Panchatantra: India’s ancient wisdom in fables

From the earliest cave paintings to bedtime grandmother’s tales, telling stories has connected us and taught us the lessons of life. Stories are told verbally through narrations, dialogues and songs; through actions, dances and dramas; using toys, puppets and models; and presented as drawings, pictures, paintings and written words. This art of conveying transmits social and cultural heritage, customs, values and learning experiences from one generation to another. Today, in an age dominated by rapid information transmission and artificial intelligence (AI), the stories are shared via videos and podcasts.

Among the world’s greatest contributions to the storytelling tradition is India’s Panchatantra. Panchatantra, originally a Sanskrit text, is a collection of interwoven fables written more than 2,000 years ago. It is said that the scholar Vishnu Sharma designed these stories to make the princes wise and mindful in the field of politics, public administration and Nitishastra (treatise on code of conduct) within six months. Panchatantra engaging narratives that offer moments of reflection, connection and imagination have been translated into more than 50 languages. The first tantra is Mitra-bheda (conflict amongst friends). Most of the stories from Panchatantra fall into this section of tantra. The basic theme story is of a lion and a bull that tells us that united we stand, divided we fall. The second tantra is Mitra-labha or Mitra-samprapti (winning of friends). The basic theme story is the friendship among a dove, a crow, a mouse, a tortoise and a deer. This highlights the relevance of having and retaining good friends.

The third tantra is Kakolukiyam (crows and owls). It talks about the situation of war and peace and the strategies of handling enemies.

The fourth tantra is Labdhapranasam (the forfeit of profits). The basic theme story is of a monkey and a crocodile. It tells one can lose previously earned things because of one’s foolishness. The fifth tantra is Apariksitakarakam. (action without due consideration). The basic theme story is of a merchant and his silly guest. It explains that hasty deeds can lead us to permanent loss of things or people.

At present, in the age of bite-sized online content, keeping the traditional stories alive and engaging children to listen to them is a challenge. These stories are not just for entertainment; they are blueprints for critical thinking, emotional intelligence and ethical reasoning.