Sitting Positions

Seated, mouth to mouth,
arms against arms, thighs against thighs:
this is "Kaurma" The Tortoise.
If the lovers' thighs, still joined, are raised,
it is "Paravartita" (Turning).

If within the cave of her thighs
you sit rotating your hips like a black bee,
it is "Markata" (The Monkey).
And if, in this pose, you turn away from her,
it is "Marditaka" (Crushing Spices).

She sits with raised thighs,
her feet placed either side of your waist;
"linga" (penis) enters "yoni" (vagina);
you rain hard blows upon her body:
this is "Kshudgaga" (Striking).

When your wife sits
with both knees drawn tight to her body
and you mirror this posture,
it is known to experts in the art of love
as "Yugmapada" (The Foot Yoke).

Seated erect, the lovely girl
folds one leg to her body
and stretches the other along the bed,
while you mirror her actions:
this is "Yugmapada" (The Feet Yoke).

If, with left leg extended,
she encircles your waist with her right leg,
laying its ankle across her left thigh,
and you do the same,
it is "Svastika" (The Swastika)*.

*The Swastika is an ancient good-luck talisman based on the symbolism of a cross whirling sun-wise.
The Nazis used it the wrong way round. The Indian pundits always said this was sacrilegious and would doom them.

Sitting face to face in bed,
her breasts pressed tight against your chest,
let each of you lock heels
behind the other's waist,
and lean back clasping one another's wrists.

Now, set the swing gently in motion,
your beloved, in pretended fear,
clinging to your body with her flawless limbs,
cooing and moaning with pleasure:
this is "Dolita" (The Swing).

If, seated face to face,
your toes caress the lovely woman's nipples,
her feet press your chest
and you make love holding each other's hands
it is "Kaurma" (The Tortoise).

Seated, the lady raises
one foot to point vertically over her head
and steadies it with her hands,
offering up her "yoni" for lovemaking:
this is "Mayura" (The Peacock).

If, sitting facing her,
you grasp her ankles and fasten them like a chain
behind your neck, and she
grips her toes as you make love,
it is the delightful "Padma" (The Lotus).

Sitting erect, grip your lover's waist
and pull her on to you,
your loins continuously leaping together
with a sound like the flapping of elephants' ears:
this is "Kirtibandha" (The Knot of Fame).

Kneeling between her thighs,
tickle her breasts and under her arms,
call her 'my lovely darling'
and print deep nailmarks around her nipples:
thus "Jaya" (Victory) is expounded.