Panchatantra / पञ्चतन्त्र

One important element of the rich Samskrita Literature is the पञ्चतन्त्र / Panchatantra. Attributed to be written by one Vishnu Sharma, it is a collection of animal fables in poetry and prose. Historians date it to around 200 BCE but consider the stories to be even more ancient. It uses stories featuring animals to teach young princes moral lessons and practical wisdom.

The Panchatantra is spread over 5 volumes and hence the name "pancha" + "tantra" or 5 Principles. These 5 volumes are –

1. मित्रभेद / Mitra-bheda: Separation of Friends

2. मित्रलाभ / मित्र संप्राप्ति Mitra-laabha or Mitra-sampraapti: Obtaining Friends

3. काकोलूकीय / Kaakolookeeya: About Crows and Owls (reference to War and Peace)

4. लब्धप्रणाश / Labdhapraṇaasha: Loss Of Possession

5. अपरिक्षितकारक / Aparīkshitakaaraka: Consequences of Brash Actions

Some of the famous stories are the lion and the mouse, the brahmin wife and the mongoose, the monkey and the crocodile. If you haven’t heard any of these from your grandparents or parents while growing up, do check the links at the end of today’s blog!

One of the famous subhashitam from the Panchatantram goes thus –

उद्यमेन हि सिध्यन्ति कार्याणि न मनोरथैः। न हि सुप्तस्य सिंहस्य प्रविशन्ति मुखे मृगाः।।

It means –

उद्यमेन हि सिध्यन्तिकार्याणि - tasks are done through industriousness;

न मनोरथैः - not by dreaming about it

न हि सुप्तस्यसिंहस्य प्रविशन्तिमुखे मृगाः – animals do not enter the mouth of a sleeping lion (on their own)!!

Featured in the मित्रसंप्राप्ति / Mita-Samprapti volume, this subhashitam is worth committing to memory.

It prods one to work hard to achieve one’s goals.

Using a sleeping lion as an example, a lion who's the king of the jungle and hence mighty and powerful, it urges us to not build castles in the air! Imagination will not move mountains! You must get down to work, toil and then success will be yours for sure.

Another nice subhashitam from the Panchatantra is -

स्वभावो नोपदेशेन शक्यते कर्तुमन्यथा। सुतप्तमपि पानीयं पुनर्गच्छति शीतताम्॥

This subhashitam from Mitra-Bheda Volume means -

स्वभावः न उपदेशेन शक्यते कर्तुं अन्यथा $ - It is difficult to change one’s nature by advice

सुतप्तम् अपि पानीयं $ - even intensely boiled water

पुनः गच्छति शीतताम् $ - becomes cold again

The तात्पर्य / gist of this subhashitam is that it is very difficult to change any one’s intrinsic nature by counselling or advising that person. Even if you boil water for a lot of time, after some time it will become cold again.

Many a times, we get agitated by someone’s behaviour. We try to counsel that friend as to what we feel is right but then he/she goes back to the same erring ways. This subhashitam uses the analogy of water beautifully to convey that one should not expect a change in what has become an intrinsic nature of a person. For example, a liar will always keep on lying. Just like even if we boil water for hours and make it very very hot, after the passage of time, it is eventually going to get cold again.

We should not waste our breath on trying to change that person. Accept the person as he is, understand she will behave as per her nature and move on. This will help us not to get disappointed or get fooled every time a person behaves in a certain way.

Many more lovely subhashitams come to my mind which convey the similar essence with different analogies and that’s the richness of the Samskrita language, the proficiency of the many authors who contributed to it and our forefathers who preserved it through the generations.

The Panchatantra has been translated in numerous languages of the world. Do grab a copy and read through this small digest of practical wisdom. Am sure you will find it entertaining as well as knowledgeable.

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$ संधि-विग्रहः / Sandhi Vigraha - Two words joined in shloka have been separated.

The lion and the mouse - https://radiopublic.com/baalgatha-classic-stories-for-chi-8QN5Oz/s1!30f88

Brahmin’s wife and the mongoose - https://www.vedantu.com/stories/brahmans-wife-and-the-mungoose

The monkey and the crocodile - https://www.tell-a-tale.com/panchatantra-monkey-crocodile/