A page from Kelileh o Demneh dated 1429, from Herat, a Persian translation of the Panchatantra derived from the Arabic version – Kalila wa Dimna – depicts the manipulative jackal-vizier, Dimna, trying to lead his lion-king into war.
Works
Panchatantra is one of the most widely translated non-religious books in history. The Panchatantra was translated into Middle Persian/Pahlavi in 570 CE by Borzūya and into Arabic in 750 CE by Persian scholar Abdullah Ibn al-Muqaffa as Kalīlah wa Dimnah (Arabic: كليلة و دمنة).[2][3] In Baghdad, the translation commissioned by Al-Mansur, the second Abbasid Caliph, is claimed to have become "second only to the Qu'ran in popularity."[4] "As early as the eleventh century this work reached Europe, and before 1600 it existed in Greek, Latin, Spanish, Italian, German, English, Old Slavonic, Czech, and perhaps other Slavonic languages. Its range has extended from Java to Iceland."[5] In France, "at least eleven Panchatantra tales are included in the work of Jean de La Fontaine."[4]
Legend
The prelude to the Panchatantra identifies Vishnu Sharma as the author of the work. Since there is no other independent external evidence about him, "it is impossible to say whether he was the historical author . . .or is himself a literary invention".[6] Based on analysis of various Indian recensions and the geographical features and animals described in the stories, Kashmir is suggested to be his birthplace by various scholars.[7]
The prelude narrates the story of how Vishnu Sharma supposedly created the Panchatantra. There was a king called Sudarshan[citation needed] who ruled a kingdom, whose capital was a city called Mahilaropya (महिलारोप्य), whose location on the current map of India is unknown.[8] The king had three sons named Bahushakti, Ugrashakti and shakti.[9] Though the king himself was both a scholar and a powerful ruler, his sons were "all dullards."[9] The king despaired of his three princes' inability to learn, and approached his ministers for counsel. They presented him with conflicting advice, but the words of one, called Sumati, rang true to the king.[10] He said that the sciences, politics and diplomacy were limitless disciplines that took a lifetime to master formally. Instead of teaching the princes scriptures and texts, they should somehow be taught the wisdom inherent in them, and the aged scholar Vishnu Sharma was the man to do it.[11]
Vishnu Sharma was invited to the court, where the king offered him a hundred land grants if he could teach the princes.[12] Vishnu Sharma declined the promised award, saying he did not sell knowledge for money, but accepted the task of making the princes wise to the ways of politics and leadership within six months.[11][12] Vishnu Sharma knew that he could never instruct these three students through conventional means. He had to employ a less orthodox way, and that was to tell a succession of animal fables – one weaving into another – that imparted to them the wisdom they required to succeed their father. Adapting stories that had been told for thousands of years in India, panchatantra was composed into an entertaining five part work to communicate the essence of diplomacy, relationships, politics and administration to the princes.[11] These five discourses — titled "The Loss of Friends", "The Winning of Friends", "Of Crows and Owls", "Loss of Gains" and "Imprudence" — became the Panchatantra, meaning the five (pancha) treatises (tantra).
References
^Santhini Govindan (2007), 71 Golden Tales of Panchatantra, Unicorn Books, 2007, ISBN9788178060866, ... credited to Pandit Vishnusharma somewhere between 1200 BC and AD 300. Many stories may have existed long before then, but Vishnusharma put them together as a single unit ...
^ abJean Johnson, Donald James Johnson (16 July 2009), Human Drama: World History: From 500 to 1450 C.E., Volume 2, Markus Wiener Publishers, 2005, ISBN978-1-55876-220-6, ... reached al-Mansur, the second Abbasid caliph ... he ordered it translated into Arabic ... Some claim it soon became second only to the Quran in popularity ... at least eleven Panchatantra tales are included in the work of La Fontaine ...
^Edgerton 1924, p. 3 harvnb error: no target: CITEREFEdgerton1924 (help). "reacht" and "workt" have been changed to conventional spelling.
