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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Kosa or treasury is the fifth important element of the sovereignty. In the Mandalayoni Adhikarana, he just gives the nature of Kosa as below. "Justly obtained either by inheritance or by self-acquisition, rich in gold and silver filled with an abundance of big gems of various colours and of good coins and capable to withstand calamities of long duration, is the best treasury." »78 In the other sense, the treasury means the collection of wealth accumulated from various sources by the king perhaps Kautilya has given prime importance to the wealth for smooth. administration of the kingdom. "Kautilya holds that wealth, and wealth alone, is important, in as much as charity and desire depend upon wealth for their realiation."79 77. saktidesakalanam tu saktih sreyasi ityacaryah | saktiman hi nimnasthalavato desasya sitosnavarsavatasca kalasya saktah pratikare bhavati | 'desah sreyan ' ityeke | sthalagato hi sva nakram vikarsati, nignagato nakrassvanamiti | 'kalassreyan ' ityeke | diva kakah kausikam hanti | ratrau kausikah kakam iti | neti kautilyah - parasparasadhaka hi saktidesakalah | Arthasastra, IX Adhikarana (Abhiyasyatharmah ) I Adhyaya, p. 421. 78. dharmadhigatah purvaih svayam va hemarupyaprayascitrasthularatnahiranyo dirghamapyapadamanayatim saheteti kosasampat | Arthasastra, VI Adhikarana (Mandalayoni) I Adhyaya, p. 319. 79. artha eva pradhanah iti kautilyah - arthamulau hi dharmakamaviti | Arthasastra, I Adhikarana, (Vinayadhikariham), VII Adhyaya, p. 21.

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long 153 Holding the primacy of wealth Visnusarma also writes about the importance and power of the wealth which may be experienced in daily life. However Visnusarma's statements are rich with morals as below: A friend of Tamrachuda opines that due to the power of wealth, person becomes enthusiastic and neglects all other things.80 He who is possessed of wealth is regarded as wise one.81 In the absence of wealth all the virtues of a person get concealed which otherwise means, it is the wealth that illumines all the virtues of a person to the public. 82 Destitute of wealth is home of all adversities. 83 Person who devoid of wealth is considered as a begger before rich persons. 84 The wealth brings happiness but it is transitory.8 80. yadutsahi sada martyah parabhavati yajjanan | duddhatam vadedvakyam tatsarvam vittajam balam || 85 Pancatantra, Mitrasamprapti, verse - 88, p. 37. 81. arthena balavansarvo'pyarthayuktah sa panditah | pasyainam musakam vyartham sajateh samatam matam || Pancatantra, Mitrasamprapti, verse - 89, p. 37. 82. santo'pi na hi rajante daridrasyetare gunah | aditya iva bhutanam srirgunanam prakasini || 1 Panicatantra, Mitrasamprapti, verse - 93, p. 38. 83. murtam laghavamevaitadapayanamidam grham | paryayo maranasyayam nirdhanatvam saririnam || Pancatantra, Mitrasamprapti, verse - 105, p. 41. 1 84. adhano datukamo'pi samprapto dhaninam grham | manyamte yacako'yam dhigdaridryam khalu dehinam || Pancatantra, Mitrasamprapti, verse - 108, p. 41. 85. abhracchaya khalapritih siddhamannam ca yositah | kimcitkalopabhogyani yauvanani dhanani ca || Pancatantra, Mitrasamprapti, verse - 118, p. 50.

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154 Desire of wealth for sake of accomplishing religious activities leads to good future.86 There is no other treasure than charity. There is no other wealth than happiness. 87 Absence of wealth in the form of selfrespect is the ultimatum of poverty. 88 The residense of povertystrickened man is equal to the sky devoid of stars feirceful like funeral field.89 Richness brings home all good qualities. 90 •Indeed, Kautilya has been found as most practical in the administrative affairs. For, he holds prime importance to the wealth. Basing on the principle of Artha Visnusarma, has focussed his considerations in the Pancatantra. 86. dharmartham yasya vitteha tasyapi na subhavaha | praksalanaddhi pankasya duradasparsanam varam || Pancatantra, Mitrasamprapti, verse - 162, p. 66. 87. danena tulyo nidhirasti nanyo lobhacca nanyo'sti ripuh prthivyam | vibhusanam silasamam na canyat santosatulyam dhanamasti nanyat || Pancatantra, Mitrasamprapti, verse - 163, p. 66. 88. daridryasya bhutiryanmanadravinalpata | jaradgavadhanah sarvastathapi paramesvarah || Pancatantra, Mitrasamprapti, verse - 164, p. 67. 89. gananamiva nastatarakam suskamiva sarah, smasanamiva raudram | priyadarsanamapi ruksam bhavati grham dhanavihinasya || Pancatantra, Apariksitakarakam, verse - 6, p. 4. 90. viphalamiha purvasukrtam vidyavanto'pi kulasamudbhutah | yasya yada vibhavah syattasya tada dasatam yanti || 1 Pancatantra, Apariksitakarakam, verse - 9, p. 6.

