Panchatantra

 श्रीः

Panchatantra stories are well known and surely everyone would have read atleast one panchatantra story. Panchatantra literally means five treatises. This book is said to have been written by Vishnu Sharma, and it contains simple stories of animals and birds and short fables depicting a moral or a good thought. The Panchatantra stories were originally composed in Sanskrit,but later this book has been translated into many languages.

The stories of the Panchatantra are divided into five parts.These are as follows-

1-मित्रभेद

2-मित्रसम्प्राप्ति

3-काकोलुकीयम्

4-लब्धप्रणाशम्

5-अपरीक्षितकारकम्


Some thoughts from the Panchatantra are as follows-


    उद्यमेन हि सिद्ध्यन्ति कार्याणि न मनोरथैः।

     न हि सुप्तस्य सिंहस्य प्रविशन्ति मुखे मृगाः।।

Meaning- Works are accomplished only through efforts and not by entertaining desires ( building castles in the air). Animals do not enter (by themselves) the mouth of a sleeping lion.


        स्वभावो नोपदेशेन शक्यते कर्तुमन्यथा ।

        सुतप्तमपि पानीयं पुनर्गच्छति शीतताम्।।

Meaning- It is not possible to change one's nature through instructions. Water although it is heated , becomes cold once again.


      उपकारिषु यः साधुः साधुत्वे तस्य को गुणः ।

      अपकारिषु यः साधुः स साधुरिति कीर्तितः ।।

Meaning- If one is good to those who do good to him , of what merit is one's goodness? It is only he who is good to even those who do harm to him , who is called a saint.


       आपत्काले तु सम्प्राप्ते यन्मित्रं मित्रमेव तत्।

       वृद्धिकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते दुर्जनोSपि सुह्रद् भवेत्।।

Meaning- He who is a friend when difficult time comes is a (real) friend. In prosperous time , even a wicked man will become a friend.


       वनानि दहतो वन्हेस्सखा भवति मारूत: | 

       स एव दीपनाशाय कृशे कस्यास्ति सौहॄदम् ||

Meaning- When a fire is burning a forest i.e. when the fire is big & powerful, the wind becomes its friend and helps the fire to spread & increase. The same wind extinguishes or kills the fire when it is weak in the form of a small flame in a lamp . None hold friendship with the weak.


       अर्थानाम् अर्जने दु:खम् अर्जितानां च रक्षणे |

       आये दु:खं व्यये दु:खं धिग् अर्था: कष्टसंश्रया: ||

Earning wealth is difficult/ painful, protecting the wealth earned is even more difficult. Wealth creates sorrow when it comes in and when it goes out (spent). In short, wealth is always associated with difficulties & hence is fit to be condemned.


       यस्मिन् जीवति जीवन्ति बहव: स तु जीवति |

       काकोऽपि किं न कुरूते चञ्च्वा स्वोदरपूरणम् ||

Only that person can be said to have lived who has lived for others; because of whom many others have been able to lead a comfortable life. Otherwise, even a crow does all sorts of things to fill it's own stomach. So, living for oneself is nothing to be proud of.


Comments

  1. Such strong and profound meanings in just some verses. It is surely then Samskrita Literature itself holds an ocean of knowledge. These verses really get you thinking about life.

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