Mitra-Bhedha
First Chapter of Panchatantra Stories
As kids, we did not use gadgets or even books for bedtime stories. Instead, we listened to our grandparents/parents tell them.
Snuggled under a warm blanket, listening to their gentle voices narrate fascinating stories, was a special comfort we all looked forward to.
Among the many short tales from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, my favourite were the delightful animal stories from the Panchatantra.
They were stories where clever animals spoke, wisdom unfolded through simple narratives, and every ending carried a lesson that stayed with us.
Those moments were not just bedtime stories—they helped us understand life in a simple and fun way through interesting fables.
What is Panchatantra?
The Panchatantra is a collection of stories which were designed to teach moral values and governing skills.
This Sanskrit work in the form of verses or prose is a collection of animal fables.
The popular collection of fables which is one of the first choice when it comes to moral story books for kids.
But we do not find the complete collection listed in many places. It is just a collection of choice popular stories.
In this article I will be listing down all the stories in Panchatantra, its origin and the story behind it. Read on…
How it all began....
Long ago, there lived a king called Amarasakti who ruled the kingdom named Mahilaropyam in Southern part of India.
He has three sons. Now, these princes were lazy and showed no interest in any learning or acquiring knowledge and skills. This was very disheartening to the king and caused him great misery.
The king consulted the ministers to find a solution to his constant worry. He said: “You all know about the princes. Scholarly men have told that an unborn or stillborn son is better than a dimwit. An unwise son is bound to bring dishonor to his father. I am anxious that they will not grow into worthy successors to the throne. I seek your advice on how to make them worthy.”
One of the ministers said: “Your Majesty, there is a great scholar named Vishnu Sharma, who is very learned and competent. Entrust the princes in his care and you might see a change in them.”
The king was very happy to hear this and summoned Vishnu Sharma. He told him about the princes and pleaded him:” O great scholar, pity me and train my sons to be good administrators and scholars. I will award you with riches and land.”
Vishnu Sharma said: “Your Majesty, I do not desire riches and land. I will train your sons and if they do not become scholars in six months, I will change my name.”
The king sent his sons with the scholar. Vishnu Sharma took them to the gurukul and started their lessons.
He started teaching them the five policies/strategies (The Panchatantra).
These ‘niti kathe’ or moral stories teach the important life skills that teach and guide in proper judgement, wisdom to differentiate between good and evil and decision making.
The princes indeed became great scholars by the end of six months. Since then, the Panchatantra has become a household name and a textbook for children to learn moral values and life lessons.
Stories from first chapter - Mitra Bheda
The first chapter of the five tactics is called Mitra-Bhedha. This chapter talks about friendship and its complexities.
Stay tuned for more Mitra Bhedha stories—see the list below:
- The story of The Bug and the Flea
- The story of The Jackal who fell in Indigo dye
- The story of The Lion, the Camel, the Jackal and the Crow
- The story of The Tittibha Birds and the Sea
- The story of The Turtle who fell off the Stick
- The story of The Three Fishes
- The story of The Elephant and the Sparrow
- The story of The Lion and the Jackal
- The story of The Monkey and a Bird
- The story of The Sparrow and The Monkey
- The story of Dharmabuddhi and Papabuddhi
- The story of The foolish Heron, the Snake and the Mangoose
- The story of The Iron balance and the Merchant’s son
- The story of The King and the foolish Monkey
- The story of The Thief and the Brahmin