The Mahābhārata is full of surprises. The more I read the book, more surprises it unfurls. I shall keep myself from commenting on their understanding on various subjects, but the breadth of their discussions is commendable.
We strive for an open-minded conversation. There are words such as sex and periods that we get uncomfortable using in our language. One cannot expect an honest conversation about any matter if whispering some words makes us uncomfortable. We quote our Epics in so many instances when it is for our convenience, but somehow skip over the hush hush talks on which these books have elaborated nonetheless.
“Whether men or women have greater enjoyment in a sexual intercourse.”
It is quite unimaginable for me to ask this question from my grandfather even in a seemingly progressive society, where exchange of ideas and thoughts are given an apparent importance. But time travel to the times of Mahābhārata and it is possible!
In the 13th chapter of The Mahābhārata, titled Instructions, Yudhiṣṭhira receives instructions from Bhīṣma on various matters. One of those matters being the question above in bold letters. Yudhiṣṭhira is Bhīṣma’s grandson and is soon to take control of a large kingdom. He receives instructions on how to be a good king in an interaction with Bhīṣma, while Bhīṣma is lying on the bed of arrows that had pierced him during a war.
“Yudhiṣṭhira asks whether men or women have greater enjoyment in sexual intercourse. In reply, Bhīṣma cites the story of the enmity between King Bhangashvana and Indra. Desiring offspring, Bhangashvana performed the Agnistut sacrifice, which Indra hates, and from then on, Indra looked for weak spots in Bhangashvana. Seeing his opportunity, when the king went hunting alone on horseback, he caused him to fall into stupor and Bhangashvana wandered in the forest, lost and thirsty. Seeing a beautiful pool, he watered his horse and bathed; the waters turned him into a woman. Mounting his horse with difficulty, he returned home and explained what had happened. He told the hundred sons he gained through Agnistut to share the kingdom in amity; then he retired to the forest. There, as a woman, he bore a hundred sons to an ascetic and took them to join the earlier sons; all the brothers enjoyed the kingdom together. Furious that he seemed to have achieved good rather than harm for Bhangashvana, Indra sowed dissension among the brothers until they fought and killed one another. Then he visited the lamenting Bhangashvana and explained the reason for what had befallen him. Bhangashvana pleaded for forgiveness, and Indra, pleased, granted him boon: one of his two sets of sons would return to life. To Indra’s surprise, Bhangashvana chose the sons he had borne as a woman, explaining that women are more loving than men. Indra now told him to choose whether to remain a woman or to become a man once more, and he chose to be a woman, because women have the greater pleasure in sexual intercourse.”
— Mahabharata (abridged), translated by John D. Smith
Some studies do indicate that women enjoy sex more than men. The reasons provided are that women have multiple orgasms while men can not. Also, the degree of sensations varies in men and women. A stimulus given to both men and women would excite relatively more sensations in women. I cannot claim to be an expert in the subject and this piece of information is restricted to the few articles I could access.
It is an unfortunate turn of events. Knowledge thrives when people discuss things. There should be no embarrassment in discussing these things with others to better our understanding. Vulgar intentions aside, discussions with an intention to understand and gain knowledge are important. It would appear that not every aspect of our society has been progressive. In some aspects, there has been deterioration of ideas and thoughts.