Chanakya’s Teachings are Insightful and Visionary

chillibreeze writer — Syed Hasnain Imam

Chanakya (c.350 - c.275 BC), also known as Kautilya or Vishnugupta, was an acharya of political science at the Takshasilâ University. He is regarded as one of the earliest known political thinkers, economists and kingmakers. Jawaharlal Nehru called him “The Indian Machiavelli.” Details of his birth are not authenticated and his work has been faithfully preserved orally for two thousand years. His place of birth has to be ascertained from the Buddhist and Jain scriptures. The mahavamsa tika (Buddhist) mentions his birthplace as Taxila, while Jain scriptures like adbidhana chintamani mention his birthplace as South India, around present day Kerala. His complexion they say was dark and he did not seem to be a man of Aryan descent.

He is perhaps is lesser known than Sun-Tzu and Machiavelli, but is credited as the first genuine political theorist in Indian history. It is said that his foresight, wisdom and piety helped found the mighty Mauryan Empire in India, but this was done only after the country had been rescued from the tyrannical clutches of the Nandas and the invading army of Alexander. Those of who read the Bible will find many similarities between his doings and that of Moses who destroyed the kingdom and rule of the Pharaohs. Thousands did die in that process too but as Chanakya wisely said:
“Give up a member to save a family, a family to save a village, a village to save a country.”

He was addressing the so-called wise, and learned Brahmans. No one was willing to follow him but he was not deterred from his goal. He was ordained to wipe out tyranny and evil. He addressed the rulers in simple but meaningful words, asking them indirectly to give up their style of government when he said,
“Charity puts and end to poverty; righteous conduct to misery; discretion to ignorance; and scrutiny to fear.”

The Nandas were too vain to heed the voice of reason. Chanakya advocated moderation in life and material pleasures and enjoined people to adherence to the path of righteousness. He himself exemplified such a life, refusing riches even after creating the Mauryan dynasty.

Those of us who are familiar with the teachings of the Qura’n can find verses similar to the above scattered all over the in it.

The Qura’n says, “ Verily those who believe, act righteously, establish prayers, and pay Zakat (charity} shall have their reward with the Lord; they shall neither have any fear nor shall they grieve.” (Surah Baqara: 277)

The man who is without religion and mercy should be rejected. (Chanakya)

“ Those who reject our signs, vain shall be their deeds; shall they be recompensed save for what they have wrought?” [Quran Surah al-A’raf: 147]

“Those blessed souls are certainly elevated who, while crossing the ocean of life, take shelter of a genuine brahmana, who is likened unto a boat. They are unlike passengers aboard an ordinary ship that runs the risk of sinking.” (Chanakya)

“ My Ahlulbait are like the Ark of Noah. Blessed will be those who board this Ark.” Prophet Mohammad.

A short but precise book can be written on these and other similarities. We should all realize that the true Brahman or the true Alim would never promote hatred. This is the age of co-existence and the need of this age is tolerance because no one is superior by birth or by religion. “ La Ikraha fid deen” religion should not be forced upon others who do not want to.

“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. There is no austerity equal to a balanced mind, and there is no happiness equal to contentment; there is no disease like covetousness, and no virtue like mercy.”

Do these seem to be the words of a mind obsessed with revenge?
The life of Chanakya is mostly portrayed as a revengeful saga where he is depicted as a man obsessed by revenge. However, this was not the aim of Chanakya. He wanted wise and pious people to rule the kingdom and not cruel tyrants like the Nandas. He wrote his book, providing guidelines on a king’s conduct, protecting the kingdom from enemies, and ensuring law and order through just and pious rule. This was the reason of conflict between him and the Nandas. Like all tyrannical rulers they could not bear the idea of a learned man. who seemed frail and helpless, teaching them. Like all the Nimrods and Pharaohs of the times they felt that rulers were divinely ordained and that they were a class of deities themselves.

Dhanananda, the ruler of Patliputra, was unscrupulous and cruel by nature. He was always gathering money without thinking about the consequences, constantly dissatisfied with his increasing wealth. Collecting taxes exorbitantly, he was a villain in the public eye. There was public outrage on the taxes, which were collected on unwanted things and were used to serve the selfish interests of the king. There were taxes on hides, tax on wood and tax even on stone! The amount of money, which Dhanananda had, was unimaginable but he did not believe in the welfare of the downtrodden.

