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 1 - A survey of the Niti-Katha-Sahitya
28 (of 28)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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28
types of human weakness. There is for example, the story of the
goblin and the weaver. The goblin offers to give the weaver
anything he wants. The weaver hurries home and consults first
the barbar and then his own wife. The barber tells him to ask
for kingdom, but his wife says that would involve a lot of
trouble. Instead, he should ask for a second pair of arms and a
second head, for then he would be able to double his weaving.
The weaver follows his wife's advice and the goblin grants his
wish. On the way home, however, the weaver is mistaken for a
friend and killed by the villagers.
Thus ends the Pa帽catantra, all five books of which are
interspersed with verses containing maxims, which deal with
moral, religious, philosophical, and political ideas and also with
general codes of conduct.
