Sexuality and the human condition in spiritual context
An analysis of concepts in Hindu Sociology and Sexuality by Gauri Mataji Devi
Many people have heard about the Kama sutra, but generally the ideas that
circulate are rather distorted, vague and confused by ignorance and prejudice.
Such prejudice is mostly due to the cultural superimposition of layers of prude
bigotry and self-righteous
moralism brought by iconoclastic Islamic dominator's
and later by Victorian British Christians.
Enforced by the abrahamic invaders, the wholesale condemnation of the intrinsic
beauty and joy of the natural form and activities of the body, effectively
destroyed the Vedic expressions of beauty and joy, or covered them with the
thick plaster of shame.
And that's not simply a manner of speaking: plaster physically obliterated many
artistic masterpieces of sculpture, as for example those that used to decorate
the temple of Jagannatha at Puri. Millions of Deities and decorative images were
defaced, broken or destroyed, and many thousands of temples completely razed to
the ground. Especially in north India, even the dismantled masonry was removed
and utilized to build minarets, mosques and other buildings, even transporting
them over long distances.
This is why it is so difficult to find really ancient temples built and
decorated in Vedic style. With time, these alien influences seeped into the
Indian psyche and created that layered and often contradictory result that is
now presented as Indian culture - with an increasing emphasis on the non-Vedic
concepts.
Documentaries on India circulated on the national and international market,
often financed by anti-Hindu sponsors, minimize or ignore the glories of Vedic
society and knowledge, to favor a "nawab and kebab" image that is identified
with "ancient glory".
Such self-defeating approach could have been justified in the times when
embracing the chauvinistic views of the invaders was the only alternative to
getting the entire temple, or the entire Hindu society, razed to the ground and
burned into oblivion, or beheaded/ enslaved en masse.
Today Indians pride themselves of their national independence and their golden
Vedic heritage, therefore there should be no external hindrance in actually
re-discovering and re-establishing the Vedic view in all its former glory.
Unfortunately the general lack of proper understanding and information has
created a negative impression in the minds of Indian people, including those who
consider themselves Hindus, because they can't be bothered with actually reading
their own original texts and discovering their inherent value.
Many Hindus consider the Kamasutra an "obscene book", and some even go as far as
denying its respectability as a Vedic scripture. In fact, the Kamasutra
presently available was compiled by Vatsyayana Rishi on the teachings of
Nandikesvara, the same companion of Shiva Mahadeva who also taught the Natya
shastras.
By reading it attentively we will find out that the main topic is not sex in
itself - which constitutes only a part of the subject - but rather the quality
of life in general, and how to establish oneself on the level of sattva or
goodness in a successful material and spiritual life.
Of course the general ignorance of the masses is compounded by the circulation
of some questionable publications produced during the middle ages by
unscrupulous courtiers of the Muslim sultans that dominated India, and that were
actually meant only as mere sex manuals, illustrated in Persian and Mogul style,
to feed the lusty fantasies of their masters, bored with the "normal
intercourse" with their hundreds of wives and concubines locked up in a harem.
Those lusty catalogues of sexual positions (most of which are not even mentioned
in the original Kama sutras themselves) were also circulated in the milieux of
western intellectuals in the early times of European colonialism, and this in
turn contributed to the prejudiced frame of mind by which the colonial
missionaries and administrators criticized the "heathen immorality" of the
Hindus.
The comparison between the Hindu/ Vedic values of life and the ancient heathen
world of pre-Christian Europe is actually not a negative one, because both these
cultures were deeply respectful of Mother Nature in all her manifestations - the
beauty of all things in the universe, including earth, water, intelligence,
consciousness, one's body, women, children, and the natural and healthy
pleasures of life.
Unfortunately, both the pre-Christian western cultures and Vedic culture have
been badmouthed by the hammering terrorist propaganda of "mainstream education",
in which students are carefully denied any actual knowledge of the historical
events, facts and figures in these last 5000 years or so, at global level.
Is the Kama Sutra Pornography?
For people who have been heavily brainwashed by abrahamic system of schooling,
biased media and deliberate social pressure, it is extremely difficult to
actually understand Nature, because the deeply ingrained abrahamic prejudices
seep into the subconscious mind, become the general and only existing norm, and
are even mistaken for basic tenets of "the age old native Tradition".
The technical term defining these prejudiced and ignorant paradigms is laukika
sraddha or "popular belief", devoid of factual value because it is opposed to
shastra pramana, or authoritative scriptural foundation.