^Orissa review, Volume 22, Home Department, Government of Orissa, 1965, 1965, ... He has concluded Kashmir as the birthplace of Vishnusharma taking into account the geographical features and the animals ...
^Acharya Vishnusharma, , Parampara Books, archived from the original on 6 October 2011, retrieved 1 November 2010, ... भारत की दक्षिण दिशा में स्थित महिलारोप्य नामक नगर किसी राज्य की राजधानी था (located in the south of India was a city named Mahilaropya, the capital of some kingdom)...
^ abLuis S.R.Vas, Anita Vas (10 September 2002), Secrets of Leadership: Insights from the Pancha Tantra, Pustak Mahal, 2004, ISBN978-81-223-0802-0, ... a king called Amarshakti. He had three sons – Bahushakti, Ugrashakti and Anantshakti – all dullards ...
^Pustak Mahal – Editorial Group / Bloomsbury (14 August 1999), Story of Panchtantra, Pustak Mahal, 1999, ISBN978-81-223-0454-1, ... One of them named Sumati advised the ruler to hand over the princes to the care of the renowned teacher Acharya Vishnusharma ...
^ abcLuis S.R.Vas, Anita Vas (10 September 2002), Secrets of Leadership: Insights from the Pancha Tantra, Pustak Mahal, 2004, ISBN978-81-223-0802-0, ... a wise man named Sumati. He came up with the idea that the princes should not be taught the scriptures but only the wisdom in them. There is a man called Vishnusharma ...
^ abShubha Tiwari (2006), Children and Literature, Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, 2006, ISBN978-81-269-0583-6, ... In return the king promised to pay a hundred land grants but Vishnusharma replied: 'Naham vidyavikrayam shasanshatenapi karomi.' Translated, 'I am not the man to sell good learning for a hundred land grants.' ...
January 11, 2023
vishnu, sharma, sanskrit, शर, मन, शर, indian, scholar, author, wrote, panchatantra, collection, fables, vishnusharmaoccupationscholar, authornotable, workspanchatantraa, page, from, kelileh, demneh, dated, 1429, from, herat, persian, translation, panchatantra,. Vishnu Sharma Sanskrit व ष ण शर मन व ष ण शर म was an Indian scholar and author who wrote the Panchatantra a collection of fables 1 VishnusharmaOccupationScholar AuthorNotable worksPanchatantraA page from Kelileh o Demneh dated 1429 from Herat a Persian translation of the Panchatantra derived from the Arabic version Kalila wa Dimna depicts the manipulative jackal vizier Dimna trying to lead his lion king into war Works EditPanchatantra is one of the most widely translated non religious books in history The Panchatantra was translated into Middle Persian Pahlavi in 570 CE by Borzuya and into Arabic in 750 CE by Persian scholar Abdullah Ibn al Muqaffa as Kalilah wa Dimnah Arabic كليلة و دمنة 2 3 In Baghdad the translation commissioned by Al Mansur the second Abbasid Caliph is claimed to have become second only to the Qu ran in popularity 4 As early as the eleventh century this work reached Europe and before 1600 it existed in Greek Latin Spanish Italian German English Old Slavonic Czech and perhaps other Slavonic languages Its range has extended from Java to Iceland 5 In France at least eleven Panchatantra tales are included in the work of Jean de La Fontaine 4 Legend EditThe prelude to the Panchatantra identifies Vishnu Sharma as the author of the work Since there is no other independent external evidence about him it is impossible to say whether he was the historical author or is himself a literary invention 6 Based on analysis of various Indian recensions and the geographical features and animals described in the stories Kashmir is suggested to be his birthplace by various scholars 7 The prelude narrates the story of how Vishnu Sharma supposedly created the Panchatantra There was a king called Sudarshan citation needed who ruled a kingdom whose capital was a city called Mahilaropya मह ल र प य whose location on the current map of India is unknown 8 The king had three sons named Bahushakti Ugrashakti and shakti 9 Though the king himself was both a scholar and a powerful ruler his sons were all dullards 9 The king despaired of his three princes inability to learn and approached his ministers for counsel