The Panchatantra Stories are over 5000 years old. Originally narrated in Sanskrit, they were popularised in their present form by Pandit Vishnu Sharma. Legend has it that King Amar Shakti asked Pandit Sharma to impart worldly wisdom to his three sons. Pandit Sharma agreed to do this within six months. Thereupon, he narrated stories daily with subtle messages that taught various qualities for success and survival, such as unity, friendship, firmness of mind, earnestness, etc. These tales were called Panchatantra. Panch means five, and tantra refers to codes of conduct. The stories were largely based on animal characters, making it very interesting for children. Some stories covered among others: *The Lion and the Clever Rabbit *The Fishes and the Frog *The Hare who outwitted the Elephant King *Suchimukhas and the Monkeys *The Camel and his False friends *The Snake and the Crows

Concise descriptions and vivid color photographs of 60 common herbs, accompanied by the history of the herbs and their use in traditional Chinese medicine. Contains tonic recipes and index.

The stories of Panchatantra are ancient Indian fables that were written in Sanskrit and Pali languages. The central characters in these fascinating fables are many-a-times, animals and birds. They show their most identifying characteristics in the various stories, and impart valuable life-lessons and morals. This beautifully illustrated book offers a classic Panchatantra tale for every day of the year. Read about clever hares, cunning jackals, evil hunters, great friends and more! 365 Panchatantra Stories is a treasure of wisdom, the perfect addition to a child’s library.

Encyclopedic in its coverage, this one-of-a-kind reference is ideal for students, scholars, and others who need reliable, up-to-date information on folk and fairy tales, past and present. Folktales and fairy tales have long played an important role in cultures around the world. They pass customs and lore from generation to generation, provide insights into the peoples who created them, and offer inspiration to creative artists working in media that now include television, film, manga, photography, and computer games. This second, expanded edition of an award-winning reference will help students and teachers as well as storytellers, writers, and creative artists delve into this enchanting world and keep pace with its past and its many new facets. Alphabetically organized and global in scope, the work is the only multivolume reference in English to offer encyclopedic coverage of this subject matter. The four-volume collection covers national, cultural, regional, and linguistic traditions from around the world as well as motifs, themes, characters, and tale types. Writers and illustrators are included as are filmmakers and composers—and, of course, the tales themselves. The expert entries within volumes 1 through 3 are based on the latest research and developments while the contents of volume 4 comprises tales and texts. While most books either present readers with tales from certain countries or cultures or with thematic entries, this encyclopedia stands alone in that it does both, making it a truly unique, one-stop resource.

The Panchatantra is a collection of folktales and fables claimed to have been authored in Sanskrit over 2500 years ago by the famous Hindu Scholar Pandit Vishnu Sharma. It provides insight into human behaviour despite the fact that all the characters are from the animal realm. The precise date of the composition of the Panchatantra is unknown and ranges between 1200 BCE and 300 CE. Some researchers date him to the third century BCE.

"At a time when each Society had its own medium of propogation of its researches ... in the form of Transactions, Proceedings, Journals, etc., a need was strongly felt for bringing out a journal devoted exclusively to the study and advancement of Indian culture in all its aspects. [This] encouraged Jas Burgess to launch the 'Indian antiquary' in 1872. The scope ... was in his own words 'as wide as possible' incorporating manners and customs, arts, mythology, feasts, festivals and rites, antiquities and the history of India ... Another laudable aim was to present the readers abstracts of the most recent researches of scholars in India and the West ... 'Indian antiquary' also dealt with local legends, folklore, proverbs, etc. In short 'Indian antiquary' was ...entirely devoted to the study of MAN - the Indian - in all spheres ... " -- introduction to facsimile volumes, published 1985.

First recorded 1500 years ago, but taking its origins from a far earlier oral tradition, the Pancatantra is ascribed by legend to the celebrated, half-mythical teacher Visnu Sarma. Asked by a great king to awaken the dulled intelligence of his three idle sons, the aging Sarma is said to have composed the great work as a series of entertaining and edifying fables narrated by a wide range of humans and animals, and together intended to provide the young princes with vital guidance for life. Since first leaving India before AD 570, the Pancatantra has been widely translated and has influenced a cast number of works in India, the Arab world and Europe, including the Arabian Nights, the Canterbury Tales and the Fables of La Fontaine. Enduring and profound, it is among the earliest and most popular of all books of fables.