Panchatantra: A reflex of Arthashastra

by M. N. Indrani | 2003 | 42,495 words

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 promoting ethical conduct and worldly wisdom through tale...

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The foregoing study of Visnusarma's Pancatantra with special reference to the Kautilya's Arthasastra leads to state that the Pancatantra has occupied the place of honour in the world literature. It is something more than a mere didactic work. It is a first-rate work dealing with important concepts of the science of polity. This work is popular by its exalted theme, elegant style of illustrations and majesty of political thoughts. The portrayal of the life and accomplishment of different characters in the Pancatantra are verily ideal to the mankind. Therefore, the Pancatantra has gained world-wide popularity with its inherent subtleties set in the cultural and political setting for the fulfilment of human life. In identifying the place and importance of the Pancatantra in the world literature, one has to have the survey of the NitiKatha-Sahitya in Sanskrit literature. Therefore, the first chapter of the thesis surveys the origin and scope of the Niti-Katha-Sahitya from Vedic period to classical period. It remarks that the study of the Indian fable

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201 literature gives an apprehension that it is spread over into two streams i.e. 1) stories of educative values, and 2) stories of entertainment or recreation. And, the main characteristic feature of the fable literature in sanskrit is to highlight the importance of the science of polity and the science of ethics. Vedic references to as many as twenty-eight narratives show the richness of narrative type of literature. As far as the subject-matter of Niti-Katha-Sahitya in the post-Vedic period is concerned, many narratives from the Upanisads show that the development of Katha-Sahitya had reached its climax in giving instructions to disciples for their cultural and transcendental upliftment. Moreover, the Niti-Katha-Sahitya in the classical period has enjoyed a wide-ranged popularity, as it boosts up one's mental, cultural disciplines with the knowledge of ethics and polity. The works like Simhasanadvatrimsika, Vetalapancavimsati, Lalithavistara, Brhatkatha, Kalicacaryakatha etc. have been appended to ethical and cultural precepts. It is taken for consideration that Tantrakhyana or Tantrakhyayika is a form of the Pancatantra, manuscripts of which belonging to Kashmir and is itself in two sub-recensions, in one of which there are more verses and more prose. According to Hertel "It is the only version which contains the unabbreviated and not intentionally altered language of the author, which no other Indian Pancatantra version has preserved, while the Pahlavi translation disorts it by numerous misunderstandings.

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202 A researcher of Indian fable literature would unhesitatingly state that the Pancatantra is undisputedly the most important work which has many recensions. Benfey had already admitted that the Pahlavi translation stood closer to the original recension of the Pancatantra, the "Primary work" than the only Sanskrit text known in his time. However, he has gone too far when trying to derive from it his conclusions with regard to original volume of the "Primary work." With regard to South Indian recension of the Pancatantra, it is stated thus: "The South Indian Pancatantra" too presents a very much enlarged Sanskrit text. In this text, many stories, taken from different recensions of the Pancatantra and prepared from. Tamil sources as well, have been recently added. Most of the lately added stories are tales that have had their original in popular literature.2 Having identified rare and indirect references to Budhistic teachings in any of the recensions of the Pancatantra, it may be said "If not actually a Buddhistic work the Pancatantra must be derived from Buddhistic sources. This follows from the fact that a number of its fables can be traced to Buddhistic writings and 1. Krishnamachariar M., A History of Classical Sanskrit Literature, p.333. nh nsb 2. Krishnamachariar M., History of Classical Literature, p. 325.

