Original language:
Sanskrit Translated from: Sanskrit
Authors: Unknown
Translated by: Mironas, Ričardas
ISBN: 5-417-00113-9
Published in: Vilnius
Published on: 1990
Publisher: Mintis
„Panchatantra“ is a result of a long, various ancient Indian literature genres\’ development. It is based on the fairytale‘s „Tantrakhyayika“ fragments. There is no precise knowledge of who could be the book‘s author. In „Panchatantra‘s“ introduction it is said that with his easy and interesting stories, writer Vishnu Sharma wanted to teach foolish princes of political wisdom. The book is partly reflected on Chandragupta\’s era, which is also known as ancient India\’s golden age when crafts developed rapidly, flourished intense trade and social inequality was increasing. In „Panchatantra“ the author is constantly talking about poor people‘s dreams of how to become wealthier, journeys, in which people travel to get more wealth. The book often consists of the stories of those journeys.
„Panchatantra‘s“ composition is difficult. The main stories are constantly interrupted by parenthetical episodes, dialogues and monologues, the text of the author, poethic considerations and prose episodes. „Panchatantra“ consists of five other books, which are interconnected by one idea – how to teach the rulers. Each book has its own chapters. It consists of different stories, but they are connected with the main story. Each story begins with a small rhymed text and it has a message and a hint about the next story. The hint gives one of the characters a question, another character answers that question and thus begins a new story with the same rhymed text. There is a complicated and unexpected ending in most of these stories. For example, a cheated husband comes back without anyone knowing to assure that his wife cheated on him, but the wife finds a moral substantiation of why she cheated on him and that way she cheats on her husband for the second time.
The book shows a lot of people of different castes and professions, scenes of family life, political episodes. The action takes place in the king‘s palace, farmer‘s hut and so on. The author of „Panchatantra“ reveals the greed of the monks, stupidity and guile of the rulers and brahmans‘ superstitions. The author tries to offer the rulers some political wisdom lessons. In most of the stories it is shown that only cunning and deceit leads to success. The author refers mostly to the direct benefit. That is why all of the works are rated from the practical view. For example, real friendship is when one friend helps the other when he is in trouble.
Instead of scientific knowledge and teachings, the author shows daily life‘s complexity and contradictions. Poor people dream about their better life and like to listen to different magical fairytales. The rulers are shown as hesistant, restricted, selfish and vicious people or animals.
Into harmonious entirety linked each other changing characters (people and animals), legends and poetry, household stories and political teachings – all these things form this book‘s artistic persuasiveness and charm.