Panchatantra (The Five Tactics) By K Easwaran Kutty

K. Eswarankutty born in the year 1929, belongs to an aristocratic family in Thrissur, Kerala, India. He took his Master Degree in Science from The Travancore University with Statistics as Major.
He was employed with government of Kerala Bureau of Economics and Statistics and worked in various capacities at Kerala Veternary College, Kerala Forest Research Institute etc., and retired from service in the year 1984 as Additional Director.
Malayalam translation of Geethaanjali by Rebindranath Tagore & Malayalam translation of Seven plays by Rabindranath Tagore are a few of the publication to his credit.

The tales from Panchatantra are narrated to the children in India from a hoary past. The author and date of this incomparable literary work are not known. It is believed that these stories were current in India for the past five millenniums. The Sanskrit word Panchatantra means the five fold tactics or policies. The stories are told under five captions, viz. (1) Mitrabhedam or Alienation of friends, (2) Mitrapraptikam or Winning of Friends, (3) Kakolukiyam or Crows and Owls, (4) Labdapranasam or Forfeiting the Gains and (5) Aparerkshitakarakam or Ill-considered Deed. The characters delineated in these stories include brahmin priest and barber, God and Demon, recluse and courtesan, lion and fox, ass and bull, crow and owl, frog, snake and crocodile. All the characters show human emotions and speak human language. It is no wonder that children and even adults of all times and countries take absorbing interest in these stories.
The story behind these stories is equally charming and instructive. In the southern parts of the country a city called Mahilaropya was ruled by a powerful sovereign named Amarasakti (Immortal Power). He had three sons with names Vasusakti, Ugrasakthi and Anekasakti. The king was very much dejected because the princes were hostile to education. He asked his counsellors for advice regarding their education and training for making them fit to succeed him to the throne. All the ministers failed to chalk out a feasible solution to the king's dilemma. Then one in his council suggested the name of Vishnusarman, with a reputation for his knowledge in numerous sciences and competence in teaching and the princes could be entrusted to him.
The king summoned Vishnusarman and said, "Holy Sir, you should do me a favour by making the princes experts in the art of practical living. In return I shall bestow on you invaluable gifts." The incomparable teacher Vishnusarman said, "I am not one to sell good learning for any material gifts. But if I do not, in six months time, make the boys well acquainted with the art of intelligent living, I shall relinquish my good name as a teacher." The king agreed and sent his sons to live in the house of the teacher. Vishnusarman narrated to the princes a large number of stories arranged in five sections of the Panchatantra. They heard and learnt by heart the absorbing stories told by Vishnusarman. In six months time the princes were made adept in the art of intelligent living and fit for the throne of their father.
The chief actors in Panchatantra are the animals and birds who have human face and behavior. The semi-idiotic King Lion may look like a member of the ruling elite; the jackal has the face of a sly and self-seeking political adviser. The message of this old Sanskrit work is both ancient and modern. The passage of time has not diminished its relevance. There is the story of the two-headed bird in which it brings about self-destruction owing to conflicts between the heads. This reminds one of the tragic end on surgical separation of the Siamese twin sisters from Iran recently reported because of disagreement between them. In one of the tales Panchatanta has depicted a treasure-hunter in his insatiable greed for riches ends up standing in a lonely dreary place under the hot sun, thirsty and hungry, bleeding and whinning under great pains, for how long nobody knows, with a thorny wheel rotating fast on his crown. This seems to be prophetic of the man of this day with the thorny crown of 'Economic Meltdown' brought about by his unquenchable thirst for amassing mountains of wealth by means, fair or fowl.
When I first conceived of rendering into English language these wonderful tales in Panchatantra I wanted only to narrate them to dear Soorya, my African granddaughter. But on completion of the exercise I realized that these immortal stories could be enjoyed by a wider English reading public of story-lovers.
Thus a private communication had to become a public document.
The task of bringing out in print this Panchatantra Retold from the original Sanskrit was undertaken as a labour of affection by Sri. K. Sivadas, my sister's son. It was his untiring interest and efforts that made this publication possible. My blessings are always with him.
The late Sri. Sudheer and his dear wife Ms. Sheeba Sudheer also contributed to supplement the efforts of Sri. Sivadas in this task. My sincere thanks are extended to them.
My Sincere thanks also to Dr. Shrinivasa Varakhedi, Director, (Recipient of President's Award)Sanskrit Academy Osmania University without whose help and guidance the publishing of this book would not have been possible.
The fine illustrations that adorn this publication are the work of Artist Krishna warrier. I pray that Goddess of Arts to shower her blessings on him.
This bouquet woven out of the ancient folk tales from the ever-living work Panchatantra I offer with devotion at the holy lotus feet of Goddess Saraswathi the deity of letters.

Panchatantra is world's unparalleled animal stories collection, and is one of India's most influential contributions to children's literature. There are several translations and retold tales of the original Sanskrit work into many languages across the world. Panchatantra, stands up to its very purpose in moulding a child's personality and equipping them acquire social skills with its animated, educative, captivating stories. A pandit. named Vishnusharma was approached by a king who entrusts him the task of educating his three sons who in no way seem to be competent enough to succeed the throne. Panchtantra ( Five Principles) is thus born for the teaching of the princes and to groom them for their future. It is just not the three little. princes but children all over the world have had the privilege of learning through these fables. Panchtantra, the five treatises are namely Mitra Bheda- Losing friends, Mitra Labha-Winning of friends, Kakulokiya- On Crows and Owls, Labdhapranaasam Loss of gains, Apariksitakaarakam- III- Considered Action.
The collection of fables in the five sections touch every facet of life covering all topics like psychology, politics, administration, morals and music too. The values one should raise with are so elegantly demonstrated by various animal characters that talk like humans. These most entertaining and capturing animal stories demonstrate the virtues of helpfulness, loyalty, the ills of deception and caution us in choosing friends. They stress the necessities of acquiring social skills like team work and the strength of unity, the merriment. and merits in socializing. They also give the assurances that smartness wins over brutal strength to those who are prone to surrender to bullies. No self help book helps in personality development than this work and in raising a healthy individual who is socially acceptable and morally upstanding. Panchtantra moulds children's psyche like a potterer at his wheel.
The Panchatantra work of Sri K.Easwaran Kutty outweighs many self help and personality development books in the book market. we at Sanskrit Academy have felt the need to bring out the second edition of it. We expect the present edition will receive a warm reception by both the children adults as well.
We are grateful to Prof. P. N. Shastry the Vice chancellor Central Sanskrit University (Formerly Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan) New Delhi and the Registrar Prof. Subrahmanya Sharma who have been encouraging us for publication of books on various disciplines in Sanskrit and also for propagation of Sanskrit by arranging online/half-line classes. We dearly think the help and encouragement of Prof. Gopal Reddy, Registrar, Osmania University. I am very happy to say that the staff of our Academy putting tremendous efforts in strengthening the academy.
We offer our sincere thanks to Karshak Art Printers who printed this book within a short time.