70 tales

The Śukasaptati (Sanskrit: śukasaptati, «Seventy Tales of Śuka the Parrot») is a collection of moralizing Sanskrit tales (katha), representing one of the masterpieces of ancient Indian narrative literature. Some of the tales are repeated in other earlier collections, such as the Panchatantra (Five Books of Fables), the Hitopadeśa (Teachings on the Good), the Jatakas (Births of the Buddha), the Brihatkatha (Great Tale of the Loves of the Incarnation of Kama Deva), and other collections of ancient Indian tales.

The narrative is often interspersed with verses containing morals and admonitions. A talking parrot, trying to dissuade his owner from going on a date with her lover, tells her a moralizing tale, parable, fable, or funny anecdote every evening about women whose husbands have traveled far away on business.

The stories depict illicit affairs and how, through wit, they can avoid punishment or exposure. At the end of seventy days, the woman’s husband returns from his trip to find his wife faithful and devoted.

Most of the stories not only focus on marital infidelity but also mention perversions such as incest, and in one case, bestiality.
Collection Contents

Most of the stories are about unfaithful wives who resort to various tricks to conceal their infidelity and invariably succeed. The stories in «Shukasaptati» are overtly erotic, often containing fantastical or satirical elements. The prose narrative includes verse inserts.

The collection consists of 70 short stories, which actually contain 72 tales, one of which serves as the main framing narrative. This is the story of Madana Vinoda, the wayward son of a merchant, and his cheerful wife, Padmavati. A friend of the merchant, trying to bring Madana back to the path of righteousness, gives him a talking, wise parrot. The parrot tells a story that awakens a sense of duty in Madana. He then sets sail, leaving his wife behind.