They presented him with conflicting advice but the words of one called Sumati rang true to the king 10 He said that the sciences politics and diplomacy were limitless disciplines that took a lifetime to master formally Instead of teaching the princes scriptures and texts they should somehow be taught the wisdom inherent in them and the aged scholar Vishnu Sharma was the man to do it 11 Vishnu Sharma was invited to the court where the king offered him a hundred land grants if he could teach the princes 12 Vishnu Sharma declined the promised award saying he did not sell knowledge for money but accepted the task of making the princes wise to the ways of politics and leadership within six months 11 12 Vishnu Sharma knew that he could never instruct these three students through conventional means He had to employ a less orthodox way and that was to tell a succession of animal fables one weaving into another that imparted to them the wisdom they required to succeed their father Adapting stories that had been told for thousands of years in India panchatantra was composed into an entertaining five part work to communicate the essence of diplomacy relationships politics and administration to the princes 11 These five discourses titled The Loss of Friends The Winning of Friends Of Crows and Owls Loss of Gains and Imprudence became the Panchatantra meaning the five pancha treatises tantra References Edit Santhini Govindan 2007 71 Golden Tales of Panchatantra Unicorn Books 2007 ISBN 9788178060866 credited to Pandit Vishnusharma somewhere between 1200 BC and AD 300 Many stories may have existed long before then but Vishnusharma put them together as a single unit Knatchbull 1819harvnb error no target CITEREFKnatchbull1819 help Falconer 1885harvnb error no target CITEREFFalconer1885 help a b Jean Johnson Donald James Johnson 16 July 2009 Human Drama World History From 500 to 1450 C E Volume 2 Markus Wiener Publishers 2005 ISBN 978 1 55876 220 6 reached al Mansur the second Abbasid caliph he ordered it translated into Arabic Some claim it soon became second only to the Quran in popularity at least eleven Panchatantra tales are included in the work of La Fontaine Edgerton 1924 p 3harvnb error no target CITEREFEdgerton1924 help reacht and workt have been changed to conventional spelling Olivelle 1997harvnb error no target CITEREFOlivelle1997 help Orissa review Volume 22 Home Department Government of Orissa 1965 1965 He has concluded Kashmir as the birthplace of Vishnusharma taking into account the geographical features and the animals Acharya Vishnusharma सम प र ण पञ चतन त र The Complete Panchatantra Parampara Books archived from the original on 6 October 2011 retrieved 1 November 2010 भ रत क दक ष ण द श म स थ त मह ल र प य न मक नगर क स र ज य क र जध न थ located in the south of India was a city named Mahilaropya the capital of some kingdom a b Luis S R Vas Anita Vas 10 September 2002 Secrets of Leadership Insights from the Pancha Tantra Pustak Mahal 2004 ISBN 978 81 223 0802 0 a king called Amarshakti He had three sons Bahushakti Ugrashakti and Anantshakti all dullards Pustak Mahal Editorial Group Bloomsbury 14 August 1999 Story of Panchtantra Pustak Mahal 1999 ISBN 978 81 223 0454 1 One of them named Sumati advised the ruler to hand over the princes to the care of the renowned teacher Acharya Vishnusharma a b c Luis S R Vas Anita Vas 10 September 2002 Secrets of Leadership Insights from the Pancha Tantra Pustak Mahal 2004 ISBN 978 81 223 0802 0 a wise man named Sumati He came up with the idea that the princes should not be taught the scriptures but only the wisdom in them There is a man called Vishnusharma a b Shubha Tiwari 2006 Children and Literature Atlantic Publishers amp Distributors 2006 ISBN 978 81 269 0583 6 In return the king promised to pay a hundred land grants but Vishnusharma replied Naham vidyavikrayam shasanshatenapi karomi Translated I am not the man to sell good learning for a hundred land grants Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vishnu Sharma amp oldid 1111927432, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
