Kama Sutra, also known as Kamasutram, is an old Indian text known to be as the Sanskrit literature's standard work on love. Kamasutra or Kama sutram was written by Mallanaga Vatsyavana and mostly deals with the human being's sexual behavior. The Kama Sutra is most known for a group of written manuscripts known as the Kama Shastra.



Seen as one of the most famous of all Indian erotic texts, the Kama Sutra authored by Vatsyayana Mallanaga is a collection of numerous reworked texts based on old Sanskrit manuals. Written at around 100-500 AD, the society that created these manuals were focused on sensual awareness and had an overwhelming respect for the sacredness of any sexual relation. This society viewed some practices to be holy while some were deemed forbidden.

Kama Sutra has been translated into a variety of different manuscripts. This Indian manual on getting the most out of your sexual experiences discusses the practicalities of your sexuality, your manner of living, and how to relate with your partner in a deeper and more meaningful manner. These manuscripts also contain an insight into the niceties and customs performed in ancient India.

The term Kama Sutra comes from two Sanskrit words Kama and Sutra. The Sanskrit word Kama generally means desire, wish or intention and is also used to mean pleasure and love. When used as a proper name, the word Kama refers to the Hindu god of love. Sutra, on the other hand, denotes a thread or a discourse. The word Sutra was a standard term used to refer to technical manuscripts.

Containing a total of sixty-four arts, the manual written by Vatsyayana was originally designed to be used by the upper castes of old Indian society. Kama Sutra was taught to young women prior to their marriage. Today, the words Kama Sutra invoke scenes of exotic ideas in people's minds, making it seem alluring and exotic.

The text contains several parts: the introduction which discusses the three aims and priorities of life relating to Kamasutra; chapters on sexual union which discuss the different types of embraces, caressing, kisses and copulation positions; sections about the acquisition of a wife, forms of marriage and other related matters; sections that discuss the conduct of a wife; chapters tackling the behavior of men and women; advice about courtesans; and chapters containing advise on improving one's physical attractiveness.

Other similar texts include Ratirahasya also known as Kokashastra by Kokkoka which was translated into English by S. C. Upadhyaya in 1965; Ratiratnapradipika by Devaraja which was translated into English by Rangaswami Iyengar in 1923; and the Ratisastra by Nagarjuna which was translated into English by A. C. Ghose in 1904.