oe NKATHAZCrows and owls and other stories The original text of the Panchatantra in Sanskrit was probably written about 200 B.C. by a great Hindu scholar, Pandit Vishnu Sharma. But some of the tales themselves must be much older, their origin going back to the period of the Vedas and the Upanishads (1500 B.C. to 500 B.C.). In course of time, travellers took these stories with them to Persia and Arabia and finally, through Greece, they reached Europe. So farithasbeen translated into 50 or more languages of the world. The Panchatantra is essentially connected with one of the branches of science known to us as the ‘Nitishastra’ in Sanskrit, which means ’A book of wise conductin life’. It attempts to teach us how to understand people, how to choose reliable and trust- worthy friends, how to meet difficulties and solve problems through tact and wisdom, and how tolive in peace and harmony in the face of hypocrisy, deceit and the many pitfalls in life. The Panchatantra is woven round the frame of a tale of a king who entrusts his three dull sons to a learned man, a Brahmin, called Pandit Vishnu Sharma, to enlighten their minds within six months. The Brahmin promises to educate them and takes them tohis’ashrama’ (hermitage). There he recites to them hisspecially composed tales divided into five tantras (in Sanskrit ‘pancha’ means five and ‘tantra’ means systems or parts) on how to deal with people in life. The Panchatantra is a rare book, for in no book can one find philosophy, psychology, politics, music, astronomy, humanrela- tions, etc. all discussed together in sucha simple yet elegant style. This is exactly what Pandit Vishnu Sharma had in mind-to give as much knowledge to the princes in as uncomplicated a manner as possible. And no doubt not only the princes but also millions of listeners and readers for the last 2,200 years have benefited from his most unique book. Script: Luis M. Fernandes Artworks: M. Mohandas Editor : Anant Pai © India Book House Pvt. Ltd, 1981 @ Reprinted October, 2003 ISBN 81 - 7508 - 062 - 0 Published by Padmini Mirchandani for India Book House Pvt. Ltd, Mahalaxmi Chambers, Sth Floor, 22, Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai ~ 400 026 and printed by her at Shashi Offset, +15, Pravasi Ind, Estate, Visweshwar Nagar Road, Goregaon (E), Mumbai - 400 063.CROWS AND OWLS ‘A COLONY OF CROWS DWELT IN A GREAT BANYAN TREE IN A FOREST. THE NAME OF THEIR KING WAS CLOUDY. THEN ONE DAY, CLOUDY CALLED A THE CROWS WERE CONSTANTLY HARASSED MEETING OF HIS FIVE COUNSELLORS. BY THEIR POWERFUL ENEMIES, THE OWLS. THEIR’ KING, FOE~CRUSHER WOULD ATTACK ANY CROW HE CAME ACROSS. ae THEY ARE ARROGANT La) ‘ADVISE ME, AND POWERFUL AND ) COUNSELLORS.WHAT THEY ATTACK US AT NIGHT } SHOULD WE DOZ TA‘amar chitra katha LET US SUE FOR PEACE. IT IS ALWAYS ADVISABLE TO MAKE PEACE WITH POWERFUL FOES. ONE SHOULD NEVER: MARE PEACE WITH WICKED CREATURES. LET US DECLARE WAR fy ON THE RASCALS! oe THE ENEMY IS VICIOUS AND POWERFUL. ADVISE NEITHER PEACE NOR WAR BUY, JA CHANGE OF RESIDENCE. LET, lus GO AWAY. FROM HERE: BUT IF HE LEAVES: HIS SWAMP, EVEN A DOG CAN MAKE HIM RUN. I SAY, LET US STAY HERE AND FORTIFY OUR POSITIONS! ae Me (hk 7 S ‘A CROCODILE IF HE STAYS AT HOME CAN DEFEAT AN ELEPHANT. 