The Panchatantra

First recorded 1500 years ago, but taking its origins from a far earlier oral tradition, the Pancatantra is ascribed by legend to the celebrated, half-mythical teacher Visnu Sarma. Asked by a great king to awaken the dulled intelligence of his three idle sons, the aging Sarma is said to have composed the great work as a series of entertaining and edifying fables narrated by a wide range of humans and animals, and together intended to provide the young princes with vital guidance for life. Since first leaving India before AD 570, the Pancatantra has been widely translated and has influenced a cast number of works in India, the Arab world and Europe, including the Arabian Nights, the Canterbury Tales and the Fables of La Fontaine. Enduring and profound, it is among the earliest and most popular of all books of fables.

Panchatantra was probably written about 200 BC by the great Hindu scholar Pandit Vishnu sharma.It is the Oldest collection of Indian fables surviving.s

A RAT THAT ATE IRON. A BIRD WITH TWO HEADS. FOUR GREEDY TREASURE-SEEKERS. A DOG THAT WENT TO FOREIGN LANDS TO FIND FOOD. These are only a few of the colourful stories that long, long ago ? it is said ? a sage told three princes so that they could learn to live wisely. Instead of giving them boring lessons, the learned tutor told them fables alive with animals and human characters faced with difficult situations about friendship, cooperation, quarrels and ambition. The tales told by Pandit Vishnu Sharma about 2,500 years ago offer a map of how to make one?s way through life in a moral and wise manner. These stories of friends and enemies, cruelty and deceit, honour and humility, foolishness and cunning, deception and honesty, tell us about the choices we have and how to find a solution to tough questions of right and wrong. This all-colour, beautifully illustrated edition contains stories retold from all five books of the Panchatantra and is designed to make it easy for readers to move from story to story, and across stories within stories ? making it a must-have for readers young and old.

Wisdom for Today from the Timeless Classic The Panchatantra, one of the world’s greatest collections of tales, was compiled in India by a learned Brahmin named Vishnusharman, more than 2,000 years ago. These stories were meant to impart worldly wisdom to the dull-witted sons of a king, and have since travelled the world, awakening intelligence in readers across centuries. Arthur Ryder, a Professor of Sanskrit at the University of California, translated the Sanskrit original into English in 1925. This re-write of the Ryder translation is aimed at today’s busy reader and the original interwoven stories are presented separately. Archaic English prose makes way for modern language. The “Principle” clearly and simply summarizes the wisdom imparted at the end of each story. Arthur Ryder’s brilliant introduction and charming verse translations remain untouched. This book is a rare coming together of simple format, rich poetry, practical wisdom and lofty ideals, a vehicle to transmit the simple and timeless truths of the Panchatantra in a concise manner to a modern audience.

This work "Archetypal Approach to "The Panchatantra'", by Dr. Satish R. Chadeve offers a profound exploration of timeless fables. Reddy's insightful analysis unveils universal themes and symbols, transcending disciplinary boundaries. Delve into this captivating journey that connects myths, archetypes, and the human psyche. offering fresh perspectives on enduring wisdom embedded in these ageless tales.

This bilingual book is part of a series of stories adapted from one of India's most Ancient works: the Panchatantra. Set along the lines of the Fables children in Europe are used to, the Panchatantra clearly shows us, that there are more similarities than differences in peoples all over the world. The younger readers will find some stories that millions of Indian children love and also pictures they can color; the older ones some fodder to chew on. This book is especially suitable for bilingual children and can be read aloud to younger children. For ages 4 and upward. Dieses zweisprachige Buch ist Teil einer Serie von adaptierten Geschichten aus einem der ältesten Werke Indiens: dem Panchatantra. Ähnlich wie die Sagen, die die meisten Kinder in Europa kennen, zeigt das Panchatantra uns klar, dass es unter den verschiedenen Völkern auf der Welt mehr Ähnlichkeiten als Unterschiede gibt. Die jüngeren Leser finden hier Geschichten, die bei Millionen von indischen Kindern beliebt sind, und auch Bilder, die sie anmalen können; die Älteren finden Etwas zum Nachdenken. Dieses Buch ist besonders geeignet für zweisprachige Kinder und kann jüngeren Kindern vorgelesen werden. Ab 4 Jahre.

The Panchatantra is a collection of ancient Indian fables. Many-a-times, the central characters are animals and birds, who show their most identifying characteristics in the various stories, and impart valuable life-lessons and morals. In this book, read a fine selection of six stories from the treasury of Panchatantra Tales. Read of the curious monkey that got trapped and caught, how the cat ate up the fighting partridge and hare; find out why it is said the donkey has no brain and more!