CHAPTER II.

OF THE EMBRACE.

This part of the Kama Shastra, which treats of sexual union, is also

called "Sixty-four" (Chatushshashti). Some old authors say that it is

called so, because it contains sixty-four chapters. Others are of

opinion that the author of this part being a person named Panchala, and

the person who recited the part of the Rig Veda called Dashatapa, which

contains sixty-four verses, being also called Panchala, the name

"sixty-four" has been given to the part of the work in honour of the Rig

Vedas. The followers of Babhravya say on the other hand that this part

contains eight subjects, viz., the embrace, kissing, scratching with the

nails or fingers, biting, lying down, making various sounds, playing the

part of a man, and the Auparishtaka, or mouth congress. Each of these

subjects being of eight kinds, and eight multiplied by eight being

sixty-four, this part is therefore named "sixty-four." But Vatsyayana

affirms that as this part contains also the following subjects, viz.,

striking, crying, the acts of a man during congress, the various kinds

of congress, and other subjects, the name "sixty-four" is given to it

only accidentally. As, for instance, we say this tree is "Saptaparna,"

or seven-leaved, this offering of rice is "Panchavarna," or

five-coloured, but the tree has not seven leaves, neither has the rice

five colours.

However the part sixty-four is now treated of, and the embrace, being

the first subject, will now be considered.

Now the embrace which indicates the mutual love of a man and woman who

have come together is of four kinds, viz.:

Touching.

Piercing.

Rubbing.

Pressing.

The action in each case is denoted by the meaning of the word which

stands for it.

(1). When a man under some pretext or other goes in front or alongside

of a woman and touches her body with his own, it is called the "touching

embrace."

(2). When a woman in a lonely place bends down, as if to pick up

something, and pierces, as it were, a man sitting or standing, with her

breasts, and the man in return takes hold of them, it is called a

"piercing embrace."

The above two kinds of embrace takes place only between persons who do

not, as yet, speak freely with each other.

(3). When two lovers are walking slowly together, either in the dark, or

in a place of public resort, or in a lonely place, and rub their bodies

against each other, it is called a "rubbing embrace."

(4). When on the above occasion one of them presses the other's body

forcibly against a wall or pillar, it is called a "pressing embrace."

These two last embraces are peculiar to those who know the intentions of

each other.

At the time of the meeting the four following kinds of embrace are used,

viz.:

_Jataveshtitaka_, or the twining of a creeper.

_Vrikshadhirudhaka_, or climbing a tree.

_Tila-Tandulaka_, or the mixture of sesamum seed with rice.

_Kshiraniraka_, or milk and water embrace.

(1). When a woman, clinging to a man as a creeper twines round a tree,

bends his head down to hers with the desire of kissing him and slightly

makes the sound of sut sut, embraces him, and looks lovingly towards

him, it is called an embrace like the "twining of a creeper."

(2). When a woman, having placed one of her feet on the foot of her

lover, and the other on one of his thighs, passes one of her arms round

his back, and the other on his shoulders, makes slightly the sounds of

singing and cooing, and wishes, as it were, to climb up him in order to

have a kiss, it is called an embrace like the "climbing of a tree."

These two kinds of embrace take place when the lover is standing.

(3). When lovers lie on a bed, and embrace each other so closely that

the arms and thighs of the one are encircled by the arms and thighs of

the other, and are, as it were, rubbing up against them, this is called

an embrace like "the mixture of sesamum seed with rice."

(4). When a man and a woman are very much in love with each other, and

not thinking of any pain or hurt, embrace each other as if they were

entering into each other's bodies, either while the woman is sitting on

the lap of the man or in front of him, or on a bed, then it is called an

embrace like a "mixture of milk and water."

These two kinds of embrace take place at the time of sexual union.

Babhravya has thus related to us the above eight kinds of embraces.

Suvarnanabha, moreover, gives us four ways of embracing simple members

of the body, which are:

The embrace of the thighs.

The embrace of the jaghana, _i.e._, the part of the body from the navel

downwards to the thighs.

The embrace of the breasts.

The embrace of the forehead.

(1). When one of two lovers presses forcibly one or both of the thighs

of the other between his or her own, it is called the "embrace of

thighs."

(2). When a man presses the jaghana or middle part of the woman's body

against his own, and mounts upon her to practise, either scratching with

the nail or finger, or biting, or striking, or kissing, the hair of the

woman being loose and flowing, it is called the "embrace of the

jaghana."

(3). When a man places his breast between the breasts of a woman, and

presses her with it, it is called the "embrace of the breasts."

(4). When either of the lovers touches the mouth, the eyes and the

forehead of the other with his or her own, it is called the "embrace of

the forehead."

Some say that even shampooing is a kind of embrace, because there is a

touching of bodies in it. But Vatsyayana thinks that shampooing is

performed at a different time, and for a different purpose, and it is

also of a different character, it cannot be said to be included in the

embrace.

There are also some verses on the subject as follows: "The whole subject

of embracing is of such a nature that men who ask questions about it, or

who hear about it, or who talk about it, acquire thereby a desire for

enjoyment. Even those embraces that are not mentioned in the Kama

Shastra should be practised at the time of sexual enjoyment, if they are

in any way conducive to the increase of love or passion. The rules of

the Shastra apply so long as the passion of man is middling, but when

the wheel of love is once set in motion, there is then no Shastra and no

order."