1N MY HUMBLE OPINION WE SHOULD FORM ALLIANCES WITH OTHER FRIENDLY BIRDS.PANCHATANTRA THEN CLOUDY TURNED TOA VERY OLD ATTACK ME CROW NAMED LIVE-STRONG. ‘AT ONCE WITH A GREAT DUPLICITY, ATTACK YOU2 MY WISEST MINISTER? SHOW OF ANGER. YES. WE MUST PUT UP THIS SHOW FOR JHE BENEFIT OF OUR & FRIEND OVER THERE. 4 LET HIM THINK WE'VE ea ate 7 'WILL BEFRIEND FALLEN OUT.THROW | |ANTELOPE }, WILL YOU 02 t THE OWLS AND ‘ ME OUT OF THE TREE. MOUNTAIN. 7 S~_, i‘ WIN THEIR TRUST. \. THEN,WITH ALL YOUR AND THEN VLL FIND SUBJECTS... AWAY TO BRING \ ABOUT THEIR DOOMSPEAK LIKE THAT TO OUR KING ! HOW DARE HE ‘amar chitra katha AH, THEY ARE FIGHTING AMONGST THEMSELVES. To ME. LEAVE HIM | $iPANCHATANTRA THE OWL LOST NO TIME IN REPORTING WHAT HE HAD HEARD AND SEEN TO HIS MASTER, KING FOE~CRUSHER. YOUR MAJESTY, THE CROWS ARE THEY HAVE THEN THIS 1S A GOOD THROWN OUT TIME TO ATTACK THEM. ONE OF THEIR A DISORGANISED ENEMY IS EASILY DEFEATED. FOLLOW ME, MY FRIENDS.PANCHATANTRA TAM NO ORDINARY CROW. | [1 HAVE MUCH. 1AM CLOUDY’S MINISTER. | |TO DISCUSS BE GOOD ENOUGH | |WITH HIM. TO INFORM YOUR MASTER: OF MY PRESENCE. HOW HAVE YOU COME ~\ THIS 1S THE WAY TO SUCH A SORRY. STATE, HAVE BEEN MY DEAR SIR 2 REWARDED FOR, GIVING GOOD ADVICE, BN YOUR MAJESTY. MY MASTER, CLOUDY, HENCEFORTH BECAME FURIOUS WITH I SHALL WORK FOR ME WHEN | URGED HIM THE DESTRUCTION OF TO PAY YOU TRIBUTE. ALL CROWS.NOW | HE ASSAULTED ME AND THROW MYSELF AT THREW ME OUT OF THE TREE.amar chitra katha FOE- CRUSHER HAD FIVE ANCESTRAL COUNSELLORS. THEIR NAMES WERE RED-EYE, FIERCE -EYE , HOOK-NOSE >FLAME -EYE AND _WALL-EAR. a-2e THE CROW SEEKS \/SLAY HIM WITHOUT ASYLUM.WHAT IS YOUR | FURTHER DELAY, INION; RED- EYE MY LORD. Sata YA\ ue IS A CROW! BUT THE OTHER COUNSELLORS WERE MORE CHARITABLE]| _HE MAY PROVE USEFUL ee US IN OUR WAR WI GRANT HIM \ ji IT WOULD BE WRONG 10 es NCU OATH REFUGE, KILL ONE WHO SEEKS YOUR : OKING! = PROTECTION. DO NOT LISTEN | HAVE ALREADY MADE TO THEM, YOUR UP MY MIND, RED-EVE THE MAJESTY. SLAY HIM f CROW STAYS WITH US. WE HE IS UP TO SHALL TAKE HIM TO OUR NO Goop! a FORTRESS.PANCHATANTRA | HAVE FOOLED THEM ALL EXCEPT THE SHREWD RED-EYE, HE HAS GUESSED MY TRUE PURPOSE. THIS 1S OUR FORTRESS, SIR. HO, THERE! MAKE HERE YOU MAY STAY Our GUEST IN COMFORT FAR COMFORTABLE. LOOK AND HONOUR. AFTER HIS IF | STAY IN THEIR MIDST \ | [O KING,IT WOULD NOT ITWILL BE DIFFICULT FOR, \ | | BE PROPER FOR ME TO ME TO GO ABOUT MY ] [ENTER YOUR FORTRESS. BUSINESS WITHOUT BEING OBSERVED.