Kamashastra Discourse (Life in Ancient India)
by Nidheesh Kannan B. | 2018 | 52,434 words
This page relates ‘Works on Kamashastra (g): Darpadalana’ of the study on Kamashastra representing the discipline of Kama (i.e., ‘sensual pleasure’). The Kamasutra of Vatsyayana from the 4th century is one of the most authoratitive Sanskrit texts belonging this genre. This study focusses on the vision of life of ancient India reflected in Kamashastra.
2. Works on Kāmaśāstra (g): Darpadalana
This is a didactic natured work of Kṣemendra. The text has designed into seven chapters or vicāras. In the beginning, the author states that the aim of writing this work[1]. Through this work, Kṣemendra explains the evils generated by the pride, which is a result of Kāma.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
kṣemendraḥ suhṛdāṃ prītya darpadoṣacikitsakaḥ | svāsthyāya kurute yatnaṃ madhuraiḥ sūktibheṣajaiḥ || kulaṃ vittaṃ śrutaṃ rūpaṃ śauryaṃ dānaṃ tapastathā | prādhānyena manuṣyāṇāṃ saptaite madahetavaḥ || ahaṃkārābhibhūtānāṃ bhūtānāmiva dehinām | hitāya darpadalanaṃ kriyate mohaśāntaye || (darpadalanam, 1ḥ 3-5)