Another problematic factor consists in the distortion of the concept of
"authority", especially in the religious field. As people are discouraged from
using their God-given intelligence, and blackmailed into blind acceptance of
whatever the "priest", "imam" or "pope" says, this alien attitude is also
carried into the field of Hinduism, and anyone who can get a good political
position in a religious organization is automatically accepted by the mass as a
religious authority, even if what he teaches is the exact opposite of what all
the shastras proclaim.
The situation created by this widespread ignorance and degradation has become so
seriously damaging, that its effects are showcased by ill-motivated
propagandists as the worst "social evils created by Hinduism" - mistreatment of
women, child marriage, arranged forced marriage, casteism, racism, superstition
as opposed to verifiable scientific knowledge, cruelty to animals, corruption,
etc.
In a sort of blind knee-jerk reaction, some Hindu activists unwittingly endorse
such destructive ideas, instead of actually investing time and effort in
studying the original texts and understanding how they can be applied
successfully to our contemporary world to solve practically all the problems we
are facing.
We can confidently say that the common root of all our problems today is the
lack of knowledge (ignorance is the cause of all suffering), understanding and
respect of the basic nature of our body and mind, and the faulty approach in the
relationships with other people - human and not human - and with Nature herself.
All this can be easily solved by applying the Vedic perspective, as it
reconciles and harmonizes the material and spiritual aspects of life, healing
the inner conflict inevitably created by the diseased abrahamic ideologies that
condemn matter in order to venerate spirit.
The Kama shastra is a perfect example of this happy, healthy and natural
balance
The text starts by carefully explaining about the four religious purposes of
life: dharma (ethical behaviour, virtue and duty), artha (acquisition of valuable
things), kama (sense gratification) and moksha (liberation from material
identifications and attachments).
It is said that human life starts with religion - religion is what distinguishes
us from animals. Mere survival is common to all species of life. Animals, too,
engage in the basic and instinctive activities of eating, sleeping, defending
themselves, mating and raising a family, and having a social life.
Then again, we need to clarify the idea of "religion", because it has become
rather confused and distorted by the artificial imposition of dogmatic
ideologies, to the point that many Hindus feel offended when someone says that
Hinduism is a religion.
Actually, the word religion derives from the Latin religare, "to connect",
indicating the relationship that connects the individual with the rest of the
universe - in other words, the meaning and purpose of human life. So we can
safely say that human life starts when one asks about its meaning and purpose,
and becomes engaged in the process of evolution.
A human being, and most notably a civilized human being (defined in Sanskrit as
arya) is expected to rise above the merely instinctive level and acquire
material and spiritual knowledge, by which complete success can be achieved
because the meaning and purpose of life is fully understood and appreciated.
This is why the Vedic <a href="/the-worlds-first-university/">gurukula</a>
system starts the theoretical and practical education and training of children
with the scientific study of dharma, followed by artha, kama and moksha, each
used as an instrument for the individual evolution and the progress of society.
Without being properly trained in such knowledge, human beings tend to proceed
blindly and empirically, and often end up creating many unnecessary problems for
themselves and for others.
For example, people will instinctively try to obtain sense gratification through
food and sex, but if they do not know how life works, they will inevitably face
health problems (both physically and mentally) and difficulties in personal
relationships, and the pleasures they attain will be limited and ineffective.
In complete harmony with all the other Vedic scriptures, the Kama shastra
declares that the purpose of human life consists in pursuing the four main
values (purusha arthas): dharma, artha, kama and moksha, as subsequent stages of
personal evolution and self-realization that will ultimately lead to the
transcendental level of complete freedom and unconditioned happiness.
In this regard, we need to notice that sense gratification comes in third
position, after the cultivation of a sattvic character and the attainment of a
good material prosperity. Built on these solid and clean sattvic foundations,
sensual pleasure becomes not only legitimate (and free from guilt) but even
divine, as Bhagavad gita itself declares (7.11): dharmaviruddho bhuteshu kamo 'smi
bharatarshabha, "In all beings/ states of existence, I am sense gratification
that is not contrary to
dharma.
So, in order to religiously enjoy sense gratification, we must understand how it
can be based on dharma. Due to cultural superimposition, some Hindus embraced
the abrahamic idea that the only way for man to sanctify sense gratification is
to have the minimum sexual intercourse required to produce a child within the
conventional socially and legally recognized sacrament of marriage.
According to the same belief structure, only the husband is supposed to enjoy
the sexual act, as the man (identified with the male principle) is the enjoyer
and the woman (identified with the female principle) is the enjoyed. Similarly,
the man is supposed to be the dominator, and the woman is supposed to be the
dominated - a sort of breeding sex machine that should not feel any pleasure in
order to be considered socially acceptable.
