A BRIEF SKETCH OF PANCHATANTRA OF VISHNUSARMA

 

A BRIEF SKETCH OF PANCHATANTRA OF VISHNUSARMA

                              Dr. Ch. DurgaprasadaRao

India is a land of stories and parables.  The stories such as  Kasimajili, Madanakaama, Shukasaptati, Bhatti Vikramarka, Brihatkathaamanjari  and Panchatantra are some of the worth mentioning works.

    The stories of Panchatantra receive the appreciation of the entire globe. Now Panchatantra is available in every living language of the world. We can say without least hesitation, that there is no language in the world in which Panchatantra is not translated.

There was a kingdom named Mahilaropya in South India. The king named Amarashakti was ruling over the country. He had four sons but unfortunately, they were not wise to rule the country after him.  The king was very much worried about their future. He expressed his problem to his ministers. The ministers, having made a thorough inquiry for a teacher, found at last a person named VishnuSarma and explained the king about him. The king approached him reverently and requested him to teach all the sastras and he promised to pay what ever the amount he demands. Vishnu sarma said that he would not demand even a single pie for teaching, and he insisted that the princess should always be with him and he would teach and make them wise within six months. In case he fails in doing so, he would go for exile. The king admitted his four sons for tutelage.

 

Vishnu Sarma wrote panchantra and taught them. The sons of the king became well versed in all subjects such as Politics, Administration and other social sciences and ultimately became noble princes.

The scheme of Vishnu Sarma’s work:

The work Pancha tantra contains five Tantras:

1.     Mitralabha (Acquisition of friends)

2.     Mitrabheda (separation of friends)

3.     Kaakolukeeya war piece and diplomacy

4.     LabdhapraNaasha (Loss of gains) (what is gained is often lost by folly)

5.     Apareekshita kaaryam ( ILL considered action)

Every tantra has a main story of its own and many other related stories are contextually attached to it. Every story is moral attached. In this way the treatise provides the reader or listener some sort of profound knowledge of human nature and successful theories of politics.