Chanakya Quotes

It is better to die than to preserve this life by incurring disgrace. The loss of life causes but a moment's grief, but disgrace brings grief every day of one's life. ~ Chanakya

The happiness and peace attained by those satisfied by the nectar of spiritual tranquillity is not attained by greedy persons restlessly moving here and there. ~ Chanakya

The one excellent thing that can be learned from a lion is that whatever a man intends doing should be done by him with a whole-hearted and strenuous effort. ~ Chanakya

A man is born alone and dies alone, and he experiences the good and bad consequences of his karma alone, and he goes alone to hell or the Supreme abode. ~ Chanakya

People's Fury is above all the furies. ~ Chanakya

Generosity, pleasing address, courage and propriety of conduct are not acquired, but are inbred qualities. ~ Chanakya

My dear child, if you desire to be free from the cycle of birth and death, then abandon the objects of sense gratification as poison. Drink instead the nectar of forbearance, upright conduct, mercy, cleanliness and truth. ~ Chanakya

Happy be who generous to relatives, to strangers kindly,
Indifferent to wicked, loving to good, shrewd in dealing be;
Who frank with the learned and courageous with enemy,
Ever humble with elders and stern with his wife does be.
[211] 12.3 Chanakya ~ Munindra Misra

This world is a bitter tree, it has only two sweet nectar like fruits - one is soft voice and the other is company of gentlemen. ~ Chanakya

He who loses his money is forsaken by his friends, his wife, his servants and his relations; yet when he regains his riches those who have forsaken him come back to him. Hence wealth is certainly the best of relations. ~ Chanakya

Offspring, friends and relatives flee from a devotee of the Lord: yet those who follow him bring merit to their families through their devotion. ~ Chanakya

The demerits of our own people bringh infamiy. Their disgrace is our own disgrace. That is why infamy os such people relly hurts . It is desifrable that the ruler or the administrator may work in a way that such disgraceful conduct may not occur. ~ Chanakya

Time perfects men as well as destroys them. ~ Chanakya

Love is indicated by deeds (and not by words) ~ Chanakya

He who shall practice these twenty virtues shall become invincible in all his undertakings. ~ Chanakya

As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it. ~ Chanakya

Brass is polished by ashes; copper is cleaned by tamarind; a woman, by her menses; and a river by its flow. ~ Chanakya

He who runs away from a fearful calamity, a foreign invasion, a terrible famine, and the companionship of wicked men is safe. ~ Chanakya

Our bodies are perishable, wealth is not at all permanent and death is always nearby. Therefore we must immediately engage in acts of merit. ~ Chanakya

Those born blind cannot see; similarly blind are those in the grip of lust. Proud men have no perception of evil; and those bent on acquiring riches see no sin in their actions. ~ Chanakya

There is poison in the fang of the serpent, in the mouth of the fly and in the sting of a scorpion; but the wicked man is saturated with it. ~ Chanakya

For the protection of state and welfare of the people, a ruler shold collect all types of wealth. By suing devices of sama, dama , danda, bheda , he shold increase income of the state, strong administration helps in collecting different type of taxes fro exchequer. ~ Chanakya

The earth is supported by the power of truth; it is the power of truth that makes the sun shine and the winds blow; indeed all things rest upon truth. ~ Chanakya

Everynbody tries not to reveal his weaknesses, so that he may not be ridiculed. Specially before the enemy. One's weakpoits shold not be revealed. Becaues ohe canstrike on those to ruin us. So one shold remain strong before the enemy. ~ Chanakya

Save money for adversity, wife against riches undoubtedly,
But save the soul even against wife and riches invariably.
[6] 1.6 Chanakya ~ Munindra Misra

The learned are envied by the foolish; rich men by the poor; chaste women by adulteresses; and beautiful ladies by ugly ones. ~ Chanakya

Every relationship has one or the other motive behind it. Friendship or enemity are not purposeless.Oneness of motive is turned into friendship. While diversity of motive cause enemity. Royal relationships also depend uypon one or theother purpose. But such relatins ar mainly for the welfare of the state. ~ Chanakya

He is a pandit (man of knowledge) who speaks what is suitable to the occasion, who renders loving service according to his ability, and who knows the limits of his anger. ~ Chanakya

Punishment when awarded with due consideration, makes the people devoted to righteousness and to works productive of wealth and enjoyment. ~ Chanakya

She is a true wife who is clean (suci), expert, chaste, pleasing to the husband, and truthful. ~ Chanakya