To understand where Indians got this idea, we just need to notice the English
expression "animal husbandry".
Although the idea of socially recognized conventional marriage to produce
qualified offspring is indeed a part of the Vedic scenario (as the prajapatya
vivaha), it is certainly not the only form of legitimate sensual pleasure
contemplated by the Vedic system.
To better understand this point, we need to deeply analize the Gita verse we
quoted above, specifically the concept that divine sense gratification is
characterized by respect towards dharma.
This Sanskrit word dharma, derived from the root dhr, "to sustain", is often
mistranslated as "religion" in the western/ abrahamic sense, but actually has
much deeper and vaster meanings and refers not to some external imposition of
rules and allegiances and beliefs, but to the knowledge of the inherent
fundamental nature of the being and the full development of its potential.
Dharma is the religious duty in the sense that dharmic choices sustain and
foster the evolution and prosperity of the individual and the society as well.
What is this fundamental nature of the being? What is the duty implied in such
nature? Simply the eternal and universal ethical principles that popular wisdom
usually calls "conscience", that is naturally present in any human being that
has not been seriously damaged by dogmatic brainwashing.
The fundamental applications of these universal and eternal (sanatana)
principles are truthfulness (or honesty), compassion (or love), cleanliness (or
purity), self control (or balance), courage, tolerance and patience, application
of intelligence, search for knowledge, and detachment from anger.
These are the principles that must not be violated in the pursuance of sensual
gratification. There is no mention of social conventions, legal certifications,
dogmas or fatwas, hereditary rights or similar rules and regulations.
So, as long as sex is not based on physical or psychological violence, on
betrayal or hypocrisy, on some type of psychological or physical perversion, or
on mere animal lust, it is considered legitimate from the moral point of view,
and when it is supported by the proper consciousness, it is even desirable as a
religious practice or meditation. Without any need to drag the idea of "tantra"
into the picture.
For a person who has properly mastered the theory and practice of dharma, the
second purpose of human life is artha - meaning acquisition of "what is
valuable".
Generally this is understood as economic development, but we should remember
that Vedic civilization has a deeper and healthier mentality than what we see in
contemporary globalized societies based on consumerism.
Vedic society does not encourage the unlimited accumulation of gold and
properties that are not utilized properly for the progress of the individual and
society in general. But it certainly approves wealth as the beautiful and
beneficial assets that enrich one's life.
It gives great value to things that do not necessarily have a price tag:
freedom, good relationships, the cultivation of knowledge, a clean and beautiful
natural environment, good air, good water, healthy food, leisure time,
self-sufficiency in daily needs, and whatever defines a higher quality of life.
The third purpose of human life - the sattvic and religious enjoyment of sense
pleasures - is possible only when a sufficient degree of success has been
attained in dharma and artha.
From the platform of dharma, one will be able to pursue this acquisition of
valuable things in the best possible way - making each acquisition more
permanent and free from bad consequences. In the same way, it is possible to
really enjoy the pleasures of life when the basic survival needs have been
satisfied, and one has sufficient wealth to afford a high level of quality of
life.
Because it's not just about sexual intercourse - which is something that any
animal is able to avail. The life of a civilized human being is supposed to be
much more accomplished, in so many ways. So while the first chapter of the
Kamasutra deals with the necessary achievements in dharma and artha in
relationship with kama, the second chapter deals with the study of the 64 arts,
that is recommended especially for girls.
By learning these 64 arts all girls (especially those born in very good
families) would become able to bring prosperity to their home and even get
independent income in case of widowhood or financial difficulties of the husband
or his family - as the text explicitly states.
Such arts include the study of foreign languages, gastronomy and culinary arts,
medicine, gardening, the preparation of preserves, drinks, perfumes, oils and
medicinal extracts, tailoring, dyeing of clothes and other materials, fashioning
gold and creating jewels, the ability to evaluate the price of gems and metals,
chemistry and mineralogy, metallurgy and the knowledge of mining processes, the
creation of flower ornaments both for the person and for home decoration, the
creation of turbans and various hair-dressing styles, tattooing, the art of
service to the Deity, the art of making malas (rosaries) and religious
decorations, magical arts, spells and potions, coded languages and
communications, the management of cisterns for water and storage facilities,
singing, dancing, performance arts, painting, sculpting and all the figurative
arts, poetry and the various literary arts, training and care of pet animals,
the art of toy making, martial arts and military strategy, architecture,
carpentry and ebonistery, house management and accountings, gambling, psychology
(especially marital counseling), sociology, as well as the various sexual arts.
