T H E   K A M A   S U T R A   O F   V A T S A Y A Y A N A
O N   T H E   C O N D U C T    O F   T H E   E L D E R   W I F E
T O W A R D S   T H E   O T H E R   W I V E S   O F   H E R   H U S B A N D,
A N D   O N   T H A T   O F   A   Y O U N G E R   W I F E
T O W A R D S   T H E   E L D E R   O N E S

The causes of re-marrying during the lifetime of the wife are as follows:
1. The folly or ill-temper of the wife
2. Her husband's dislike to her
3. The want of offspring
4. The continual birth of daughters
5. The incontinence of the husband

From the very beginning, a wife should endeavour to attract the heart of her husband, by showing to him continually her devotion, her good temper, and her wisdom.

If however she bears him no children, she should herself toilette her husband to marry another woman. And when the second wife is married, and brought to the house, the first wife should give her a position superior to her own, and look upon her as a sister.

In the morning the elder wife should forcibly make the younger one decorate herself in the presence of their husband, and should not mind all the husband's favour being given to her.

If the younger wife does anything to displease her husband the elder one should not neglect her, but should always be ready to give her most careful advice, and should teach her to do various things in the presence of her husband.

Her children she should treat as her own, her attendants she should look upon with more regard, even than on her own servants, her friends she should cherish with love and kindness, and her relations with great honour.

When there are many other wives besides herself, the elder wife should associate with the one who is immediately next to her in rank and age, and should instigate the wife who has recently enjoyed her husband's favour to quarrel with the present favourite.

After this she should sympathize with the former, and having collected all the other wives together, should get them to denounce the favourite as a scheming and wicked woman, without however committing herself in any way.

If the favourite wife happens to quarrel with the husband, then the elder wife should take her part and give her false encouragement, and thus cause the quarrel to be increased.

If there be only a little quarrel between the two, the elder wife should do all she can to work it up into a large quarrel.

But if after all this she finds the husband still continues to love his favourite wife she should then change her tactics, and endeavour to bring about a conciliation between them, so as to avoid her husband's displeasure.

Thus ends the conduct of the elder wife.

The younger wife should regard the elder wife of her husband as her mother, and should not give anything away, even to her own relations, without her knowledge.

She should tell her everything about herself, and not approach her husband without her permission. Whatever is told to her by the elder wife she should not reveal to others, and she should take care of the children of the senior even more than of her own.

When alone with her husband she should serve him well, but should not tell him of the pain she suffers from the existence of a rival wife.

She may also obtain secretly from her husband some marks of his particular regard for her, and may tell him that she lives only for him, and for the regard that he has for her.

She should never reveal her love for her husband, nor her husband's love for her to any person, either in pride or in anger, for a wife that reveals the secrets of her husband is despised by him.

As for seeking to obtain the regard of her husband, Gonardiya says, that it should always be done in private, for fear of the elder wife.

If the elder wife be disliked by her husband, or be childless, she should sympathize with her, and should ask her husband to do the same, but should surpass her in leading the life of a chaste woman.

Thus ends the conduct of the younger wife towards the elder.