Indian Kama Sutra - The Birthplace of the Ancient Text

The Kama Sutra is a group of Indian texts written by a scholar named Vatsyayana Mallanaga. The term Kama Sutra is derived from two Sanskrit words Kama and Sutra which means desire and guide respectively; when translated literally, Kama Sutra means a Treatise on Pleasure.

As known by the masses, the Indian Kama Sutra is a classic text used as a guide to love making and also as a reflection of the social traditions of India. A lot of people who have read or have heard about the Kama Sutra simply see the book as a manual on unconventional sexual positions; however, the Indian Kama Sutra is viewed by scholars as a classic text with historical importance. The book is about living, with texts on how to find a partner, how to maintain a marriage, and how to perform sexual intercourse.

Man has three chief goals in life, according to the Indian Kama Sutra. These goals are duty and responsibility for one's actions or Dharma; the acquisition of power through wealth and politics or Arta; and pleasure or Kama.

The book has several sections that give advice on how to live one's life. The initial chapters of the book discuss man's three main priorities, how to acquire knowledge, the behavior of a townsman brought up with good breeding and many other items. The second section details the sexual positions and techniques. This is only one small part of the book; however this section focused on the sexual positions has given the book its popularity in the Western world. The succeeding sections discuss such topics as how to acquire a wife, the duty of a wife, the behavior of men and women, courtesans, and how to attract others by improving one's physical attractiveness.

There are originally just eight positions detailed on the book, and eight variations per position, making a total of sixty four positions in all. There are several categories on the art of love making as detailed in the Indian Kama Sutra written by Vatsyayana. These categories are the sitting positions, the standing positions, the rear-entry positions, the woman on top positions, and the man on top positions.

People who choose to read the Indian Kama Sutra should read the book as a whole and try to apply the advice and teachings discussed in the book to real life. It should also be kept in mind that the book is not merely a guide on how to perform sex, but as a guide on how to live one's life better and to establish better relationships with the people around him.