Clickbank

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Kama Sutra : Introduction


Hello!

 What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined... to strengthen each other... to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories.
      ~ George Eliot 

This is the second post on the Kama Sutra, Remember, last week we went through the Preface. Today, we look at the "Introduction." It gives us a little back-ground to the author and the period when this Sanskrit love and sex manual was written.


Kind regards,
Neil Knight


INTRODUCTION.

It may be interesting to some persons to learn how it came about that Vatsyayana was first brought to light and translated into the English language. It happened thus. While translating with the pundits the 'Anunga runga, or the stage of love,' reference was frequently found to be made to one Vatsya. The sage Vatsya was of this opinion, or of that opinion. The sage Vatsya said this, and so on. Naturally questions were asked who the sage was, and the pundits replied that Vatsya was the author of the standard work on love in Sanscrit literature, that no Sanscrit library was complete without his work, and that it was most difficult now to obtain in its entire state. The copy of the manuscript obtained in Bombay was defective, and so the pundits wrote to Benares, Calcutta and Jeypoor for copies of the manuscript from Sanscrit libraries in those places. Copies having been obtained, they were then compared with each other, and with the aid of a Commentary called 'Jayamangla' a revised copy of the entire manuscript was prepared, and from this copy the English translation was made. The following is the certificate of the chief pundit:—
"The accompanying manuscript is corrected by me after comparing four different copies of the work. I had the assistance of a Commentary called 'Jayamangla' for correcting the portion in the first five parts, but found great difficulty in correcting the remaining portion, because, with the exception of one copy thereof which was tolerably correct, all the other copies I had were far too incorrect. However, I took that portion as correct in which the majority of the copies agreed with each other."
The 'Aphorisms on Love,' by Vatsyayana, contains about one thousand two hundred and fifty slokas or verses, and are divided into parts, parts into chapters, and chapters into[9] paragraphs. The whole consists of seven parts, thirty-six chapters, and sixty-four paragraphs. Hardly anything is known about the author. His real name is supposed to be Mallinaga or Mrillana, Vatsyayana being his family name. At the close of the work this is what he writes about himself:
"After reading and considering the works of Babhravya and other ancient authors, and thinking over the meaning of the rules given by them, this treatise was composed, according to the precepts of the Holy Writ, for the benefit of the world, by Vatsyayana, while leading the life of a religious student at Benares, and wholly engaged in the contemplation of the Deity. This work is not to be used merely as an instrument for satisfying our desires. A person acquainted with the true principles of this science, who preserves his Dharma (virtue or religious merit), his Artha (worldly wealth) and his Kama (pleasure or sensual gratification), and who has regard to the customs of the people, is sure to obtain the mastery over his senses. In short, an intelligent and knowing person, attending to Dharma and Artha and also to Kama, without becoming the slave of his passions, will obtain success in everything that he may do."
It is impossible to fix the exact date either of the life of Vatsyayana or of his work. It is supposed that he must have lived between the first and the sixth centuries of the Christian era, on the following grounds:—He mentions that Satkarni Srtvahan, a king of Kuntal, killed Malayevati his wife with an instrument called kartari by striking her in the passion of love, and Vatsya quotes this case to warn people of the danger arising from some old customs of striking women when under the influence of this passion. Now this king of Kuntal is believed to have lived and reigned during the first century a.c., and consequently Vatsya must have lived after him. On the other hand, Virahamihira, in the eighteenth chapter of his 'Brihatsanhita,' treats of the science of love, and appears to have borrowed largely from Vatsyayana on the subject. Now Virahamihira is said to have lived during the sixth century a.d., and as Vatsya must have written his works previously, therefore not earlier than the first century,a.c., and not later than the sixth century a.d., must be considered as the approximate date of his existence.
[10]On the text of the 'Aphorisms on Love,' by Vatsyayana, only two commentaries have been found. One called 'Jayamangla' or 'Sutrabashya,' and the other 'Sutra vritti.' The date of the 'Jayamangla' is fixed between the tenth and thirteenth centuries a.d., because while treating of the sixty-four arts an example is taken from the 'Kávyaprakásha,' which was written about the tenth century a.d. Again, the copy of the commentary procured was evidently a transcript of a manuscript which once had a place in the library of a Chaulukyan king named Vishaladeva, a fact elicited from the following sentence at the end of it:—
"Here ends the part relating to the art of love in the commentary on the 'Vatsyayana Kama Sutra,' a copy from the library of the king of kings, Vishaladeva, who was a powerful hero, as it were a second Arjuna, and head jewel of the Chaulukya family."
Now it is well known that this king ruled in Guzerat from 1244 to 1262 a.d., and founded a city called Visalnagur. The date, therefore, of the commentary is taken to be not earlier than the tenth and not later than the thirteenth century. The author of it is supposed to be one Yashodhara, the name given him by his preceptor being Indrapada. He seems to have written it during the time of affliction caused by his separation from a clever and shrewd woman, at least that is what he himself says at the end of each chapter. It is presumed that he called his work after the name of his absent mistress, or the word may have some connection with the meaning of her name.
This commentary was most useful in explaining the true meaning of Vatsyayana, for the commentator appears to have had a considerable knowledge of the times of the older author, and gives in some places very minute information. This cannot be said of the other commentary, called "Sutra vritti," which was written about a.d., by Narsing Shastri, a pupil of a Sarveshwar Shastri; the latter was a descendant of Bhaskur, and so also was our author, for at the conclusion of every part he calls himself Bhaskur Narsing Shastra. He was induced to write the work by order of the learned Raja Vrijalala, while he was residing in Benares, but as to the merits of this commentary it does not deserve much[11] commendation. In many cases the writer does not appear to have understood the meaning of the original author, and has changed the text in many places to fit in with his own explanations.
A complete translation of the original work now follows. It has been prepared in complete accordance with the text of the manuscript, and is given, without further comments, as made from it.

