haskur,
and so also was our author, for at the conclusion of every part he calls
himself Bhaskur Narsing Shastra. He was induced to write the work by
order of the learned Raja Vrijalala, while he was residing in Benares,
but as to the merits of this commentary it does not deserve much
commendation. In many cases the writer does not appear to have
understood the meaning of the original author, and has changed the text
in many places to fit in with his own explanations.

A complete translation of the original work now follows. It has been
prepared in complete accordance with the text of the manuscript, and is
given, without further comments, as made from it.

PART I.

THE VATSYAYANA SUTRA.

INTRODUCTORY PREFACE.

SALUTATION TO DHARMA, ARTHA AND KAMA.

In the beginning, the Lord of Beings created men and women, and in the
form of commandments in one hundred thousand chapters laid down rules
for regulating their existence with regard to Dharma,[1] Artha,[2] and
Kama.[3] Some of these commandments, namely those which treated of
Dharma, were separately written by Swayambhu Manu; those that related to
Artha were compiled by Brihaspati; and those that referred to Kama were
expounded by Nandi, the follower of Mahadeva, in one thousand chapters.

Now these 'Kama Sutra' (Aphorisms on Love), written by Nandi in one
thousand chapters, were reproduced by Shvetaketu, the son of Uddvalaka,
in an abbreviated form in five hundred chapters, and this work was again
similarly reproduced in an abridged form, in one hundred and fifty
chapters, by Babhravya, an inhabitant of the Punchala (South of Delhi)
country. These one hundred and fifty chapters were then put together
under seven heads or parts named severally--

1st. Sadharana (general topics).

2nd. Samprayogika (embraces, etc.).

3rd. Kanya Samprayuktaka (union of males and females).

4th. Bharyadhikarika (on one's own wife).

5th. Paradika (on the wives of other people).

6th. Vaisika (on courtesans).

7th. Aupamishadika (on the arts of seduction, tonic medicines, etc.).

The sixth part of this last work was separately expounded by Dattaka at
the request of the public women of Pataliputra (Patna), and in the same
way Charayana explained the first part of it. The remaining parts, viz.,
the second, third, fourth, fifth, and seventh were each separately
expounded by--

Suvarnanabha (second part).

Ghotakamukha (third part).

Gonardiya (fourth part).

Goni