Sadhguru said a single moment of thoughtlessness can unravel a lifetime of trust; guard your decisions as you would your treasures. Wisdom grows not from books alone, but from stories that reflect the nature of life itself.
Article | October 15, 2024
Sadhguru: The Essence of Pancha Tantra is a Story of Wisdom and Life. In a kingdom nestled between lush green valleys and azure rivers, King Amarashakti ruled. His kingdom of Mahilaropya was known for its prosperity, lush fields, and wise administration. Yet, beneath the surface of this tranquillity, a deep concern plagued the king—his three sons, Bahushakti, Ugrashakti, and Anantashakti, were far from being the wise rulers they needed to become. While they indulged in games and luxuries, they were not inclined to learn, had no wisdom, and no understanding of how to govern or lead a kingdom.
Disheartened by their disinterest in education, the king summoned his council of ministers. "I fear for the future of this kingdom. My sons do not heed the sages' lessons or understand the governance's responsibilities. I have tried every method, but they remain ignorant. What shall I do?"
True wisdom lies not in the might of your strength, but in the depth of your understanding.
The ministers, after much deliberation, suggested, "O King, there is a sage in your kingdom, Vishnu Sharma, who is renowned for his wisdom and deep understanding of life. Let him take on the task of educating the princes."
The king, desperate to find a solution, invited Vishnu Sharma to his court. The sage was a man of humble appearance but of great intellect. With a serene face and eyes that sparkled with knowledge, he approached the king and bowed.
"Wise sage, I have summoned you with great hope. My sons lack wisdom, and I fear for their future and the future of this kingdom. If you can educate them and make them wise in the ways of governance, I shall be eternally grateful."
A single moment of thoughtlessness can unravel a lifetime of trust; guard your decisions as you would your treasures.
Vishnu Sharma smiled and replied, "O King, if I cannot make your sons wise and learned within six months, I shall forfeit my life. However, I will not teach them through the traditional methods of texts and scriptures. Instead, I shall tell them stories—stories that impart wisdom, moral values, and the essential principles of governance and life."
The king, though uncertain about this unconventional method, agreed. And so, the three young princes were entrusted to the sage, who began his teachings in the form of what would later become known as the Pancha Tantra—the Five Treatises of Wisdom.
The First Book: Mitra-bheda (The Loss of Friends)
The first set of stories Vishnu Sharma narrated was focused on Mitra-bheda, the loss of friends, and how treachery, deceit, and misunderstandings can lead to the downfall of friendships, alliances, and even kingdoms.
He began with the story of the lion king, Pingalaka, who ruled a forest. Pingalaka had two jackals as his trusted advisors—Karataka and Damanaka. The lion ruled wisely, but his kingdom became troubled when a mighty bull named Sanjeevaka wandered into the forest after escaping from his human captors. Pingalaka, at first, was wary of the bull’s size and power, but soon, the two became friends.
The two jackals, Karataka and Damanaka, watched this new friendship with envy and fear, for they knew that Sanjeevaka's influence would lessen their own standing in the lion's court. Damanaka, the more cunning of the two, devised a plan to break the friendship between the lion and the bull.
He whispered lies into Pingalaka’s ears, suggesting that Sanjeevaka was plotting to overthrow him. At the same time, he sowed seeds of doubt in Sanjeevaka's mind, warning him that Pingalaka was planning to kill him. The once-strong bond of friendship between the lion and the bull began to crumble under the weight of suspicion and falsehood.
Friendship is the foundation of strength; in unity, even the weakest can conquer the mightiest.
In a tragic turn of events, Pingalaka, blinded by anger and betrayal, attacked and killed Sanjeevaka, not realizing until it was too late that he had been manipulated by the jackals. Thus, a great friendship was lost, and the kingdom plunged into chaos.
The moral of the story was clear: treachery can destroy even the strongest of bonds, and wise rulers must always be vigilant against those who seek to divide and conquer through deceit.
The Second Book: Mitra-samprāpti (The Gaining of Friends)
Vishnu Sharma then turned to the second book, Mitra-samprāpti, which teaches the value of friendship and the power of alliances. He told the princes the story of four unlikely friends—a crow, a mouse, a tortoise, and a deer—who lived in a forest.
The four animals, though different in nature and abilities, formed a strong bond of friendship based on mutual respect and trust. One day, the deer was caught in a hunter’s net. The crow, flying overhead, saw the deer struggling and immediately flew to his friends for help. The mouse, using his sharp teeth, gnawed through the ropes and set the deer free. When the hunter returned and saw that his prey had escaped, he became furious and began searching for the animals.
In their haste to flee, the tortoise, who was slow and unable to escape quickly, was caught by the hunter. The friends quickly devised a plan to save him. The deer pretended to be injured and lay down in front of the hunter, luring him away from the tortoise. While the hunter approached the deer, the crow distracted him, and the mouse once again gnawed through the ropes, freeing the tortoise. The hunter, realizing he had been outwitted, left the forest in defeat.
The story illustrated the importance of friendship, trust, and collaboration in overcoming challenges. Vishnu Sharma emphasized that true friends stand by each other in times of adversity, and through unity, even the weakest can defeat the strongest.
Deceit poisons the heart of alliances, turning friends into foes and peace into chaos.
The Third Book: Kākolūkīyam (On Crows and Owls)
The third section of the Pancha Tantra focused on Kākolūkīyam, the enmity between crows and owls, which symbolized the deeper themes of conflict, war, and diplomacy. Vishnu Sharma explained the importance of strategy, tact, and knowing when to fight and when to negotiate.