Sunday 27 March 2011

A Dynamic Guide for "True Love"

Hello...

...and welcome, again, to "Great Love Relationships Today!" I sincerely trust that the previous two posts were useful and interesting.

The following article was written by Ariole K Alei and it gives us tips on how to establish and maintain deep, intimate relationships. Enjoy.


Yours for blissful relationships,
Neil Knight


 More Tips for Ultimate Love Relationships


A Dynamic Guide for 'True Love'


Have you ever wished there was a 'guidebook' to navigate you through the maze of your relationship?  Here it is!  5 of our most powerful 10+ Tips to Making Your Relationship the Best Ever.  (See also our “5+ Tips” to glean the enormous benefits of our blissful love advice.)


1. Deep Listening


What we say is often not what we actually mean.  Deep beneath the surface layers of our words lies our true message.


How do we listen to our partner’s deep meaning?


We listen with our whole body.  We relax into our body, take deeper breaths, and attune to the energy of their entire being.  When we do this, we drop down inside ourselves into compassion.  We ‘bypass’ our own fear, and we awaken to who they are in the moment, what they are expressing, what they most want, what they are asking for.


Deep listening involves so much more than our ears.  When we listen solely with our ears, we listen in a conditioned way.  We listen through our filters, our resentments, our assumptions and our own fears.


When we ‘Deep Listen’, our being is recognizing another’s being.


This creates more trust.  As we ‘receive’ our partner in a more holistic way, they feel safer and more completely accepted by us.  This deepens our intimacy – as they naturally offer more of themselves to us.


2. “I am Grateful For … I Forgive You For”


This is one of the most effective and relationship-transforming practices that my husband brought into the fledgling stages of our relationship.  It goes like this …


As you lie in bed at night – or sitting together on the sofa if you prefer – sense together (each evening has a different ‘flow’) who will speak first – and who will listen.


The speaker takes a moment to relax his or her body, letting its weight fall heavily into the sofa or the bed.  Taking a few deep breaths, he or she then vocalizes 5 things that “I am grateful for” pertaining to his or her partner.  Then he or she vocalizes 5 things that “I forgive you for”.  During this, the partner remains silent and deeply listens – without response or reaction.


Then the roles reverse.  The listener becomes the speaker, and vice versa.


What develops – through this practice – is an opportunity to express and to receive reflections of how deeply we enrich each other’s lives (“I am grateful for”).  Plus it is an opportunity to express in a safe environment what we wish was different in our partner’s way of being and living (“I forgive you for”).  In silence as the listener, we have the tremendous opportunity of simply hearing what someone close to us desires we do or be differently.


