The Complete Kama Sutra: The First Unabridged Modern Translation of the Classic Indian Text

By Mallanaga Vātsyāyana, Richard Francis Burton, Richard S. Hartmetz, et al.

Book Overview

The world's oldest and most widely read guide to the pleasures and techniques of sex, the Kama Sutra was compiled in the fourth century A.D. by a Brahmin and religious scholar name Vatsyayana, who worked from texts dating back to the fourth century B.C. Until the present, the only English translation of his Hindu love classic was that of the famous English explorer Sir Richard Burton, published in 1883. Unlike Burton's version, Alain Daniélou's new translation preserves the numbered verse divisions of the original and includes two essential commentaries: the Fayamangala commentary, written in Sanskrit by Yashodhara during the Middle Ages, and a modern Hindi commentary by Devadatta Shastri. Whereas Burton's Victorian reluctance to translate certain terms obscured our understanding of the philosophy and techniques of the Kama Sutra , Daniélou has preserved the full explicitness of the original, dealing with everything from the art of scratching to relations with the wives of others. Realistic and pragmatic in its approach, the Kama Sutra deals without ambiguity or hypocrisy with all aspects of sexual life--including marriage, adultery, prostitution, group sex, sadomasochism, male and female homosexuality, and transvestism. The text paints a fascinating portrait of an India whose openness to sexuality gave rise to a highly developed expression of the erotic.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0892815256
• ISBN13: 9780892815258
• Release Date: December 1993
• Publisher: Inner Traditions International
• Length: 576 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

The pictures are stock photos The book you receive may have a different picture makes you think yo

This is a 500+ pages of Philosophy !! Not interested in easter philosophy… was not what i was wanted.. customer service was great able to refund Be more careful and read carefully what you get

The Complete Illustrated Kama Sutra

I think the book is awesome and look forward to being able to try some of it out.

Great lille book.......Loaded with useful information.

I loved this little itty bitty book. It is Erotically charged and lavishly illustrated. It's well written and in a tasteful manner. This great and informative love making manual makes a great intimate gift for that special someone. My boyfriend gave it me and reading it was like an electrical charge. I couldn't wait for him to come home. It's a small book loaded with information that can be very useful for women who want to rock someone world. I loved it and I'm planning on buying a few for christmas to pass along to my girlfriends.

Who would have thought of that?

This is strictly a book on positions. It does not get into the whole Eastern ideas behind Kama Sutra. It does provide some information...but basically it is a picture book for adults. And the pictures are gorgeous! These are full-color photos of two couples, explicit in nature, but in no way pornographic.Much of the positions shown are common, but some are quite unusual...I wouldn't have though of them. Some I would only recommend for people in fairly good shape because they are quite exhausting and not particularly comfortable for anyone with a bad back. You might want to see a chiropractor before attempting a few of these.I think it's a wonderful book to take to bed with your partner! It can be quite a bonus to add to foreplay...very stimulating pictures. I think it would be particularly appropriate to share with someone who may be uncomfortable with adult movies but interested in learning a few new "tricks".