PANCHATANTRA

The Panchatantra is a legendary collection of short stories from India. The Panchatantra is a Sanskrit classic, written by Vishnu Sarma around 200 BC. The purpose behind the composition was to implant moral values and governing skills in the young sons of the king. The ancient Sanskrit text boasts of various animal stories in verse and prose.

The Panchatantra is the best guide to enroot moral values in children since its each tale has a moral lesson in its end. The Panchtantra is a great book where plants and animals can speak and converse with human beings too. The etymology of term ‘Panchatantra’ suggests that it is a combination of two words, ‘Pancha’ (five) and ‘Tantra’ (practice/ principle). So, the five principles or practices illustrated by Panchatantra are

‘Mitra Bhedha’ (Loss of Friends),
‘Mitra Laabha’ (Gaining Friends),
‘Suhrudbheda’ (Causing discord between Friends),
‘Vigraha’ (Separation) and
‘Sandhi’ (Union).

Many ages ago in the kingdom of Mahilaropya, there lived a king who was ruling very ideally. He had three sons, who were not intelligent. The king was worried about the heir to the throne, as he knew that his sons were incapable of governing. He was desperate to find a good and knowledgable teacher for his sons who would teach them the scriptures and make them knowledgeable in a short span of time. His minister then pointed towards a skilled pundit, Vishnu sharman. Vishnu sharman was old and the king was worried as to how an old teacher could accomplish this as an intelligent man takes more than twelve years to grasp all the elements of scriptures. Then Vishnu sharman convinced the king that he would teach the princes about kingly conduct through a series of stories, which would be more effective than the scriptures. Thus Vishnu sharman compiled the collection in five volumes termed as Pancha tantra.

Panchatantra are a collection of five volumes of stories written by a guru or teacher to instruct the different aspects of kinghood for princes. The five volumes together serve as a guide for prospective kings, to help him on ruling, to choose fellow friends, fellow ministers, and to have good conduct in daily life etc. These collection of stories in Pancha tantra are a real boon for parents to help them guide their children towards values in human life. All stories of Pancha tantra are accompanied by a moral.