‘amar chitra katha GIVE ME A LITTLE YOU MAY STAY | | THE SECOND PART PLACE NEAR THE GATE} | NEAR THEGATE | | OF MY PLAN HAS GONE AND THAT IS ENOUGH. IFIT PLEASES | | THROUGH SUCCESSFULLY. SELF HOW THEY NEAR ee GATE AND BEGAN TO CAE PAMPER HIM. (T MAKES: OF EASE AND COMFORT, UNPERTURBED RED-EYE’S HOSTILITY. ME SICK! 6 AND HERE ARE HAVE SOME ‘SOME MANGOES. RICE, YOUR HONOUR. YOUR MAJESTY, THE CROW MUST GO! HE IS MAKING A FOOL OF YOU! WE ARt FATTENING HIM WHILE HE IS PLANNING OUR DESTRUCTION. HE MUST BE LAUGHING AT US.LEAVE THAT POOR CREATURE ALONE. HE IS HARMLESS. THEY WON'T LISTEN, TO ME.1 CAN"T STAY HERE ANY LONGER. RED-EYE GATHERED HIS FOLLOWERS AND TOLD THEM TO PACK UP THEIR BELONGINGS. ‘THE END (5 AT HAND. | CANNOT SAVE THE KING AS HE REFUSES To BE GUIDED BY ME.LET us, ATLEAST, SAVE OUR- SELVES WHILE WE CAN. ONLY HE COULD HAVE FOILED MY PLANS.THE REST OF THEM ARE ANYONE WHO CONTINUES TO LIVE HERE DOES SO AT HIS OWN PERIL.LET US GO FORTH AND SEEK ANOTHER FORTRESS IN THE MOUNTAINS. THE DAYS OF THE OWLS ARE NUMBERED. FROM TOMORROW | SHALL START BUILDING My NEST OF DEATH.EACH DAY THEREAFTER, LIVE-STRONG WENT INTO THE FOREST AND RETURN- ED WITH A TWIG: WHICH HE DROPPED INSIDE THE ‘amar chitra katha 1AM BUILDING A NEST, YOUR MAJESTY. ¥ SOON THERE WAS A LARGE PILE OF TWIGS AT THE GATE, BUT NONE OF THE OWLS STOPPED TO WONDER WHY THEIR GUEST REQUIRED SO BIG A NEST. HE FLEW DIRECTLY TO A NEARBY MOUNTAIN WHERE CLOUDY AND THE OTHER CROWS WERE WAITING FOR HIM WE ARE 2 DELIGHTED To\ SEE YOU BACK WITH US!PANCHATANTRA HOW WAS YOURY 1 SHALL GIVE You STAY WITH —JAFULL ACCOUNT OF sTHE OWLS2 _/ MY ADVENTURES LATER, My LORD. SOON, AN ARMY OF CROWS LED BY THE TIRELESS LIVE-STRONG WAS STREAKING. THROUGH THE MORNING SKY. THERE’S THE © CAVE. DROP YOUR TWIGS_ON THE NEST AND SET ITON FIRE. BUT WE HAVE WORK To DO NOW. LET EVERY CROW TAKE UPA BURNING TWIG AND COME WITH US.‘amar chitra katha Nn THE OWLS, STILL HALF ASLEEP, IED. TO. RUSH OUT OF THE CAVE BUT WERE THE WE ARE DOOMED! DOOMED! Le a / 4 ASP W/ THE CAVE, CLOSEP AS !T WAS FROM ALL | SIDES, BECAME A FIERY FURNACE. | THUS DID THE CROWS: =MSELVE: 1 | THEIR POWERFUL BUT DIM-WITTED ENEMIES, THE OM.PANCHATANTRA ‘A MAN WAS SEARCHING FOR GEMS JON THE TOP OF A CERTAIN MOUNTAIN. AFTER A LONG Neteea see a“ HE WAS EXHAUSTED AND De ON THE GROUND BENDA KOCK, TLL TAKE ASHORT NAP AND THEN TRY AGAIN, w= TOO MANY DACOITS AROUND HERE...amar chitra katha THIS IS NOT FAIR AT ALL. | SHOULD GET SOME GEMS TOO FOR MY TROUBLE, \/ THEY ARE l’ IX SWALLOWING Ue gt b we Z| GOOD MASTERS, 1AM FORTUNATE |, KNOW WHAT! ILL MAKE FRIENDS WITH THESE FELLOWS AND WHEN THEY ARE ASLEEP, I'LL SLIT OPEN THEIR BELLIES AND TAKE THE E WELCOME TO TRAVEL WITH US, MY FRIEND.PANCHATANTRA INOW ALL I HAVE TO Do 15 WAIT FOR THE BEGAN TO Si «A BIRD INA ROBBER CHIEF'S HUT THOSE MEN! 3\ BRING THEM‘amar chitra kathaPANCHATANTRA TAKE THEM AWAY AND CUT OPEN THEIR BELLIES. RAE aw ih RED ae piaPANCHATANTRA THE MAN WAS TAKEN AWAY. LATER — THERE WASN'T A SINGLE GEM THERE WERE NO GEMS IN HIS STOMACH.THERE WON'T ¢ BE ANY IN THE STOMACHS 7’ OFHIS FRIENDS | & LITTLE DID THE CHIEF REALISE THAT HE HAD DONE EXACTLY WHAT THE DEAD MAN HAD HOPED HE WOULD Do. SO MY BIRD CAN MAKE A MISTAKE AFTER ALL.amar chitra katha THE BIRD AND THE MONKEYS Pew Za IONE CHILLY WINTER EVENING — 2 LET’S BLOW ON THE LEAVES. THEY'LL