The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana: Translated From the Sanscrit in Seven Parts With Preface, Introduction and Concluding RemarksVatsyayana
Philosophy
The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana: Translated From the Sanscrit in Seven Parts With Preface, Introduction and Concluding Remarks
Vatsyayana
Love; Sex
(a). If, when living with a lover, a courtesan gets both wealth and
pleasure from him, it is called a gain on both sides.
(b). When a courtesan lives with a lover at her own expense without
getting any profit out of it, and the lover even takes back from her
what he may have formerly given her, it is called a loss on both sides.
(c). When a courtesan is uncertain whether a new acquaintance would
become attached to her, and, moreover, if he became attached to her,
whether he would give her any thing, it is then called a doubt on both
sides about gains.
(d). When a courtesan is uncertain whether a former enemy, if made up by
her at her own expense, would do her some injury on account of his
grudge against her; or, if becoming attached to her, would take away
angrily from her any thing that he may have given to her, this is called
a doubt on both sides about loss.
Babhravya has described the gains and losses on both sides as follows.
(a). When a courtesan can get money from a man whom she may go to see,
and also money from a man whom she may not go to see, this is called a
gain on both sides.
(b). When a courtesan has to incur further expense if she goes to see a
man, and yet runs the risk of incurring an irremediable loss if she does
not go to see him, this is called a loss on both sides.
(c). When a courtesan is uncertain, whether a particular man would give
her anything on her going to see him, without incurring expense on her
part, or whether on her neglecting him another man would give her
something, this is called a doubt on both sides about gain.
(d.) When a courtesan is uncertain, whether, on going at her own expense
to see an old enemy, he would take back from her what he may have given
her, or whether by her not going to see him he would cause some disaster
to fall upon her, this is called a doubt on both sides about loss.
By combining the above, the following six kinds of mixed results are
produced, viz.:
(a). Gain on one side, and loss on the other.
(b). Gain on one side, and doubt of gain on the other.
(c). Gain on one side, and doubt of loss on the other.
(d). Loss on one side, and doubt of gain on the other.
(e). Doubt of gain on one side, and doubt of loss on the other.
(f). Doubt of loss on one side, and loss on the other.
A courtesan, having considered all the above things, and taken council
with her friends, should act so as to acquire gain, the chances of great
gain, and the warding off of any great disaster. Religious merit and
pleasure should also be formed into separate combinations like those of
wealth, and then all should be combined with each other, so as to form
new combinations.
When a courtesan consorts with men she should cause each of them to give
her money as well as pleasure. At particular times, such as the Spring
Festivals, etc., she should make her mother announce to the various men,
that on a certain day her daughter would remain with the man who would
gratify such and such a desire of hers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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