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  • Essay / The Kama Sutra - 1423

    What was Vatsyayana's target readership when he wrote the Kama Sutra? Was it exclusive to the leisured class of Indian society? Or did this also include the lower class? There is evidence to suggest that the text is biased toward aristocrats, as the practices described require time and money that peasants do not have. The fact that Vatsyayana is likely a member of the elite class, inferred from his sophisticated knowledge of Hinduism and what a nobleman's day is like, could be another sign that his writings are oriented towards the upper class. These facts beg the question: If the Kama Sutra is favorable to aristocrats, did Vatsyayana retain the rudimentary principles of Hinduism throughout his work so that it could also serve as a valuable guideline for members of the lower classes? Even though the Kama Sutra seems to emphasize how extravagant the life of a nobleman should be, the essence of the book deeply interweaves its ideas with the three fundamental Hindu teachings that would ultimately benefit the lower class as well. As part of the Gupta Empire, Vatsyayana lived in a society heavily influenced by Hinduism, as evidenced by the emphasis on the fundamental teachings of Hinduism throughout the Kama Sutra. There is no doubt that he passionately valued the ideas of dharma, kama, artha and moksha as expounded in his writings, and urged all men to practice them, from an early age. Although he never deliberately indicates whether the text is exclusively aimed at the noble class or not, his writings show traces which confirm that it is aimed at all classes. Dharma teaching, as described in the Kama Sutra, is also aimed at the lower castes. into consideration. In responding to an objection as to why is in the middle of paper......in its text. He views artha as a concept of investing and protecting your wealth, not necessarily about greed. It is uncertain whether or not Vatsyayana may or may not have been intentionally biased towards the more privileged class in his writings, but he undoubtedly did not rule. prevent peasants from practicing the teachings of the Kama Sutra. Because the basic qualities of the Kama Sutra derive from Hinduism, which emphasizes the principles of dharma, kama, and artha, it could not exclude the lower-class population. Vatsyayana illustrated that wealth is not necessary for an individual to put into practice ideas that would help him achieve moksha. Even with signs of disparity against the serfs, it ultimately expresses the three main ideas of Hinduism so that the text is also a beneficial guide for the lower class..