My collection of rare political quotes and writing of Indian Politician and economist Chanakya
A permanent relationship is dependent on particular purpose (or wealth).
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.
A friend, even if he be the enemy’s son , should be protected.
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.
Till the enemy’s weakness is known , he should be kept on friendly terms.
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.
An enemy should be struck at his weak point.
Once the weak point of enemy is known, he should be reined by striking
on that. Chanakya is offering here a fool proof method of devastation of
enemy. T here is not place of showing mercy on him.
One’s weakness should not ever be revealed.
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.
Enemies strike at weak points.
It is narual for enemy to attack on the weaker side of the adversary.
Even a captured enemy is not to be trusted.
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.
wrongful doings of One's people should be stopped.
Svanaja includes in itself the whole subject, officials and ministers.
If there is something wrong in the conduct of these people, it would be
damaging the state. An administrator should strictly deal with it.
The disgrace of one’s people brings sorrow to the Nobel minded.
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.
Defect in one’s limb ruins a man.
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.
Good behavior wins even an enemy.
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.
The low minded are fond of deception the nature of low-minded people never changes.
No amount of advice change his attitude. He does not listed to good advice. Rather he gets angry.
A low-minded person should not be given good advice.
Nikrti means deceptive behavior, the nature of a low minded person is
fraudulent. They always like to ridicule god person. Breach of trust is
natural for a wicked. That is why this Chanakya quote enjoys indirectly to save oneself from them.
They (low-minded) ones should never be trusted.
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.
Evil person causes harm even if treated will.
How well u treat the wicked people, they do nto give up their
wickedness. They derive pleasure in hurting others. A serpent made to
drink milk, it ejects poison only.
The forest fire burns even tree like sandalwood.
The fire of the forest burns trees to ashes. Even expensive sandalwood
tree which is endowed with qualities of cooling and fragrance, cannot
escape from burning. In the same way wicked cause harm to their
benefactors also.
Fire, even if put on head, burns only.
Wicked ones are like fire. Even if pu on hea, they burn only. They do
not leave unhurt even their well – wishers and benefactors.
No one should ever be disrespected.
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.
One who is to be pardoned should not be harassed.
To pardon unworthy and to not pardon the worthy shows thoughtlessness.
To pardon the worthy shows thoughtlessness. To pardon is humanitarian
quality. But as far as the royal duty is concerned the ruler has to
exert his judiciary powers in deciding who is to be punished and who is
to be pardoned chanakya relates that a criminal insignificant offence
should always be forgiveness.
Considersing the forebearance of a person, Do not harass him.
A tolerant person should not be harrased. The subject or the ruled ones
generally is loyal to the ruler. The people tak to revolt when they
are helpless. The duty of the ruler is that his humble people mey not
tak to revolt being suppressed by his bad polity. Considering the
forbearance of the subject, do not ill behave with them so that they
may feel oppressed.
The foolish wish to speak out what was spoken in secret by the master.
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.
Love is indicated by deeds (and not by words)
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
Fate being unfavorable( or without god’s grace, even an easy task becomes difficult to accomplish)
Easiest tasks become difficult to accomplish if the destiny is
unfavorable. But chanakya does not consider any task impossible. Extra
handwork and diligence make possible a difficult task even if fate may
be unfavorable for a while.
( before starting a task) a wise man should think of ( the interest of)
place and time.Indian Political Pundit Chanakya stresses again and
again that wise man should examine place and time before starting a new
task.
Prosperity last long for one who acts after proper consideration.
A person or a ruler who executes his plans (of public welfare) after
due consideration, the prosperity stands with him for a longer period.
All types of riches should be amassed by all means.
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.
prosperity forsakes even a Licky one, if he acts without foresight.
A man or a ruler should always take up a task after thoroughly
considering its consequences. Otherwise fate also cannot protect his
wealth.
Examination ( of a thing) should be done with reference to what is know and wha is to be inferred.
By one’s own experience( or knowledge) and by one’s logical power, the
consequence of a particular task, should be examined. By doing this
there remains no chance of failure.
Knower of the means makes impossible tasks also possible.
The ruler should employ person in tasks according to their abilities
because Knowers ( or the means ) and efficient employees make impossible
tasks also possible.
Task performed by an unintelligent person should not be rated high.
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.
