The Kama Sutra
The Kama Sutra CD jacket

The Kama Sutra

Vatsyayana

Translated by Richard Francis Burton

The Kama Sutra is an ancient Hindu text considered by many as the first and perhaps still the best work on human sexual behavior. Often mistakenly thought to be a guide to tantric sex, the Kama Sutra is not exclusively a sex manual, but rather a guide to living a virtuous and fulfilling life that treats matters of love, family, pleasure and passion in both a frank and insightful manner. The term “kama” means “desire”, and is one of the four goals of life within the purusharthas, the others being Dharma (virtuous living), Artha (material prosperity), and Moksha (liberation). A “sutra” means a line or thread that connects things, and often refers to a collection of rules, formulas, or aphorisms that serve as a guide or manual. The Kama Sutra was written in Sanskrit by Vatsyayana in the Second Century AD, and represents an abridged assemblage of longer works by seven predecessors composed between 400 BC and 200 AD. The book is written in prose with generous sprinklings of verse, and is structured in seven parts, 36 chapters and 1,250 verses.

The best known English translation first appeared in 1883 and is usually attributed to Sir Richard Francis Burton, although the work was done by an Indian Civil Servant and a student assistant. Burton learned of its existence through repeated references to Vatya while at work on another translation. He learned that it was considered a definitive work and that it was impossible to find a complete version. Pundits obtained versions from libraries in Calcutta, Benares, Bombay, and Jaipur, and assembled a copy of the entire manuscript along with a commentary which Burton published privately.

Play sample: 

Product Details

Read by: Mark F. Smith
Length: 6 hours and 13 minutes
Type: Solo reading
Media: MP3 CD
Package: CD jacket
Item No.: CJ-1099
EAN: 068770017073
List Price: $9.99

Credits

Production

Book Coordinator: Mark F. Smith
Meta Coordinators: Carl Manchester
Proof Listener: Ans Wink

Artwork
Cover: Adaptation of prince and lady on terrace at night, 1790, Rajasthan
Inset: Richard Francis Burton by Rischgitz, 1864

The Recordings

About MP3 Audio

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The Recordings

These recordings were made using the author’s original published work, which is in the public domain. The readings were recorded by members of Librivox.org, which has generously made the recordings available to the public domain. While Librivox condones the sale and distribution of these recordings, it is not associated with the management or operations of MP3 Audiobook Classics. The audio files have been lightly edited and have been engineered using professional audio tools for maximum sonic quality. We spend considerable time and effort to ensure the recordings are free of noise, equalized for maximum listener pleasure, and that tracks are leveled and normalized to provide a consistent listening experience.

