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
20 (of 60)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
75
excess greed becomes destitute knowledge of descrimination
and makes him blind to see the things in proper manner.4
3. The story of hunter :
The story of a hunter strengthens the idea that one should
not be overpowered by excess greed. If otherwise such greed will
make the person perish in no time. Therefore the greedy animal
jackal being dis-satisfied with what it gets to eat, goes on
accumalating the dead bodies of a hunter and a pig. But it
perishes by itself being hit at its mouth by the sharp round edge
of the bow, while it starts eating the string of sinews tied to the
end of the bow. On the advice of brāhmin, his wife gives up
excess desire for wealth.
Hiranyaka further says that he was beaten by Tāmracūḍ�
but some how he could save his life though his money was
snatched by Tāmracūḍ�. Having such bitter experience due to
the accumalation of wealth, Hiranyaka states that "Indeed a
person obtains the thing he destined to get, even god is not able
to prevent it from being so obtained. That is why he does not
mourn his lot nor is he amazed at it. What is ours cannot belong
to others ? 5
4.
अतितृष्ण� � कर्तव्या तृष्णा� नै� परित्यजेत् �
अतितृष्णाभिभूतस्� शिखा भवति मस्तके �
[atitṛṣṇ� na kartavyā tṛṣṇāṃ naiva parityajet |
atitṛṣṇābhibhūtasya śikhā bhavati mastake ||
] Pañcatantra, Mitrasamprapti, Kathā - 2, verse - 80, p.31.
5.
प्राप्तव्यमर्थ लभते मनुष्य� देवोऽप� तं लङ्घयितु� � शक्त� �
तस्मान्न शोचामि � विस्मय� मे यदमस्मदीयं � हि तत्परेषाम् �
[prāptavyamartha labhate manuṣyo devo'pi ta� laṅghayitu� na śakta� |
tasmānna śocāmi na vismayo me yadamasmadīya� na hi tatpareṣām ||
] Pañcatantra, Mitrasamprati, Kathā - 3, verse - 111, p.42.
