Vatsyayana (author); Sir Richard F. Burton
(translator)
Description:
The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana is
undoubtedly the world’s best-known classic work of erotic
literature. Written by the sage Vatsyayana early in the Gupta period of
India (320-540 C.E.), referred to as the “Classical Age of
India”, it is a scholarly treatise about sexual enjoyment and
pleasure. The Kama Sutra reveals many
fascinating, surprising and sometimes even humorous insights into the
sexual mores and customs of ancient India. Yet, despite its historical
and anthropological significance, the teachings of the
Kama Sutra remain timeless and
universal, and are as useful today for understanding and expressing
human sexuality as they were in ancient India.
This edition of the Kama Sutra is based
on the outstanding (and heavily annotated) 1883 translation by Sir
Richard F. Burton, the famous British explorer, linguist, ethnologist
and sexologist. Unlike other Victorian-era translators, who tended to
whitewash their translations to conform with accepted
“decency”, Burton boldly and literally translated his many
published works as they were actually written, including his edition of
the Kama Sutra.
Although our edition has significantly improved upon Burton’s
edition (such as fixing numerous textual errors and reorganizing several
chapters for logical consistency), it is otherwise a complete, faithful,
unexpurgated and high-quality reproduction, completely preserving the
overall flavor of the Burton edition. Additional prefatory and
annotative materials, including a comprehensive mini-biography of
Burton, are provided, as well as twelve delightful (and sexually
explicit) illustrations of erotic art depicting various Kama Sutra
themes, all done in an authentic, traditional Indian art motif. (The
illustrations are courtesy of Exotic India, the
Internet’s largest retailer of authentic Indian art.)
Because of the sexually explicit nature of the text and the
illustrations, this title is For Adults Only.
Cover Image:
(Display) "Love Scene", Courtesy of Exotic India (109 KB, suitable
for general audiences. All the remaining erotic illustrations in this
book are sexually explicit and for Adults Only.)