A History of Sanskrit Literature c17.7

c17.7

Originally the *Panchatantra* was probably intended to be a manual for the instruction of the sons of kings in the principles of conduct (*nīti*), a kind of "Mirror of Princes." For it is introduced with the story of King Amaraçakti of Mahilāropya, a city of the south, who wishes to discover a scholar capable of training his three stupid and idle sons. He at last finds a Brahman who undertakes to teach the princes in six months enough to make them surpass all others in knowledge of moral science. This object he duly accomplishes by composing the *Panchatantra* and reciting it to the young princes.