CREATOR UNKNOWN [VISHNUSHARMA]

Persia, 1804. MS 047

The Panchatantra (Sanskrit: five books), also known as the Anvar-I Suhayli and Fables of Bidpai, is originally a Sanskrit collection of animal and human fables. The tales were written between 100 BCE and 500 CE in modern-day India, attributed to an author named Vishnusharma, and were originally meant to teach wisdom to future rulers. The text is separated into five books: 1. Disunion of Friends; 2. Gaining of Friends; 3. War and Peace; 4. Loss of Possession; 5. Consequence of Rash Action. The fables were translated into a variety of languages, beginning with Persian in the 6th century, Arabic in the 8th century, Latin in the eighth century, and Italian and English in the late 16th century. Much of the fables consequently became a part of European folklore.

This copy of the Panchatantra is from the early 19th century. While some copies are known to be illuminated, the University of Oregon’s copy is written in two neat Nasta’liq scripts in Farsi. This is another manuscript from the collection of librarian Wilberforce Eames.

Bibliography

Unknown [Vishnusharma]. Panchatantra (Anvar-I Suhayli, The Fables of Bidpai). Persia, 1804. University of Oregon Special Collections & University Archives, MS 047. https://alliance-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/3uoa1r/CP71269051670001451

“Anvari-I Suhayli (“Lights of Canopus”).” The British Library. Anvār-i Suhaylī (‘Lights of Canopus’) - The British Library (bl.uk)

Birch, Dinah. “Bidpai (Pilpay), The Fables of Kalilah and Dimnah” in The Oxford Companion to English Literature. Oxford University Press, 2009.

Leeming, David. “Panchatantra” in The Oxford Companion to World Mythology. Oxford University Press, 2005.

Zipes, Jack. “Panchatantra” in The Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales. Oxford University Press, 2002.