Vatsyayana

The not-so-new South Africa is a land of peculiarities and anachronisms: we have fog donkeys, Mandela grandkids buying French champagne for Tata’s funeral after-party, while head honchos from opposing ideologies unite in their distain for speed limits.

Strangest of all perhaps is the image of a Boer, the quintessential van der Merwe prototype with a two-toned shirt, vellies and a comb sticking out of his sock, surrounded by voluptuous houris of various shades.

Or how about a man cooking show more chops on a skottel braai while he prepares to shoot a passing antelope? An aeroplane flies overhead and a power station pollutes the background – but what makes the scene quirky is that he is bare from the waist down and, um, carnally engaged with a nude nubile who points to a tent, suggesting they take the action under cover.

It’s a manifestation of what makes Afrikaans not only the youngest but probably the most hip and happening language in the world: the culture that condemned television as ‘spiritual dagga’ leading to ‘dangerous liberalistic tendencies’ under 60 years ago now has its very own illustrated version of the kama sutra.

The first Afrikaans translation of Vatsyayana’s celebrated Sanskrit sex manual [written before the Sixth century AD] is interestingly and amusingly illustrated by well-known artists Diek Grobler, Hardus Koekemoer and Marna Schoeman in a manner that would have been unthinkable a couple of decades back.

As sex manuals go, the Kama sutra is pretty tame but, like the book Lady Chatterley’s Lover, it has achieved an erotic notoriety that will always excite curiosity despite the somewhat vanilla nature of its contents.

Some positions are given exotic names, but there is nothing in Afrikamasutra that would raise eyebrows in today’s world of extreme sex, where even mummy-porn insists on bondage together with the kinds of S&M games that would have shocked Vatsyayana.

As a book of sensual instruction though it can’t be beaten – maybe one of the reasons for its enduring popularity? The Afrikaans translation is humorously and elegantly done in language so inoffensive it is impossible to take offence at the act described.
Met delikate vingerpunte
Knyp die verhewe lippe van haar paleis van die liefde
Baie, baie stadig saam,
en soen hulle asof jy haar onderlip soen

And for women who need to brush up on their oral skills, I recommend the verse describing the Amrachushita or – in Afrikaans – Suig ‘n mango.

En nou, aangevuur deur passie, neem sy
Jou lingam diep in haar mond,
Kragtig trekkend en suigend aan hom
Asof sy ‘n mango-pit afsuig

In addition to the nitty-gritty of sexual acrobatics, the manual gives very practical advise on recognising the signs of love, how to see when love is fading, and what to do about it – as well as recipes and tonic, none of which are likely to prove much competition for Viagra.

If fisting, frottage or fetishism is what turns you on, Afrikamasutra is not for you but for energetic and flexible romantics who appreciate art and love Afrikaans, the book is a cultural and physical investment. Be warned though: a sense of humour is mandatory. show less

Everyone knows what The Kama Sutra is about. Right? Well, for those of you laughing at me or looking at me askance, maybe you don't know quite so much as you think you do. Yes, it is about sex, but, more than that, it is a study of pleasure, of courtship. Only one chapter focuses on sexual positions, although the other chapters do include other sexual acts.

This new edition of The Kama Sutra does not have any pictures of how to accomplish the sexual positions. Disappointed? Well, there's show more always the cover and the inside flaps. Reading this, I'm a bit curious how the work became known as a book full of pictures of sexual positions. Certainly, Vatsyayana does describe a fair number, but probably not as many as are in the books that have been published. My own theory is that people came up with a bunch more positions while trying to figure out the ones Vatsyayana described, with limited detail.

From a historian's viewpoint, this was a really neat book to read. One thing I read for particularly was the treatment of women. Now, considering that it's from roughly the third century CE, women are obviously property. Their role is to be subservient. Still, I was somewhat impressed with two things. 1) Vatsyayana also wrote this with women in mind, and included discussions of how a woman can come to have power over her lover or husband. 2) Vatsyayana openly says that women can have strong sexual drives. This is something that is often denied still today.

