Part five, Chapters one and two of the Khamasutra. This LibriVox recording is
in the public domain and is read by Mark Smith of Simpsonville, South Carolina.
The kimas Sutra by Vetsiayana, Part five about the Wives of other Men,
Chapter one of the Characteristics of Men and Women, the reasons why women
reject the addresses of men, about men who have success with women, and
about women who are easily gained over, the wives of other people may be
resorted to on the occasions already described in Part one, chapter five of this
work. But the possibility of their acquisition, their fitness for cohabitation, the
danger to oneself in uniting with them, and the future effect of these unions,
should first of all be examined. A man may resort to the wife
of another for the purpose of saving his own life when he perceives that his
love for her proceeds from one degree of intensity to another. These degrees are
ten in number and are distinguished by the following marks. One love of the
eye, two attachment of the mind, three constant reflection, four, destruction
of sleep, five emaciation of the body, six turning away from objects of
enjoyment. Seven, removal of shame, eight, madness, nine, fainting
ten death. Ancient authors say that a man should know the disposition, truthfulness,
purity, and will of a young woman, as also the intensity or
weakness of her passions, from the form of her body and from her characteristic
marks and signs. But Vetsiayana is of opinion that the forms of bodies and
the characteristic marks or signs are but erring tests of character, and that women
should be judged by their conduct, by the outward expression of their thoughts,
and by the movements of their bodies. Now as a general rule, Gone
Caputra says that a woman falls in love with every handsome man she sees,
and so does every man at the sight of a beautiful woman, but frequently
they do not take any further steps, owing to various considerations in love.
The following circumstances are peculiar to the woman. She loves without regard to right
or wrong, and does not try to gain over a man simply for the
attainment of some particular purpose. Footnote am pour touttrentreu suppose dunfeme amreuse, according
to Balzac end footnote. Moreover, when a man first makes up to her,
she naturally shrinks from him, even though she may be willing to unite
herself with him. But when the attempts to gain her are repeated and renewed,
she at last consents. But with a man, even though he may
have begun to love, he conquers his feelings from a regard for morality and
wisdom, and although his thoughts are often on the woman, he does not
yield, even though an attempt be made to gain him over. He sometimes
makes an attempt or effort to win the object of his affections, and having
failed, he leaves her alone for the future. In the same way,
when a woman is once gained, he often becomes indifferent about her. As
for the saying that a man does not care for what is easily gained,
and only desires a thing which cannot be obtained without difficulty, it is only
a matter of talk. The causes of a woman rejecting the addresses of a
man are as follows. One affection for her husband, two desire of lawful
progeny, three want of opportunity, four anger at being addressed by the man
too familiarly, five, difference in rank of life. Six want of certainty
on account of the man being devoted to traveling. Seven, thinking that the
man may be attached to some other person. Eight, Fear of the man's
not keeping his intentions secret. Nine, thinking that the man is too devoted
to his friends and has too great a regard for them. Ten, the
apprehension that he is not in earnest eleven, Bashfulness on account of his being
an illustrious man. Twelve, fear on account of his being powerful or possessed
of too impetuous a passion. In the case of the dear woman thirteen,
bashfulness on account of his being too clever fourteen, the thought of having once
lived with him on friendly terms only fifteen, contempt of his want of knowledge
of the world sixteen, disgust of his low character seventeen discussed at his want
of perception of her love for him eighteen in the case of an elephant woman,
the thought that he is a hair man or a man of weak passion.
Nineteen, Compassion lest any thing should befall him on account of his passion
twenty, Despair at her own imperfections twenty one, fear of discovery twenty two,
disillusion at seeing his gray hair or shabby appearance twenty three, fear that
he may be employed by her husband to test her chastity twenty four the thought
that he has too much regard for morality. Whichever of the above causes a
man may detect, he should endeavor to remove it from the very beginning.
Thus, the bashfulness that may arise from his greatness or his ability, he
should remove by showing his great love and affection for her. The difficulty of
the want of opportunity, or if his inaccessibility, he should remove by showing
her some easy way of access. The excessive respect entertained by the woman for
him should be removed by making himself very familiar. The difficulties that arise from
his being thought a low character he should remove by showing his valor and his
wisdom, Those that come from neglect by extra attention, and those that arise
from fear by giving her proper encouragement. The following are the men who generally
obtain success with women. One men well versed in the science of love,
two men skilled in telling stories, three men acquainted with women from their childhood,
four men who have secured their confidence, five men who send presents to
them, six men who talk well seven men who do things that they like.
