History of Karma Sutra

Ancient Indian sages composed the Karma Sutra on the basis of the Vedas. The first formulation of the Kama Shastra (original name), or the rules of love, is attributed to Nandi, Shiva's companion. It is preserved today in the form of the 'Karma Sutra' written down by the sage Vatsyayana sometime between the first and sixth century A.D. The Karma Sutra is recognised as the true surviving text of the original Kama Shastra. Vatsyayana states that he only quotes and condenses the previous work and refers to himself in third person (Vatsyayana thinks ..) when expressing his opinion.

The Karma Sutra was one of three ancient Indian texts concerning the aims of life. It should be understood within the context of the Artha Shastra and the Dharma Shastra (which were written in Sanskrit, seventh century B.C.). As Alain Danielou confirms;
Life necessitates three kinds of activity: to assure its survival, its means of existence, and its nourishment; to realise its reproduction according to forms of activity generally connected with sexuality; and, lastly, to establish rules of behaviour that allow different individuals to perform their roles within the framework of the species. In human society, this is represented as three necessities, three aims of life: material goods (artha) assure survival; erotic practice (kama) assures the transmission of life; and rules of behaviour, a moral nature (dharma), assure the cohesion and duration of the species. (The Complete Karma Sutra, translated by Alain Danielou, Parker Street Press 1994)

So the Karma Sutra is the study of kama (erotic practice) and its cultivation in both man and woman. The Karma Sutra promotes intimacy between partners, attention to mood, atmosphere and the senses. It is not just an erotic work of sexual positions, as Alain Danielou confirms; The Karma Sutra is not a pornographic work. First and foremost, it is a picture of the art of living for the civilised and refined citizen, completing in the sphere of love, eroticism and the pleasures of life. (The Complete Karma Sutra, 1994)

Sixty Four Arts of Karma Sutra

There are Sixty Four Arts of Karma Sutra. Learning the art of Karma Sutra is traditionally understood as a woman learning to be a good wife (although the Karma Sutra also offers cultivation of the male to be skillful partner). Some of general arts include; singing, dancing, playing instruments, knowledge of foreign languages, speaking generously and beautifully, painting, calligraphy, making garlands, cooking delicious foods, making floral bouquets, ability to distinguish between true and false gems, sewing, colour-making and dying, treating birds and animals, keeping the body neat and clean, braiding of hair and dying them with henna.
More intimate arts (to prepare the woman for physical contact) are reading others thoughts, expressing love of others, showing acceptance through bodily postures, allowing slow touching of her parts, scratching lovingly with nails and biting, undoing the fastener of the lower clothes, straightening and exposing the private parts, artful participation in the intercourse, pleasing the partner, feeling full satisfaction and making the partner to have similar feeling, encouraging the partner for intercourse, posing as if angry, removal of anger in a playful way, pleasing the angry partner, leaving the sleeping partner, going to sleep after the coition and concealing the private parts.

A man skilled in the sixty-four arts is looked upon with love by his own wife, by the wives of others, and by courtesans. (Karma Sutra)

Some Karma Sutra Sex Positions

'.. those things which increase passion should be done first, and those which are only for amusement or variety should be done afterwards'. (Karma Sutra)

'An ingenious person should multiply the kinds of congress after the fashion of the different kinds of beasts and of birds. For these different kinds of congress, performed according to the usage of each country, and the liking of each individual, generate love, friendship, and respect in the hearts of women.' (Karma Sutra, 1883)

And now for the love postures with which sculptors adorn our temple walls.
When a couple make love standing, or leaning against a wall or a pillar,
it is called the position of Sthita (Steadied)

When the woman sits in her lover's cradled hands, her arms around his neck,
thighs gripping his waist, her feet pushing back and forth against a wall,
it is Avalambitaka (Suspended)

She draws her limbs together, clasping her knees tightly to her breasts,
her yoni, like an opening bud, offered up for pleasure:
this is known as Mukula (the Bud)

Seated, the lady raises one foot to point vertically over her head
and steadies it with her hands, offering up her yoni for lovemaking:
this is Mayura (the Peacock)