ji made his
translation. "This work," he says, "is not to be used merely as an
instrument for satisfying our desires. A person acquainted with the
true principles of this science, who preserved his Dharma (virtue or
religious merit), his Artha (worldly wealth) and his Kama (pleasure, or
sensual gratification), and who has regard to the customs of the people,
is sure to obtain the mastery over his senses. In short, an intelligent
and knowing person, attending to Dharma, and Artha and also to Kama,
without becoming the slave of his passions, will obtain success in
everything that he may do." According to Vatsyayana, Kama should be
taught just as is taught--say, hygiene or political economy. "A man
practising Dharma, Artha and Kama enjoys happiness both in this world
and in the world to come." It must not be supposed that the work
is entirely erotic. There are also directions for one's conduct at
religious festivals, especially that in honour of Saraswati, [396]
picnics, drinking parties and other social gatherings. Still, the erotic
preponderates. The work is mainly a handbook on Love. One is informed
respecting what women are or are not worthy of affection. There are full
instructions respecting kissing, an art which is not so easy to learn
as some persons think. Still, a man who could not kiss properly after
reading the Kama Sutra would be a dullard indeed. Some of the remarks
are quaint enough. Thus we are told that "nothing tends to increase love
so much as the effects of marking with the nails [397] and biting." Some
girls when asked in marriage are slow to make up their minds. With that
situation there are, it seems, several ways of dealing. The simplest is
the following: "When the girl goes to a garden, or to some village in
the neigbourhood, the man should, with his friends, fall on her guards,
and having killed them, or frightened them away, forcibly carry her
off." Sometime it is the man who is shy. In such cases the girl "should
bring him to her house under the pretence of seeing the fights of
quails, cocks and rams, of hearing the maina (a kind of starling)
talk.... she should also amuse him for a long time by telling him such
stories and doing such things as he may take most delight in."

For Edwin and Angelina when they get married there is also much
wholesome instruction. "The wife, whether she be a woman of noble family
or a virgin widow re-married, [398] should lead a chaste life." "When
the man sets out