CATCH FIRE FASTERPANCHATANTRAamar chitra katha Al MERCHANT, WAS ADIN A CARAVAN VILY-LADEN CAMELS THROUGH A JUNGLE... DAYS PASSED AND THE CAMEL SOMEHOW SURVIVED THE PERILS OF THE JUNGLE.PANCHATANTRA THEY ARE NOT LET US FIND OUT WHAT HE 1S DOING HERE, POOR FELLOW! HE HAS BEEN BUT ONE DAY THE LION WAS WOUNDED ws. MUCH TO THE DISMAY OF THE CROW, INA COMBAT WITH AN ELEPHANT.HE HAP THE JACKAL AND THE LEOPARD WHO TO RETIRE TO HIS CAVE AND THERE HE DEPENPEP ON HIM FOR FOOD. REMAINED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. WE'LL STARVE TO DEATH EITHER. AT THIS RATE.‘amar chitra katha THEY LOOK Way 50 SAD. THEY MusT TX Wg] | B= WORRYING ABOUT MY) HEALTH. | WISH ) | COULD FEED THEM 1AM SORRY 1 CANNOT PROVIDE YOU WITH FOOD NOW,MY FRIENDS. 1AM 4 TOO WEAK TO HUNT, YOU WILL HAVE TO FEND FOR YOURSELVES TILL. | RECOVER. HOW COULD WE THE LION WAS PLEASED EVEN THINK OF WITH THE VACKAL'S REPLY, EATING WHEN 7 ! YOU HAVE SHOWN ROU ARE Soa YOURSELVES TO BE LOYAL SERVANTS. GO AND ROLIND UP AN ANIMAL AND DRIVE IT THIS WAY SO THAT | MAY KILL IT FOR FOO?. THE JACKAL AND HIS FRIENDS SCOURED THE JUNGLE BUT COULP NOT FIND ANY THERE'S REALLY... ...NO NEED... TO EXERT OURSELVESPANCHATANTRA WELL, THERE'S THE, TLL HAVE CAMEL.HIS FLESH A WORD WITH COULD SUSTAIN US HIM IN ANY ALL FOR SEVERAL CASE DAYS. FORGET IT.THE KING WILL NEVER HURT ANY ANIMAL THAT IS UNDER HIS PROTECTION. © KING,WE COULD NOT FIND AN ANIMAL "oul FOR YOU. BUT THERE'S aN EAT NO NEED FOR YOU. ISN TO STARVE. : GET OUT OF MY | WAS-ONLY ARE YOU SUGGESTING r¢ THAT | HURT AN ANIMAL Sloth oe THINKING OF YOUR THAT IS UNDER MY WRETCH? WELFARE.OUR OWN = LIVES ARE PROTECTION 7 PLEASE DON'T WORTHLESS WHEN YOURS 15 AT MISUNDERSTAND) S 2 ME.O KING: STAKE‘omar chitra katha TRNOW IT WOULD BUT WHAT IF HE 1 SUPPOSE BE WRONG FOR YOU | | HIMSELF DEVOTEDLY YOU ARE TO HURT THE CAMEL] {OFFERED HIS FLESH TO RIGHT. IN ORDINARY | }YOU?THEN NO ONE CIRCUMSTANCES. 4 }COULD BLAME YOU IF THE CAMEL, WERE TO MAKE SUCH AN OFFER 1 WIGHT ACCEPT IT. IT 1S THE LEAST WE CAN DO FOR SUCH, ‘A NOBLE SOUL. THE WILY JACKAL RAN BACK TO HIS. FRIENDS WHO HAD NOW BEEN JOINED BY THE CAMEL FRIENDS,OUR KING IS PYING OF STARVATION, LET US GO AND BEG HIM TO EAT ONE OF us. WHAT 1S" IT, My _FRIENDS2 HAVE YOU CAUGHT ANY CREATURE?NO,O KING.WE WERE NOT ABLE TO CATCH ANY CREATURE. YOU MAY EAT ANY ONE OF US INSTEAD. WILL BE THE CAMEL ! PANCHATANTRA EAT ME, MASTER AND PROLONG YOUR LIFE FOR A DAY. NO, NO, YOU'RE TOO SMALL. THE MASTER'S HUNGER WOULD] HARDLY BE APPEASED By EATING you. IT 1S ME. YOU SHOULD EAT, AS IF YOU'RE VERY BIG YOURSELF. ALL OF THEM HAVE OFFERED TO LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR THE KING, BUT HE HAS NOT HURT ANY OF THEM.amar chitra kathe NOW LET ME Too ‘MAKE A NOBLE GESTURE THEY'LL SO THE POOR CAMEL STEPPED FORWARE. STAND ASIDE, FRIEND LEOPARD. HOW CAN THE MASTER EAT YOU @ YOU AND HE BELONG TO THE \\ SAME FAMILY— WELL _ ALMOST. é REPOSED IN THEM BY A COMRADE. BEFORE THE CAMEL COULD GET OVER HIS SHOCK, THE THREE ANIMALS RUSHED AT