Where you are not respected inhabit not that country,
You can not earn, have friends and get knowledge truly.
[8] 1.8 Chanakya ~ Munindra Misra

Those parents who do not educate their sons are their enemies; for as is a crane among swans, so are ignorant so are ignorant sons in a public assembly. ~ Chanakya

There are three gems upon this earth; food, water, and pleasing words - fools (mudhas) consider pieces of rocks as gems. ~ Chanakya

The poor wish for wealth; animals for the faculty of speech; men wish for heaven; and godly persons for liberation. ~ Chanakya

Fire, even if put on head, burns only. ~ Chanakya

For good days one should save money, women should be protected even if it takes the money saved. But for self preservation the money and the women should be sacrificed!! ~ Chanakya

A wise man should marry a virgin of a respectable family even if she is deformed. He should not marry one of a low-class family, through beauty. Marriage in a family of equal status is preferable. ~ Chanakya

To many he was known as Kautilya - the crooked one; to his childhood acquaintances he was Vishnugupta; but to most he was Chanakya - illustrious son of the great and learned Chanak, the most renowned teacher in all of Magadha. He ~ Ashwin Sanghi

Poverty, disease, sorrow, imprisonment and other evils are the fruits borne by the tree of one's own sins. ~ Chanakya

He who has wealth has friends. ~ Chanakya

The serpent, the king, the tiger, the stinging wasp, the small child, the dog owned by other people, and the fool: these seven ought not to be awakened from sleep. ~ Chanakya

In trans-border relations, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies or even permanent borders. There are only permanent interests and everything should be done to secure these interests. ~ Chanakya

As a single withered tree, if set aflame, causes a whole forest to burn, so does a rascal son destroy a whole family. ~ Chanakya

Do not be very upright in your dealings for you would see by going to the forest that straight trees are cut down while crooked ones are left standing. ~ Chanakya

If a king is energetic, his subjects will be equally energetic. If he is reckless, they will not only be reckless likewise, but also eat into his works. ~ Chanakya

If one limb of the body is defected or inflicted with, disease, the whole feels tha pai. Some way if any department, minister or official of the state is faulty, the whole country is effected. An administrator should try hard to curb it. ~ Chanakya

The wise man should restrain his senses like the crane and accomplish his purpose with due knowledge of his place, time and ability. ~ Chanakya

The low minded are fond of deception the nature of low-minded people never changes. ~ Chanakya

A still-born son os superior to a foolish son endowed with a long life. The first causes grief for but a moment while the latter like a blazing fire consumes his parents in grief for life. ~ Chanakya

That man who is without religion and mercy should be rejected. A guru without spiritual knowledge should be rejected. The wife with an offensive face should be given up and so should relatives who are without affection. ~ Chanakya

The life of an uneducated man is as useless as the tail of a dog which neither covers it's rear end, nor protects it from the bites of insects. ~ Chanakya

Sometimes coincidentally an unintelligent person can accomplish a task but that does not mean that he is a knower of means and device or is experienced. A ruler should be careful enough to designate other tasks to such persons. ~ Chanakya

This sutra enjoins a rule of morality. It says nobody should be disrespected. A man can impress evdrybnody by his virtues. Disrespecting others means downfall of our own virtues. A person who disrespects others, in a way disrespect himself. A virtuous man does not disrespect his friend or vevn his enemy. Disrespect to enemy can investigate him toreact. The best thing is to destroy him completely. For a ruler this is very important. ~ Chanakya

One who is to be pardoned should not be harassed. ~ Chanakya

An enemy should be struck at his weak point. ~ Chanakya

No one should ever be disrespected. ~ Chanakya

Little given to brahman in distress compensated abundantly,
Is got back not in equal quantity, but in a way higher degree.
[210] 12.2 Chanakya ~ Munindra Misra

One's weakness should not ever be revealed. ~ Chanakya

The cuckoos remain silent for a long time (for several seasons) until they are able to sing sweetly (in the Spring) so as to give joy to all. ~ Chanakya

A ruler wishing to win shold not trust a cpterued enemy even if he may be extending had to be friend. Because deep rooted enemity, however, concealed, will ruerely come to light. ~ Chanakya

He who nurtures benevolence for all creatures within his heart overcomes all difficulties and will be the recipient of all types of riches at every step. ~ Chanakya

He who has wealth has friends and relations; he alone survives and is respected as a man. ~ Chanakya

If people of one's own side have good conduct, it adds power to oneself. The misconduct on the contrary render one powerless. The enemy taks advantage of it. A skilled statesman never allows enemy to win over. ~ Chanakya

