My learnings from Chanakya's Niti-sastra

The other day being interested to read, I downloaded a copy of Chanakya-niti-sastra from ISKCON desire tree. It is a very nice translation by one of ISKCON devotees, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada. The reason I wanted to learn Chanakya niti is because firstly Srila Prabhupada used to quote Chanakya pandit many times in his lectures. We know the most quoted ones are matravat para daresu paradravesu lostravat…, ayusah ksana ekopi na labhyah svarna-kotibhih..,putra hinam grham sunyam etc. In Srila Prabhupada lectures and books we can see numerous places where Prabhupada quotes moral principles mentioning Chanakya pandit. The author of this translation also mentions in the introduction that Srila Prabhupada had expressed a desire that Sri Chanakya Niti-Sastra be properly translated into English.

Secondly why I wanted to read this book is that devotees are expected to be intelligent even in worldly dealings. We see even our acharyas like Srila Rupa gosvami, Sanatana gosvami, Jiva gosvami and even Raghunath das gosvami and many other acaryas were also very expert in dealing with the worldly affairs as much as and whenever it was required. Not to forget our beloved acharya Srila Prabhupada. He was exceptional managing an international organization with 108 centres during his time. If we are naïve and don’t have shrewdness in material dealings then we will get exploited and cheated. So a certain amount of diplomatic touch is wanted. Therefore, I felt like sharing whatever I am learning.

Actually it is very interesting that Chanakya pandit’s appearance had been predicted in the Visnu purana, fourth canto, twenty fourth chapter. It says “A Brahmana named Kautilya (Chanakya) will slay the Nandas. On their death the Mauryas will enjoy the earth. Kautilya will install Chandragupta on the throne. His son will be Bindusara whose son will be Asoka.” Similar prophecies are there in Bhagavata, Vayu and Matsya puranas. About 2300 years ago when Alexander the Great invaded india it was under the prime ministership of Chanakya that Chandragupta could defeat Alexander and conquer all upto Iran in the Northwest and till Mysore in the south. That was the greatest Indian empire ever in history after Kali yuga.

The author in the introduction quotes a poem written by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur

“Man’s glory is in common sense

Dictating us the grace,

That man is made to live and love

The beauteous Heaven’s embrace” 

The first line of this poem he says is synonymous to the last line of bhagavadgita: dhruva nitir matir mama stressing the importance of “common sense” which is nothing but niti (morality) and giving its connection to Krishna consciousness.

In this blog I am going to share some very nice and interesting quotes of Chanakya pandit from the 1st chapter of the book. Rest of the chapters I will share in the future blogs. It is very amazing how Chanakya pandit starts the book the first verse translation of which goes like this:

“Humbly bowing down before the almighty Lord Vishnu, the Lord of the three worlds, I recite maxims of the science of political ethics (niti) selected from various sastras.”

Firstly, he is paying obeisances to the Lord. This shows that he was a devotee, maybe a misra-bhakta. Though Srila Prabhupada quoted Chanakya pandit many times, Prabhupada only mentioned him as a “great politician and a moralist” only. But surely he was a very special personality and he also had devotion to the Lord to some extent which can be understood through his various quotes in the book. Second thing he says is that these maxims have been selected from various sastras which means he is mentioning these maxims not on his authority but on the authority of the sastras (sabda praman).
The subsequent verses go as follows which explain the purpose of him writing this book:

“That man who by the study of these maxims from the sastras 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.” 

The first niti which Chanakya pandit writes is this one:
“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.” 

Further I will mention only those nitis which are very striking and covering various different aspects of life.

Chanakya pandit talking about Money (Lakshmi) mentions this one:

“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.”

Talking about relationships he says:

“Test a servant while in the discharge of his duty, a relative in difficulty, a friend in adversity, and a wife in misfortune.” 

“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).”

Talking about the perishable nature of this world he says:

“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.”

Talking about marriage he says:

“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.”

This one is often quoted by Srila Prabhupada as well:

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

Last verse of this chapter he mentions about the psychology of women:

“Women have hunger two-fold, shyness four-fold, daring six-fold, and lust eight-fold as compared to men.” 

I hope you enjoyed reading the blog.
Hare Krishna!!