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
51 (of 60)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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106
joined all the bones properly, the second one filled up the
skeleton with skin, flesh and blood. The third one when was
about to fill in the life into the body, the fourth one came in his
way and asked him not to do so, as the lion would come back to
life and cause harm to them all. But the third person ignored
his words as foolish, and was boastful of his excellence.
Consequently the fourth one ascended the tree nearby. However
the third one filled the life into the body of a lion, as a result the
lion killed him.
Therefore, good sense is better than the knowledge of śāstra.
In a similar manner another story showing the excellence of
good sense is narrated by Svarṇasiddhi to Cakradhara. The
persons though well-versed in Sāstras but ignorant of the ways
of the world would become butt of redicule as in the case of
foolish scholars.5
5. The story of foolish brāhmins :
There were four brāhmins who had completed their course
of education. On the way to their native places, they saw a by-
pass road which made them confused as to which way they
should proceed. At the same time, they saw a crowd going to
funeral field taking a dead body. Therefore, they opened the
5.
अप� शास्त्रेषु कुशल� लोकाचारविवर्जिता� �
�
सर्व� ते हास्यतां यान्ति, यथ� ते मूर्खपण्डिता� �
[api śāstreṣu kuśalā lokācāravivarjitā� |
|
sarve te hāsyatā� yānti, yathā te mūrkhapaṇḍitā� ||
] Pañcatantra, Aparikṣitakāraka, Kathā - 4, verse - 38, p.44.
