This part of the Kama
Shastra, which treats of sexual union, is called "Sixty-four"
(Chatushshashti). Some authors say that it is called so because it contains sixty-four chapters.
Others are of the opinion that the author of this part being a person named
Panchala, and the person who recited the part of the Rig Veda called
Dashatapa, which contains sixty-four verses, being also called
Panchala, the name "sixty-four" has been given to the part of the work in honour of the Rig Vedas.
The follower of Babhravya on the other hand say that this part contains eight subjects:
- The embrace,
- Kissing,
- Scratching with the nails or fingers,
- Biting,
- Lying down,
- Making various sounds,
- Playing the part of a man,
- The Auparishtaka, or mouth congress.
Each of these subjects being of eight kinds, and eight multiplied by eight being sixty-four, this part is therefore named "sixty-four".
But Vatsyayana affirms that as this part also contains the following subjects, viz., striking, crying, the acts of a man during congress, the various kinds of congress, and other subjects, the name "sixty-four" is
thus given to it accidentally.
Embrace indicates the mutual love of a man and woman who have come together.
It is of four kinds:
- Touching.
- Piercing.
- Rubbing.
- Pressing.
The action in each case is denoted by the meaning of the word which stands for it.
- When a man goes in front of or alongside of a woman and touches her body with his own, it is called the
"touching embrace."
- When a woman in a lonely place bends down, as if to pick up something, and pierces, as it were, a man sitting or standing, with her breasts, and the man in return takes hold of them, it is called a
"piercing embrace."
These two embraces take place only between person who do not, as yet, speak freely with each other.
- When two lovers are walking slowly together either in the dark, or in a place of public resort, or in a lonely place, and rub their bodies against each other, it is called a
"rubbing embrace".
- When on the above occasion one of them presses the other's body forcibly against a wall or pillar, it is called a
"pressing embrace".
These two embraces are peculiar to those who know the intentions of each other.
At the time of meeting the following four kinds of embrace are used:
- Jataveshtitaka, or the twining of a creeper.
- Vrikshadhirudhaka, or climbing a tree.
- Tila-Tandulaka, or the mixture of sesame seed with rice.
- Kshiraniraka, or milk-and-water embrace.
When a woman, clinging to a man as a creeper twines round a tree, bends his head down to hers with the desire of kissing him and slightly makes the sound of sut
sut, embraces him, and looks lovingly towards him, it is called an embrace like the
"twining of a creeper."
When a woman, having placed one of her feet on the foot of her lover, and other on one of his thighs, passes one of her arms round his back, and the other on his shoulders, makes slightly the sounds of singing and cooing, and wishes, as it were, to climb up him in order to have a kiss, it is called an embrace like the
"climbing of a tree".
These two kinds of embrace take place when the lover is standing.
When both lie on a bed, and embrace each other so closely that the arms and thighs of one are encircled by the arms and thighs of the other, and are, as it were, rubbing up against them, this is called an embrace like
"the mixture of sesame seed with rice".
When a man and a woman are very much in love with each other, and, not thinking of any pain or hurt, embrace each other as if they were entering into each other's bodies either while the woman is sitting on the lap of the man, or in front of him, or on a bed, then it is called an embrace like a
"mixture of milk and water".
These two embraces take place at the time of sexual union.
Babhravya has thus related to us the above eight kinds of embraces.
Suvarnanabha moreover gives us four ways of embracing
parts of the body, which are:
- Embrace of the thighs.
When one of the two lovers presses forcibly one or both of the thighs of the other between his or her own it is called the
"embrace of thighs."
- Embrace of the pubis, i.e., the part of the body from the navel downwards to the thighs.
When a man presses the pubis, or middle part, of the woman's body against his own, and mounts upon her to
practise, either scratching with the nail or finger, or biting, or striking, or kissing, the hair of the woman being loose and flowing, it is called
"embrace of the jaghana."
- Embrace of the breasts.
When a man places his breast between the breasts of a woman and presses her with it, it is called the
"embrace of the breasts."
- Embrace of the forehead.
When either of the lovers touches the mouth, the eyes and the forehead of the other with his or her own, it is called the
"embrace of the forehead."
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