open discussion of sex in the Kamasutra scandalized the 19th-century Europeans. The Kamasutra too has attracted commentaries, of which the most well known are those of 12th-century [66] or 13th-century [67] Yaśodhara's Jayamaṅgalā in the Sanskrit language, and of Devadatta Shastri who commented on the original text as well as its commentaries in the Hindi language. Doniger and Sudhir Kakar published another translation in 2002, as a part of the Oxford World's Classics series.

The approach of Kamasutra is not to ignore nor deny the psychology and complexity of human behavior for pleasure and sex. The original Kama Sutra was an ancient text that provided insights into finding happiness and fulfilment with your partner - but it also depicted varied sexual positions and techniques, for a satisfying sex life. The text states that a person should be realistic, and must possess the "same qualities which one expects from the partner". This first European edition by Burton does not faithfully reflect much in the Kamasutra because he revised the collaborative translation by Bhagavanlal Indrajit and Shivaram Parashuram Bhide with Forster Arbuthnot to suit 19th-century Victorian tastes.The best kiss for an intimate partner, according to kamasutra, is one that is based on the awareness of the avastha (the emotional state of one's partner) when the two are not in a sexual union.

In the preface, Vatsyayana acknowledges that he is distilling many ancient texts, but these have not survived.The Mughals, states Doniger, had "commissioned lavishly illustrated Persian and Sanskrit Kamasutra manuscripts". By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. In the colonial era marked by sexual censorship, the Kamasutra became famous as a pirated and underground text for its explicit description of sex positions. Other techniques of foreplay and sexual intimacy described in the kamasutra include various forms of holding and embraces ( grahana, upaguhana), mutual massage and rubbing ( mardana), pinching and biting, using fingers and hands to stimulate ( karikarakrida, nadi-kshobana, anguli-pravesha), three styles of jihva-pravesha ( french kissing), and many styles of fellatio and cunnlingus. Doniger questions the accuracy of Daniélou's translation, stating that he has freely reinterpreted the Kamasutra while disregarding the gender that is implicit in the Sanskrit words.