Hitopadeśa | Vedic Tales

The Power of positive Thinking

The Hitopadeśa (Instructive fables on ethical conduct in human society) is part of the Nīti-śāstra in the Vedic texts, which deal with ethical conduct in society. The author, Visnuśarma, was a Brahmin who was requested by king Sudarshan to impart the essential wisdom of life in a simple and accessible way to his sons, who were all dullards. He so used a succession of interweaving animal fables to convey the knowledge they required to succeed their father. Many of these tales have served as a source of inspiration for other authors across the globe over the centuries, starting from Aesop (Greece, c. 620 - 564 BC) to La Fontaine (France, 17th c.) up to the Brothers Grimm (Germany, 1st half 19th c.).

Speaker: 

Georg M. Hilbi is an alumnus of University of Zurich, holding a PHD in Art History. After extensive travels around the globe researching human art legacy and culture his main emphasis consists in promoting intercultural discourses incorporating Vedic culture and its scientific approach to existential human necessities.