Panchatantra

by Vishnu Sharma

  The next morning, when Somilaka woke up, he found that Guptadhana had a stomach ache and could not eat all day. (Thus, he saved that day what he had spent on Somilaka the day before.)

  Then Somilaka found his way to Upabhuktadhana’s house. There he was welcomed with great warmth, given a comfortable room to stay in and new clothes to wear, and when it was time to eat, he was served a large and sumptuous meal. That night, as he slept on his comfortable bed in Upabhuktadhana’s house, he heard the same two men talking.

  Said one, ‘Hey Karta, now see what you have done! You know how lavishly Upabhuktadhana spends! He took credit from the grocer to entertain Somilaka. He has no savings, for that is his destiny. So now how will he ever pay back the grocer’s debt?’

  ‘What could I do, O Karman?’ replied the other. ‘It is my job to assign who gives and who gets. The final outcome of that giving and getting is up to you, so why do you blame me?’

  The next morning, when Somilaka woke up, he saw a royal messenger approach Upabhuktadhana’s house. The messenger had come laden with gold and precious stones from the treasury, as a gift from the king to the merchant. (And so he had enough to pay back his debt to the grocer.)

  Seeing this, Somilaka said to himself, ‘This Upabhuktadhana is not a rich man, for he spends all he has. But he is a kind and pleasant person. Now Guptadhana, he is rich man, but he is such a miser, and so mean and nasty! It is definitely better to be like Upabhuktadhana!’

  Somilaka then returned to the banyan tree in the forest and cried out, ‘Destiny, make me like Upabhuktadhana who, though not a rich man, enjoys all he has!’ His wish was granted, and Somilaka went back home to his wife and his friends, a happy and contented man. He no longer craved for great wealth, but learnt to enjoy what he had.

  ‘And so, Hiranyaka,’ concluded Mantharaka, ‘do not ever worry over matters of money. A man should use money to provide for his needs and that of his family, and to help others. It should never be hoarded. A rich man who has money but does not spend it is no different from a man who has nothing. Rather than wealth, it is contentment that we should seek, for that alone will bring joy. So, friend Hiranyaka, forget your sorrows, and come and live with us in peace in your new home.’

  Laghupatanaka, who had been listening carefully all this while, was delighted at Mantharaka’s kind words. ‘You have made me the happiest crow in the land,’ he said, thanking Mantharaka, ‘for you have welcomed my friend Hiranyaka, and by giving him such good advice, lifted the load of despair from his heart.’ Turning to the mouse he continued, ‘Hiranyaka, you are now amongst friends, and there is nothing better in life than the company of good friends. So throw away your grief, and live life to its fullest.’

  As the three friends stood talking by the shores of the lake, a deer called Chitranga came running by and stood trembling in the shallows of the lake. He was being chased by a hunter, and had somehow escaped with his life. Alarmed by the deer, the crow flew up into the branches of a tree, the mouse hid himself in the reeds growing on the shore, and the turtle slipped into the water.

  After a while, the crow, who had been watching the deer, called out to the turtle, ‘Mantharaka, come out of the water. The deer seems to be thirsty, that is all. There is no cause for alarm.’

  ‘No, no, Laghupatanaka,’ replied Mantharaka. ‘I don’t think the deer has come here to quench his thirst. He is panting and afraid. I think he is being chased by huntsmen. Please fly out and survey the forest and tell me if you can see any around.’

  The crow flew off to do as the turtle asked. Meanwhile, the deer, who had heard the conversation between the two friends, spoke up. ‘Friend Mantharaka,’ he said, ‘you have guessed the cause of my alarm correctly. My companions and I were being chased and harried all day by a party of huntsmen. Somehow I managed to give them the slip and come here. I am sure that they must have killed the rest of my herd. I seek your protection. Please tell me quickly a place where I may hide should the huntsmen follow me here.’

  ‘Friend Chitranga,’ replied Mantharaka, ‘there are only two ways to save yourself from your enemy—you can fight, or you can run. I would suggest that you run into that thicket there and hide yourself before your pursuers get here.’

