Chanakya Quotes & Sayings

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

We should not fret for what is past, nor should we be anxious about the future; men of discernment deal only with the present moment — Chanakya

A father who is a chronic debtor, an adulterous mother, a beautiful wife, and an unlearned son are enemies in one's own home. — Chanakya

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

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

Wicked ones are like fire. Even if pu on hea, they burn only. They do not leave unhurt even their well - wishers and benefactors. — Chanakya

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

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

No deliberation made by a single person will be successful; the nature of the work which a sovereign has to do is to be inferred from the consideration of both the visible and invisible causes. The clearance of doubts as to whatever is susceptible of two opinions, and the inference of the whole when only a part is seen is possible of decision only by ministers. Hence the king shall sit at deliberation with persons of wide intellect. — Chanakya

The biggest guru-mantra is: never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you. — Chanakya

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

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

One destitute of wealth is not destitute, he is indeed rich, but the man devoid of learning is destitute in every way. — Chanakya

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

Let not a single day pass without your learning a verse, half a verse, or a fourth of it, or even one letter of it; nor without attending to charity, study and other pious activity. — Chanakya

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

This sutura gives example about the purpose of relationship. A son of enemy who wants to uproot his own father, should be treated as friend and shold be protected. This may be called opportunism but is and should be necessary part of polity and statesmanship. Moreover, if a father is not aan upright man to have friendship with his sone can be a meritorious peson. So it is better to protecdt him. — Chanakya

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

As a calf follows its mother among a thousand cows, so the (good or bad) deeds of a man follow him. — Chanakya

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

Avoid him who talks sweetly before you but tries to ruin you behind your back, for he is like a pitcher of poison with milk on top. — Chanakya

A man is great by deeds, not by birth. — Chanakya

Evil person causes harm even if treated will. — Chanakya

Low class men desire wealth;middle class men both wealth and respect; but the noble, honour only; hence honour is the noble man's true wealth. — Chanakya

Don't judge the future of a person based on his present conditions, becausetime has the power to change black coal to shiny diamond. — 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

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

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

Who realises all the happiness he desires? Everything is in the hands of God. Therefore one should learn contentment. — Chanakya

Fate being unfavorable( or without god's grace, even an easy task becomes difficult to accomplish) — Chanakya

A person or a ruler who executes his plans (of public welfare) after due consideration, the prosperity stands with him for a longer period. — Chanakya

Chankaya is referring there to the probibition of entry of the untrustworthy in the counsel-room. Disloyal persons foolishly speak out the secrets of the counsel not knowing the harmful effects of the same. Disclosing the secrets of the counsel mars the welfare of the country. — 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

Eschew wicked company and associate with saintly persons. Acquire virtue day and night, and always meditate on that which is eternal forgetting that which is temporary. — Chanakya

Everybody has same or the other weakness. This eis also a a general tendency to conceal theee weaknesses. For people may not harm for these, but they will surely ridicule or make fun of. Friendship, of course feigned should be retained with enemy till his weakness is known. Let him remain elated. — 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

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

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

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 rain water enlivens all living beings of the earth both movable (insects, animals, humans, etc.) and immovable (plants, trees, etc.), and then returns to the ocean it value multiplied a million fold. — Chanakya

Skills are called hidden treasure as they save like a mother in a foreign country. — 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

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

Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person. — Chanakya

As water collected in a tank gets pure by filtration, so accumulated wealth is preserved by being employed in charity. — Chanakya

We should not feel pride in our charity, austerity, valour, scriptural knowledge, modestyandmorality for the world is full of the rarest gems. — Chanakya

An egoist can be won over by being respected, a crazy person can be won over by allowing him to behave in an insane manner and a wise person can be won over by truth. — Chanakya

It is narual for enemy to attack on the weaker side of the adversary. — Chanakya

A friend, even if he be the enemy's son , should be protected. — Chanakya

O wise man! Give your wealth only to the worthy and never to others. The water of the sea received by the clouds is always sweet. — 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

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

It is better to live under a tree in a jungle inhabited by tigers and elephants, to maintain oneself in such a place with ripe fruits and spring water, to lie down on grass and to wear the ragged barks of trees than to live amongst one's relations when reduced to poverty. — Chanakya

Love is indicated by deeds (and not by words) — 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

Time perfects men as well as destroys them. — Chanakya

What vice could be worse than covetousness? What is more sinful than slander? For one who is truthful, what need is there for austerity? For one who has a clean heart, what is the need for pilgrimage?. — Chanakya

No one should ever be disrespected. — Chanakya

A permanent relationship is dependent on particular purpose or wealth. — 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

He who lives in our mind is near though he may actually be far away; but he who is not in our heart is far though he may really be nearby. — Chanakya

Religion is preserved by wealth; knowledge by diligent practice; a king by conciliatory words; and a home by a dutiful housewife. — Chanakya

Charity puts and end to poverty; righteous conduct to misery; discretion to ignorance; and scrutiny to fear. — Chanakya

Foolishness is indeed painful, and verily so is youth, but more painful by far than either is being obliged in another person's house. — 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 ruler should employ person in tasks according to their abilities because Knowers ( or the means ) and efficient employees make impossible tasks also possible. — 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

All the creatures are pleased by loving words; and therefore we should address words that are pleasing to all, for there is no lack of sweet words. — Chanakya

By means of hearing one understands dharma, malignity vanishes, knowledge is acquired, and liberation from material bondage is gained. — 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

He who is prepared for the future and he who deals cleverly with any situation that may arise are both happy; but the fatalistic man who wholly depends on luck is ruined. — Chanakya

The man who is praised by others is regarded as worthy though he may be really void of all merit. But the man who sings his own praises becomes disgraced though he should be Indra, the possessor of all excellencies. — 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

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

Do not put your trust in a bad companion nor even trust an ordinary friend, for if he should get angry with you, he may bring all your secrets to light. — 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

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 beauty of a cuckoo is in its notes, that of a woman in her unalloyed devotion to her husband, that of an ugly person in his scholarship, and that of an ascetic in his forgiveness. — Chanakya

Good behavior wins even an enemy. — Chanakya

Your feelings are your god. — Chanakya

The man who remains a fool even in advanced age is really a fool, just as the Indra-Varuna fruit does not become sweet no matter how ripe it might become. — Chanakya

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

Rain which falls upon the sea is useless; so is food for one who is satiated; in vain is a gift for one who is wealthy; and a burning lamp during the daytime is useless. — 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

They (low-minded) ones should never be trusted. — 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

Whores don't live in company of poor men, citizens never support a weak company and birds don't build nests on a tree that doesn't bear fruits. — Chanakya

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

Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends. — Chanakya

Trees on a riverbank, a woman in another man's house, and kings without counselors go without doubt to swift destruction. — Chanakya

Accumulated wealth is saved by spending just as incoming fresh water is saved by letting out stagnant water. — Chanakya

God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple. — 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

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

Task performed by an unintelligent person should not be rated high. — 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 base men who speak of the secret faults of others destroy themselves like serpents that stray onto anthills. — 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

A man attains greatness by his merits, not simply by occupying an exalted seat. Can we call a crow an eagle (garuda) simply because he sits on the top of a tall building. — Chanakya

The king shall singly deliberate over secret matters; for ministers have their own ministers, and these latter some of their own; this kind of successive line of ministers tends to the disclosure of counsels. — Chanakya