It needed exceptional courage to speak out against the tyranny being practiced by Dhanananda when the Brahmans sat in the court kowtowing to his whims for just a few gold coins. From Patliputra to Peshawar there was no voice of dissent. It seemed that the people had taken hunger and strife to be their destiny. Chanakya, who said, that people should not be taxed so heavily and it is the duty of the king to look after his subjects, shattered this silence of helplessness. His voice rang out loud and clear and still reverberates:
“Taxation should not be painful for the people. There should be leniency and caution while deciding the tax structure. Ideally, governments should collect taxes like a honeybee, which sucks just the right amount of honey from the flower so that both can survive. Taxes should be collected in small and not in large proportions".

How can people be made happy in a petty kingdom? What peace can we expect from a rascal friend?
A king, a prostitute, Lord Yamaraja, fire, a thief, a young boy, and a beggar cannot understand the suffering of others. The eighth of this category is the tax collector”

“The king is obliged to accept the sins of his subjects; the purohit (priest) suffers for those of the king;”
If the king is virtuous, then the subjects are also virtuous. If the king is sinful, then the subjects also become sinful. If he is mediocre, then the subjects are mediocre. The subjects follow the example of the king. In short, as is the king so are the subjects.

“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.

People portraying him as a revengeful and vain political theorist defile his name. It is the duty of every Indian, whether Hindu, Muslim or Parsee to spread Chanakya’s message. He should be the rallying point for all secularists, but it is unfortunate that we look towards Marx and Mao for emancipation from the evils of this world. The communalists of this country should not be allowed to sully the name of this great sage, seer and savior of India, by presenting themselves as his followers. Let us join hands and be Indian for once.

SOME TEACHINGS OF CHANAKYA

That man who by the study of these maxims from the satras acquires a 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. 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 perspective.
Between a rascal and a serpent, the serpent is the better, for he strikes only at the time he is threatened, hungry or destined to kill, while the former at every step.

Scriptural lessons not put into practice are poison; a meal is poison to him who suffers from indigestion; a social gathering is poison to a poverty-stricken person; and a young wife is poison to an aged man.
That man who is without religion and mercy should be rejected. A guru without spiritual knowledge should be rejected.

The hand is not so well adorned by ornaments as by charitable offerings; one does not become clean by smearing sandalwood paste upon the body as by taking a bath; one does not become so much satisfied by dinner as by having respect shown to him; and salvation is not attained by self-adornment as by cultivation of spiritual knowledge.

Those who are destitute of learning, penance, knowledge, good disposition, virtue and benevolence are brutes wandering the earth in the form of men. They are burdensome to the earth.

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. The rainwater enlivens all living beings of the earth both movable (insects, animals, humans, etc.) and immovable (plants, trees, etc.), and then returns to the ocean where its value is multiplied a million fold.

What good can the scriptures do to a man who has no sense ? Of what use is a mirror to a blind man?
If you wish to gain control of the world by the performance of a single deed, then keep the following fifteen, which are prone to wander here and there, from getting the upper hand of you: the five sense objects (objects of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch); the five sense organs (ears, eyes, nose, tongue and skin) and organs of activity (hands, legs, mouth, genitals and anus).

Men have eating, sleeping, fearing and mating in common with the lower animals. That in which men excel the beasts is discretionary knowledge; hence, indiscreet men who are without knowledge should be regarded as beasts

He who desires nothing does not adorn himself; he who is only semi- educated cannot speak agreeably; and he who speaks out plainly cannot be an hypocrite

There is no disease (so destructive) as lust; no enemy like infatuation; no fire like wrath; and no happiness like spiritual knowledge.

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.

Among birds the crow is vile; among beasts the dog; the ascetic whose sins is abominable, but he who blasphemes others is the worst chandala.

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.

Mental dirt cannot be washed away even by one-hundred baths in the sacred waters, just as a wine pot cannot be purified even by evaporating all the wine by fire.

