kAma — काम — what is it?

dharma-artha-kAmEbhyO namaH

I have explained what is dharma earlier in this post. That is the first and most important purpose of human life.

I spoke about artha as part of tri-varga here. This is the second purushArtha i.e., purpose of human life.

Third of the tri-varga (three-fold purpose of worldly life) is kAma. Let’s look at its definition as per sage vAtsAyana:

srotra-tvak-cakṣur-jihvā-gʰrāṇānām ātma-saṃyuktena manasā^adʰiṣṭʰitānāṃ sveṣu sveṣu viṣayeṣv ānukūlyataḥ pravr̥ttiḥ kāmaḥ

Of ear-skin-eye-tounge-nose along with self, under the supervision of mind, tendency of attraction towards their own respective favourable objects (sound, touch, form, taste & smell for consumption) is kAma i.e., desire. Of these the enjoyment based on touch is special case. It leads to propogation of the life and race.

1. Atma-samyuktam: without the life force of Atma or Self, the sense organs can’t function
2. manasA adhishtAnam: but, they are always driven by mind based on latent tendencies of what is agreeable (anukUlyata) and what is not!
3. pravRtti — the outgoing nature

So, tendency to enjoy agreeable external objects is the desire. The dharma that guides this tendency of outgoing nature is called pravRtti lakshana dharma described in concluding post of yOga vEdAnta blog.

Do we need a SAstra for kAma which is natural tendency inherent in beings? In case of dharma, it is difficult to decide what is right and what is not. So, a scripture is required. In case of artha, the technique for acquiring and maintaining the wealth/ portfolio is provided by the sAstra. But for something that is very natural and without any training the senses desire their respective objects then what is the purpose of an “Instruction”?

Technique is needed in the case of kAma as well. The very enjoyment of pleasures should be bound within the limits of dharma and artha. One can’t just seek sense enjoyments always. The technique of enjoying in most aesthetic manner without contradicting the other two purushArthas of tri-varga needs a methodical instruction into the subject of kAma i.e, desire.

Moreover, kAma i.e., the fulfilment of desire is the fruit of artha & dharma eventhough it is inferior in importance.

In today’s world, there is lot of perversion, mania and phelia related to desires. With a proper study into kAmasutra all these ills can be treated. Probably the vAtsAyana kAmasUtra is most translated Indian treatise, still this collection gives a philosophical view to the subject.

The lord of desire is manmatha — one who churns the mind. The current year in 60 year cycle is SrI manmatha year. It is a year with 13 months i.e., with an extra AshADha month which is running. Just thought of making few notes on the collection starting this Sukla ashTami.