 This part of sexual union of the Kama Shastra is also called 'sixty-four' because it contains 64 chapters. Some other people have an opinion that though the author of this part is Panchala who recited the part of the Rig Veda called Dashtapa, which contains 64 verses; has given the name 'sixty-four' in honor of the Rig Vedas. On the other hand the followers of Babhravya have given the explanation for the name like this: there are eight subjects mentioned in this chapter 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 again divided into eight kinds, and eight multiplied by eight being sixty-four, and thus the name is justified. But Vatsyayana confirms 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, so the name is given unintentionally.
Embrace: Embrace indicates mutual love of a man and woman who can come close by one of these four kinds: Touch is an extremely important sense for humans; it can be both sexual(such as kissing or oral sex) and platonic(such as hugging or tickling). When a man touches the body of a woman with his own, it is called the 'touching embrace'.  When a woman in a lonely place bends down, as if to pick up something and pierces a man with her breasts whether he is sitting or standing, and the man in return hold of them, it is called a 'piercing embrace'.
The above two types of embrace takes place between the less acquainted persons. There are some more types like when two individuals walk slowly together in the dark, in a public place or in a lonely place, and rub their bodies against each other, it is called a 'rubbing embrace'. Or when one of them presses the other's body forcibly against a wall or pillar, it is called a 'pressing embrace'. The last two are peculiar to those who know each other's intentions. At the meeting time four types of embrace are used. These are as follows: When a woman, clinging to a man as a creeper twines round a tree and the man bends his head down to hers with the desire of kissing her and the woman slightly makes the sound of sut sut while embracing him, and looking lovingly towards him, it is called an embrace like the 'twining of a creeper'. When a woman, placed her one feet on the foot of her lover and the other on one of his thighs, rounded him with one hand in his back, and the other on his shoulder, makes the sound of singing and murmuring and thus wishes to climb up him in order to have a kiss, is called an embrace like the 'climbing of a tree'. These two kinds take place in standing position. When man and woman lie on a bed and embrace so closely that their arms and thighs are encircled each other's and thus rubbing up against them, this type of embrace is called 'the mixture of "sesame seed with rice". When man and woman embrace each other vigorously without thinking of pain and hurt imagining that they are entering in to each other's bodies is called an embrace like 'mixture of milk and water'. It can happen while woman is sitting on the lap of the man, on a bed or in front of him. These two kinds of embrace take place at the time of conjugation. Suvarnanabha mentioned four more ways of embracing. Which are as follows: The embrace of the thighs: when man presses forcibly the thighs of woman between his own, it is called the 'embrace of thighs'. The embrace of the jaghana i,e, the part of the body from the naval downwards to the thighs: when a man presses the jaghana of a woman, and mounts upon her to practice, by scratching with the nail or finger, biting, striking, kissing while the hair of the woman remain free and flowing, it is called the 'embrace of the jaghana'.  The embrace of the breast: when a man places his breast between the breast of a woman and presses her with it, it is called the 'embrace of the breasts'.
The embrace of the forehead: when either of a couple touches the mouth, the eyes and the forehead of the other with his or her own, it is called the 'embrace of the forehead'.
There is a controversy regarding shampooing of hair. Some say that it is a kind of embracing, as there is a touching of bodies in it. But Vatsayana believes that shampooing is done at a different time, for a different purpose and also it is of a different character so it must not be included in the list of embracing.
There are also some verses on the subject as follows: 'The whole subject of embracing is of such a nature that men who ask questions about it, hear about it, or who talk about it acquire thereby a desire for enjoyment. Even those embraces that are not mentioned in the Kama Shastra should be practiced at the time of sexual enjoyment, if they are in any way conducive to the increase of love or passion. The rules of the Shastra apply so long as the passion of man is middling, but when the wheel of love is once set in motion, then there is no Shastra and no order.' |
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