Srivisnusarman’s Pancatantram

Description

Pt. Hazari Prasad Dwidedi, the accomplished author and doyen of Hindi-Sanskrit critics, had once rightly remarked that the Bhagavadgita and the Meghadata are like the bells in the temple of lord Visvandtha that are invariably struck at least once in life- time by every visitor (Meghadata: Ek Purani kahani). In the opinion of the present authors, this enumeration would have emerged more compact as well as balanced, had he incorporated the Pancatantra also. Truly, it is only the indomitable life-spirit and the unconquer able inner-strength of a text that help it attract the minds of the readers in all ages. On the basis of its content, the Pancatantra of Srivisnu sarman can not be regarded as a textbook of political science in the modern sense of the term. But, undoubtedly, a good part of it is related to politics.