The original scriptures clearly state that the women who are expert in these
arts and sciences are immensely respected in society even when they live alone
independently; thanks to their personal abilities they obtain a place of respect
in society, they are praised by respectable people and become competent to
overcome any crisis at personal or family level. Besides these independent
professional abilities, married women could normally participate in a direct way
to the professional activities of their husband.
A famous example is queen Kaikeyi, who used to go to battle on her own chariot
in the army of the kingdom of Ayodhya; once she entered the fight to face the
great warriors that had stricken king Dasaratha unconscious. After defeating and
routing the generals of the opposite army, Kaikeyi picked up the unconscious
body of her husband, moved him to her own chariot and took him to safety, saving
his life. For this action, Dasaratha had promised to repay his debt by
fulfilling any request from her. There have been great examples of valiant and
capable kshatriya queens all along Indian history, although their number has
dwindled in more recent centuries.
Similarly, the wives of brahmanas and vaisyas were always welcome to directly
participate to the professional activities of their families if they so desired.
This obviously implies the required general education as well as the training
for that specific professional field. Unfortunately, some members of the
so-called conservative and orthodox Hindu society believe that girls or women,
especially from "good families", should not receive any cultural or professional
education, to ensure that they will remain more "faithful and obedient" to their
husband and in-laws, because they totally depend on them.
This complete loss of personal power of women has been compounded by the
criminal distortion of the original idea of dowry. Originally, the dowry was
given to the bride by her father as strictly personal wealth she was supposed to
use in emergencies to protect her independence. The idea that a lady's dowry
could be even touched by her husband and in-laws was considered extremely sinful
and openly condemned in Vedic scriptures in unequivocable terms.
Now the degradation has become so rampant that the misappropriation of the
previously inviolable stri-dhana ("lady's wealth") has become the main focus of
the marriage process, and a girl can hope to find a husband only if she is able
to pay huge sums in cash and kind to the family of a boy, delivering all her
"dowry" to them even before marriage, and remaining totally powerless and
dependent on their good will. A tough spot, considering the moral and ethical
degradation of the greatest part of the population.
Thus not only the girl is exploited and mistreated without any chance of
protection, but her entire family must suffer because of the greedy demands of
the in-laws. If the dowry is not deemed sufficient, the girl is beaten and
humiliated constantly, and in many cases even killed. In 2010, the reported
dowry deaths were 8391, not counting the non-reported cases passed off as
"missing wife" or "suicide" or "kitchen accident".
This situation obviously leads degraded people to believe that the birth of a
girl child should be considered a disgrace rather than a happy event as in the
case of a male child. In the most extreme cases, the disapproval of family and
society can turn into serious neglect and discrimination towards the girl all
along her childhood, if not into infanticide or foeticide when the ultrasound
tests reveal that the unborn child is a female. Prohibiting pre-natal ultrasound
tests is not the solution, as it simply shifts the problem from abortion to the
killing of the child after birth.
Such ideas do not find any support in any Vedic texts, either in a theoretical
or in a practical form. Rather, the teachings of the Vedas lead in a completely
opposite direction. Vedic civilization has the deepest respect and veneration
for all women, who are considered incarnations and representatives of the divine
feminine principle, the Mother Goddess.
There are no Vedic texts that endorse, contemplate or even mention the killing
of girl children or the neglect or mistreatment of girls or women, of any age.
On the contrary, according to the Vedic scriptures a woman or a brahmana must
never be subject to physical punishment or mistreatment of any kind, even when
they are factually recognized as guilty of some serious crime.
Such bad influence was actually introduced by the islamic invaders, as we can
still observe in the countries subjected to the sharia law system. In Saudi
Arabia for example there is no obligation of punishment for a man who tortured
and killed his own wife and children; but women as rape victims are regularly
prosecuted and executed for adultery, girls are used as gifts to settle disputes
or debts, and child marriage and forced marriage are the norm for the righteous
and religious.
As degraded people normally resort to arranged marriages based on caste
prejudice, in a sort of cow market where both bride and groom are evaluated in
terms of financial power and social position, there is absolutely no space for a
real love relationship, so the wife must be kept totally powerless and
oppressed, so that she will not be "getting ideas" about her own personal value
as individual within the family and society, but she should simply concern
herself with producing a sufficient number of male children.
This idea does not have any foundation in the genuine vedic Tradition, and
results in superficial and sometimes even hostile family relationships, where
the wife is treated as nothing more than a free house keeper and a hand-servant
to cruelly tyrannical in-laws, and a source of dowry income.
Sadly, she is often used as a punching ball, too, as from recent social research
studies, over 70% of the interviewed women considered "normal" being beaten by
husband or in-laws even for trifles such as a kitchen mishap, trying to go out
in public alone, or wearing something else than the traditional sari.