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203 from the internal evidence of the book itself.3 But, on the basis of the readings in the extant Pancatantra, one does not hesitate to write that the way of life taught in the Pancatantra is undoubtedly Brahminic. A perusal of the Pancatantra makes it explicit that the Brahminic supremacy and ethico-political stand points in the text are quite different from that of Buddhism. In understanding the importance of Pancatantra, in its ethico-political perspective, it is very necessary to read the Pancatantra in comparison with Kautilya's Arthasastra which is a great monumental work on the Science of Indian-Polity. The whole of the Pancatantra is in close resemblance with Kautilya's statement "The subsistence of mankind is termed artha, wealth; the earth contains mankind is termed Artha, wealth; and that Sastra or science which treats of the means of acquiring and maintaining the earth is the Arthasastra, Science of Polity" (Adhikarana XV). Therefore, a separate chapter i.e., Second is added here in the thesis dealing with the Nature and contents of Kautilya's Arthasastra in brief. In this respect, the thirty-two technical divisions called Yuktis forming fifteenth Adhikarana of the Arthasastra have been explained here with illustration. With the help of the knowledge of these Yuktis, one can easily set on 3. A Macdonell: A History of Sanskrit Literature p. 313

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204 one's foot righteous, economical acts and also put down unrighteous, uneconomical and displeasing acts. This is what exactly the ethical and political code of conduct highlighted in the Pancatantra. Besides, the second chapter gives a summary of the Arthasastra of Kautilya of all the Adhikaranas in the order of their sequence to know the main threads of Kautilya's text. With a view to knowing the Pancatantra in its flow of the narration of the stories in the respective tantras, the third chapter presents in clear terms, the contents of the text in accordance with different tantras. The reading of this chapter though adds no research element, takes the mind of a reader in a pleasant atmosphere creating an enthusiasm to peep into realm of ethico-political elements of the Pancatantra. Therefore the third chapter entitled as "contents of the Pancatantra" holds good in the work. The fourth chapter "Pancatantra and Arthasastra A Comparison" provides a comparative and analytical study of the Pancatantra. In order to appraise the Pancatantra in its ethico-political perspective, invariably one has to read the Arthasastra between the lines of Pancatantra. In course of following this method of study of the Pancatantra, one has to have an introspection of Visnusarma's ideology as a whole. As it has been stated by Visnusarma himself in his text, that the Pancatantra has its central theme to show the importance of the knowledge of Science of Polity for the kings to establish the

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205 welfare of the country. This very statement of Visnusarma implies that the narratives and the general statements in the text have the reflection of the Arthasastra. It has been a fact that a kingdom remains flourishing by the collective efforts of all administrative officials in the royal assembly. After taking a close reading of the Pancatantra, a researcher can classify the elements of the Science of Polity under two heads : 1) Sources of sovereignty 2) Adoption of six-fold policy. No doubt, these two sections with all their details have fullfledged conformity with Kautilya's Arthasastra. Therefore, the chapters on Prakrti-Sampat (sources of sovereignty) and on Sadgunya - Sampat (adoption of six-fold policy) in the Arthasastra have been fully utilised to study the Pancatantra in its political perspective. The Prakrti-Sampat includes seven elements of the sovereignty. They are Svami - the king, Amatya, the minister, Janapada - the country, Durga - the fort, Kosa - the treasury, Danda the army and Mitra the friend. The relative importance of these elements in comparison with the Pancatantra brings out how the latter one is imbedded with various disciplines of the science of polity. :

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206 Among the classified elements, the king leads thereby to show that the kingship is indissolubly bound up with that of sovereignty. Of course, there is nothing in the Arthasastra to suggest that Kautilya ever considers from king as a good on earth. On the other hand, Visnusarma regards the king as god for one reason that none should deal with him treacherously; and going a step ahead, he is considered more than god for another reason that he can bestow the fruits good or bad in no time in this life-time itself, while the god in the next birth only. Upholding Kautilya's principle of king's protection of subjects conducing to their glory, Visnusarma makes significant presentation of the duties of the king through the narration of the story of Bhasuraka and the rabbit. In this connection, Visnusarma's statement is noteworthy. "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." (Mitrabheda, Katha - VIII, verse - 238). On the other hand, a king of unrighteous characters falls a prey to his enemies or to his own subjects. This point is well illustrated by Visnusarma in many contexts. Thus Visnusarma reveals that the king's ruling over the country should ever be beneficial to subjects. The association of a king with his personal servants is one of the important factors leading to smooth running of the