  The deer did as the turtle suggested, and ran with graceful leaps and bounds into the nearby thicket. Meanwhile, the crow who had flown off to survey the forest, returned and, perching himself upon a tree branch, said, ‘Mantharaka, those huntsmen have gone home, carrying with them the carcasses of the many animals they killed today. We have nothing to fear from them just now.’ Calling to the deer, he added, ‘Chitranga, you may come out of your hiding place now. The men have gone. Do not be afraid any more.’

  At this the turtle swam out of the lake, the mouse crept out of his hidey-hole amongst the reeds and the deer ran out of the thicket. The crow flew down from his branch to join them. Mantharaka welcomed the newcomer courteously, and invited him to drink freely from the lake and rest there as long as he wished.

  ‘I like these creatures,’ thought the deer to himself. ‘I am not afraid of them, for the turtle lives in the water, while the crow and the mouse feed only on carrion.’ Aloud, he thanked the turtle for his kindness and said, ‘I came here exhausted and afraid, but found such kind hosts in all of you. Now, if you will allow me, I would like to stay here and be your friend.’

  ‘Hmm, that may not be wise,’ said Mantharaka. ‘You see, the three of us are small and weak, while you are big and strong. We may not be of much use to you in times of trouble. It is always better to make friends with those who can help you when you need it.’

  ‘You are being too modest,’ protested the deer. ‘I do not care if you are small and I am large. It is said and truly so

  Make friends with the big

  Make friends with the small

  The elephants, caught in a trap in the forest

  Were by mice released.’

  ‘Oh, and how was that?’ asked the turtle, the crow and the mouse.

  So the deer told them the story of the elephants and the mice.

  The Story of the Elephants and the Mice

  Once upon a time, in a ruined city in a forest, lived a large colony of mice. The mice had lived there for generations. They had plenty of food in the forest, and unmolested by man or beast, they lived there in peace and harmony.

  One day, a herd of elephants came into the forest, searching for a lake or pond wherein to slake their thirst. The elephants, led by their king, a mighty bull elephant as tall as a mountain, passed through the ruined city where the mice had made their home. Now, the elephants were so big that they did not even notice the little mice, and as they walked through their city, they trampled underfoot hundreds of mice, killing them instantly.

  The mice who managed to escape the elephants called an emergency meeting. ‘If these elephants come through our town one more time, they will kill the rest of us,’ they cried in despair. ‘We must find a way to stop them.’ After much thinking, the mice decided to send a delegation to the elephants.

  The mice delegation scurried to the lake where the herd of elephants stood drinking and playing in the water, and going up to the king they said, ‘Sire, not far from here lies the ruined city which is our home. This morning, as you passed through it on your way to this lake, you and your elephants trampled and killed hundreds of our people. We therefore beg you to find another way to the lake, for if you pass by even once more through our town, you will kill us all.’

  The king of the elephants agreed at once to their request. ‘So be it,’ he said. ‘I will make sure we find another way to and from the lake. From now on no elephant shall pass through your town.’

  The mice thanked him and scampered away, greatly relieved.

  A few months later, the very same herd of elephants was trapped and captured by the local king’s men. The elephants were bound and tied with strong ropes to the trunks of stout trees and left there till their spirit should break. ‘What shall I do? How shall
I free my people?’ wondered the king of the elephants, a prisoner like the rest of his herd.

  Now, the news of the elephants’ capture, which spread like wildfire through the forest, soon reached the colony of mice. ‘We must save our friends,’ cried the mice, and hurried through the forest to where the elephants still stood, tied to the trees. The mice set to work at once, and, within a few hours, gnawed through the ropes that bound the elephants and set them all free. The grateful elephants thanked the mice and disappeared into the forest, safe from the traps of the hunters.

  ‘And so,’ concluded Chitranga the deer, ‘we must make friends with everyone, big or small, strong or weak.’

  ‘Well, if that is so, then let it be as you desire,’ said Mantharaka. ‘From now on, your home is here with us. Stay here in peace and safety, and throw away all your worries.’

  From that moment on, the crow, the mouse, the turtle and the deer became firm friends. They would gather together on the same spot by the lake every afternoon and spend their time in friendly and cheerful conversation.

