Vātsyāyana Quotes

18 Sourced Quotes

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 [Kama Sutra] was composed, according to the precepts of the Holy Writ, for the benefit of the world,... while leading the life of a religious student at Benares, and wholly engaged in the contemplation of the Deity. This work is not to be used merely as an instrument for satisfying our desires...

Vātsyāyana
Whatever things may be done by one of the lovers to the other, the same should be returned by the other, if she strikes him he should also strike her in return.

Vātsyāyana
... variety is necessary in love, so love is to be produced by means of variety.

Vātsyāyana
Man, the period of whose life is one hundred years, should practice Dharma, Artha, and Kama at different times and in such a manner that they may harmonize, and not clash in any way. He should acquire learning in his childhood; in his youth and middle age he should attend to Artha and Kama, and in his old age he should perform Dharma, and thus seek to gain Moksha, that is, release from further transmigration.

Vātsyāyana
The whole subject of embracing is of such a nature that men who ask questions about it, or who hear about it, or who talk about it, acquire thereby a desire for enjoyment. Even those embraces that are not mentioned in the Kama Shastra should be practised at the time of sexual enjoyment, if they are in any way conducive to the increase of love or passion. The rules of the Shastra apply so long as the passion of man is middling, but when the wheel of love is once set in motion, there is then no Shastra and no order.

Vātsyāyana
The man who is ingenious and wise, who is accompanied by a friend, and who knows the intentions of others, as also the proper time and place for doing everything, can gain over, very easily, even a woman who is very hard to be obtained.

Vātsyāyana
Kama is also learnt from the Kama Sutra (aphorisms on love) and from the practice of citizens.

Vātsyāyana
Anything may take place at any time, for love does not care for time or order.

Vātsyāyana
When a woman reproaches a man, but at the same time acts affectionately towards him, she should be made love to in every way. A woman, who meets a man in lonely places, and puts up with the touch of his foot, but pretends, on account of indecision of her mind, not to be aware of it, should be conquered by patience and by continued efforts.

Vātsyāyana
A man practicing Dharma, Artha and Kama enjoys happiness both in this world and in the world to come. The good perform these actions in which there is no fear as to what is to result from them in the next world, and in which there is no danger to their welfare. Any action which conduces to the practice of Dharma, Artha and Kama together, or of any two, or even one of them should be performed. But an action which conduces to the practice of one of them at the expense of the remaining two should not be performed.

Vātsyāyana
A man should gather from the actions of the woman of what disposition she is, and in what way she likes to be enjoyed. A man during her monthly courses, a woman who has been lately confined, and fat woman should not be made to act the part of man.

Vātsyāyana
In short, nothing tends to increase love so much as the effects of marking with the nails, and biting.

Vātsyāyana
Karma is the enjoyment of appropriate objects by the five senses of hearing, feeling, seeing, tasting and smelling, assisted by the mind together with the soul. The ingredient in this is a peculiar contact between the organ of sense and its object, and the consciousness of pleasure which arises from that contact is called Kama.

Vātsyāyana
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.

Vātsyāyana
... the semen of the female falls in the same way as that of the male.

Vātsyāyana
Though a man loves a girl ever so much, he never succeeds in winning her without a great deal of talking.

Vātsyāyana
Women are hardly ever known in their true light, though they may love men, or become indifferent towards them, may give them delight, or abandon them, or may extract from them all the wealth that they possess.

Vātsyāyana
When all three viz., Dharma, Artha, and Kama together, the former is better than the one which follows it, i. e., Dharma is better than Artha, and Artha is better than Kama. But Artha should be always practiced by the king, for the livelihood of men is to be obtained from it only. Again, Kama being the occupation of public women, they should prefer to the other two, and these are exceptions to the general rule.

Vātsyāyana