CHAPTER III. 

ON KISSING. 

It is said by some that there is no fixed time or order between the 

embrace, the kiss, and the pressing or scratching with the nails or 

fingers, but that all these things should be done generally before 

sexual union takes place, while striking and making the various sounds 

generally takes place at the time of the union. Vatsyayana, however, 

thinks that anything may take place at any time, for love does not care 

for time or order. 

On the occasion of the first congress, kissing and the other things 

mentioned above should be done moderately, they should not be continued 

for a long time, and should be done alternately. On subsequent 

occasions, however, the reverse of all this may take place, and 

moderation will not be necessary, they may continue for a long time, and 

for the purpose of kindling love, they may be all done at the same time. 

The following are the places for kissing, viz., the forehead, the eyes, 

the cheeks, the throat, the bosom, the breasts, the lips, and the 

interior of the mouth. Moreover, the people of the Lat country kiss also 

on the following places, viz., the joints of the thighs, the arms, and 

the navel. But Vatsyayana thinks that though kissing is practised by 

these people in the above places on account of the intensity of their 

love, and the customs of their country, it is not fit to be practised by 

all. 

Now in a case of a young girl there are three sort of kisses, viz.: 

The nominal kiss. 

The throbbing kiss. 

The touching kiss. 

(1). When a girl only touches the mouth of her lover with her own, but 

does not herself do anything, it is called the "nominal kiss." 

(2). When a girl, setting aside her bashfulness a little, wishes to 

touch the lip that is pressed into her mouth, and with that object 

moves her lower lip, but not the upper one, it is called the "throbbing 

kiss." 

(3). When a girl touches her lover's lip with her tongue, and having 

shut her eyes, places her hands on those of her lover, it is called the 

"touching kiss." 

Other authors describe four other kinds of kisses, viz.: 

The straight kiss. 

The bent kiss. 

The turned kiss. 

The pressed kiss. 

(1). When the lips of two lovers are brought into direct contact with 

each other, it is called a "straight kiss." 

(2). When the heads of two lovers are bent towards each other, and when 

so bent kissing takes place, it is called a "bent kiss." 

(3). When one of them turns up the face of the other by holding the head