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207 administration. Therefore, Visnusarma states in awakening words that, without acknowledging the innate capacity of the servants, they should not be appointed. If otherwise, that king will have to face the consequences thereof. The duties of the servant of a king have been well delineated in detail to mark servant's importance in the affairs of the assembly. So also, the minister being the second important element of the sovereignty, is pen-pictured in distinguishing disciplines by Visnusarma. In the thesis, the aspect of minister is explained under four heads. Such as 1) The need of minister 2) His qualifications 3) His responsibilities 4) His relationship with administration. The Pancatantra is emphatic in holding the principle that the government should be run not only by the will of the king but also with the aid of councillors. This statement unfolds the secrecy of Kautilya's statement "A single wheel can never move". The responsibilities of the minister and his relationship with the administration becomes crystal clear in the Kakolukiyam and Visnusarma's ideals in this discipline stand in perfect similitude with those of Kautilya. Other elements of sovereignty such as fort, treasury, friend have been found in full conformity with those of Kautilya. In this way, the sources of sovereignty as highlighted in the Pancatantra are clear reflections of Kautilya's considerations.

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208 In the same spirit, an elucidation of adoption of six-fold policy as shown by Kautilya, may be acknowledged with interesting illustration from the Pancatantra. The Kakolukiyam of the Pancatantra may be said as full representation of all six-policies such as 1) Sandhi, 2) Vigraha, 3) Asana, 4) Yana, 5) Samsraya and 6) Dvaidibhava. One may get surprised to see a perfect resemblance of Visnusarma's ideals with those of Kautilya. Here, Visnusarma invests the disciplines of six-policies into the opinions given by Meghavarna's ministers. He called a counsel of ministers to form the opinion regarding Arimardana's destruction. At that time the ministers of Meghavarna gave their opinions one after the other level Arimardana. Besides, some miscellaneous points regarding the disciplines of the punishment, reception to the guest, occupation of one's property have been taken for discussion in the thesis, though not coming under either Prakrti Sampat or Sadgunya Sampat, yet are the vital points coming under the welfare of the kingdom. Such disciplines thereof have to be well maintained by a king wishing to establish his sovereignty. No doubt, Visnusarma holds required importance to the wealth for the maintainance of one's life. But, at the same time does not give prime importance to the wealth as it is transitory. In other words he gives utter importance to charity, self-respect University Libr

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209 etc. which are regarded on par with the wealth. Thus one finds Visnusarma distinguished from Kautilya in upholding the principle that 'wealth is primary'. The above considerations of Visnusarma's principles of administration no doubt add the cumilative evidence of the Arthasastra. The king's maintainance of peace and happiness among his subjects and his efforts to protect the kingdom against the national calamities are vital aspects of the Science of Polity. The study of Visnusarma's political disciplines affirms that the king is the only aggregate of the people in the sense "When the king is well off, by his welfare and prosperity he pleases his subjects; of what kind the king's character, is of the same kind will be the character of his subjects; for their progress or downfall, the subjects depends upon the king." Therefore, Visnusarma makes a point that the king symbolises sovereignty, and of the kingdom as connoting territory, both of them forming the two most important elements. The most conclusive proof that the Pancatantra is not a work embodying mere theory but is one which is meant as a practical guide on state craft. Thus Visnusarma's concept of Science of Polity can be said to have two aspects - The practical and doctrinal. Both the aspects are nothing but a faithful reflections of the principles on the same topic as enunciated in the Arthasastra.

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210 The comparative study of the principles of Indian Polity promulgated in the Pancatantra of Visnusarma and the Arthasastra of Kautilya proves that the great minister of king Amarasakti is a realist, whose a realist, whose one great object is the concentration of all power of the king in the state with a view to achieving the social upliftment to the maximum extent. In fine, Visnusarma with his historic vision and political depth and cultural presentation has forged the Pancatantra into an exquisite work of science of polity.

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