Regarding human sexuality as somehow being fixed, absolute and timeless. The obvious implication for us today is that we need to be very careful when we promote certain societal paradigms Us, tells us today that there is more than one way for a society to regulate human sexual practice and conduct. But that is what makes the Kama Sutra so fascinating-something written almost two millennia ago, in a culture far removed Thus, many of the subjects and cultural practices Vatsyayanaĭiscusses are very alien, and even bizarre, to our frame of reference. Our society is a lot different from ancient Indian society. Of its historical and anthropological insights into our own culture and to human sexuality in general. Would even assert that the Kama Sutra is wholly appropriate even for older teens to read because The whole scholarly (and some would say, practical)Ĭharacter of the Kama Sutra is nothing like most works of erotica written today-some The subject matter of human sexuality in a frank and forthright manner), it is a shame that this restriction mustīe applied since this site is clearly non-prurient in nature. Work (a portion of one chapter out of a total of 35 chapters plus a Salutation.) It is also not from the Burton That text document, the so-called 'sexual positions list' is only a very small snippet of the entire One comment should be made about the so-called 'Kama Sutra' now available at various sites on the Internet.

Of age rather than of youth indeed the work could hardly have been written by a young man.' That time, for throughout he gives us the benefit of his experience, and of his opinions, and these bear the stamp '.He states that he wrote the work while leading the life of a religious student (probablyĪt Benares) and while wholly engaged in the contemplation of the Deity. Regarding the writer Vatsyayana, Burton makes the following insightful remarks: Was written during, or shortly before, the Gupta period (320-540 A.D.), which has also been called the ClassicalĪge of India. Was written sometime between the first and sixth centuries A.D. Is used partially in this site-more on this below) determined from internal evidence that the Kama Sutra Vatsyayana, or the exact date he wrote this work. The cultural paradigms presented in the Kama Sutra are from those of today.Īlmost nothing is known about the writer, The modern reader will often be surprised by how markedly different Into the mores and customs of ancient India.

It also contains profound historical and anthropological insights

Sexual enjoyment and other sensual pleasures. Written in ancient India, it is essentially a technical guide, a scholarly treatise if you will, to Sanskrit for 'Aphorisms of Love') is an extraordinary and fascinating work that deserves careful readingĪnd study.

Karma sutra position woman on top