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Shell-Neck, Slim and Grim from The Panchatantra (tr. Arthur W. Ryder)

Hareshwar Roy, July 03, 2026

Shell-Neck, Slim, and Grim In a certain lake lived a turtle named Shell-Neck. He had as friends two ganders whose names were Slim and Grim. Now in the vicissitudes of time there came a twelve-year drought , which begot ideas of this nature in the two ganders: “This lake has gone dry. Let us seek another body of water. However, we must first say farewell to Shell-Neck, our dear and long-proved friend.” When they did so, the turtle said: “Why do you bid me farewell? I am a water-dweller, and here I should perish very quickly from the scant supply of water and from grief at loss of you. Therefore, if you feel any affection for me, please rescue me from the jaws of this death. Besides, as the water dries in this lake, you two suffer nothing beyond a restricted diet, while to me it means immediate death. Consider which is more serious, loss of food or loss of life.” But they replied: “We are unable to take you with us since you are a water-creature without wings.” Yet the t...

The Panchatantra: An Intoduction by Arthur W. Ryder (Translator)

Hareshwar Roy, July 03, 2026

TRANSLATOR’S INTRODUCTION I One Vishnusharman , shrewdly gleaning All worldly wisdom’s inner meaning, In these five books the charm compresses Of all such books the world possesses. -Introduction to the Panchatantra The Panchatantra contains the most widely known stories in the world. If it were further declared that the Panchatantra is the best collection of stories in the world, the assertion could hardly be disproved, and would probably command the assent of those possessing the knowledge for a judgment. Assuming varied forms in their native India, then traveling in translations, and translations of translations, through Persia, Arabia, Syria, and the civilized countries of Europe, these stories have, for more than twenty centuries, brought delight to hundreds of millions. Since the stories gathered in the Panchatantra are very ancient, and since they can no longer be ascribed to their respective authors, it is not possible to give an accurate report of their genesis, while much ...

The Blue Jackal from The Panchatantra (tr. Arthur W. Ryder)

Hareshwar Roy, July 01, 2026

THE BLUE JACKAL There was once a jackal named Fierce-Howl, who lived in a cave near the suburbs of a city. One day he was hunting for food, his throat pinched with hunger, and wandered into the city after nightfall. There the city dogs snapped at his limbs with their sharp-pointed teeth, and terrified his heart with their dreadful barking, so that he stumbled this way and that in his efforts to escape and happened into the house of a dyer. There he tumbled into a tremendous indigo vat , and all the dogs went home. Presently the jackal—further life being predestined—managed to crawl out of the indigo vat and escaped into the forest. There all the thronging animals in his vicinity caught a glimpse of his body dyed with the juice of indigo, and crying out: “What is this creature enriched with that unprecedented color?” they fled, their eyes dancing with terror, and spread the report: “Oh, oh! Here is an exotic creature that has dropped from somewhere. Nobody knows what his conduct...

Kundakunda and his Samayasara: An Introduction (कुन्दकुन्द और समयसार का परिचय)

Hareshwar Roy, June 30, 2026

कुन्दकुन्द और समयसार का परिचय कुन्दकुन्द जैन धर्म के इतिहास में सबसे प्रतिष्ठित दार्शनिक-संतों और आध्यात्मिक गुरुओं में से एक हैं। वे एक प्रखर विचारक थे जिन्होंने अपना पूरा जीवन अस्तित्व और मानव आत्मा के गहरे सत्यों की खोज में समर्पित कर दिया। उनकी कालजयी रचना, समयसार , एक भव्य आध्यात्मिक ग्रंथ है जो जैन दर्शन के एक आधारभूत स्तंभ के रूप में स्थापित है। इस शीर्षक का सीधा अर्थ है— "आत्मतत्व" या "आत्मा का वास्तविक स्वभाव"। इस गहन कृति के माध्यम से, कुन्दकुन्द पाठकों को बाहरी कर्मकांडों से दूर ले जाते हैं और उन्हें आंतरिक आत्म-साक्षात्कार की ओर अग्रसर करते हैं। यह केवल एक धार्मिक पुस्तक नहीं है, बल्कि परम स्वतंत्रता और मानसिक शांति चाहने वाले किसी भी व्यक्ति के लिए एक शाश्वत मार्गदर्शिका है। दार्शनिक का काल (समय) कुन्दकुन्द प्राचीन भारतीय इतिहास के एक अत्यंत जीवंत और परिवर्तनकारी काल में रहे, जिसे आमतौर पर पहली से दूसरी शताब्दी ईस्वी के आसपास माना जाता है। यह एक ऐसा समय था जब विभिन्न दार्शनिक और धार्मिक विचारधाराएं सक्रिय रूप से शास्त्रार्थ कर रही थीं, विकसित हो रही ...

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