Good behavior wins even an enemy. ~ Chanakya

Chanakya loved anger. It was a wonderfully energetic emotion and could be used very productively if channelled in the right direction. ~ Ashwin Sanghi

Low minded people are fraudulent, wicked and chaeat. They shouldnot be trusted. To h ave faith in low minded ones is mistake in policy and useless because they are not trustworthy. An administrator should not invited calamity by trusting the low minded ones. ~ Chanakya

The disgrace of one's people brings sorrow to the Nobel minded. ~ Chanakya

He who forsakes his own community and joins another perishes as the king who embraces an unrighteous path. ~ Chanakya

Constant travel brings old age upon a man; a horse becomes old by being constantly tied up; lack of sexual contact with her husband brings old age upon a woman; and garments become old through being left in the sun. ~ Chanakya

Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth. ~ Chanakya

Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest. ~ Chanakya

Test a servant while in the discharge of his duty, a relative in difficulty, a friend in adversity, and a wife in misfortune. ~ Chanakya

The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all directions. ~ Chanakya

He who gives up shyness in monetary dealings, in acquiring knowledge, in eating and in business, becomes happy. ~ Chanakya

A good wife is one who serves her husband in the morning like a mother does, loves him in the day like a sister does and pleases him like a prostitute in the night. ~ Chanakya

Although an ass is tired, he continues to carry his burden; he is unmindful of cold and heat; and he is always contented; these three things should be learned from the ass. ~ Chanakya

A wise man should not divulge the formula of a medicine which he has well prepared; an act of charity which he has performed; domestic conflicts; private affairs with his wife; poorly prepared food he may have been offered; or slang he may have heard. ~ Chanakya

The house of a childless person is a void, all directions are void to one who has no relatives, the heart of a fool is also void, but to a poverty stricken man all is void. ~ Chanakya

Love or affection towards an individual or nation, is indicated by good action snot merely be words. The adoration towards nation is expressed by works of welfare equally done by the ruler and theruled. The ruler himself must be engatged, in welfare of th country and also should select officials examining their involvement with the public god. Self-centered people greedy of the power should be kept away ~ Chanakya

The power of a king lies in his mighty arms; that of a brahmana in his spiritual knowledge; and that of a woman in her beauty youth and sweet words. ~ Chanakya

Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, comes of Her own accord where fools are not respected, grain is well stored up, and the husband and wife do not quarrel. ~ Chanakya

One who is in search of knowledge should give up the search of pleasure and the one who is in search of pleasure should give up the search of knowledge. ~ Chanakya

Do not put your trust in rivers, men who carry weapons, beasts with claws or horns, women, and members of a royal family. ~ Chanakya

It is better to be without a king than to have a bad one. ~ Chanakya

The foolish wish to speak out what was spoken in secret by the master. ~ Chanakya

A single son endowed with good qualities is far better than a hundred devoid of them. ~ Chanakya

Knowledge is lost without putting it into practice; a man is lost due to ignorance; an army is lost without a commander; and a woman is lost without a husband. ~ Chanakya

There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth. ~ Chanakya

Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness. ~ Chanakya

If the bees which seek the liquid oozing from the head of a lust-intoxicated elephant are driven away by the flapping of his ears, then the elephant has lost only the ornament of his head. The bees are quite happy in the lotus filled lake. ~ Chanakya

Swans live wherever there is water, and leave the place where water dries up; let not a man act so - and comes and goes as he pleases. ~ Chanakya

The forest fire burns even tree like sandalwood. ~ Chanakya

Even a captured enemy is not to be trusted. ~ Chanakya

Even a pandit comes to grief by giving instruction to a foolish disciple, by maintaining a wicked wife, and by excessive familiarity with the miserable. ~ Chanakya

Prosperity last long for one who acts after proper consideration. ~ Chanakya

'Rozabal' was theological while 'Chanakya' is political. Unlike 'Rozabal,' which was about research, the aim of 'Chanakya' is plot, plot, plot, which carries the character. The common DNA, of course, is history. ~ Ashwin Sanghi

At the time of the pralaya (universal destruction) the oceans are to exceed their limits and seek to change, but a saintly man never changes. ~ Chanakya

Women have hunger two-fold, shyness four-fold, daring six-fold, and lust eight-fold as compared to men. ~ Chanakya

Moral excellence is an ornament for personal beauty; righteous conduct, for high birth; success for learning; and proper spending for wealth. ~ Chanakya

A man or a ruler should always take up a task after thoroughly considering its consequences. Otherwise fate also cannot protect his wealth. ~ Chanakya