Sex in the Spiritual World

April 21, 2004

Srila Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur writes in his Surata-kathamritam (7)—

smara-narapati-vara-rAjye dharmaH zarma-prado’yam AdiSTaH

vatsyAyana-muni-nirmita-paddhaty-uktAnusAreNa hi

This is the most beneficial dharma that rules in this, the great kingdom of Cupid, the god of love. It has been ordained in accordance with the rules of the rulebook composed by Vatsyayana Muni.

a favorite verse of Mahaprabhus from the Kavya prakasa

yaH kaumAra-haraH sa eva hi varas tA eva caitra-kSapAs

te conmIlita-mAlatI-surabhayaH prauDhAH kadambAnilAH |

sA caivAsmi tathApi tatra surata-vyApAra-lIlA-vidhau

revA-rodhasi vetasI-taru-tale cetaH samutkaNThate

He who took my maidenhead is verily

he who is here today as my bridegroom.

And these are the same moonlit nights of spring,

when the impetuous, fragrant breezes

are heavy with the scent of newly blossoming jasmine.

And I too am the same person,

Yet my unsatisfied mind yearns for the reedbeds

by the banks of the stream where we were initiated

into the joyful games of love.

Rupa goswami composed this verse as a follow up to the previous one

priyaH so’yaM kRSNaH sahacari kurukSetra-militas

tathAhaM sA rAdhA tad idam ubhayoH saGgama-sukham

tathApy antaH-khelan-madhura-muralI-paJcama-juSe

mano me kAlindI-pulina-vipinAya spRhayati

O companion! This is the same beloved Krishna

meeting me here in Kurukshetra;

and I am the same Radha;

both of us are feeling the same joy of union.

And yet, my mind hankers for the forest

by the banks of the Yamuna,

where the fifth note of his flute

reverberated sweetly within my heart.

Krishnadas Kaviraja describes in his Govinda-lilamritam:

tAruNya-bhaTTa-gurutaH samadhIta-kAma-

nyAyAdi-zAstra-cayayA sa sa-tIrthayApi |

citraM na tan-nija-jayAya tayodagRhnAn

naiyAyiko hi guruNApi vivAdam icchet || 9.21 ||

"Radha and Krsna went to consult Tarunya Bhatta, the professor of kama sastra, eager to study under Him. Although They were classmates, they still wanted to argue with each other. There is no fault in this, nor is this astonishing, for students of logic want to argue even with their own teacher!"

In Rupa's Ujjvala-nilamani (2.6), where the vIta (associates of Krishna who assist him in dressing, and so forth) are described as kAma-tantra-kalA-vedI. Both Vishnudas and Visvanatha confirm that they are expert in various Kama-tantra and Kama-shastra (Vishnudas: kAma-tantra-kAlA kAma-zAstra-nIti-vettA). In Ksanada-giti-cintamani, Visvanatha speaks of the dUti (gopI-messengers of Radha) as ardent students of kAma-zAstra, who extract and teach the nectarine mantras therein to Sri Radha.

If you read the ninth chapter of his Krishna-bhavanamritam, you'll find Kundalata describing (9.35) how both Radha and Krishna are learned in the ways of Cupid. In the following verse (36), Radha teases Kundalata, relating how she allegedly has been teaching Kama-shastras to him. In verse 38, Krishna challenges Visakha, who he claims is very accomplished in various erotic duties, to come and meet him in a solitary place to test the accuracy of his pronounciation of the various mantras from Vatsyayana's manual. You'll also find kAma-zAstra mentioned in connection with pUrva-rAga in Visvanatha's tIka on Vidagdha Madhava (178).

kandarpAgama-vidyA-

paTur iha nibhRtaM sva-ziSyasya |

svAGgAny aGge nyasyati

yA tAM kathayAzu tuGgavidyeyam || Govinda-lilamrita 13.109 ||

[Krishna, in describing the aSTa-sakhI in humorous ways:] "She, who is clever in the wisdom of the books of Eros, and who in solitude laid down her body unto the body of a disciple of hers, is known as Tungavidya."

Sri Surata-kathamrta

visvanath cakravarti thakura

Radharani: My Lord, You are fond of tasting the nectar of these transcendental mellows by speaking in this way. These pastimes of Yours exactly follow the descriptions of the kama-sastra. You are the original author of the kama-sastra. I therefore offer My respectful obeisances unto You.

Krsna: By showering fragrent nectar, the moon of Your face has caused the lotus flower of My face to bloom with happiness. This is certainly very wonderful.(lotus flower does not bloom in the middle of the night).

there are many more.