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 4 - Arthashastra and Panchatantra—a comparison
9 (of 84)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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defects, condemnation of his opponent; failure to acknowledge
his good deeds, enumeration of his bad deeds; attention to
whoever enter into the chamer; too much gift, uttering
falsehood, change in the conduct and attitude of visitors to the
king; nay, the courtier shall also note the change in the life of
animals other than men.
i. Duties of the King
In the Mitrabheda, Viṣṇuśarmā presents in detail the
duties of a king while narrating the story of Bhāsuraka and a
rabbit. When Bhāsuraka the lion-king was drastic in killing the
animal-subjects to fetch his hunger, a clever rabbit approached
the king and awakened him with credible words regarding the
duties of a king. "A king should not seek to enrich treasury all
at once but should draw as much money from his subjects, as he
can do with safety and that too by gentle means.
11. प्रज्ञादर्शन� प्रसीदत� � वाक्यं प्रतिगृह्णात� � आसनं ददात� � विवेको दर्शयत� � शङ्कास्थान� नातिशङ्कते � कथायां
रमते � परिज्ञाप्येष्ववेक्षत� � पथ्यमुक्तं सहते � स्मयमानो नियुङ्क्ते � हस्तेन स्पृशत� � श्लाघ्ये नोपहसत� �
परोक्ष� गुणं ब्रवीति � भक्ष्येष� स्मरति � सह विहारं याति � व्यसनेऽभ्यवपद्यत� � तद्भक्तीन् पूजयति �
गुह्यमाचष्टे � मानं वर्धयत� � अर्थ� करोत� � अनर्थं प्रतिहन्ति - इत� तुष्टज्ञानम् �
[prajñādarśane prasīdati | vākya� pratigṛhṇāti | āsana� dadāti | viveko darśayate | śaṅkāsthāne nātiśaṅkate | kathāyā�
ramate | parijñāpyeṣvavekṣate | pathyamukta� sahate | smayamāno niyuṅkte | hastena spṛśati | ślāghye nopahasati ||
parokṣa� guṇa� bravīti | bhakṣyeṣu smarati | saha vihāra� yāti | vyasane'bhyavapadyate | tadbhaktīn pūjayati |
guhyamācaṣṭe | māna� vardhayati | artha� karoti | anartha� pratihanti - iti tuṣṭajñānam ||
] 1 1
एतदे� विपरी� मतुष्टस्� � भूयश्च वक्ष्याम� - सन्दर्शन� कोपः, वाक्यस्यश्रवणप्रतिपेधौ, आसनचक्षुषोरदान�,
वर्णस्वरभेदः, एकाक्षिभ्रकुट्योष्ठनिर्भेद�, स्वदेश्वासस्मितानामसथानोत्पत्तिः, परिमन्त्रण�, अकस्माद्व्रजनं, वर्धनं
अन्यस्�, भूमिगात्रविलेपनं, अन्यस्योपतोदनं, विद्यावर्णदशकुत्सा, समदोषनिन्द�, प्रतिदोषनिन्दा, प्रतिलोमस्तव�,
सुकृतनपेक्षण�, दुष्कृतानुकीर्तन�, प्रविष्टावधानः, अतित्याग�, मिथ्यामिभाषण�, राजदर्शिना� � तद्वृत्तान्यत्वं,
वृत्तिविकारं, चावेक्षेताप्यमानुषाणाम� �
[etadeva viparīta matuṣṭasya | bhūyaśca vakṣyāma� - sandarśane kopa�, vākyasyaśravaṇapratipedhau, āsanacakṣuṣoradāna�,
varṇasvarabheda�, ekākṣibhrakuṭyoṣṭhanirbheda�, svadeśvāsasmitānāmasathānotpatti�, parimantraṇa�, akasmādvrajana�, vardhana�
anyasya, bhūmigātravilepana�, anyasyopatodana�, vidyāvarṇadaśakutsā, samadoṣanindā, pratidoṣanindā, pratilomastava�,
sukṛtanapekṣaṇa�, duṣkṛtānukīrtana�, praviṣṭāvadhāna�, atityāga�, mithyāmibhāṣaṇa�, rājadarśinā� ca tadvṛttānyatva�,
vṛttivikāra�, cāvekṣetāpyamānuṣāṇām |
] 12. शनैः शनैश्च यो राज्यमुपभुङ्क्ते यथाबलम� �
रसायनमिव प्राज्ञः � पुष्टि� परमा� व्रजेत� �
[śanai� śanaiśca yo rājyamupabhuṅkte yathābalam |
rasāyanamiva prājña� sa puṣṭi� paramā� vrajet ||
] Pañcatantra, Mitrabheda, Kathā-VIII, verse 238, p.98
