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 Minister forms the second important element of the sovereignty. This element may be studied under the following heads. 57. paratsankramayedghoram na ca ghoram pare vadet | titiksetatmanascaiva ksamavan prthivisamah || Arthasastra, V Adhikarana (yogavrttam), IV Adhyaya, verse - 182, p.310.

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140 i. The need of minister. ii. His qualifications. iii. His responsibilities. iv. Their relationship with administration. Before giving the explanation of the need of minister, it is worthy to note that the minister is connoted by the technical terms - amatya, saciva, and mantri. Of these, the latter two are more or less synonyms. Basing on Kautilya's statement that the king "having divided the spheres of their powers and having definitely taken into consideration the place and time where and when they have to work, such persons should be employed, (mantrinah) but as ministerial officers" 58 (amatyah), it can be inferred that the amatyas are, on the whole inferior to mantris. However, there is no wrong to consider all the three categories officers as being of the same-executive importance. i. The need of Ministers Kautilya expresses the need of ministers in the progressive surroundings in which he lived, in the following manner. Sovereignty is possible only with the assistance. A single wheel can never move. Hence king should employ ministers and hear their opinion.59 58. vibhajyamatyavibhavam desakalau ca karma ca | amatyassarva evaite karyasyurna tu mamtrinah || Arthasastra, I Adhikarana, VIII Adhyaya, p.25. 59. sahayasadhyam rajatvam cakramekam na vartate | kurvita sacivan tasmat tesam ca srunuyan matam || Arthasastra, I Adhikarana, VIII Adhyaya, p.22.

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141 The Pancatantra too holds the principle that government should be conducted not only by the will of a solitary person, but with the aid of the councillors whose advice is to be respected by the sovereign. There are many examples in the Pancatantra illustrating that howsoever strong the king could be, he cannot execute the things without the assistance of his subordinates. Knowing this truth of administration, Meghavarna, the king of crows, was requested to call a counsel of ministers, to find out the cause for Arimardana's action could effectively be checked.60 So also, after narrating the fourth story of a serpent, the ministers of Arimardana held a consultation to form the opinion regarding Sthirajivi's retaining in their cave. Many such examples prove that king becomes a successful in his dealings by the support of his assistants. ii. His qualifications Kautilya is very explicit in laying down the qualifications of minister. He writes thus: He should be native, born of high family, influential welltrained in arts, possessed of foresight, wise or strong memory, 60. tasmadekantamasadya karyo mantro mahipate | yena tasya vayam kurmo niyamam karanam tatha || Pancatantra, Kakolukiyam verse - 6, p. 3.

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142 bold, eloquent, skillful, intelligent, possessed of enthusiasm, dignity and endurance, pure in character, affable, firm in loyal devotion, endowed with excellent conduct, strength, health and bravery, free from procrastination and fickle-mindedness, affectionate, and free from such qualities as excite hatred and enmity. These are the qualifications of a ministerial officer. Such as are possessed of one-half or one-quarter of the above qualifications come under middle and low ranks.6 Keeping all these qualities of the minister as the basis, Visnusarma has sketched the characters playing the role of ministers in different contexts of Pancatantra. Although there is invariable concommitance between the minister and the king to run the administration of the kingdom, a powerful king sometimes thinks of himself to be capable enough in the administrative affairs. Yet, the necessity of minister cannot be ignored especially when the king is in adversity. Pointing to this fact, Visnusarma while narrating the story of Pingalaka, elucidates the necessity of the minister. In other words, while Pingalaka came to know the arrival of a strong but unfamiliar animal to the forest, he sought for the help to his minister called Damanaka for the removal of his fear 61. janapado'bhijatah svavagrahah krtasilpascaksusman prajno dharayisnurdakso vagmi pragalbhah pratipattimanutsahaprabhavayuktah klesasahassucirmaitro drdhabhaktissilabalarogyasattvasamyuktah stambhacapalyavarjitassampriyo vairanamakartetyamatyasampat | atah padarghagunahinau madhya mavarau || Arthasastra, I Adhikarana (Vinayadikarana), IX Adhyaya, p.25.

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143 for newly arrived animal. Knowing the adversity of Pingalaka, the minister said the following words: A king does not follow or act up to the advice of his ministers, either through gentility or friendship, until a calamity overtakes him.62 A king perpectually in trouble is to the advantage of ministers, hence ministers desire a king to be in adverse circumstances. 63 This illustration makes it clear, that the responsibilities borne by the minister are really more than a king. In this respect, Kautilya's statement is noteworthy: "The minister should avert the calamities in which the king is involved. Suspecting the fear of the death, the king, the minister should consult with his friends and followers.64 Similarly, another example of Arimardana's falling into the calamities and Raktaksa's efforts to protect his king are in perfect conformity with Kautilya's statement above. 62. na kaulinyanna sauhardannrpo vakye pravartate | mantrinam yavadabhyeti vyasanam sokameva ca || Pancatantra, Mitrabheda, Katha - II, verse - 127, p. 38. 63. sadaivapadugato raja bhogyo bhavati mantrinam | ata eva hi vanchanti mantrinah sapadam nrpam || Pancatantra, Mitrabheda Katha - II, verse - 128, p. 39. 64. rajavyasanamevamamatyah pratikurvita | pragevamaranabadhabhayadrajnah priyahitopagrahena masadvimasantaram darsana sthapayet | Arthasastra, V Adhikarana (Yogavrttam), VI Adhyaya p. 313.

