श्रीविष्णुशर्मप्रणीतं पञ्चतन्त्रं

Sri Vishnusharma Praneetam Panchatantram


पञ्चमं तन्त्रं

The fifth tantra

अपरीक्षितकारकं

Acting without proper thought

ब्रह्मा रुद्रः कुमारो हरिवरुणयमा वह्निरिन्द्रः कुबेर-श्चन्द्रादित्यौ सरस्वत्युदधियुगनगा वायुरुर्वी भुजङ्गाःसिद्धा नद्योश्विनौ श्रीर्दितिरदितिसुता मातरश्चण्डिकाद्याःवेदास्तीर्थानि यज्ञा गणवसुमुनयः पान्तु नित्यं ग्रहाश्च [1]

मनवे वाचस्पतये शुक्राय पराशराय ससुतायचाणक्याय च विदुषे नमोsस्तु नयशास्त्रकर्त्रभ्यः [2]

सकलार्थशास्त्रसारं जगति समालोक्य विष्णुशर्मेदंतन्त्रैः पञ्चभिरेतच्चकार सुमनोहरं शास्त्रं [3]

Let Brahma, Rudra, Kumāra, Hari, Varuna, Yama, Agni, Indra, Kubera,Chandra, Aaditya, Sarasvati, oceans, Yugas, mountains, Vāyu, Earth, serpents, Siddhas, rivers, Ashvinis, Shree, Diti, Aditi’s sons, Mother Goddesses,Vedas, pilgrimage centres, sacrifices, Shiva-Ganas, Vasus, sadhus, and planets protect us always. [1]

Salutations to Manu, Vāchaspati, Shukra, Parāshara and his son Vyāsa,Chānakya, the creators of the treatises on morality. [2]

Vishnu Sharma has studied the entire collection of texts on strategies in this world and has created this treatise containing five sections, all of which are pleasant to read and easy to understand. [3]


Of thoughts and consequences…

कुदृष्टं कुपरिज्ञातं कुश्रुतं कुपरीक्षितम् ।तन् नरेण न कर्तव्यं नापितेनात्र यत् कृतम् ॥ १ ॥ kudṛṣṭaṃ kuparijñātaṃ kuśrutaṃ kuparīkṣitam |tan nareṇa na kartavyaṃ nāpitenātra yat kṛtam || 1…
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of sanyasis and sticks…

Read the previous part here… I am PadmaNidhi, and I represent the wealth that you earned in your previous lives. I will come to your…
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of sanyasis and gold…

Read the previous part here… After a few more slokas, Keśava got up and walked up to the chief sanyasi, who was watching him intently.…
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How to make a lion…

Read the previous part here… In a few hours, the third pill dropped. The young man dug, and found huge deposits of gold. “I told…
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How to make a lion…and not die

Read the previous part here… Education ranks lower than common sense, and so seek intelligence. Senseless Brahmins in their pride of being educated, made a…
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The foolish pundits…

Read the previous part here… Though well-versed in the sciences, if you have no practical knowledge, you will become the object of ridicule, much like…
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The foolish pundits…part 2

Read the previous part here… The third pundit exclaimed “इष्टं धर्मेण योजयेत् – One should tie a well-wisher to Dharma” and so the fourth grabbed…
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Of rāgās and Manthara…

Read the previous part here… Chatura smirked. “Uncle dearest, it’s fine, the poetry and all. But the fact is that you don’t know to sing.…
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Manthara and the Yaksha…

Read the previous part here… He who has no sense of his own, and does not heed the advice of his friends, dies like the…
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Manthara and productivity…

Read the previous part here… Manthara reached home by evening. “My dear, my dear”, he called out as he walked through the door. Seeing her…
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The gora father of SomaSharma…

Read the previous part here… He who worries about what has not happened, or what will not happen, becomes white and sleeps, just like the…
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The monkey who thought far ahead…

Read the previous part here… He who acts out of greed and without thinking of the consequences, gets cheated, much like ChandraBhoopati. VairāgyaKumar said “How…
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Prophecies come true…

Read the previous part here… Even the best of families are torn apart due to quarrels. Good friendships end because of a rude word, empires…
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PrāptaBuddhi plots revenge…

Read the previous part here… “Oh mighty king! ShāliHotra (the expert in horses)  has recommended a cure for this. कपीनां मेदसा दोषो वह्निदाहसमुद्भवःअश्वानां नाशमभ्येति तमः सूर्योदये यथा – by applying the marrow of…
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It’s payback time…

Read the previous part here… “Millions”, replied PrāptaBuddhi. “Don’t tell anybody, but I saw the neighboring king reach there with his entire army, and they…
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Of demons and horses…

Read the previous part here… “That is why I say”, concluded TruptaKumar, यो लौल्यात् कुरुते नैवोदर्कम् अवेक्षते ।विडम्बनाम् अवाप्नोति स यथा चन्द्र-भूपतिः ॥ – He who…
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Imperfect people…perfect luck

Read the previous part here… The blind man, the dwarf and the princess with three breasts, all did wrong things, Yet they all got their…
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Perfect marriage?

Read the previous part here… The king agreed, and consulted some wise men. “My wife has given birth to a girl with three breasts. Is…
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The curious case of one stomach and two necks…

Read the previous part here… “That is why I say”, concluded VairāgyaKumar…अन्धकः कुब्जकश् चैव त्रिस्तनी राज-कन्यका ।त्रयो ऽप्य् अन्यायतः सिद्धाः संमुखे कर्मणि स्थिते ॥ – The…
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Of crabs and journeys…

Read the previous part here… “And that is why I say”, concluded TruptaKumar. “एकोदराः पृथग् ग्रीवा अन्यान्य-फल-भक्षिणः ।असंहता विनश्यन्ति भारुण्डा इव पक्षिणः ॥ – It…
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The end…

Read the previous part here… In chanting mantras, in visiting holy places, in taking care of the elderly, in worshipping the devas, in tending to…
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