Eight men who have not loved other women previously. Nine men who act
as messengers, ten men who knew their weak spots. Eleven men who are
desired by good women. Twelve men who are united with their female friends.
Thirteen men who are good looking, fourteen men who have been brought up with
them, fifteen men who are their neighbors, sixteen men who are devoted to
sexual pleasures, even though these be their own servants, the lovers of the
daughters of their nurse, eighteen men who have been lately married. Nineteen men
who like picnics and pleasure parties. Twenty men who are liberal, twenty one
men who are celebrated for being very strong, bull men, twenty two enterprising
and brave men. Twenty three men who surpassed their husbands in learning and good
looks, in good quality, and in liberality. Twenty four men whose dress
and manner of living are magnificent. The following are the women who are easily
gained over. One women who stand at the doors of their houses, two
women who are always looking out on the street, three women who sit conversing
in their neighbor's house. Four woman who is always staring at you. Five
a female messenger. Six a woman who looks sideways at you. Seven.
A woman whose husband has taken another wife without any just cause. Eight.
A woman who hates her husband or is hated by him. Nine a woman
who has nobody to look after her or keep her in check. Ten a
woman who has not had any children. Eleven a woman whose family or caste
is not well known. Twelve, a woman whose children are dead. Thirteen,
a woman who is very fond of society. Fourteen, a woman who
is apparently very affectionate with her husband fifteen, the wife of an actor.
Sixteen, a widow seventeen, a poor woman eighteen, a woman fond of
enjoyments nineteen, the wife of a man with many younger brothers. Twenty a
vain woman. Twenty one a woman whose husband is inferior to her in rank
or abilities. Twenty two, a woman who is proud of her skill in
the arts. Twenty three, a woman disturbed in mind by the folly of
her husband. Twenty four a woman who has been married in her infancy to
a rich man and not liking him when she grows up desires A man possessing
a disposition talents and wisdom suitable to her own tastes twenty five. A woman
who is slighted by her husband without any cause twenty six. A woman who
is not respected by other women of the same rank or beauty as herself twenty
seven, A woman whose husband is devoted to traveling twenty eight, the wife
of a jeweler twenty nine, A jealous woman thirty a covetous woman thirty one,
an immoral woman thirty two, a barren woman thirty three, a lazy
woman thirty four, a cowardly woman thirty five, a humpbacked woman thirty six,
a dwarfish woman thirty seven, a deformed woman thirty eight, a vulgar
woman, thirty nine, an ill smelling woman forty a sick woman forty one
an old woman. There are also two verses on this subject, as follows.
Desire, which springs from nature and which is increased by art, and
from which all danger is taken away by wisdom, becomes firm and secure.
