Storytelling Traditions in Indian Knowledge Systems: A Comparative Study of Pañcatantra and Hitopadesha

The rich intangible heritage of India encapsulated in its oral traditions has played a significant role in preserving the knowledge of ages. The Pañcatantra and Hitopadesha, being two of the most celebrated and widely acknowledged collections of fables, present a handful of ancient wisdom that is universal in many ways. This paper offers a comparative study between the Pañcatantra and Hitopadesha. The study considers the structural, pedagogical, thematic, and historical aspects for the comparison. The Pañcatantra was composed somewhere around the 3rd Century BCE and Hitopadesha in the 9th – 10th Century CE. The study explores the overlapping thematic areas in both texts and highlights the purpose of crafted stories. The paper presents the context specificity in the texts within the Indian cultural and pedagogical traditions, evaluating the enduring relevance of the fables in the contemporary education system. Drawing on original Sanskrit verses, the study reinforces the potential of ancient wisdom to offer solutions to problems pertaining to governance, diplomacy, ethical conduct, etc. It is further emphasized that the modern education system, in line with its vision for holistic development, must consider the incorporation of ancient wisdom. Furthermore, future research in the fields related to Indian Knowledge Systems is the need of the hour.