The following four characteristics of the denizens of heaven may be seen in the residents of this earth planet; charity, sweet words, worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and satisfying the needs of Brahmanas.

There is no austerity equal to a balanced mind, and there is no happiness equal to contentment; there is no disease like covetousness, and no virtue like mercy.

Beauty is spoiled by an immoral nature; noble birth by bad conduct; learning, without being perfected and wealth by not being properly utilized.

The student, the servant, the traveller, the hungry person, the frightened man, the treasury guard, and the steward: these seven ought to be awakened if they fall asleep.

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.

Why should I be concerned for my maintenance while absorbed in praising the glories of Lord Vishwambhara (Vishnu), the supporter of all? Without the grace of Lord Hari, how could milk flow from a mother's breast for a child's nourishment?

The brahmana who is engrossed in worldly affairs, brings up cows and is engaged in trade is really called a vaishya.

The brahmana who deals in lac-die, articles, oil, indigo, silken cloth, honey, clarified butter, liquor, and flesh are called a shudra.

The brahmana who thwarts the doings of others, who is hypocritical, selfish, and a deceitful hater, and while speaking mildly cherishes cruelty in his heart, is called a cat.

The brahmana who destroys a pond, a well, a tank, a garden and a temple is called a mleccha.

The brahmana who steals the property of the Deities and the spiritual preceptor, who cohabits with another's wife, and who maintains himself by eating anything and everything s called a chandala.

O jackal, leave aside the body of that man at once, whose hands have never given in charity, whose ears have not heard the voice of learning, whose eyes have not beheld a pure devotee of the Lord, whose feet have never traversed to holy places, whose belly is filled with things obtained by crooked practices, and whose head is held high in vanity. Do not eat it, O jackal, otherwise you will become polluted.

A stranger asked a brahmana, "Tell me, who is great in this city?" The brahmana replied, "The cluster of palmyra trees is great." Then the traveller asked, "Who is the most charitable person?" The brahmana answered, "The washer man who takes the clothes in the morning and gives them back in the evening is the most charitable." He then asked, "Who is the ablest man?" The brahmana answered, "Everyone is expert in robbing others of their wives and wealth." The man then asked the brahmana, "How do you manage to live in such a city?" The brahmana replied, "As a worm survives while even in a filthy place so do I survive here!"

(It is said that a sadhu, when asked about his family, replied thusly): truth is my mother, and my father is spiritual knowledge; righteous conduct is my brother, and mercy is my friend, inner peace is my wife, and forgiveness is my son: these six are my kinsmen.

As a calf follows its mother among a thousand cows, so the (good or bad) deeds of a man follow him.
At the end of the Yuga, Mount Meru may be shaken; at the end of the kalpa, the waters of the seven oceans may be disturbed; but a sadhu will never swerve from the spiritual path.

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

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

We should not feel pride in our charity, austerity, valor, scriptural knowledge, modesty and morality for the world is full of the rarest gems.

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

We should secure and keep the following: the blessings of meritorious deeds, wealth, grain, the words of the spiritual master, and rare medicines. Otherwise life becomes impossible.

Acquire virtue day and night, and always meditate on that which is eternal forgetting that which is temporary.

Sinfully acquired wealth may remain for ten years; in the eleventh year it disappears with even the original stock.

Sastric (scriptural) knowledge is unlimited, and the arts to be learned are many; the time we have is short, and our opportunities to learn are beset with obstacles. Therefore select for learning that which is most important, just as the swan drinks only the milk in water.

Although sandalwood is cut, it does not forsake its natural quality of fragrance; so also the elephant does not give up sportiveness though he should grow old. The sugarcane does not cease to be sweet though squeezed in a mill; so the man of noble extraction does not lose his lofty qualities, no matter how pinched he is by poverty.

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?

That thing which is distant, that thing which appears impossible, and that which is far beyond our reach, can be easily attained through tapasya (religious austerity), for nothing can surpass austerity.

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.

Out of 5 “chilies”, our editorial team gave this article...

Not rated

—About our writer:

Syed writes for chillibreeze.

Chanakya’s Teachings are Insightful and Visionary

SOME TEACHINGS OF CHANAKYA

>> Read more articles written by Chillibreeze writers: