Like all of the
Vedas, the
Kama Sutra, or "codes of sensual pleasure"
was issued forth from the mouth of
Brahma at the beginning of creation. He heard
them from
Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and in turn taught them
to
Manu,
Brihaspati, and
Nandi.
Manu set aside the verses concerning civic virtues
and ethics, thus compiling the Dharma Shastra, and Brihaspati those
on politics, economy, and prosperity in order to compile the Artha Shastra.
Nandi, the companion of Lord Shiva, set aside the verses concerning sense pleasure
and sexuality, thus compiling the Kama Shastra.
The great sage, Vyasadeva, put
all of the Vedic literature into writing approximately five thousand years ago,
including the Kama Shastra, and subsequently divided the tree of Vedic knowledge.
However, this shastra, being divided into many parts, was almost lost until it
was recompiled by the brahmana sage Vatsyayana during the Gupta period,
or about 300CE. The result was the famed Kama Sutra; although commonly presented to
us westerners in the format of an exotic sex manual, the actual unabridged Kama Sutra
gives us a rare glimpse into the sexual understanding of ancient Vedic India.
(See also: Hindu Scriptures.)