Believed to have been written between 400 B.C and 200 A.D by Vyatsyayana, Kama Sutra is a manual, intended to help the people to lead a healthy sex life. The original was known as Kama Shastra, attributed to Nandi, the bull, Siva’s carrier. What we call as Kama Sutra today was written down by the sage Vyatsyayana. It’s based on the simple life truth that sex is a fundamental physical need of humans. This need has to be addressed as people address the other physical needs of humans like hunger and sleep.
According to a study at Ohio state university, people’s behavior is guided by fifteen fundamental desires. Sexual desire is one of them. If these natural desires are not properly understood and implemented, there is a risk of individuals becoming emotional wrecks. Which in turn may pave path to behavioural abnormalities. Not to say of juvenile delinquency.
It should be remembered that, Kama Sutra is not a pornographic text. It’s all about art of living. The art of establishing sound relations through a scientific and systematic science.
Contents of Kama Sutra
Spread over 7 chapters, Kama Sutra contains a treasure of knowledge pertaining to the ways to acquire knowledge in shaping up of one’s personality, how to approach a woman / man and make their intentions clear, different modes of touch likeembraces, kisses and other amorous ways which fortify the relations between the two sexes.
Different sex postures are described, which, Vyatsyayana says will retain that freshness in the man and woman relations for ever. Kama Sutra also explains how different sex positions arouse different organs that leads to maximum sexual pleasure and contentment in both male and female.
Kama Sutra deals in detail, how a man should choose a wife and what are the requisites to be seen in a woman before making her his life partner. Besides Rituals in a marriage, how to make a woman comfortable and win her confidence, how to understand a woman from her deeds and from outward signs, Kama Sutra advises women how to become a virtuous woman. How a new bride has to behave in her husband’s home and how to behave with the other family members.
The 64 arts to be cultivated by a woman mentioned in Kama Sutra are aimed at shaping herself in to a good wife, a wife who is capable of leading the family along with her man, who is intelligent to create strong relations among all the members of the family. A woman who is adept at such skills will contribute to the happiness of the family in a big way.
One who is satisfied with sexual life, will never resort to immoral activities in life. A satisfied sex life will open the flood gates to a blissful life.
What Vyatsyayana professed in his Kama Sutra thousands of years ago has been upheld by the modern sex specialists. Having a clear understanding about sex paves a path to sound relationship between a man and woman. This in turn, leads to a harmonious and happy life.
The link between regular sex and good health.
A regular sex activity is essential for a woman, for it keeps the female sexual hormone, estrogen at higher levels. Higher levels of estrogen is responsible for maintaining bone strength. The release of estrogen reduces with the age and ceases at the stage of menopause. The other advantage of higher level of sexual hormone estrogen is, it prevents the risk of heart diseases and a woman’s feeling of ‘Feel good’ always remains intact. Different problems pertaining to menopause will come to an end in a woman, if she maintains regular sex.
It’s not that regular sex is beneficial to only women. Regular sex leads to an increase in higher levels of testosterone in a man. The higher levels of testosterone keeps alive his sexual desire and prevents erectile dysfunction . Erectile dysfunction is the inability of a man to get an erection. This, without an iota of doubt boosts the man’s confidence resulting in a blissful life.
It all contributes to the fact that, regular sex is inevitable to both men and women In order to maintain the levels of testosterone and estrogen in the desired levels in men and women respectively.
Modern researchers reveal that in couples indulging in sex at least twice in a week, an antibody called Immunoglobulin is released. This antibody plays a vital role in protecting the body from a plethora of ailments and infections. In addition, its known from the findings of various researches that a man who ejaculates frequently will not have the risk of prostate cancer.
And it’s a known fact even to the common people that sexual activity will cause calorie burning. A session of a 30 minute sexual activity is capable of burning approximately 85 calories. Now its left to one’s imagination, how many calories will be burnt in a week and in a month, if the sexual activity is carried out regularly. Formed an idea? No? Let me tell you.
Sex is no less than physical exercise. At the rate of thrice a week, if sexual act is carried out all along the year, the good results can be equated with jogging a distance of 75 miles. So, you need not go to outdoors for jogging to keep your body fit.The blood flow to the brain and to all other organs of the body during sexual activity incredibly increases. This results in speeding the heart beat. Deep breathing takes place. This indicates the adequate blood circulation to all the organs, cells and muscles. With proper blood circulation elimination of waste material in the body is ensured.
Akin to physical exercise, regular sex reduces cholesterol in the body.
During making of love, the hormone oxytocin, which is also known as ‘Love hormone’ is secreted in your body which in turn causes the release of endorphins, Endorphins act as a powerful analgesic, an agent that relieves pain. Pains and aches related to arthritis, and headaches are relieved. The satisfaction and the relaxation after sex are beneficial for the mind and the circulatory system. I have seen many People who mastered the art of handling the stress. I know they not only have regular sex, but also frequently change their postures. This ensures a freshness in their relationship. Another advantage is after a session of love making, they enjoy a sound and uninterrupted sleep.
DHEA is a chemical in human body responsible for strengthening the immune system. In addition to this, it helps in maintaining a healthy skin and cardiovascular health, works as an antidepressant and repairs tissues. DHEA is secreted during love making. Those who have regular sex rarely fall sick. Its not all, their attitude is positive and constructive.
Studies suggest that individuals who have sex once or twice a week show 30 percent higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A, which is known to boost the immune system . It means one’s ability to fight diseases is boosted. Indirectly regular sex help reduce the burden of medical bills.
Kama Sutra is much more than just the 64 sex positions we associate it with today. It was a way of life, written in Sanskrit, and the practical sexual section was just a small part of it.
Vyastyayana, the creator of the Kama Sutra was well convinced that affection, intimacy and having sex is are the most essential ingredients that help in enhancing the quality of life of the individuals in particular and the society in general.
The total effect of practising a healthy sex life constituting physical expressions of love, paves way to a virtuous life and allows people to give and receive more love from the world.
Relevance to modern times
Irrespective of the times we are living in, the desire to lead a life of happiness, joy and mirth is a common trait that lurks in the deep core of humanity. Be it a cave man or a celebrity in the modern times the craving for happiness remains as the chief aim of life for all.
Happiness has different manifestations.
If happiness lies in getting a morsel of food for a street beggar, happiness lies in occupying the neighboring country for a ruler. Simply put, ‘seeking happiness’ is the thread that binds all of us together. It goes without saying that there are as many ways to own happiness as there are different manifestations of happiness. Wisdom lies in utilizing those ways which are well within our reach .
Though Kama Sutra was written thousands of years ago, it’s quite relevant to modern times, In the wake of a huge spurt in the sexual crimes, especially on women and children, Sexologists of modern times emphasize the reason for steep rise in sex crimes is due to lack of sex education in its real perspective. ‘Sex is a taboo. Sex is a dirty word ‘, are the deep rooted impressions in many societies, especially in under developed countries and tradition bound countries.
In this modern society that boasts of development just an utterance of Kama Sutra will make the people embarrassed. Talk of sex is still a hush- hush affair. But the reality is something else. The more the sex is concealed and kept under wraps, the more t generates curiosity in the children and in the teenagers. And this is the basic reason for sex related crimes.
Vyatsyayana’s Kama Sutra is one such tool which touches every segment of life assuring all the all the way a happy and contented life. Kama Sutra has universal appeal. It’s as relevant to all of us as it was to all of those who lived during the times of Vyatsyayana.
Its reputation and worth will neither be faded nor jaded.