Sunday, December 31, 2006

y the name sixty four arts???

THE 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.