WHEN Kama is practiced by men of the four castes according to the rules of the Holy Writ (i.e. by
lawful marriage) with virgins of their own caste, it then becomes a means of acquiring lawful
progeny and good fame, and it is not also opposed to the customs of the world. On the contrary
the practice of Kama with women of the higher castes, and with those previously enjoyed by
others, even though they may be of the same caste, is prohibited. But the practice of Kama with
women of the lower castes, with women excommunicated from their own caste, with public
women, and with women twice married, is neither enjoined nor prohibited. The object of practicing
Kama with such women is pleasure only. These type of women therefore, are of four kinds, viz.
maids, women twice married, and public women and a woman who is resorted to on some
special occasion even though she be previously married to another. These special occasions are
when a man thinks thus: This woman is self-willed, and has been previously enjoyed by many
others besides myself. I may, therefore, safely resort to her as to a public woman though she
belongs to a higher caste than mine, and, in so doing, I shall not be violating the ordinances of
Dharma.
Or thus: This is a twice-married woman and has been enjoyed by others before me; there is,
therefore, no objection to my resorting to her. Or thus: This woman has gained the heart of her
great and powerful husband, and exercises a mastery over him, who is a friend of my enemy; if,
therefore, she becomes united with me she will cause her husband to abandon my enemy.
Or thus:
This woman will turn the mind of her husband, who is very powerful, in my favour, he being at
present disaffected towards me, and intent on doing me some harm.
Or thus:
By making this woman my friend I shall gain the object of some friend of mine, or shall be able to
effect the ruin of some enemy, or shall accomplish some other difficult purpose.
Or thus:
By being united with this woman, I shall kill her husband, and so obtain his vast riches which I
covet.
Or thus:
The union of this woman with me is not attended with any danger, and will bring me wealth, of
which, on account of my poverty and inability to support myself, I am very much in need. I shall
therefore obtain her vast riches in this way without any difficulty.
Or thus:
This woman loves me ardently, and knows all my weak points; if therefore, I am unwilling to be
united with her, she will make my faults public, and thus tarnish my character and reputation. Or
she will bring some gross accusation against me, of which it may be hard to clear myself, and I
shall be ruined. Or perhaps she will detach from me her husband who is powerful, and yet under
her control, and will unite him to my enemy, or will herself join the latter.
Or thus:
The husband of this woman has violated the chastity of my wives; I shall therefore return that
injury by seducing his wives.
Or thus:
By the help of this woman I shall kill an enemy of the king, who has taken shelter with her, and
whom I am ordered by the king to destroy.
Or thus:
The woman whom I love is under the control of this woman. I shall, through the influence of the
latter, be able to get at the former.
Or thus:
This woman will bring to me a maid, who possesses wealth and beauty, but who is hard to get at,
and under the control of another.
Or lastly thus:
My enemy is a friend of this woman's husband; I shall therefore cause her to join him, and will
thus create an enmity between her husband and him.
For these and similar other reasons the wives of other men may be resorted to, but it must be
distinctly understood that is only allowed for special reasons, and not for mere carnal desire.
Under these circumstances there is also a fifth kind of women, viz. a woman who is kept by a
minister, or who repairs to him occasionally; or a widow who accomplishes the purpose of a man
with the person to whom she resorts. A woman who passes the life of an ascetic and in the
Condition of a widow may be considered as a sixth kind of woman. The daughter of a public
woman, and a female servant, who are still virgins, form a seventh kind of women. But these
three latter kinds of women do not differ much from the first four kinds of them, as there is no
separate object in resorting to them. Therefore, we are of opinion that there are only four kinds of
women, i.e. the maid, the twice-married woman, the public woman, and the woman resorted to for
a special purpose.
The following women are NOT to be enjoyed for these always bring bad fortune and misery to the
enjoyer
:
A leper
A lunatic
A woman turned out of caste
A woman who reveals secrets
A woman who publicly expresses desire for sexual intercourse
A woman who is extremely white
A woman who is extremely black
A bad-smelling woman
A woman who is a near relation
A woman who is a female friend
A woman who leads the life of an ascetic
And, lastly the wife of a relation, of a friend, of a learned Brahman, and of the
King
Any woman who has been enjoyed by five men is a fit and proper person to be enjoyed. But we
are of pinion that even when this is the case, the wives of a relation, of a learned Brahman and of
a king should be excepted.
The following are of the kind of friends:
One who has played with you in the dust, i.e. in childhood
One who is bound by an obligation
One who is of the same disposition and fond of the same things
One who is a fellow student
One who is acquainted with your secrets and faults, and whose faults and
secrets are also known to you
One who is a child of your nurse
One who is brought up with you
One who is an hereditary friend
These friends should possess the following qualities:
They should tell the truth
They should not be changed by time
They should be favourable to your designs
They should be firm
They should be free from covetousness
They should not be capable of being gained over by others
They should not reveal your secrets
A messenger should possess the following qualities:
Skilfulness
Boldness
Knowledge of the intention of men by their outward signs
Absence of confusion, i.e. no shyness
Knowledge of the exact meaning of what others do or say
Good manners
Knowledge of appropriate times and places for doing different things
Ingenuity in business
Quick comprehension
.Quick application of remedies, i.e. quick and ready resources
Ability to know what is being said and what is being meant
And this part ends with a verse:
'The man who is ingenious and wise, who is accompanied by a friend, and who knows the
intentions of others, as also the proper time and place for doing everything, can gain over, very
easily, even a woman who is very hard to be obtained.'
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