Table of Contents

Track
 Part and Chapter Length
01
 Introduction
 12:19
02
 Part I. Chapter I. BEING THE INDEX TO OR CONTENTS OF THE WORK. 5:08
03
 Part I. Chapter II. ON THE ACQUISITION OF DHARMA ARTHA AND KAMA. 10:58
04
 Part 1 Chapter III. ON THE ARTS AND SCIENCES TO BE STUDIED. 11:35
05
 Part I. Chapter IV. THE LIFE OF A CITIZEN. 15:21
06
 Part I. Chapter V. ABOUT THE KINDS OF WOMEN RESORTED TO BY THE CITIZENS AND OF FRIENDS AND MESSENGERS. 10:18
07
 Part II. OF SEXUAL UNION. Chapter I. KINDS OF SEXUAL UNION ACCORDING TO (a) DIMENSIONS. (b) FORCE OF DESIRE OR PASSION. (c) TIME. 14:30
08
 Part II. Chapter II. OF THE EMBRACE. 7:38
09
 Part II. Chapter III. ON KISSING. 7:06
10
 Part II. Chapter IV. ON PRESSING OR MARKING OR SCRATCHING WITH THE NAILS. 6:36
11 Part II. Chapter V. ON BITING AND THE MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED WITH REGARD TO WOMEN OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. 7:34
12 Part II. Chapter VI. OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS OF LYING DOWN AND VARIOUS KINDS OF CONGRESS. 7:48
13 Part II. Chapter VII. OF THE VARIOUS MODES OF STRIKING AND OF THE SOUNDS APPROPRIATE TO THEM. 7:00
14 Part II. Chapter VIII. ABOUT WOMEN ACTING THE PART OF A MAN; AND OF THE WORK OF A MAN. 6:51
15 Part II. Chapter IX. OF THE AUPARISHTAKA OR MOUTH CONGRESS. 9:16
16 Part II. Chapter X. OF THE WAY HOW TO BEGIN AND HOW TO END THE CONGRESS. DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONGRESS AND LOVE QUARRELS. 8:29
17 Part III. ABOUT THE ACQUISITION OF A WIFE. Chapter I. ON MARRIAGE. 7:43
18 Part III. Chapter II. OF CREATING CONFIDENCE IN THE GIRL. 8:31
19 Part III. Chapter III. ON COURTSHIP AND THE MANIFESTATION OF THE FEELINGS BY OUTWARD SIGNS AND DEEDS. 8:30
20 Part III. Chapter IV. ABOUT THINGS TO BE DONE ONLY BY THE MAN AND THE ACQUISITION OF THE GIRL THEREBY. ALSO WHAT IS TO BE DONE BY A GIRL TO GAIN OVER A MAN AND SUBJECT HIM TO HER. 9:19
21 Part III. Chapter V. ON CERTAIN FORMS OF MARRIAGE. 8:01
22 Part IV. ABOUT A WIFE. Chapter I. ON THE MANNER OF LIVING OF A VIRTUOUS WOMAN AND OF HER BEHAVIOUR DURING THE ABSENCE OF HER HUSBAND. 10:11
23 Part IV. Chapter II. ON THE CONDUCT OF THE ELDER WIFE TOWARDS THE OTHER WIVES OF HER HUSBAND AND ON THAT OF A YOUNGER WIFE TOWARDS THE ELDER ONES. ALSO ON THE CONDUCT OF A VIRGIN WIDOW RE-MARRIED; OF A WIFE DISLIKED BY HER HUSBAND; OF THE WOMEN IN THE KING'S HAREM; AND LASTLY ON THE CONDUCT OF A HUSBAND TOWARDS MANY WIVES. 13:52
24 Part V. ABOUT THE WIVES OF OTHER MEN. Chapter I. OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF MEN AND WOMEN.?THE REASONS WHY WOMEN REJECT THE ADDRESSES OF MEN.?ABOUT MEN WHO HAVE SUCCESS WITH WOMEN AND ABOUT WOMEN WHO ARE EASILY GAINED OVER. 12:08
25 Part V. Chapter II. ABOUT MAKING ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE WOMAN AND OF THE EFFORTS TO GAIN HER OVER. 7:48
26 Part V. Chapter III. EXAMINATION OF THE STATE OF A WOMAN'S MIND. 5:45
27 Part V. Chapter IV. ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF A GO-BETWEEN. 15:40
28 Part V. Chapter V. ABOUT THE LOVE OF PERSONS IN AUTHORITY FOR THE WIVES OF OTHER MEN. 10:07
29 Part V. Chapter VI. ABOUT THE WOMEN OF THE ROYAL HAREM; AND OF THE KEEPING OF ONE'S OWN WIFE. 10:48
30 Part VI. ABOUT COURTESANS. Introductory Remarks. 2:34
31 Part VI. Chapter I. OF THE CAUSES OF A COURTESAN RESORTING TO MEN; OF THE MEANS OF ATTACHING TO HERSELF THE MAN DESIRED; AND OF THE KIND OF MAN THAT IT IS DESIRABLE TO BE ACQUAINTED WITH. 10:39
32 Part VI. Chapter II. OF LIVING LIKE A WIFE. 9:21
33 Part VI. Chapter III. OF THE MEANS OF GETTING MONEY. OF THE SIGNS OF THE CHANGE OF A LOVER'S FEELINGS AND OF THE WAY TO GET RID OF HIM. 9:43
34 Part VI. Chapter IV. ABOUT RE-UNION WITH A FORMER LOVER. 8:52
35 Part VI. Chapter V. OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF GAIN. 8:54
36 Part VI. Chapter VI. OF GAINS AND LOSSES; ATTENDANT GAINS AND LOSSES; AND DOUBTS; AS ALSO OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF COURTESANS. 13:43
37 Part VII. ABOUT THE MEANS OF ATTRACTING OTHERS TO YOURSELF. Chapter I. ON PERSONAL ADORNMENT; ON SUBJUGATING THE HEARTS OF OTHERS; AND ON TONIC MEDICINES. 13:13
38 Part VII. Chapter II. OF THE WAYS OF EXCITING DESIRE AND MISCELLANEOUS EXPERIMENTS AND RECIPES. 12:03
39 Part VII. Concluding Remarks 7:29

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