  One afternoon, Chitranga did not arrive for their daily gathering. Laghupatanaka, Hiranyaka and Mantharaka waited a while, and then, when the deer still did not appear, they grew concerned. ‘What could have happened to him? Could he have been eaten by a lion? Or caught in a forest fire? Or, lured by fresh, green grass, fallen into a hunter’s trap?’ they worried.

  It is true that if someone we love is late or missing, we always worry that the worst may have happened to them. It is natural to worry about loved ones even if they are late coming into the house from the garden, so what could be said about the state of mind of the three friends as they waited for the deer to return from the forest?

  Mantharaka said to the crow, ‘Friend Laghupatanaka, neither Hiranyaka nor I will be any good in searching for Chitranga. We are too small and too slow. But you can fly far and swiftly over the trees. So please go and search for our friend. Let us hope that you find him alive and well.’

  Laghupatanaka did as the turtle suggested and flew off in search of their friend. He had flown only a short distance when, by the side of a small pond, he saw Chitranga. The deer had been caught in a hunter’s net, and lay helpless and hopelessly entangled.

  ‘Friend! How did you get caught in this way?’ called Laghupatanaka, deeply concerned.

  Seeing his friend the crow, Chitranga’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Friend,’ he said, I am certain that my final hour has come. I am glad that you are here with me at this moment. It is truly said that in such situations, a friend by one’s side is the greatest blessing. If I die, then I will die happy, knowing you were with me. If, in our time together, I have ever on purpose or inadvertently hurt or offended you, then please forgive me.’

  ‘Chitranga, do not give in to despair,’ replied Laghupatanaka. ‘Now that we have found you, we will find a way to rescue you. I will return at once with Hiranyaka, and he will cut through the meshes that bind you in no time. In times of trouble, strong men do not panic in this way.’

  Reassuring Chitranga and giving him courage, Laghupatanaka flew back to Mantharaka and Hiranyaka. After explaining the situation to them, he took Hiranyaka upon his back and flew back to Chitranga. The deer greeted the mouse with relief. ‘It is true that we must make friends with good and generous people,’ he declared. ‘Friends help us through our times of trouble; without friends, it is impossible to overcome the difficulties that life throws our way.’

  ‘Chitranga, you are so wise and so learned—how then did you fall into this trap?’ asked the mouse sorrowfully.

  ‘Friend, there is no time for such useless discussion,’ said Chitranga. ‘That evil hunter will be back soon to check his trap. Please gnaw through my bonds before he returns.’

  ‘Don’t be afraid any more,’ laughed Hiranyaka, setting to work on Chitranga’s bonds. ‘But seeing your condition, I am beginning to lose my respect for learning and education. So do answer my question—how did one as learned as you fall into this trap?’

  ‘Friend,’ replied Chitranga sadly, ‘when fate is against you, no amount of learning or wisdom can save you.’

  Meanwhile, Laghupatanaka, who was sitting high up in a tree keeping watch, saw Mantharaka the turtle crawling slowly towards them through the underbrush. ‘Oh, no! This is not good,’ he exclaimed.

  ‘Why, is the hunter on his way here?’ asked Hiranyaka, alarmed.

  ‘No, not the hunter, but I can see Mantharaka making his way here. He has been very unwise to follow us. If the hunter comes back now, Mantharaka could get killed. I can soar into the sky and escape, you can hide in a hole in the ground, and with his bonds cut, even Chitranga can run away. But Mantharaka, who is so swift in the water, can barely move on land. How will he save himself?’

  Just then Mantharaka arrived on the scene. ‘Friend, you should not have come,’ said Hiranyaka to him. ‘It would be best that you return before the hunter should get here.’

  ‘What could I do? How could I stay back, knowing that my friend was in trouble?’ replied Mantharaka. ‘It was intolerable, not knowing what was going on. And so I came here.’

  The distant twang of a bowstring broke into their conversation. The mouse quickly gnawed through the deer’s remaining bonds and set him free. The deer stood up and ran away as fast as he could to hide himself in the underbrush, while the crow flew up into a tree, and the mouse scurried into a nearby mouse-hole.