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155 It is however an experience of one and all that a person who possesses the wealth, would certainly gain the love and affection of his friends and relatives. More and more society praises him as a scholar.91 This idea may be seen in the words of the Pancatantra. This verse appears in the beginning of the Mitrabheda, wherein the story of a merchant called Vardhamana is narrated. This story tells that the merchant Vardhamana considered the wealth to be everything in the life. The story in brief runs as follows: There was a merchant by name Vardhamana. Throughout his life, he considered to have his main aim as earning the money. He said, there are six ways of earning money: 1. Begging (f¥&T). 2. Earning by sweating i.e. working ( ). 3. Earning money by making and selling art and its related activities. (vidyoparjana ). 4. Agriculture (f). 5. Financing (). 6. Business (vyavahara ). 91. yasyarthastasya mitrani yasyarthastasya bandhavah | azmurf: a gaicita arenauf: a a qfuga: || Pancatantra, Mitrabheda, Kathamukha, verse - 3, p. 7.

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156 Of all these activities, he chose "business" through which he could earn well; and so much so, he took journey to the another country, along with his fellows and couple of bulls. During the journey, one of the bulls got wounded. Hence, the merchant Vardhamana stopped his journey, stayed in the forest, and engaged in taking care of the bull. After three days, as per the suggestion made by his fellow friends, he proceeded further leaving the bull and two fellow-friends to take care of it. He also asked his friends to bring the bull after getting recouped. But, after some time, the two fellow-friends stopped taking care of the bull and thought of leaving that place without bull; they planned to tell lie that the wounded bull died. With this in the mind, they two left the place and joined their group. The threads weaving the importance of the money are interwoven in a single and crisp sentence of Kautilya i.e. 'artha eva pradhanah ' iti kautilyah - arthamulau hi dharmakamaviti || It is noteworthy to point that the fellow merchants discontinued their journey and halted in the forest with a view to protecting the bull they had. After three days, other fellowmerchants said to Vardhamana that all of them should not remain here in the forest for the sake of bull. Because in the acquisition of the wealth one should not stick to the present condition. In this context it is said, a wise man does not allow much to be destroyed for saving a little one or profit. In other

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157 words, man's wisdom lies in a saving of much, at the cost of a little one. 92 There are many such verses showing the primacy of wealth in other contexts of the Pancatantra : Only when there is money, a man is said to be having everything i.e. boldness, strength, art, sculpturing knowledge and one who can give charity. If money is not there, nothing is there. Even begger begs for money." 93 On the basis of Kautilya's view in his statement 'zpf Visnusarma magnifies the primacy of wealth to be administrative aspects of the kingdom. In this manner, it is crystal clear that following Kautilya, Visnusarma has given primary importance to the wealth. But, the same author in some other context has given contrary view by declaring fie upon the wealth "dhigarthah kastasamsrayah ". Of course, he has given sufficient reason to it, i.e., to earn money there is sorrow, to take care of such wealth is sorrow. Sorrow in earning, sorrow in spending it. Thus, such wealth itself is worth giving 92. 93. na svalpasya krte bhuri nasayenmatimannarah | etadevatra pandityam yatsvalpadbhuriraksanam || Pancatantra, Mitrabheda, verse - 19, p. 11. na sa vidya na taddanam na tacchilpam na sa kala | na tatstheryam hi dhaninam yacakairyanna giyatate || Pancatantra, Mitrabheda, verse - 4, p. 7.

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158 up.94 Thus, the former and latter statements leave a mutual contradiction and may be considered as one of the demerits of any author. On the other hand, it may be said that this demerit is just apparent. For, one has to read properly the former and latter statements appearing to be contradictory in their contextual perspective. To understand the latter statement in its context one reads the story attached to it. It is - there was an ascetic named Devasarma who had a lot of wealth by fare and unfare means. Due to his utter greed for wealth, he did not ever trust on any one and kept all wealth with himself. Knowing this, another person of crooked nature, remained in close association with him and took away all the wealth accumulated by Devasarma. Owing to great loss of all wealth, Devasarma was very disgusted, and at last he spoke out the words "ff: "dhigarthah 95 Now, it is a point of introspection. No doubt, Devasarma had singular purpose of accumulating the money in the life even at the cost of his personality as an ascetic. And, according to Visnusarma mere a acquisition of wealth is not the sole purpose of life. If it were to be so like Devasarma, then such wealth falls disregarded. In view of Visnusarma, 94. arthanamarjane duhkhamarjitanam ca raksane | 3/4a gia ad god ferref: perieren: || Pancatantra, Mitrabheda, Katha - 4, verse - 174, p. 57. 95. Pancatantra, Katha - 4, verse - 174, 174, p. 57

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159 acquisition of wealth is one of the facets of life to make the life successful and happy. There are many other goals to be achieved. 6. Danda (Army) Although this Danda element, is dealt with its details in the Arthasastra, it finds no scope in the Pancatantra. Therefore, it is not taken here for discussion.

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