Which among the following statements are true about Panchtantra?

A) Panchtantra is a descendant of Hitopdesha.
B) It is a manual for the instructions of the sons of a king in the principles of good conduct.
C) The first book deals with the adventures of a tortoise, deer and a cow
D) Tantrakhyayika is one of the oldest redactions of Panchtantra.
E) Panchtantra is divided into five parts.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below.

The correct option is B, D, E Only.

Let us analyze each statement step-by-step to understand why this is the correct choice:

Statement A: Panchtantra is a descendant of Hitopdesha. (Incorrect)
Historically, the Panchatantra is much older, composed around 300 BCE by Vishnu Sharma. The Hitopadesha, written by Narayana Pandit around the 12th century CE, is actually an adaptation and descendant of the Panchatantra, not the other way around.

Statement B: It is a manual for the instructions of the sons of a king in the principles of good conduct. (Correct)
The central frame story of the Panchatantra is that King Amarasakti of Mahilaropya requested Vishnu Sharma to teach his three uneducated and dull-witted sons. Vishnu Sharma wrote these stories as a manual to instruct them in Niti (wise conduct, statesmanship, and practical wisdom).

Statement C: The first book deals with the adventures of a tortoise, deer and a cow. (Incorrect)
The first book of the Panchatantra is titled Mitra-bheda (The Loss of Friends), and its primary narrative focuses on the relationship and discord between a lion (Pingalaka) and a bull (Sanjivaka), engineered by two jackals (Damanaka and Karataka).

Statement D: Tantrakhyayika is one of the oldest redactions of Panchtantra. (Correct)
Scholars agree that the Tantrakhyayika (hailing from Kashmir) represents one of the oldest, most authentic, and least altered Sanskrit versions (redactions) of the original Panchatantra text.

Statement E: Panchtantra is divided into five parts. (Correct)
The name itself is derived from pancha (five) and tantra (treatises or books). The work is divided into five distinct books:
1. Mitra-bheda (The Loss of Friends)
2. Mitra-samprapti (The Winning of Friends)
3. Kakolukiyam (On Crows and Owls)
4. Labdhapranasam (Loss of Gains)
5. Apariksitakarakam (Ill-Considered Action)

Therefore, statements B, D, and E are the only true statements.