Chanakya Niti

Sri Chanakya niti-sastra

The Political Ethics of Chanakya Pandit

Compiled by Miles Davis (Patita Pavana dasa)

Chapter One

1. Humbly bowing down before the almighty Lord Sri Vishnu, the Lord of the three worlds, I recite maxims of the science of political ethics (niti) selected from the varioussatras (scriptures

2. That man who by the study of these maxims from thesatras
knowledge of the most celebrated principles of duty, and understands what
ought and what ought not to be followed, and what is good and what is bad, is
most excellent.
acquires a

3. Therefore with an eye to the public good, I shall speak that which, when

understood, will lead to an understanding of things in their proper perspectiv

4. Even apandit comes to grief by giving instruction to a foolish disciple, by

maintaining a wicked wife, and by excessive familiarity with the miserable.

5. A wicked wife, a false friend, a saucy servant and living in a house with a

serpent in it are nothing but death.

6. One should save his money against hard times, save his wife at the
sacrifice of his riches, but invariably one should save his soul even at the
sacrifice of his wife and riches.

7. Save your wealth against future calamity. Do not say, "What fear has a rich man, of calamity?" When riches begin to forsake one even the accumulated stock dwindles away.

8. Do not inhabit a country where you are not respected, cannot earn your

livelihood, have no friends, or cannot acquire knowledge.

9. Do not stay for a single day where there are not these five persons: a
wealthy man, abrah min well versed in Vedic lore, a king, a river and a
physician

10. Wise men should never go into a country where there are no means of
earning one's livelihood, where the people have no dread of anybody, have no
sense of shame, no intelligence, or a charitable disposition.

11. Test a servant while in the discharge of his duty, a relative in difficulty, a

friend in adversity, and a wife in misfortun.

12. He is a true friend who does not forsake us in time of need, misfortune,

famine, or war, in a king's court, or at the crematorium (smasana).

13. He who gives up what is imperishable for that which is perishable, loses
that which is imperishable; and doubtlessly loses that which is perishable
also.

14. 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.

15. Do not put your trust in rivers, men who carry weapons, beasts with claws

or horns, women, and members of a royal family

16. Even from poison extract nectar, wash and take back gold if it has fallen in
filth, receive the highest knowledge (Krsna consciousness) from a low born
person; so also a girl possessing virtuous qualities (stri-ratna) even if she
were born in a disreputable family.

17. Women have hunger two-fold, shyness four-fold, daring six-fold, and lust

eight-fold as compared to men 

 

 

14. Separation from the wife, disgrace from one's own people, an enemy
saved in battle, service to a wicked king, poverty, and a mismanaged
assembly: these six kinds of evils, if afflicting a person, burn him even without
fire

15. Trees on a riverbank, a woman in another man's house, and kings without

counsellors go without doubt to swift destruction.

16. Abrah min's strength is in his learning, a king's strength is in his army, a

vaishya's strength is in his wealth and a shudra's strength is in his attitude of

service

17. The prostitute has to forsake a man who has no money, the subject a king
that cannot defend him, the birds a tree that bears no fruit, and the guests a
house after they have finished their meals.

18.Brahmins quit their patrons after receiving alms from them, scholars leave
their teachers after receiving education from them, and animals desert a
forest that has been burnt down.

19. He who befriends a man whose conduct is vicious, whose vision impure,

and who is notoriously crooked, is rapidly ruined.

20. Friendship between equals flourishes, service under a king is respectable,
it is good to be business-minded in public dealings, and a handsome lady is
safe in her own home.

Chapter Three

1. In this world, whose family is there without blemish? Who is free from

sickness and grief? Who is forever happy?

2. A man's descent may be discerned by his conduct, his country by his
pronunciation of language, his friendship by his warmth and glow, and his
capacity to eat by his body.

3. Give your daughter in marriage to a good family, engage your son in

learning, see that your enemy comes to grief, and engage your friends in

dharma. (Krsna consciousness).

4. Of a rascal and a serpent, the serpent is the better of the two, for he strikes

only at the time he is destined to kill, while the former at every step.

5. Therefore kings gather round themselves men of good families, for they

never forsake them either at the beginning, the middle or the end.

6. At the time of thepralaya (universal destruction) the oceans are to exceed 

 

7. Do not keep company with a fool for as we can see he is a two-legged

beast. Like an unseen thorn he pierces the heart with his sharp words.

8. Though men be endowed with beauty and youth and born in noble families,
yet without education they are like thepalasa flower, which is void of sweet
fragrance.

9. 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.

10. Give up a member to save a family, a family to save a village, a village to

save a country, and the country to save yourself.

11. There is no poverty for the industrious. Sin does not attach itself to the person practicingjapa (chanting of the holy names of the Lord). Those who are absorbed inmaunam (silent contemplation of the Lord) have no quarrel with others. They are fearless who remain always alert.

12.-13.

What is too heavy for the strong and what place is too distant for those who
put forth effort? What country is foreign to a man of true learning? Who can be
inimical to one who speaks pleasingly?

14. As a whole forest becomes fragrant by the existence of a single tree with sweet-smelling blossoms in it, so a family becomes famous by the birth of a virtuous son.

15. As a single withered tree, if set aflame, causes a whole forest to burn, so

does a rascal son destroy a whole family.

16. As night looks delightful when the moon shines, so is a family gladdened

by even one learned and virtuous son.

17. What is the use of having many sons if they cause grief and vexation? It is
better to have only one son from whom the whole family can derive support
and peacefulness.

18. Fondle a son until he is five years of age, and use the stick for another ten

years, but when he has attained his sixteenth year treat him as a friend.

19. He who runs away from a fearful calamity, a foreign invasion, a terrible

famine, and the companionship of wicked men is safe. 

 

 

 

 

 

20. He who has not acquired one of the following: religious merit (dharma),
wealth (artha), satisfaction of desires (kama), or liberation (moksa) is
repeatedly born to dietheir limits and seek to change, but a saintly man never changes