The Kama Sutra written by Vatsyayana consisted of seven sections further divided into thirty-six chapters. We will discuss each of these sections to glean the details of what Vatsyayana was trying to convey in the Kama Sutra and the importance he placed on specific subjects.

Section One – Introductory

The first section of the Kama Sutra consisted of five chapters explaining the contents of the manuscript, the three major aims and priorities of life according to the Hindu belief system of the day, the acquisition of knowledge, suitable conduct for the well-bred townsman and various reflections on intermediaries who assist the lover in his enterprises.

Section Two- On Sexual Union

The second section of the Kama Sutra consisted of ten chapters on the stimulation of desire, various forms of embraces, caressing and kisses, marking a partner with the use of the finger nails, biting and marking a partner using the teeth, on positions of copulation, explanations of sexual practices such as slapping with the hand and moaning that accompanied the practice, evidence of virile behavior in women, superior coitus and oral sex practices, along with preludes and conclusions to the game of love. There are 64 types of sexual acts described in this section which has become the part of the Kama Sutra for which the book is most widely known.

Section Three – About The Acquisition Of A Wife

Section three of the Kama Sutra consists of Five chapters on the forms of marriage, how to relax and obtain the girl, how to manage alone when a suitable wife cannot be found and the union by marriage.

Section Four- About A Wife

Section four consist of counsel to the various types of wives a Hindu gentleman may have had. There are two chapters dealing with the conduct of the wives. The section of the Kama Sutra yields advice to the solitary wife in how she should conduct herself. This section of the Kama Sutra also explained the conduct of the chief wife and other wives in a household with multiple wives and concubines.

Section Five – About The Wives Of Other People

This section of the Kama Sutra consisted of six chapters on behavior of women and men. It included advice on the methods of seducing another mans wife, including encounters for getting acquainted, examination of sentiments, the tasks and advantages of go-betweens, the king’s pleasures such as his harem and ways the brave could circumvent security measures and enjoy those pleasures themselves, as well as the proper behavior of a Hindu gentleman in the gynoecium or womens apartments.

Section Six – About Courtesans

Section Six of the Kama Sutra consisted of six chapters on making the best use of the advice of the assistants on choosing lovers, the search for a steady lover, the courtesans skill set and ways of making money, how best to renew friendship with a former lover, creating occasional profits and dealing with profits and losses associated with being a courtesan.

Section Seven – On The Means Of Attracting Others To One’s Self

The two chapters of section seven of the Kama Sutra deal mainly with thoughts on improving physical attractiveness to others and arousing a weakened or failing sexual power.

Couples all over the world who have sex use typical positions to enhance their sexual experience. A single couple could use many positions in order to satisfy their interests, and they could change these positions from time to time to prevent the monotony from creeping in. There are different positions that are ideal in different circumstances. The ancient Indian treatise on sex, Vatsyayana’s Kamasutra, explains several sexual positions in detail and enlists their various merits and demerits. Some of the popular positions of the Kamasutra are explained in this article.

The first and the most popular position is the missionary position. This is the safest position when it comes to sexual intercourse, and it can be rightfully said that every couple of the world uses this position for most of their sexual activities. The missionary position is adopted with the woman lying on her back and her legs hoisted in the air. The man penetrates from top, inserting his penis into her vagina.

The missionary position is classified as one of the natural comfort positions of sex, which means, the body does not need to unduly exert itself to achieve the coitus. The male normally lies atop the female, while the female is well-rested as her back is on the surface. This position allows the penis to lock securely within the vagina and hence there is no waste of semen. For men with short penises and low sperm counts, this is very beneficial.

But some feminists believe that the missionary position gives too much importance to the male partner. Since the male is on top, he can regulate the entire proceeding, and not much is left in the hands (literally speaking!) of the female. This may be true, but one more fact stands. The missionary position provides natural stimulation of the G-spot and the clitoris by the penis. Hence, even if the man is not making an effort for this, the arousal is maximum and the woman can get her orgasm.

Another problem is that the partners cannot see each others’ bodies. Only the faces can be seen. For some people, the expressions on the partner’s face during intercourse may be a major turn-on, but the partners cannot see the lower bodies. Fondling of the genitals by hands is also not possible.

To counter the drawbacks in the missionary position, there is another position known as the woman-on-top position. This is a totally feminist-appealing position. Here the man lies on the back with his legs outstretched. The woman positions herself in a sitting position on the man such that his penis enters her vagina. In this position, the woman does the jerking movements and hence the control is in the hands of the woman. Plus, the man and the woman both are free to fondle each other’s breasts and nipples; and get visually stimulated by the same. The position allows the man to reach out and stimulate the clitoris, or to fondle the buttocks. The woman-on-top position is also called as the cowgirl position, because the woman looks as though she is striding a horse.

However, this position is also not perfect. There is a problem of the penis slipping out of the vagina repeatedly making the whole process quite cumbersome. It is very difficult for men with short penises. Also when the woman is pregnant, this position is not advisable.

There is a reverse cowgirl position in which the woman sits facing the other way. This position is favored by some couples, as it allows better stimulation of the clitoris. Also the woman can reach out to stimulate the man’s scrotum or anus. At the same time, the man can caress the woman’s back and breasts. And just like the cowgirl position, the reverse cowgirl also provides the control in the hands of the female, while allowing the male to rest.

In both the cowgirl and the reverse cowgirl positions, there is a danger of the penis being damaged. It is necessary that the female keep this in mind, and begin the rocking motions only when the penis is comfortably positioned inside the vagina.

When it comes to relaxing during sex, there is no position comparable to the spoon position. In the spoon position, both male and female lay on their sides and ensconced within each other like two spoons. The butt of the female is placed against the groin of the male. The male can penetrate the anus of the female, or if he lifts her leg a bit, can even penetrate her vaginally. If bored, both partners can change sides, and the woman can reach out and masturbate the man’s penis with her hand.

The spoon position is an equating position. It is also the most naturally comforting position, and it is possible for both partners to lie thus for a very long time.

For the more adventurous couples, there is the supported congress position. Actually this is a very difficult position to achieve, and only couples with a good degree of flexibility and physical strength can pull it off. Here the woman is propped against a wall, and the man penetrates her from the front. The woman then lifts her legs and wraps it around the man’s torso. Hence the entire weight of the woman is supported by the wall and the man’s hands.

The supported congress is the ultimate in arousal as it causes the best friction between the penis and the clitoris. Also, since this is a standing position, it requires a minimum amount of space.

So, couples should go ahead and enjoy! There is no end to the number of sexual positions, and every couple has their own modified versions. Just take care that you keep changing the positions from time to time in order to avoid the monotony.