A 2012 report by UNICEF found that 57 percent of boys and 53 percent of girls
between the ages of 15 and 19 think wife-beating is actually justified (not
simply "normal"). It should be no surprise that in India a husband is seen
merely as a symbol of social position and security, and a provider of wealth - a
sort of ATM machine.
Even worse, such bad marital relationships can easily degenerate in veritable
wars, in which frustrated and embittered women channel their anger and
resentment into spoiling the lives of her family members, even to the point of
falsely accusing husband and in-laws of harassment or other criminal behaviours.
Both camps often spice up the hostilities viciously with all possible means,
from bad jokes and vignettes (usually about women) to petty revenges and
blackmailing, sometimes with the wicked complicity of other family members. The
trend is echoed, confirmed, and reinforced by the awful Indian TV soap operas
(called "serials") that keep harping on the same disastrous tones and stories.
This presentation of unending cruelty to innocent women as a normal and
inevitable "tradition" is considered perfectly acceptable for the prudish TV
Indian censorship.
On the other hand, even the mere mention of the word "sex" or a kiss between
husband and wife are cut off from movies, with the pretext of defending
morality. What to speak of proper sex education: like in the most bigoted
abrahamic regions, children will have to learn the "dirty secrets" from porn or
from sexual abuse at school, in the family or in the street. Such state of
affairs seriously damages the entire purpose of human life, and degrades the
entire society.
The Kama shastra comes to our aid in this sad predicament, not only with the
valuable knowledge of the art of love making (described in the second section of
the text), but also with several chapters about the best way to manage a marital
relationship - in the third, fourth and fifth sections, that form the greatest
part of the text.
The Vedic system recognizes the validity of several forms of marriage:
Brahmana, in which the father of the bride sends an invitation to a properly qualified man and entrusts the girl to him; the purpose of the marriage is the joint performance of the traditional religious duties.
Daiva, in which the girl is married to a properly qualified brahmana who was invited to perform a sacred ritual; the purpose of the marriage is to perpetuate the good results of the sacrifice and to protect society in general.
Arsha (of the Rishis), in which the married couple offer the symbolic gift of a bull and a cow (sacred animals considered the father and mother of human society) to the girl's parents; the purpose of the marriage is cooperation in the study and practice of spiritual life.
Prajapatya, in which the girl chooses a suitable husband directly or indirectly (for example in the svayamvara tournaments); the purpose of the marriage is the birth of a qualified progeny that will continue the dynasty.
Gandharva, in which the girl and boy declare their love for each other and exchange vows and garlands; the purpose of the marriage is romantic desire and sensual pleasure - as exemplified in the story of Sakuntala and king Dushyanta. This is also the specific ritual used by gays and lesbians, according to the 12th century commentator Jayamangala.
Rakshasa, in which the girl is abducted from her home against the will of her family; this type of marriage is also popular with kshatriyas who want to overcome the blind opposition of the girl's family to her wishes (as in the cases of Krishna's wife Rukmini and sister Subhadra, who married Arjuna).
Asura, in which a girl and her family receive gifts, boons or wealth from the prospective husband to convince them of his good intentions; the most famous example in puranic history is Santanu, who married Satyavati by pledging exclusive succession rights to Satyavati's sons.
Pisacha, in which a girl is seduced into a sexual relationship by flattery, emotional pressure, mental manipulation, intoxication (with wine etc), or approached while she is sleeping and more vulnerable. The purpose of the pisacha marriage is mere satisfaction of sensual pleasure but still the women involved and the children conceived in such relationship are considered perfectly respectable by society.
In the Vedic concept, there is no discrimination or prejudice towards
"illegitimate" children. A birth as a human being is always considered a
blessing and an opportunity, and pure in itself (as opposed to the abrahamic
concept of original sin).
The most evident demonstration is the great Vyasa, the supreme Rishi who
compiled all the Vedic scriptures at the beginning of this age: his birth
resulted from the casual encounter of Parasara Rishi with Satyavati, a girl from
a community of fishermen. Vyasa's parents never married (or saw each other
again, apparently) and Satyavati went on to marry king Santanu without reneging
on her relationship with her son Vyasa. And nobody ever had anything to say
against such a situation.
And that's not just a matter of "Caesar can do no wrong" as many foolish people
believe. The same open minded attitude was applied to everyone, including the
obscure child of an ordinary prostitute, as exemplified by the story of
Satyakama Jabala Rishi.