He told the story of the long-standing enmity between the kingdom of crows, ruled by King Meghavarna, and the kingdom of owls, ruled by King Arimardana. The owls, being nocturnal predators, would attack the crows while they slept, causing great harm to their kingdom.
Meghavarna, distressed by the losses, consulted his council of ministers on how to defeat the owls. Some suggested an outright war, while others advised caution. One wise crow, Sthirajeevin, proposed a clever plan. He suggested that Meghavarna feign defeat and exile one of his ministers, who would then seek refuge with the owls, pretending to be a traitor.
The plan worked. Sthirajeevin, pretending to be a disgraced and exiled crow, gained the trust of the owls. Once inside their fortress, he studied their defences and weaknesses. When the time was right, he signalled the crows to attack. The crows, now armed with knowledge of the owls’ weaknesses, launched a surprise attack at dawn when the owls were least prepared. The crows emerged victorious, and the kingdom of the owls was destroyed.
The story highlighted the importance of intelligence, strategy, and patience in overcoming enemies. Vishnu Sharma taught the princes that brute strength alone is not enough to win battles; sometimes, wit and strategy can achieve what force cannot.
Greed blinds the wise and destroys the bond of trust, leaving only regret in its wake.
The Fourth Book: Labdhapraṇāśam (The Loss of Gains)
The fourth book, Labdhapraṇāśam, centred on the theme of losing what one has gained due to greed, carelessness, or lack of foresight. Vishnu Sharma narrated the story of a monkey and a crocodile, emphasising how greed and foolishness can lead to one's downfall.
Once upon a time, a monkey lived on a large tree by a river. The tree bore sweet, delicious fruits, which the monkey would eat every day. A crocodile, who lived in the river, befriended the monkey. The monkey, being generous, would often give the crocodile some of the fruits to eat.
One day, the crocodile’s wife, who was envious of the monkey’s friendship with her husband, demanded that her husband bring her the monkey’s heart, believing it must be as sweet as the fruits he ate. The crocodile, though hesitant, agreed to his wife’s cruel request.
He invited the monkey to his home, saying that he wanted to introduce him to his family. The monkey, trusting his friend, agreed and climbed onto the crocodile’s back to cross the river. As they were halfway across, the crocodile revealed his true intentions. The monkey, quick-witted, pretended to be unconcerned and said, “Oh, you should have told me earlier! I left my heart back on the tree. Let’s return to get it.”
The foolish crocodile believed him and turned back towards the tree. As soon as they reached the shore, the monkey leapt off the crocodile’s back and climbed to safety. He scolded the crocodile for his betrayal and vowed never to trust him again.
Through this story, Vishnu Sharma taught the princes the dangers of greed and deceit, and how one must always be careful not to lose what they have gained through foolishness or lack of foresight.
The most valuable lessons come not from triumph, but from understanding the follies of those who act rashly.
The Fifth Book: Aparīkṣitakāraka (Ill-Considered Actions)
The final book, Aparīkṣitakāraka, dealt with the consequences of rash and thoughtless actions. Vishnu Sharma narrated the story of a Brahmin and a mongoose to illustrate how hasty decisions can lead to irreversible consequences.
A kind-hearted Brahmin lived with his wife and newborn child in a small village. They had a pet mongoose, whom they raised lovingly. One day, while the brahmin was away, his wife went to the river to fetch water, leaving the baby in the care of the mongoose.
As fate would have it, a venomous snake entered the house, threatening the baby’s life. The brave mongoose attacked the snake and killed it, but in the process, its mouth became stained with blood. When the Brahmin’s wife returned and saw the mongoose with blood on its face, she immediately assumed that it had harmed her child.
In a fit of rage, she struck the mongoose, killing it instantly. Only after entering the house did she realize her grave mistake—her baby was safe, and the mongoose had saved the child’s life by killing the snake.
The Brahmin’s wife, overcome with grief and guilt, wept for the faithful mongoose. Vishnu Sharma used this story to teach the princes that acting without proper thought and consideration can lead to disastrous outcomes. Rash decisions, driven by emotion rather than reason, often result in regret and sorrow.
As the months passed, the three princes, Bahushakti, Ugrashakti, and Anantashakti, listened to these stories and began to understand the deeper meanings behind them. The tales of animals and their adventures were not mere entertainment; they were lessons in diplomacy, strategy, friendship, and the perils of greed and foolishness.
In the game of life, it is not power that wins, but the wisdom to choose patience over impulsiveness.
By the end of six months, Vishnu Sharma had not only succeeded in educating the princes, but he had transformed them into wise and capable future rulers. They now understood the complexities of governance, the importance of alliances, and the necessity of thoughtfulness in decision-making.
King Amarashakti was overjoyed to see the change in his sons. He thanked Vishnu Sharma for his wisdom and the invaluable lessons of the Pancha Tantra, which had been passed down through generations and would continue to guide rulers, scholars, and common folk alike.
The timeless stories of the Pancha Tantra, with their blend of moral instruction and practical wisdom, became a treasured part of Indian culture, spreading far beyond the borders of Mahilaropya to inspire people across the world. And so, the wisdom of Vishnu Sharma endured, teaching that life’s greatest lessons often come in the simplest of forms—through stories.
The Pancha Tantra is much more than a collection of fables; it is a profound exploration of human nature, relationships, and the principles that govern both personal and political life. Through stories of animals and allegories, it distils complex ideas into accessible and enduring wisdom. Each tale carries a message that transcends time, guiding rulers, teachers, and students toward a life of insight, prudence, and balance.
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