LessonsfromPanchatantra

By
T.V.Subramanian
IntroductiontoPanchatantra
Tantra:Loom,String,Formula,Strategy,Unified
principles,Continuity.
SignificanceOfPancha(Five)
PanchatantraOldestcollectionofStories;
Background,VishnuSharmaschoi9ce,HisLionsroar
Theartofstorytellingtoimpartpracticalwisdom
SignificanceofAnimalcharacters
Nitisasytra:Howtosucceedandenjoyhappinessinthis
worldofmenwithvaryingdispositions
AboutPanchatantra
"Amanwhohasstudiedthis
Nitishastra
orlistenedtoitsprecepts
Willneverbedefeated
NotevenbyIndra*,thelordof
theHeaven.
VishnuSharma

PanchatantraFivestrategies

Conflictamongfriends
WinningFriends
CrowsandOwls(WarandPeace
strategies)
ForfeitofProfits;
Inconsiderateaction
Afewexampleswithtelling
messages

1. LionandBullstory;somelessons;
2. Monkeywedgestory;
3. Craneandcrabstory;
4. LionandHarestory
5. IndigoJackalstory
6. Jackaldrumstory;
7. Fivescholarsgivinglifetoalionstory;
8. RatsavingPigeonsstory;
9. Monkeyandcrocodilestory;
Finalmessagesforsuccessful
andHappylife

Needforphysicalsecurity;
Needforsufficientmoney;
Needfortrustworthyfriendsf
ImportanceofAction;NOTover
dependenceonLUCK.
Benefitsfromsoftoptionsandshortcutswillbe
shortlived.
Planningandresoluteactionshouldgohandin
hand.
Neverpostponeanyaction.
 Finalmessages

Deployacquiredmoneyproperlyandnot
hoard
Doasmuchofvirtuousdeedssincelifeis
short.
Donotlosecomposurewhencalamity
strikes
UseappropriatelyyourHands,feetand
brain.
Nevermakederogatoryremarksabout
anybodyinassemblyeveniftheytrue.
Finalmessages.
Supremacyofintelligence;
Practicalwisdomandcommonsensemore
importantthanscholarship
Thehighestandnoblestwealthformanis
contentment;Thahappinessandpeaceof
mindcancomeonlytothosewhoare
contented.
Everythinginthisworldbecomesoldwith
passageoftime;theonlythingthatremains
eternallyYOUNGisHUMANGREED
AfewQuotes

Thereisalmostnothinginthismaterial
worldthatdoesnotrequiremoneyfor
accomplishment.Thereforeawiseman
shouldmakeeveryefforttoacquire
wealth.
Wealthattractsfriendsandrelatives.It

makesapersonfeelimportantand
evenwise.
AfewQuotes.

Theworldlywiseknowthatthereare
thingsthatcanbetoldtosomepeople
butnottoeveryone.Thenthereare
thingsthatshouldbekepttooneself.
Alsothereisarightorwrongtimefor
sayingthings.Oneshouldsaythings
onlyaftergivingcarefulconsideration
toallfactors.
AfewQuotes

Onewhodoesnotfeeldistressedintheface
ofacalamityanddoesnotshow
exuberanceinprosperityisindeedajewelin
humanity.
Intelligencecanaccomplishthingsmore
easilythanarmyandweapons(i.e.
physicalpower).
Theworldkeepsgoingonlybecausethe
wilyandwickednevergettheirwishes
fulfilledandeventuallyfailintheirsinister
plans.
AfewQuotes
Adiligentandpersistentmanisalways
prosperousinthisworld.Butalazy
andcowardbelievingonlyindestiny
nevergoesanywhere.Thereforeone
shouldforgetdestinyandactively
pursuehisdream.Ifhedoesnot
succeed,thenheshouldtrytofind
whatwentwrongandcorrectit.
AfewQuotes

Excellent,average,andlowqualities
appearinanyoneoranythingdueto
associationwithpersonorthingsofthe
correspondingtype.
Oneshouldnevertrustaperson

whosecharacter,lineage,andstrength
areunknown.
 AfewQuotes
Commonfolksareusuallyblindfollowers.
Theydonotthinkforthemselves.
Apersonwhoseintellectdoesnotget

foggedeveninthefaceofcalamitiescan
getpastthemunscathedusinghis
intelligence.
Abirdcanlocateitsfoodfromgreat

distancesbutisnotabletoseeatrap
evenCloseby.
AfewQuotes

Friendshipbetweenmostmenisbasedon
favorandobligation.Friendshipbetween
foolsisbasedonfearandgreed.But
friendshipbetweengentlemenoccursjustby
seeingeachother.
Wealthmakesoneeverenthusiasticbut
alsoarrogantandvain.Italsogivesstrength
andafalsesenseofknowledgebuttheyall
vanishwiththewealth.
Whatistheworthofwealththatbenefits
onlytheownerandnototherpeople?
AfewQuotes

Ifapersonspendsevenasmallfractionof
thetimeandeffort,whichhespendsin
procuringthewealthinworkingtowardshis
spiritualuplift,hecanattainmoksha.
Wealthcanhaveonlythreestatesgivenin
charity,spentinenjoyment,andloss.Ifitis
notgivenincharityorenjoyed,itislost.
Thehighestandnoblestwealthformanis
contentment.Truehappinesscancomeonly
tothosewhoarecontentedandhavepeace
ofmind
AfewQuotes
Trulygoodmenarelikerubberballs;
eveniftheyfalltheybounceback.A
foolfallslikemudandgetsstucktothe
ground.
Itiseasytofindpeoplewhowould
alwaysgivepleasantadvice.Itishard
tofindthosewhowouldgive
unpleasantbutbeneficialadvice,still
hardertofindoneswhowouldlistento
AfewQuotes

Theassociationwithgreatmenalways
leadstoprogressandprosperity.A
waterdroponalotusleafshineslikea
pearl.
Whenlearnedmendecideontheuse
ofcertaintenetsofpoliticalethicsafter
groupdiscussionandconsiderable
thought,theireffortsarealways
rewardedbysuccess.
AfewQuotes

Apersonwithoutdharmaisasinsignificant
anddisgracefulasamothandamosquito.
Practiceofdharmaistheonlythingthat
distinguishesmanfromanimals.
Verybrieflythisistheessenceofdharma:
Todogoodtoothersisvirtue,toharm
othersisvice.Practiceitindailylifeanddo
notdoanythingtoothersthatyoudeem
harmfultoyou.Cuttingdowntreesand
killinganimalsareallsuchacts.
AfewQuotes

Thewoundinflictedbyweaponswill
eventuallyheal,butthatcreatedby
wordsneverheals.Thereforeone
shouldneveruseabusiveandhateful
wordsbecausetheyactlikepoison.
Awisemanshouldnotpubliclysay
disgracefulwordstoanyoneoreven
truththatmayhurt.
Totellthetruthisjustice.
AfewQuotes

Firstdictateofwisdomisnottoinitiate
anactionwithoutconsiderablethought
;thesecondsignofwisdomisnotto
abandonaninitiatedactionwithout
takingittoasuccessfulcompletion.
Anopportunityforonesprogress
shouldbeavailedofassoonasit
appears.Ifitismissed,itmaynot
comeagain.