My husband and I practiced this for approximately two years at the beginning of our relationship.  We built such a foundation of love and respect and clear communication through this simple practice.  Nothing was out of bounds to communicate or to hear.  Our relationship is so incredibly honest and trusting as a result of this.


3. Shared Vision


The ideal relationship is one in which we are complements to each other – we each bring unique experiences, viewpoints and desires to our shared relationship.


The best relationships are ones in which a ‘Shared Vision’ grows.  This Vision might include a homestead which nourishes both people and fosters greater depth in the relationship.  A philanthropic project which gives both people – together – an experience of deep sharing with others.  A company or business which is a vehicle for both people to share their passionate attributes.  A hobby or travel destination which inspires both people and supports them to grow deeper in their love.


A Shared Vision can be anything.  It is simply this – a desire which both people share to create something meaningful together.


This ‘Shared Vision’ becomes a magnet which draws both people deeper into themselves and simultaneously closer together.  It brings out the best in them.


This ‘Shared Vision’ – just like the relationship itself – develops a life of its own.  This … is what makes a relationship so magnificent.


4. Love, Tenderness, and Laughter


No matter how robust two people are.  No matter how athletic they are.  No matter how much worldly responsibility they share.  ... It is vital that you give Tenderness and Laughter more room in your relationship.


Love is borne of Tenderness and Laughter.  Like play, it is in this energy field that we let down our guards, soften our underbellies, and expose our most precious elements to our partner.


Taking vacations together is one of the best – and easiest – ways to access Tenderness and Laughter.


It's essential, too, to create the time / space for Tenderness and Laughter in our day-to-day at-home lives.


A simple way to ensure its presence is to intend to find at least one moment every day to say a genuine "I Love You" to your partner.  Not a rote one – words that are hollow.  A genuine one.  This may require you to slow down, let go of judgment and blame, and listen to them deeply.


What drew you to your partner initially?  Is that quality or attribute still there?  What has grown and opened since you met?  What is special or unique about them?


Your not recognizing their greatest assets is not because they don't have them.  It may simply be that you’ve become – temporarily – preoccupied with your own pain or frustration to notice them.


Slow down.  Take a deep breath.  And remember what you love most about your partner.  Then say … “I love you” … from the depth of your belly, and the fullness of your heart.


… And notice how your relationship deepens and widens … how much more bliss flows in.


5. Be In the Now


Most relationships crumble because one or both partners become snagged in the past.  Blame, un-communicated challenges, and resentment are the primary causes of this.


If your relationship breaks down, it will likely be that one of these three have existed.


If you have chosen your partner as someone whom you can Respect, Play with, be an Ally in Growth with, Share a Vision with, and Trust, then your relationship will last blissfully long – as long as you both are growing concurrently.


All relationships end.  They naturally end when the benefit of our being together has run its full course.


Most relationships end ‘unnecessarily’.  They end precisely because one or both people built up resentment over time rather than taking responsibility for communicating something that was irritating them.  Or they end because one or both people weren’t Self Loving and therefore weren’t open to truly giving and receiving love.


Your relationship blossoming into one of unparalleled bliss is completely within your ability.


Take a deep breath.


Go back to when you first met.  Skip forward in time, picking up everything about your partner and about being together that still nourishes you.  And let everything else go.


This is who you are together as a relationship now.  Nothing else matters.  Drop it.


Be the love and joy and appreciation that you are now.


Practice this regularly – every six months at least.


This will ‘refresh’ your relationship – just like cleaning a chalk board or refreshing your computer screen.


Your relationship is so precious.  Practice these 5 Tips daily.  Keep training your mind to experience your relationship In The Now.




------------------------


Ariole K. Alei is Co-Founder of HeartSongMatchmaking and HeartSong Solutions.  She is an Author, Keynote Speaker, Tele Class Leader and Global Visionary.  http://www.HeartSongMatchmaking.com
http://www.HeartSongSolutions.ca
http://www.SoulfulSinglesBlog.com




Source: http://www.submityourarticle.com


Permalink: http://www.submityourarticle.com/a.php?a=25379