Much more than just erotic advice, this is a revelation of the social mores and customs of the ancient world and the daily lives of men and women in India, their views of intimacy, love and communication between the sexes -- all filtered through the British Victorian worldview and commentary of the translators. Instructions are given for wives, husbands, lovers, in-laws, courtesans, eunuchs, harems, go-betweens, matchmaking and breakups, compatibility, personal hygiene, and even recipes for potions to increase genital size and pleasure.

This edition strives to preserve the quaint charm of the original translation (1883), including uncommon spellings, and includes fifty-eight explicit classic interior illustrations.

Translated from the Sanskrit by Richard Burton, Bhagavanlal Indrajit, and Shivaram Parashuram Bhide.