  The hunter saw that the deer had escaped, and was deeply vexed and gave up all hope of catching anything that day. He turned away and began walking homewards when suddenly he spied the turtle crawling slowly away. Ah, here was a meal for his children, he thought. Delightedly, he jumped upon the turtle and grabbed him, and tying his forelegs together with some straw, he hung him upon the end of his bow and set off jauntily towards home. ‘The deer got away, but the flesh of this turtle will do nicely instead,’ he thought happily.

  Seeing the hunter walking away with Mantharaka, Hiranyaka the mouse began to wail and weep. ‘Oh, what a calamity this is!’ he lamented. ‘Will my troubles never end? First my treasure gets stolen, I become an outcast amongst my own people, and as if that wasn’t enough, I lose my friend. Yes, I have other friends, but a friend like Mantharaka is impossible to find! With Mantharaka gone, who will help me in my times of trouble? Who will give me sage advice? Oh Mantharaka, Mantharaka!’

  As Hiranyaka wailed and wept, he was joined by Laghupatanaka and Chitranga, both of whom were in tears at Mantharaka’s capture. ‘Friends, what is the point of weeping?’ said Hiranyaka after a while. ‘Let us not waste any more time in fruitless tears. Instead, let us put our heads together and think how we can rescue Mantharaka. We must hurry, for if we lose sight of the hunter, we will not be able to find Mantharaka in time to save him.’

  ‘I have a plan,’ said Laghupatanaka the crow. ‘Both of you must do exactly as I say. First, you, Chitranga, must lie down by a pond in the hunter’s path as though dead. I will perch myself upon you and pretend to peck out your eyes, thus convincing the hunter that you are, indeed, dead. He will, in his excitement, put down Mantharaka and come towards us, eager for your flesh. When he does that, you, Hiranyaka, must gnaw through Mantharaka’s bonds and hurry him into the pond before the hunter can turn back.’

  The mouse and the deer approved of the crow’s plan, and the three friends set off to rescue the turtle. They did exactly as the crow had suggested. Finding a pond that lay in the hunter’s path, the deer lay down beside it, pretending to be dead. The crow perched himself upon his head and pretended to peck at his eyes. The hunter, coming upon this scene, laid down the turtle and ran towards the dead deer, a far bigger catch for him than a turtle. Hiranyaka gnawed through the string binding Mantharaka’s legs in an instant, and as the turtle hurried into the pond and swam away, he too, dived into a nearby hole for safety. Seeing that Mantharaka was safely away, Chitranga sprang up and ran away as fast as he could through the trees where the hunter could not follow him, while
Laghupatanaka soared up into the sky.

  The bewildered hunter stared at the deer vanishing through the trees, and, with a sigh, turned back to the turtle, only to find that he had vanished too! He held his head in despair and, lamenting and cursing fate, turned towards home.

  The four friends watched the hunter leave, and once he was safely out of the forest, they came out of hiding, and laughing and crying, embraced each other. Happily, they returned to the shores of their lake, where they continued to live in peace and safety till the end of their days, meeting every afternoon as they had always done, for a story and some conversation and the pleasure of each other’s company.

  ‘The lesson of this story,’ said Vishnusharma to the princes, ‘is that those who make friends with others, and who nurture their friendships and look after them, are never alone. With their friends by their side, they can face any trouble, overcome any enemy and never have to suffer humiliation or defeat.’

  ‘And with this, I end the second part of your lessons,’ he concluded.

  Part 3

  Of Crows and Owls

  Vishnusharma said to the three princes, ‘I now come to the third part of your lessons, which tells of deceit and friendship, war and peace. Never trust someone who once used to be your enemy but now suddenly becomes your friend. Look at the cave once inhabited by owls that was set on fire by the crow professing friendship, though he had once been their enemy. Now listen to what happened.’

  The Story of the Crows and the Owls

  It has been heard that in a kingdom in the south, there lies the fair city of Mahilaropya. Not far from the city, there once stood a vast and spreading banyan tree, with innumerable branches and dense, green leaves. Upon that tree lived Meghavarna, king of the crows, and his hundreds of subjects. Close by, in a mountain cave, lived Arimardana, king of the owls, and his subjects.