Erotic Love Poems from India: 101 Classics on Desire and Passion

by Andrew Schelling (Translator)

The poets of classical India regarded love as the first and deepest of passions. Translator and scholar Andrew Schelling perfectly encapsulates the history and passion of eighth-century India in this collection.

“A single stanza of the poet Amaru,” declared a ninth-century poetry critic, “may provide the taste of love equal to what’s found in whole volumes.” Graceful and yet remarkably playful, intensely passionate, and at times hinting of divine transcendence, the poems translated here offer poignant glimpses into the many faces of erotic love. This collection, known in Sanskrit as the Amarushataka (“One Hundred Poems of Amaru”), was compiled in the eighth century and remains to this day one of India’s finest collections of love poetry. Legend connects the poetry’s authorship to King Amaru of Kashmir, while present-day scholars generally consider it an anthology of the verses of many poets.

Genres: Poetry, India, Romance

137 pages, Paperback

Published January 15, 2019

About the author

Andrew Schelling is a poet, essayist, and translator of the poetry of India. He has taught at Naropa University for twenty years and from 1993–96 served as chair of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics founded by Alan Ginsburg and Anne Waldman. His publications include Tea Shack Interior and The Wisdom Anthology of North American Buddhist Poetry. He lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whisper one of these poems in the ear of the one you love! If you are looking for something that you can share with your special someone then I would encourage you to take a look at this book. It is often the little things that you share with someone you care about that have the most long lasting effect on how you feel about them.

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually don't like non-love poems (eg cheating, break up) but this was really nice and a magical trip through feelings in old India.

[Swagatam Deva Nath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic erotica translated from Sanskrit to English. Really enjoyed.

[Ashok Krishna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A peek into the unfettered, candid past of love and emotions in India. Will share a detailed review soon.

[Mirabella. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore these poems, I read English love poetry and often it no longer resonates for me, where’s the intensity, eroticism and passion? But this it speaks to me on every level and I’m only a little Indian and Bengali.
I feel like I’ve found what I’ve been searching for my whole life in poetry with these works. I also own his 2004 edition of erotic love poems, I didn’t realise they were both taken from the amarushataka but I didn’t realise I bought exactly the same book but with a different cover. I think maybe a few poems in this edition that weren’t in the 2004 edition. But most of the poems I’ve already read and adored. I may have to give this book to a friend. Still I’m very glad I bought this and will seek out more ancient Indian love poetry. I also have the book ‘great Indian love poems’ by Bloomsbury and I truly cannot recommend that book high enough. I give this book however a full five stars too.

[Navneet Bhushan · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading these English translations of amarushaktha I feel a strong urge to read the original poems in sanskrit. Perhaps need to search a Hindi translation as my sanskrit is not very good.

This translation however has opened up for me this deep work that has an association of sankara as potential author.

Fascinating indeed !

[Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book on my most recent trip around the West. It's a good collection and the poems live up to the title. The fact that they're from India seems irrelevant or unimportant. Needless to say this book would probably be banned in Florida...and maybe in Idaho too, so don't tell anyone I have a copy.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of these poems are about cheating/being cheated on. Personally, not the most erotic thing out there.

[Abhidev H M · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Now anger and vanity come into fruit.
Now love is a vagabond.
Grief will be your only
refuge
through life."

[Emerson John Tiu Ng · Rating 4 out of 5]

just ok

[Pankaj K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though I won't deny the datum that there is loss of poetic energy through translation but ohh dear, here you would be enthralled throughout the reading. A pleasing read.

[Fizza · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection where I got the impression that most, although not all, proses were confessions of sorrow and betrayal eating them away.

[Shaq · Rating 5 out of 5]

GRAHHHH