The exuberant Rajput prince embraces his beloved and plays with her feet. Shiva and Parvati share affectionate moments as their sons Ganesh, the elephant god and Kartikeya are engrossed in their own activities and the tiger and Nandi, the bull laze around. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Editor and the Publisher of Brijbasi Art Press Ltd. would like to thank the collectors for the generous use of the photographs of the unique paintings and pieces of sculpture reproduced in this book. In particular, they wish to express their gratitude to Madame Florence, M. de Surmont, Shri J. P. Goenka, Rt. Hon. David Salman, Suresh K. Neotia, Gaylord Hoftizer, Michael Postel, Mrs Fiammeta Rossi, Mrs Sunita Pitamber, Gurappa Shetty, late David Abraham, Volkar Schafer & Michael Suessur, N. Boman Behram (heirs), Shailender M. Hem Chand, Mrs Anjolie Ella Menon, Anna Maria John, David Murdant May, Dr Daljeet Singh, Yannis Sarzetakis, Prof. Klaus Schleusener, Dr Peter Berghaus, Geo P. Bickford, late D. Langhammer. Due recognition also goes out to the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi; Departments of Archaeology of the State Governments of Karnataka, Kolkata, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra; The National Museum, New Delhi; The Indian Museum, Kolkata; Bharat Kala Bhavan, Varanasi; Meenakshi Temple Museum, Madurai; the museums of Kabul, Afghanistan; Lahore, Pakistan; Mathura; Govt. Museums of Chandigarh, Gwalior, Chennai; the Ashutosh Museum, University of Kolkata (Prof. D. P. Ghosh); the M. C. Mehta Collection, Ahmedabad, the Dacca Museum, Bangla Desh. The photographic archives of L. S. D. G. (Lance Dane & Satish Gupta) are the main source of the photographs reproduced here. If there is any change in the present location of any of the images, they would be pleased to revise the due recognition. A young nayika waits anxiously and yearns for her lover. The amazingly attractive nayika in a flowing skirt stretches one leg out and places the other on her lover's shoulder, then switches positions and continues to do so alternately in a posture described as splitting of a bamboo. CONTENTS Cover Image Title Page Acknowledgements Preface to Kama Sutra Introduction to Kama Sutra Book 1 — General Principles Chapter 1 — Study of the Shastras Chapter 2 — Dharma, artha, kama Chapter 3 — Study of arts, sciences Chapter 4 — Man about town Chapter 5 — Nayikas and messengers Book 2 — Love-play and Sexual Union Chapter 6 — Sexual union Chapter 7 — The embrace Chapter 8 — The kiss Chapter 9 — Pressing and nail marks Chapter 10 — The bite Chapter 11 — Sexual vigor and intensity Chapter 12 — Striking and spontaneous sounds Chapter 13 — Donning the male role Chapter 14 — Oral congress Chapter 15 — Beginning and end of congress Book 3 — Courtship and Marriage Chapter 16 — Betrothal and marriage Chapter 17 — Instilling confidence in the bride Chapter 18 — Courting a maid Chapter 19 — Behavior of the couple Chapter 20 — Kinds of marriage Book 4 — The Wife Chapter 21 — Duties of a wife Chapter 22 — Senior and junior wives Book 5 — Seducing the Wives of Others Chapter 23 — Characteristics of men and women Chapter 24 — Getting acquainted Chapter 25 — Ascertaining emotions Chapter 26 — Duties of a go-between Chapter 27 — Behavior of a king Chapter 28 — Conduct of ladies of the inner court