®BOO$P<& 12.S3 SANDHYA MULCHANDANI enotic litenatuW Erotic Lilera of ancient mdia KAMA SUTRA . KOKA SHASTRA GITA GOVINDAM . ANANGA RANGA epotic liteRAtupe of Ancient indiA eROtic litenatuRe of Ancient india KAMA SUTRA . KOKA SHASTRA GITA GOVINDAM . ANANGA RANGA $ Sandhya Mulchandani Lustre Press Roli Books contents Introduction Sublimo beatitude 9 The Pathway of Bhakti 29 The Bliss of Krishna 57 The Kama Texts 103 Tantra 139 Conclusion 167 Bibliography 186 dedication * To the wise men of ancient India who considered satisfaction in every sphere of life to be a characteristic of civilized society. Unburdened by hypocrisy or duplicity, they believed that sensual indulgence was a sacred duty and that all human emotions should be tastefully expressed and gracefully experienced. introduction.- Sublimo beatitudo ivilization is at a stage of development ultimate goal in life. Indians too viewed C where the quest for happiness can happiness as a prerequisite for existence, and surely not be overlooked or under­ the pursuit and understanding of pleasure estimated. The perceived sense of happineasnsd happiness known as sukha became a and contentment that material goods can subject of rigorous inquiry. bring, have sustained politics and economies According to the claims of most religions, and can even justifiably be the rationale creation has a meaning and purpose, and behind why empires developed and at its core equates God with love. We get kingdoms flourished. The satisfaction glimpses of the sublime nature of beauty, resulting from the acquisition of lands and truth and goodness at rare moments in, armies, gold and goods or even women has perhaps, art or nature or when we love or are been the cause of confrontations since time loved by others. But just what is it about immemorial. The elusive and illusionary happiness that holds out such value? Why quest for happiness that acquisitions are was the pursuit of happiness considered to be supposed to ensure occupies so much of almost a revered duty? Ancient philosophers our ambitions and waking thoughts that purported to have an answer: they believed they have been the subject of serious study that since no man deliberately chose to be from the earliest of times. Religion and unhappy it was an unnatural state of being science have striven to understand and gain and had been forced on mankind because of control over all that is mysterious and his separateness from the Primal Being—ever incomprehensible. since he was symbolically thrown out of the According to ancient wisdom this quest Garden of Eden. The search for happiness for pleasure and happiness, albeit meta­ and bliss was thus considered to be a return physical rather than merely physical, was to ones natural state. According to the the springboard for all human action. The Upanishads, creation was suffused with sukha Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC.) or joy as both a reflection and attribute of the described happiness as the active fulfilment Infinite. The Chandogya Upanishad says: of natural capacities. Epicurus too believed ‘Where there is joy, there is creation. Where that happiness was the highest ideal, and the there is no joy, there is no creation: know this to be the nature of joy.' And again in the $ Facing page: ‘Where there is joy there is creation.... Know Taittiriya Upanishad, the seeker of truth finally this to be the nature of joy.' understands the mystery of Brahman: .and