182 Analytical Account of the Panclia Tantra. 



in a famine, left his own town for another, but was driven back by the dogs 

 of the strange place, and was glad to seek his own home again." 



The Makara now retires, having previously been told of his wife's death, 

 and the invasion of his abode by an enemy : circumstances, omitted in the 

 Arabic translation, as well as the stories to which they give rise. 



There are twelve stories in this section. 



SECTION FIFTH. 



INCONSIDERATENESS.* 



The fifth Tantra corresponds in purport with the tenth chapter of tlie 

 Kalila Damana, the Ascetic and the Weasel being intended to illustrate 

 the folly of precipitancy. The Pehlevi, or Arabic translator, has, however, 

 taken a similar liberty with his original, as in the preceding section, and 

 has reduced again twelve stories to two. The tales in the original, there- 

 fore, are mostly novel, and not very prolix. It may be observed, by the 

 way, tiiat in the last two Tantras of the work, either the original compiler 

 had exhausted his store, or less frequent additions have been made by sub- 

 sequent hands ; as the reflections and citations, which are most disproportion- 

 ably interspersed in the three first sections, become now much less copious: 

 an obvious improvement in the interest, if not in the utility, of the col- 

 lection. 



Vishnu Sarma now remarked, " a man should never attempt a business 

 which he has imperfectly seen or understood, transacted or investigated, or 

 he will meet with such mischance as befcl the imprudent Barber." The 

 princes asking him, to what he alluded, he thus proceeded : 



" In the south there is a city named Pdtalipur, in which Manibhadra, a 

 banker, resided. Although attentive to his moral and religious duties, it 

 was the will of fate, that he should lose his wealth, and be reduced to 

 poverty. The insignificance, into which he consequently fell, preyed upon 

 his spirits, and he indulged in such reflections as these : 



" It is justly said, that amiable feelings, purity of manners, moderation. 



Aparikshita karitvia, inconsiderate conduct ; acting without previous investigation. 