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144 iii. His responsibilities & iv. His relationship with Administration Regarding the calamities of either the king or the minister, Bharadvaja's opinion is found accorded with that of Visnusarma. He says "of the calamities with the king and of his minister, ministerial calamity is more serious. In ministerial distress, the king's life itself comes into danger, for a minister is the main stay of the security of the king's life. Kautilya of course, does not agree to Bharadvaja's opinion. Verily, according to Kautilya it is the king on whom everything depends. 65 . In the third tantra (Kakolukiyam) of the Pancatantra, Raktaksa a minister of king Arimardana is portrayed as a faithful one. He was a true politician. Therefore, when there was a question before Arimardana regarding the provision for Sthirajivi's stay in their cave, it was Raktaksa who cared much for protecting his king from danger. But, Arimardana asked the opinion of Raktaksa who instantly suggested that there was no scope for any other alternative than killing Sthirajivi as the latter was their enemy. Hence, enemy should be killed before he 65. svamyamatyavyasanayoramatyavyasanam gariyah iti | mantro mantraphalavaptih karmanustanamayavyayakarma dandapranayanamamitrata -vipratisedhah rajyaraksanam vyasanapratikarah kumararaksanamabhisekascakumarana mayattamamatyesu | tesam abhave tadabhava - schinnapaksasyeva rajnascestanaso vyasanesu casannah paropajapah | vaigunye ca pranabadhah pranantikacaratvadrajna iti | na iti kautilyah | Arthasastra, VIII Adhikarana (Vyasanadhikarikam), I Adhyaya, pp.396-97.

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145 grew strong. Because he might become invincible within a very short period by obtaining physical strength of his army. In the portrayal of the character of Raktaksa in the Kakolukiya he is found to have possessed of some basic qualities of a devoted minister, i.e. he had a flashing intelligence in narrating moral stories to make Arimardana wakeful. In precise, when Raktaksa was to convince Arimardana, regarding latter's daring action to kill Sthirajivi, he narrated the story of a brahmin called Haridatta, wherein the serpent being beaten by brahmin-son did not let him free but killed and even at the behest of Haridatta squarely rejected his association with himself (serpent) as the former one was considered as enemy. At the end of this story, Raktaksa unhesitatingly concludes that if the Sthirajivi be killed, our kingdom would be free from adversities without any efforts. Raktaksa being faithful minister to Arimardana did not like the opinions of other ministers in favour of Sthirajivi. Raktaksa was knowing the envious traits of Meghavarna. Raktaksa, in this situation, did recollect the past and personal bad experience due to Meghavarna. Raktaksa was always taking strategic actions to kill Meghavarna. 66. hinah satrurnihantavyo yavanna balavanbhavet | praptasvapaurusabalah pascadbhavati durjayah || Pancatantra, Kakolukiyam Katha 4, verse - 130, p. 48.

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146 This is how he was striving hard to protect the life of his king. At this juncture, Kautilya's words may be recollected conveying the nature of a devoted minister of a king. He states that the king shall employ as his minister such a person who proves faithful to him under difficulties fatal to life and is of tried devotion. This very lively example showing Raktaksa's loyal devotion to his king, is well in tune with Kautilya's statement describing the essential good qualities of a minister. His statements include the faculty of "Skillfulness and flashing intellegence from power shown in narrating the stories (Kathayogesu)"67 as one among basic qualities of a minister. In contrast with a good minister, Visnusarma, is very alert in referring to a cruel minister, whom a king should avoid. In the Pingalaka's story, Damanaka thinks that, if Pingalaka were to give the ministership of the kingdom to Sanjivaka due to his close friendship for the latter, then the king would perish.68 67. kathayogesu vagmitvam pragalbhyam pratibhanavatvam ca | Arthasastra, I Adhikarana (Vinayadhikarikam), IX Adhyaya, p. 25 & 26. 68. nirvinnasya padam karoti hrdaye tasya svatantrasprha | svatantryasprhaya tatah sa nrpateh pranesvabhidruhyate | Pancatantra, Mitrabheda, Katha -8, verse - 263, p. 106. vercity

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147 Such feeling to kill his king himself makes home in the egoistic minister. Therefore, egoism for minister is indeed injurious. . After aproaching Sanjivaka, Damanaka said to the former that a minister who unveils the secret of the administration, destroys the activities of the king, and finally leads to the hell. Morever, the minister, who disclose the secret policy of a king, causes the murder without a weapon.69 Further, it is said that due to the influence of ministers who are detrimental to the welfare of the king and kingdom, the subjects will have to suffer; and therefore, those subjects stop serving their king, just as a lake full of crocodiles though having sweet water remains unserved by the people.70

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