Conjugal Love in India

While an English-language translation of the Kamasutra has been available for over a century, the Ratisastras -- an equally important genre of traditional Hindu learning -- has been unavailable in English until now. Kamasastra and Ratisastra are the two dominant Sanskrit traditions devoted to brahaminic teachings on love. But while kama is focused on erotic enjoyment, rati is principally concerned with procreation; where kama is found only in the courtly life of a privileged few, rati occurs in the domestic life of all Hindus. This book presents the Ratisastras tradition's two extant treatises, the Ratisastra and the Ratiramana. Both are presented in their original Sanskrit versions followed by English translations and detailed notes. The Ratisastras teach the ideal, prescribed behavior to be carried out between a husband and a wife in an orthodox Hindu home. This work will be of interest to students of Indian culture and history as well as those interested in the sexual practices and marriage customs of different cultures.