A study of the ruler - public relationship as reflected in the Mitrabedha of the Panchatantraපංචතන්ත්‍රයේ මිත්‍ර භේදයෙන් පිළිබිඹු කැරෙන රාජ්‍ය පාලකයා සහ සේවකයා අතර ඇති සම්බන්ධතාව පිළිබඳ අධ්‍යයනයක්

Abstract

The Panchatantra, considered the pinnacle of Sanskrit upadeśa literature, is a work by the scholar Viśnuśarman, believed to have been composed when he was eighty years old. It is believed to have been written in the 3rd-4th century CE. It was written in the style of storytelling with the aim of giving advice on state law to the three sons of the king Amarasakti of the city of Mahilaropya. It has five tantras or chapters, namely Mitrabedha, Mitrasamprāpti, Kākolukīya, Lababdhapraṇāśa and Aparikiśitakāraka, the first Tantra of the Panchatantra, contains about 20 stories of the separation of friends, and its main purpose is to break friends and thereby seize power. The research problem here is how the relationship between the ruler and the servant (sevya-sevaka) is used for good governance. The main purpose of this research was to analyse the role of the ruler and the servant, and to examine how their relationship contributes to good governance. In this research, which was conducted based on qualitative data was collected through the methods of primary and secondary sources and interviews. The method of detailed information analysis was also used. The data was collected through the methods of using the source and interviews as a tool. The method of analysing the information in detail was also used. The role of the king and the state servant can be clearly shown through the contents of the Mitrabedha Tantra. The king, who is the head of the state, becomes the king from father to son, brother to brothers or by winning wars. The king becomes a high figure because many people associate with him. Viśnuśarman has seen a parallel between kings and snakes in this. The job of the servant is to provide the king with his best service. The qualifications required to become a servant of the king, and the basic principles of state governance are also included here. The difficulty of public service is mentioned here because they have to act in accordance with the royal orders. But the author of the Panchatantra, who says that even Brahmins who perform sacrifices cannot perform such a noble service, implies that the public servant is a person of high character. The analogy of the wheel shows how the relationship between the sevya-sevaka should be. A country can be governed by the mutual harmony and understanding that arises between them. It is thus clear that for the good governance of a state, the relationship between the sevya- sevaka should be at a very high level.