Pancatantra: The Book of India's Folk Wisdom

The Pancatantra is the most famous collection of fables in India and was one of the earliest Indian books to be translated into western languages. A significant influence on the Arabian Nights and the Fables of La Fontaine, the Pancatantra teaches the principles of good government and public policy through the medium of animal stories. Its positive attitude towards life and its advocacy of ambition, conventional enterprise, and drive refute any perception of passivity and other-worldliness in ancient Indian society. Patrick Olivelle's new translation vividly reveals the story-telling powers of the original author and presents the Pancatantra in all its complexity and rich ambivalence. A detailed introduction examines central elements of political and moral philosophy in the text, while extensive notes illuminate aspects of ancient Indian society and religion for the non-specialist reader.