In the degraded casteist system established in the middle ages after the islamic
invasions and presently peddled as the "age old Hindu tradition", Vyasa or
Satyakama would not be allowed even to enter a public temple, what to speak of
studying Sanskrit or elaborating on shastra. Just imagine what the present
situation in India could be, if Ambedkar had been treated according to the
genuine Vedic system, instead of being subjected to the ignorant hatred and
persecution of a bunch of casteist idiots and crooks passing off as "Hindu
religious authorities".
In order to understand the Vedic concept of marriage, we also need to remember
that the puranas and itihasas offer a wealth of examples of the huge freedom
afforded by all such types of marital relationships. Contrarily to what happens
today, in Vedic society husband and wife could choose not to live together
permanently, and were not bound to monogamy.
Polygamy (one man having more than one wife) was considered rather normal and
even polyandry was considered perfectly legitimate socially. For example,
Draupadi's having 5 husbands did not jeopardize her family's respectability at
the highest level of royal dignity. The only disrespectful comments came from
their sworn enemies, the evil Kauravas - and the Mahabharata openly condemns
them as offensive and degraded, clearly explaining that such offenses were the
cause of the destruction of the entire Kaurava dynasty.
Vedic society does not interfere with a person's private life, as long as his
private behaviours are not forcefully imposed on someone else: in this case, the
violent behavior is considered an aggression (irrespective of its motivation)
that legitimizes self defense to the extreme consequences and if necessary
demands the intervention of the kshatriyas to protect the victim of the
aggression.
A man is advised to accept a wife only if he is capable of fulfilling her needs,
and warned about the damage caused by a bad marital relationship with a
frustrated wife. So although polygamy is not condemned (and plenty of advice is
given for good relationships between co-wives), monogamy is certainly praised as
a wise and safe choice.
Talking about marriage, we may need to note that in Vedic civilization a woman
may choose to simply dedicate herself to family, children, husband, home, and
concern herself about her own physical appearance without being forced to engage
in other activities, but such occupations do not constitute a limitation, an
obligation or a priority duty. Women earned great respect by choosing to pursue
a career on their own, especially in the religious field, where they were called
brahma vadinis.
The Vedic "housewives" are called sadhya vadhu. They may not be particularly
learned or austere, but they are much respected nonetheless for the educational
role and influence they have on their children, and for the support and care
they provide to all the members of the family and the clan.
Unlike the women who live under the Islamic segregation regime, ordinary married
women in Vedic society were totally free to move around, and they could go out
in public either alone or escorted, to participate to the various social,
religious or cultural functions, or for shopping or visiting pleasant or
interesting places as described for example in the Kama sutras. In this regard
there are many descriptions from various other scriptures and historical
records.
Thanks to the pleasantness and comfort of traditional Vedic housing structures,
endowed with vast orchards and kitchen gardens, water tanks, storing rooms and
laboratories for the home production of various goods, the "mother of the
family" did not need to leave her house in order to perfectly perform her
duties.
In Vedic society merchants, craftspeople and independent service providers (such
as astrologers, palmists, physicians, artists etc) were usually going from door
to door to present their merchandise and services for the convenience of
customers. There are no rules that prevent women from interacting with merchants
(male or female) and for this reason the women of wealthy families did not need
to take the trouble to go out of their homes to run errands or to enjoy the
pleasures of shopping, entertainment or popular culture.
In India the practice of purdah, or imposition of veil and segregation of women
only started after the islamic invasions. Just like the practice of child
marriage and forced marriage, legal and social inequality between men and women,
and even rape and sexual harassment of women.
There are few ancient temples and Deities that remain still standing from
previous times, and by comparing the images of those temples with the more
recent ones, we can easily see the difference of attitude and perspective about
women. The merry participation of married and unmarried women to social
functions and occasions was considered one of the most "auspicious"
characteristics of the Vedic way of life. A dim reflection of those happy times
is still found in the importance of the processions of girls and women carrying
each a pot of water (symbol of their femininity) within the celebration of
religious festivals, and in the depiction of young women (often scantily
dressed) in temples and homes and in decorations in general, "for good fortune".
So after speaking of the four purusharthas (in chapter 2) and the study of the
64 arts (in chapter 3), chapter 4 of Vatsyayana's Kama sutras deals with
interior decoration and many ways to make one's daily life more pleasurable
through social interactions, entertainment, etc.
We can learn much here about home management, interior decoration of Vedic
style, maintenance of gardens and kitchen gardens, and on the daily life of a
city dweller (nagarika) regarding social engagements and various forms of
entertainment and leisure activities.
