Synopsis
The Panchatantra is a legendary collection of short stories from India. Originally composed in the 2nd century B.C, Panchatantra is believed to be written by Vishnu Sharma along with many other scholars. The purpose behind the composition was to implant moral values and governing skills in the young sons of the king. The ancient Sanskrit text boasts of various animal stories in verse and prose. The Panchatantra (IAST: Pañcatantra, Sanskrit: पà¤à¥à¤à¤¤à¤¨à¥à¤¤à¥à¤°, 'Five Sections') is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in verse and prose, arranged within a frame story. The original Sanskrit work, which some scholars believe was composed around the 3rd century BCE,[1] is attributed to Vishnu Sharma. It is based on older oral traditions, including "animal fables that are as old as we are able to imagine".
About the Author
Vishnu Sharma is one of the most widely translated non-religious authors in history. The Panchatantra was translated into Middle Persian/Pahlavi in 570 CE by BorzÅ«ya and into Arabic in 750 CE by Persian scholar Abdullah Ibn al-Muqaffa as Kalilah wa Dimnah(Arabic: ÙÙÙÙØ© ٠دÙ
ÙØ©).[3][4] 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."[5] "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."[6] In France, "at least eleven Panchatantra tales are included in the work of Jean de La Fontaine."[5]