On the other hand, some of the advice is spot on, and modern males could still learn from it. For example, Vatsyayana says that "One needs to study a woman's behaviour when making a pass at her." Very true. Women are generally going to give off some hints, some signals telling you whether or not they are interested. Being able to read these signals is an art. Of course, his next piece of advice, should she for some strange reason, not be interested is that in some cases "she is available, but by force when they are alone." Not so good. Oh, ancient value systems.

Despite having been written by a celibate focused on meditation, The Kama Sutra really strikes me as the guidebook of a 3rd century Barney Stinson. Seriously, think about it. Within there are precise descriptions on how to bed women of every variety, along with consideration of sexual positions and how to be attractive. "A paste of rosebay, ginger and dried plum leaves" was probably the old school Indian method of 'suiting up.' Or not. Haha. But seriously, it is so much more awesome to read while thinking about this. show less

No need to feel mortified reading this book! Blessedly free of awkward 60s-ish drawn illustrations, Cosmo-esque cartoon figures, or really disquieting photographs of therapist/lovers modeling the poses, this edition of Kama Sutra offers the original, notorious, and famed work in a clean, straight-forward translation.

I'll be honest: until now, I was actually unfamiliar with the Kama Sutra, other than the usual teenaged interest in checking out the naughty pics. So I was thrilled to see show more Penguin's new translation -- I've been dubious of the infamous Richard Burton version

The Introduction opens with an explanation of present perceptions of the Kama Sutra, including the fact that more than half the titles in the US Library of Congress are non-academic translations. The Kama Sutra has come to represent, simply, sex, and the spiritual, ethical, and literary merits of the work ignored or forgotten.

Vatsyayana -- a celibate cleric! -- wrote his guide as an educational tool to shape the whole person. From straight-forward tips on sex, it also includes information on hygiene, managing a harem, and the fiscal challenges facing courtesans. Obviously, some of the sections rang ludicrous for me, but I was fascinated by the very pragmatic and practical attitude toward sex, sex workers, and sexual partnerships. Haksar, the translator, uses lovely, clear language for the passages, and the work is readable and titillating!

A super fun gift for Valentine's Day or an anniversary, this is a wickedly delicious read that is edgy without being embarrassing. Plus, there's something to be said for reading such a notorious work and knowing what it's actually about! show less

The Kama Sutra is one of the most popular and most controversial written works in history. Its exotic yet universal nature is appealing to a wide range of personalities, and its reputation as a visual how-to for sexual amusement is well-known.

There are hundreds of versions of the illustrated Kama Sutra, with various styles and for a plethora of target audiences. But despite its cliché, The Kama Sutra was originally considered the mark of a well-rounded education. And if you’re looking for show more the cliché, you won’t find it here.

The Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition, newly translated by A. N. D. Haksar, and published this week, is a focus on the work’s original historical and social importance, rather than a collection of sexual positions. In fact, the closest you’ll get to any of that is on the cover, designed by Malika Favre. The interior is all a linguistic dance around the methods and means of seduction, marriage and passion. But for all that, for all that it could be, it’s rather dated and lackluster.

The sexist nature of the original work does not translate well for a twenty-first century audience. Sure, sex is sex and it hasn’t changed a whole lot in the last 50,000 years, but the idea that a man must bewitch a woman or that forcible marriage (by way of kidnapping, rape, and/or murder) is necessary, or that it’s okay to seduce the wife of another man if that man has treasure that belongs to you…these ideas are crude, dated, sexist and just plain uncomfortable. Even the more benign concepts of marriage, which establish women as the keepers of the home and maintainers of a sanctuary for their husbands, are now (though perhaps most recently of all the changes) outdated.

Add to that the descriptions in the chapter on “Esoteric matters” (wherein we learn that a certain powder “…when mixed with monkey shit and sprinkled over a virgin girl, ensures that she is not given to another man.”) and you’ve got a relatively unattractive volume of advice on sexual socialization that has little bearing on today’s world.

Lauren Cartelli
www.theliterarygothamite.com show less