The ideal house is surrounded by a beautiful garden and consists of two parts: a
well protected private area where ladies can remain undisturbed, and a more open
area where men and women can interact. In this regard, we should not let
ourselves be fooled by the armored patriarchal concept that presents the
gyneceum as a place where women are segregated, and from which they cannot get
out (like a sort of harem). On the contrary, this inner apartment was meant to
be a space of total freedom and power, where no man could interfere or enter -
not even the "lord of the house". It was consecrated to grooming, letting one's
hair down in every sense, sleeping without worries, dressing or undressing
comfortably, and even "girls only" parties, as we can see from many depictions
of ancient times.
At any time, any woman or girl could leave the inner apartments without the
permission of anyone, for free interaction with the male members of the family,
household or society. And yes, even for sex between the lord and the lady of the
house. In the outer section of the house, a spacious pleasure room is furnished
with a large, comfortable and beautiful bed, covered with a clean white cloth
and well decorated with scented flowers, with a canopy and suitable pillows.
Besides the bed, there should be a couch, a round seat and a low table with
flowers, perfumes, mouth-fresheners and other desirable items. Other
recommended items are a box of ornaments, a stringed musical instrument hanging
from a decorative peg, some books, a board for drawing, a board for playing dice
or chess, a toy cart, and other similar objects for artistic or otherwise
pleasurable activities. Just outside this room, the garden is equipped with a
swing and a cosy alcove built with flowering creepers and bushes.
After examining all the aspects of home comforts, the text describes examples of
leisure activities that are considered appropriate to a civilized life, from
personal hygiene and shaving, to the proper time of meals, rest and enjoyment. The
day starts with the usual religious and professional duties, that are expected
to take the entire morning. Lunch is followed by amusement with pet animals,
then by a mid day nap, and a refreshing bath as still exemplified in the temple
routine in Deity worship.
The afternoon is spent in the company of friends and conversations, and in the
evening there should be singing, dancing and similar artistic performances. On
special occasions, civilized people attend various religious festivals, picnics,
swimming parties, dancing parties, poetry competitions, quiz competitions, and
even drinking parties where pleasant beverages are served according to specified
recipes.
Chapter 5 of the Kama sutra defines the categories of friendship and social
relationships that one should cultivate, and also those that are to be avoided.
It clearly explains which women one can legitimately try to approach for a
relationship with sexual implications, and the civilized way to make friends
with them and to manifest one's desires, especially through the agency of
messengers. One should never indulge in an intimate relationship with a woman
who is unclean, immodest, unable to keep a secret, or is in a dangerous position
in society or family. Especially, one should never target a tapasvini or female
ascetic, or a female friend that is bound by some type of obligation, or a
childhood friend, a fellow student, and so on.
The text clearly states that one should not try to seduce the wives of others,
especially the wife of a friend, a relative, a brahmana or a king - who can be
especially dangerous if irritated. When other ordinary married women appear
interested in romance, a respectable man should not get involved merely out of
lust, unless of course it is the lady herself that clearly expresses such
desire. The pursuit of extra-marital affairs is particularly justified and
advisable when there is some solid good reason to please the lady, as she is in
a position to give great help in society either directly or indirectly.
Only the second section of the text (Samprayogika) deals with the sexual union
proper, starting with physical compatibility and elegant and refined
preliminaries, kissing, embracing, body language, various sounds, information
about natural tendencies, extreme passionate expressions such as love bites and
nail marks, and finally concluding the encounter in a proper way.
In this section, the 64 social arts described in the first section are mirrored
by the 64 sexual arts, considered equally valuable and respectable. Undoubtedly
Vatsyayana Rishi does not feel embarrassed in describing the various factors in
an intimate sexual relationship, but then again, those who have seen the
"erotic" sculptures in very ancient temples should be able to understand that
there is nothing to be scandalized about.
The prudish moralism of abrahamic societies inevitably creates a sinful and
guilty attitude of sexual perversion and pornography that certainly continues to
exist and thrive, albeit more or less hidden from the public eye. On the
contrary the healthy, natural and joyful approach of Vedic society favours a
greater cleanliness and purity of mind towards the beauty and pleasure
inherently provided by the body. This serenity and refinement, conducive to
ultimate sublimation and detachment, are expressed in the Rishi's elaborations
about the sexual intercourse exactly in the same artistic manner we find in the
classical maithuna temple depictions.
Sexual experimentation and enjoyment is openly seen and described as a
legitimate and laudable engagement for civilized men and women - in other words,
it can be described as "religiously enjoying life".
The third section of the Kama sutras (called Kanya samprayuktaka) specifically
explains how one should find a wife or husband, the process of courtship, and
how to establish a sense of confidence and attraction. It's a sort of crash
course at a charms school - something so valuable for today's young generations
not only in India, who struggle trying to find clues on how to get themselves a
date.
