Chanakya Neeti

By Munindra Misra

Chanakya was an ancient Indian philosopher, economist, jurist and royal advisor. He is traditionally identified as Kauṭilya or Vishnugupta. He was the royal advisor to emperor Chandragupta Maurya and also wrote the Artha-Shastra in the 2nd century BC. He was a teacher and jurist not a saint or a rishi.

Chanakya Neeti is a collection of aphorisms written by

Chanakya and show a remarkable understanding of the human conduct.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Munindra Misra
• Release date: May 16, 2022

Book preview

Chanakya Neeti

Wisdom of Chanakya

Chapter 01

Vishnu, Lord of three worlds be,

I bow before You ever but humbly,

I recite the maxims of ethics clearly,

From the various scriptures plainly.

1.1

Who studies them acquires truly,

The knowledge of codes of duty,

Realises what ought or not surely,

To follow - what good or bad be.

1.2

I for public good, speak solely,

Which when understood truly,

Will leads to understanding fully,

Of things in their view visibly.

1.3

The learned has grief primarily,

By tutoring unwise disciple only,

As with wicked wife undoubtedly,

Or with wretched having familiarity.

1.4

A wicked wife or a false amity,

A saucy servant begets misery,

As living in a house with company,

Of serpent will beget death surely.

1.5

Save money for future adversity,

Wife against riches undoubtedly,

Do save the soul but unfailingly,

Even against wife, riches invariably.

1.6

Save wealth but not assume stupidly,

That it removes all your calamities,

When the riches forsake totally,

Amassed stock dwindles rapidly.

1.7

Where you not respected be,

Inhabit not in that country,

You cannot earn certainly,

Have friends, knowledge fully.

1.8

Do not stay where there not be,

These very five things actually,

A learned brahmin, king actually,

River, doctor and a man wealthy.

1.9

Never go to any such country,

Where no means to earning be,

And folks dread none in actuality,

Without shame, intellect, charity be.

1.10

Test servant in discharge of duty,

A relative in your actual difficulty,

Wife in your misfortune clearly,

And your friend in your adversity.

1.11

A true friend leaves not truly,

In the time of your calamity,

In misfortune, famine surely,

Or war, or at death certainly.

1.12

Who leaves imperishable clearly,

For the perishable undauntedly,

Loses the imperishable certainly,

And the perishable doubtlessly.

1.13

The wise but surely do marry,

Deformed virgin of upright family,

But not a low-class with beauty,

But in an equal status of family.

1.14

Trust not in rivers and men fully,

With weapons or women surely,

Clawed or horned beasts clearly,

Or members of any royal family

1.15

From poison extract nectar fully,

Wash, reclaim gold even if filthy,

Get knowledge from all gladly,

As a good girl in bad family be.

1.16

Women compared to men actually,

Have their hunger two-fold truly,

Shyness four-fold, daring six-fold be,

And their lust eight-fold certainly.

1.17

Chapter 02

A woman's seven flaws be,

Her natural deceit, stupidity,

Rashness, greed, treachery,

Uncleanliness and cruelty.

2.1

To consume having the ability;

Robust, macho in wife actually,

Charity when prosperous surely,

Fruits of no usual austerities be.

2. 2

Whose son obedient truly,

Wife's conduct his wishes be,

Who content with his riches be,

Has heaven on the earth surely.

2. 3

A son devoted to father surely,

As father supportive of son be,

A friend safe to confide fully,

Wife when husband content be.

2. 4

Avoid person who ruins clearly,

Behind your back talks sweetly,

For he a pitcher of poison be,

With milk on top covering only.

2. 5

Do not trust a friend ordinary,

Or in the bad companion truly,

For he may reveal secrets fully,

When he be agitated or angry.

2. 6

Reveal not what you think fully,

But keep it within a secret surely,

Be resilient to execute it totally,

What you thought correct did be.

2. 7

Foolishness indeed painful be,

And verily so does youth sadly,

But worse - obliged certainly,

In another person's house be.

2. 8

Exists not pearl on mountains be,

Or on all elephants assuredly,

Sadhus not found all over to see,

Or sandal trees in all forest truly.

2. 9

Wise groom their sons surely,

In various moral ways firmly,

Children so brought up truly,

Bring glory and behaved be.

2. 10

Parents who educate not progeny,

Progeny but their enemies be,

As crane among swans clearly,

Ignorant sons in public assembly.

2.11

Bad habit grown by indulgence be,

And the good habits by true purity,

Pamper not your children fully,

Scorn them else spoilt they be.

2.12

Without learning let no day lost be,

A verse, half or just a fourth only,

Without some study