Essay name: Panchatantra: A reflex of Arthashastra
Author:
M. N. Indrani
Affiliation: Karnatak University / Department of Sanskrit
The essay studies the Panchatantra in relation to the Arthashastra by proposing that that Indian fable literature divides into educative and entertaining narratives, both traced back to the sacred Vedic texts. It highlights the 'Pancatantra' and its kin as representative of educative stories.
Chapter 3 - Contents of the Panchatantra
32 (of 60)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
87
to be her husband. Thus, it is proved that each living being
under any guise does not give up its primary taste, attaches to
its own-catagory. Despite of Raktākṣa's efforts to avoid
Sthirajīvi, owl-ministers including Arimardana brings Sthirajīvi
into their cave and gives him the place near by its main door as
per the will of Sthirajīvi. In course of time, once on seeing
Sthirajīvi growing robust, Raktākṣa thinks of danger which
would befall them all. Unhesitatingly, Raktākṣa speaks out the
words that these ministers as well as the king too are verily
fools, as they have given more scope to Sthirajīvi to grow
robust. In order to illustrate the occurances in the world of
fools. Raktākṣa quotes a story of a bird Sindhuka.
13. The story of a bird Sindhuka :
This story describes that a bird living in a tree on the hilly
region has a peculiar nature of getting its excrement
transformed into gold. Once, inspite of his awareness, that bird
gets cought into the net of an hunter. Knowing its peculiar
nature, that hunter hands over that bird to the king. Further,
that king though having perceptual knowledge of bird's peculiar
nature, is made unbelievable by his minister. As a result, the
bird flys away saying that the king, the minister, the fowler and
myself - all are fools.12
12. पूर्वं तावदहं मूर्खो द्वितीयः पाशबन्धक� �
[pūrva� tāvadaha� mūrkho dvitīya� pāśabandhaka� |
] �
तत� राजा � मन्त्री � सर्व� वै मूर्खमण्डलम् ||
[tato rājā ca mantrī ca sarve vai mūrkhamaṇḍalam ||
] Pañcatantra, Kākolukiya�, Kathā -12, verse - 216, p. 86.