The text clearly speaks about the different psychological tendencies of boys and
girls, suggesting how a boy can properly woo a girl, and how a girl can win
herself a boy she likes. It also discusses the subtleties of engagement and the
various types of marriage we mentioned earlier.
The fourth section of the text (Bharya dhikarika) constitutes a sort of marriage
manual for a good married life even in polygamous situations.
The fifth section of the text (Pari darika) speaks about the wives of other
people, and particularly of how to understand which women are willing to have
extra-marital relationships, and which women are not.
Here again, the role and professional description of the messenger is given in
very good details: practically it is the equivalent of contemporary dating
agencies.
As a balancing counterpart, we also find elaborate advice on how to keep one's
wife happy and protected, so that she will not be attracted to seek other
relationships.
The sixth section (Vaishika) is meant for the various categories of women who
are normally willing to have promiscuous sexual relationships, listed in more or
less respected categories.
The ganikas ("society women") were educated and refined, and valued for their
knowledge and skill in the 64 arts. They had a place of honour in the city
assembly and at the religious functions where their presence was considered
auspicious. They maintained close friendly relationships - both socially and
personally - even with kings, royalty members and religious authorities at the
highest level.
Their company did not necessarily entail sexual contacts, but it was rather
about an atmosphere of very civilized sophistication and beauty. The ganikas
were highly appreciated as teachers for boys and girls from good families
(including princes and princesses) in the subjects of good manners, elegance,
attitude, refinement and fine arts, because their behaviour and their life style
were considered the highest example of quality of life.
Often they were requested to manage and administer public or private properties,
or to perform diplomatic missions to other kingdoms and regions, and their home
was visited by those who wished to improve their social status and to meet
important and influential people.
A ganika could also be in a marriage relationship with one man, more or less
permanently, but she would always retain the complete control of her own life,
her household and her activities.
The "independent women" (svairini) that were not capable of getting a livelihood
from activities at such a high level, could engage in the occupations of nati
(dancer), silpa karika (crafts woman), kumbhadasi (water carrier), dasi
(housemaid in a large mansion), kliba (masseuse or beautician) or paricharika
(house help).
In the course of their professional activities such women had the opportunity to
accept lovers in a more or less casual way, and this enabled them to receive
gifts in cash or valuable objects as a token of appreciation for their beauty
and sexual skills. Such gifts were always offered and accepted in a civilized
and respectful manner, and the personal relationship was always based on
friendship, something that is generally very difficult to understand for those
who are used to the present concept of "prostitution".
This life style was also very popular with gays, transexuals and transvestites,
that in Vedic society were a normally respected albeit small community called
hejira. In Vedic culture there is no homophobia: whatever negative feelings
towards homosexuals we can observe in today's Indians is certainly inherited
more or less consciously from abrahamic ideologies.
Those who made a livelihood exclusively by sexual services (because they had no
other skills) were defined, in decreasing order of social position and level of
personal culture, as veshtya, rupajiva, kulati, prakashavinasta, or pumschali. Such
services were reduced to the simple intercourse as a favor of friendship, to be
reciprocated by suitably valuable gifts, offered in friendship and respect.
There was no degradation, humiliation, spite or violence of any kind; there were
no pimps or red lights districts, no segregation or social stigma, and no
exploitation from corrupt officers or other groups. And certainly there was no
pedophilia. But it is important to understand that Vedic culture does not
consider sexual acts (as long as they are based on mutual consent) as illegal or
immoral, even when they are performed with the intent of gaining some monetary
profit.
In the section called Vaishika we find a candid elaboration on the opportunity
of using sexual relationships to obtain personal advantages - which include
money, favors or even revenge. It also illustrates how to balance romantic and
friendly sentiments with profit, and even how to choose a suitable husband among
the worthiest habitual contacts.
This section also contains instructions specifically destined to prostitutes -
for stylish dressing and ornaments, beauty and personal hygiene, interior
decoration and ornamentation of the house, witty and refined conversation, the
exchange of small gifts to develop friendship, the offering of garlands and
perfume oils, refreshments and mouth-fresheners, psychological attentions and
even a good amount of modesty, "because excessive exposure will give the
impression of a lesser value". The section of the text entitled Apamshadika
also deals with potions of aphrodisiac and stimulating effects to enhance
sensual pleasure.
Vatsayana concludes his own compilation on the ancient science of Kama by
summarizing the four purposes of life and highlighting the importance of
personal evolution, that culminates in the highest success of human existence. Have
a good look around our present societies, and if you are intelligent enough, you
will understand the real value of genuine Vedic civilization and knowledge.