The Love Teachings of Kama Sutra: With Extracts from Koka Shastra, Anaga Ranga and Other Famous Indian Works on Love [Paperback]

Sinha (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 6, 1996

Utterly frank in its attitude to sex, the Kama Sutra is Vatsyayana's classic study of the arts of love. In this new translation, Indra Sinha captures the beautiful, vivid language of the original as well as the humor that's been lost in previous versions.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)

About the Author

Indra Sinha lives in London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Marlowe & Company (December 6, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156924779X
• ISBN-13: 978-1569247792
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,689,161 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great entry-point for the curious, September 27, 2001

By 

Scott Woods (Columbus, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Love Teachings of Kama Sutra: With Extracts from Koka Shastra, Anaga Ranga and Other Famous Indian Works on Love (Paperback)

This wonderfully illustrated-yet-informative translation of the classic text breaks down the classic Kama Sutra text in a way tat's mindful of the roots of the culture from which the tome was spawned, while being accessible for the merely curious. A great launching pad for the curious and a nice, quick reference for those who use the kama Sutra for more than reading. Coupled with "The Complete Kama Sutra", you should have no more questions.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Timeless Tribute to Life's Most Divine Principle, July 28, 2009

By 

Vairochana "Laughing Buddha" (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Love Teachings of Kama Sutra: With Extracts from Koka Shastra, Anaga Ranga and Other Famous Indian Works on Love (Paperback)

As the translator so accurately pointed out Kama Sutra is one of the most misunderstood word by us "Westerners". Most people hearing that envision voluptuous woman with come hither dusky eyes who assume yoga-esque sexual positions. Now while I have absolutely no problem with such imagery and would welcome any such woman who fits that paradigm to enact such erotic movements for me. The Kama Sutra is much more than some of the more risque statues and paintings that non-Indians have been exposed to. This is actual a series of beautiful poems which celebrate and explain how a man and woman could live together in a harmonious relationship. Like any other society the Indian people regarded the family as the basis of society. And therefore when there is trouble in the home between husband and wife than the society at large can never know peace.

The word sutras means aphorisms. These poetic sayings are divided into Seven major sections, and I'm sure it's just a coincidence that there are seven major charkas in Ayurvedic medicine and philosophy. And there just happened to have been seven sages who Vatsyayana learned these aphorisms from. Hmmmm... just a coincidence again I'm sure.

As to the illustrations is this book. No matter how many times study them they inspire a sense of awe. And they perfectly compliment the aphorisms being explained in the text. This is a book that everyone should own, because it truly expresses that romantic sentiment is not all you need. While relationships do take work to be functional, the Kama Sutra shows us the joys and pleasures that can be experienced when it is done well by both parties involved. And if you happen to possess a harem there are also tips in here to keep all your women happy too.

5.0 out of 5 stars the most poetic modern translation, April 27, 2006

By 

Al Link and Pala Copeland "4 Freedoms Sacred ... (Pembroke, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Love Teachings of Kama Sutra: With Extracts from Koka Shastra, Anaga Ranga and Other Famous Indian Works on Love (Paperback)

The three significant, and most popular translations from the original Sanskrit, of Vatsyayana's Kama Sutra are by Sir Richard F. Burton and F. F. Arbuthnot (1883), Alain Dani?lou (1994) and Indra Sinha (1980). Sinha's translation is partly illustrated (photographs of Indian art and sculpture) and provides a more poetic translation. Sinha's translation omits whole sections of the original text and takes considerable liberty in changing the wording to make it more accessible to modern readers. He also includes contents from other texts, e.g., the Ananga Ranga. In both the Burton and Sinha translations it is very difficult to know if you are reading the Kama Sutra or the commentaries on the Kama Sutra as they are not clearly identified.

For the average reader, this would be far more readable compared with either the Burton or Dani?lou translations. However the illustrations are not photographs of lovers, so the book is not as visually erotic as many other photo illustrated editions of the Burton translation.