The role of Sanskrit Upadesha Literature and the Panchatantra chronology සංස්කෘත උපදේශ කථා සාහිත්‍යය සහ පඤ්චතන්ත්‍රයේ කර්තෘත්වය, කාල නිර්ණය, අන්තර්ගතය හා විශේෂතා පිළිබඳ හැඳින්වීමක්

Abstract

Due to the closeness of the Indians to nature and their daily lives, the upadesha story has become a common part of public life since ancient times and the dissemination of that Upadesha content has occurred in the ancient ages such as veda, Upanishads, Veerakavya. The Panchatantra, which is believed to have been composed by Vishnusharma at the age of eighty, is one of the most important works of Sanskrit Upadesha literature. It was composed in the style of storytelling with the aim of advising the three illiterate sons of king Amarashakti of the city of Mahilaropya on the law of the state. The Tantra consists of the following as Mitrabedha, Mitrasamprapthi, Kakolukeeya, Labdaprenasha and Aparikshitakaraka. It contains about 80 stories and 1091 verses. The research problem of this study is to discuss the burning theories about the time of writing and editions of the Panchatantra. The main objective was to point out the most important aspects of the work through the features found in the Panchatantra. This research was conducted as a qualitative research based on the data from primary and secondary sources, through analythical method. Among the scholars who have given information on the dating of the PanchatantraWinternits, Thomas, Benfi, Hertel, Edgarten, Keith are the perfominant figutrs. According to their opinions, it can be said that this work was probably written between 1-5 AD. Similary, the opinions given by Keith and Edgarton about the evolution are significant. The author of Panchatantra, Vishnusharma was a Hindu devotee and there are various interrelated facts about him that are mentioned in the work or in other contemporary texts. Vishnusharma tries to reveal the true nature of human nature and social Affairs through this. His aim was to teach how to live pacefully and manage daily affairs without disturbing the structure of society. It is also wonderful how the characters are used without any distinction of high and law. The various charateristics and attitudes of both genders in indian society are depicted through criticism of individual and social Dharma. The work is based on the Basa’s Udayanakatha and Kalidasa’s Kumarasambawa in Panchatantra.Vishakadatta’s Mudrarakshasha also mentions a person named Vishnusharma. The earliest evidence of a foreign translation or adaptation of a portion of the Panchatantra by Hakim Burshoya is in the Pahlava languages. Although the original text is not extant, various versions of it can be found. It is estimated by crities that there have been 200 translations and editions in about fifty languages. This is exemplified in the later translation of the Panchatantra by Sudakarmalaviya. Each of the five Tantras of the Panchatantra stands alone and is presented through one or more main charactres. This is a work that highilights human nature and their actions through the animal world.