A clever man, depending on his own ability and observing carefully the ideas and
thoughts of women and removing the causes of their turning away from men, is
generally successful with them. About making acquaintance with the woman, and of the
efforts to gain her over. Ancient authors are of opinion that girls are not
so easily seduced by employing female messengers as by the efforts of the man himself,
but that the wives of others are more easily got at by the aid
of female messengers than by the personal efforts of a man. But Vitziayana lays
it down that whenever it is possible, a man should always act himself in
these matters, and it is only when such is impracticable or impossible that female
messengers should be employed. As for the saying that women who act and talk
boldly and freely are to be won by the personal efforts of the man,
and that women who do not possess these qualities are to be got at by
female messengers, it is only a matter of talk now. When a man
acts himself in the matter, he should first of all make the acquaintance of
the woman he loves in the following manner. First, he should arrange to
be seen by the woman, either on a natural or special opportunity. A
natural opportunity is when one of them goes to the house of the other and
A special opportunity is when they meet, either at the house of a friend
or a caste fellow, or a minister or a physician, as also on
the occasion of marriage, ceremonies, sacrifices, festivals, funerals, and garden
parties. Second, when they do meet, the man should be careful to
look at her in such a way as to cause the state of his mind
to be made known to her. He should pull about his mustache, make
a sound with his nails, cause his own ornaments to tinkle, bite his
lower lip, and make various other signs of that description. When she is
looking at him, he should speak to his friends about her and other women,
and should show to her his liberality and his appreciation of enjoyments. When
sitting by the side of a female friend, he should yawn and twist his
body, contract his eyebrows, speak very slowly, as if he were weary,
and listen to her indifferently. A conversation having two meanings should also be
carried on with a child or some other person, apparently having regard to a
third person, but really having reference to the woman he loves, and in
this way his love should be made manifest Under the pretext of referring to others
rather than to herself. He should make marks that have reference to her on
the earth with his nails or with a stick, and should embrace and kiss
a chother in her presence, and give it the mixture of betel nut and
betel leaves with his tongue, and press its chin with his fingers in a
caressing way. All these things should be done at the proper time and improper
places. Third, a man should fondle a child that may be sitting on
her lap, and give it something to play with, and also take the
same back again. Conversation with respect to the child may also be held with
her, and in this manner he should gradually become well acquainted with her,
and he should also make himself agreeable to her relations. Afterwards, this acquaintance
should be made a pretext for visiting her house frequently, and on such occasions
he should converse on the subject of love in her absence, but within her
hearing. As his intimacy with her increases, he should place in her charge
some kind of deposit or trust, and take away from it a small portion
at a time. Or he may give her some fragrant substances or betel nuts
to be kept for him by her. After this, he should endeavor to
make her well acquainted with his own wife, and get them to carry on
confidential conversations and to sit together in lonely places. In order to see her
frequently, he should arrange that the same goldsmith, the same jeweler, the
same basket maker, the same dyer, and the same washerman should be employed
by the two families. And he should also pay her long visits openly under
the pretense of being engaged with her on business. And one business should lead
to another, so as to keep up the intercourse between them. Whenever she
wants anything, or is in need of money, or wishes to acquire skill
in one of the arts, he should cause her to understand that he is
willing and able to do anything that she wants, to give her money or
teach her one of the arts, all these things being quite within his own
ability and power. In the same way, he should hold discussions with her
in company with other people, and they should talk of the doings and sayings
of other persons, and examine different things like jewelry, precious stones, et
cetera. On such occasions he should show her certain things with the values of
which she may be unacquainted, and if she begins to dispute with him about
the things or their value, he should not contradict her, but point out
that he agrees with her in every way. Thus ends the ways of making
the acquaintance of the woman desired. Now, after a girl has become acquainted
with the man as above described, and has manifested her love to him by
the various outward signs and by the motions of her body, the man should
make every effort to gain her over. But as girls are not acquainted with
sexual union, they should be treated with the greatest delicacy, and the man
should proceed with considerable caution, though in the case of other women accustomed to
sexual intercourse, this is not necessary. When the intentions of the girl are
known, and her bashfulness put aside, the man should begin to make use
of her money, and an interchange of clothes, rings, and flowers should
be made. In this the man should take particular care that the things given
by him are handsome and valuable. He should moreover receive from her a mixture
of betel nut and betel leaves, And when he is going to a party,
he should ask for the flower in her hair, or for the flower
in her hand. If he himself gives her a flower, it should be
a sweet smelling one, and marked with marks made by his nails or teeth.
With increasing assiduity, he should dispel her fears and by degrees get her
to go with him to some lonely place, and there he should embrace and
kiss her. And finally, at the time of giving her some betel nut,
or of receiving the same from her, or at the time of making
an exchange of flowers, he should touch and press her private parts, thus
bringing his efforts to a satisfactory conclusion. When a man is endeavoring to seduce
one woman, he should not attempt to seduce any other at the same time.
But after he had succeeded with the first and enjoyed her for a considerable
time, he can keep her affections by giving her presents that she likes,
and then commence making up to another woman. When a man sees the husband
of a woman going to some place near his house, he should not enjoy
the woman then, even though she may be easily gained over at that time.
A wise man having a regard for his reputation. Should not think of
seducing a woman who is apprehensive, timid, not to be trusted, well
guarded, or possessed of a father in law or mother in law. End
of Chapter two