Chanakya Quotes

Don't judge the future of a person based on his present conditions, becausetime has the power to change black coal to shiny diamond.

Avoid him who talks sweetly before you but tries to ruin you behind your back, for he is like a pitcher of poison with milk on top.

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.

A man is great by deeds, not by birth.

A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first.

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.

A good wife is one who serves her husband in the morning like a mother does, loves him in the day like a sister does and pleases him like a prostitute in the night.

The biggest guru-mantra is: never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you.

Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth.

The wise man should restrain his senses like the crane and accomplish his purpose with due knowledge of his place, time and ability.

God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple.

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.

Do not reveal what you have thought upon doing, but by wise council keep it secret being determined to carry it into execution.

He who is overly attached to his family members experiences fear and sorrow, for the root of all grief is attachment. Thus one should discard attachment to be happy.

The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction.

Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person.

Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends.

There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth.

Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.

Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.

Skills are called hidden treasure as they save like a mother in a foreign country.

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

We should not fret for what is past, nor should we be anxious about the future; men of discernment deal only with the present moment.

Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous.

The life of an uneducated man is as useless as the tail of a dog which neither covers its rear end, nor protects it from the bites of insects.

One who is in search of knowledge should give up the search of pleasure and the one who is in search of pleasure should give up the search of knowledge.

Prosperity lasts long for one who acts after proper consideration.

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.

What good is a cow that neither gives milk nor conceives? Similarly, what is the value of the birth of a son if he becomes neither learned nor a pure devotee of the Lord?

If a king is energetic, his subjects will be equally energetic.

Rain which falls upon the sea is useless; so is food for one who is satiated; in vain is a gift for one who is wealthy; and a burning lamp during the daytime is useless.

The one excellent thing that can be learned from a lion is that whatever a man intends doing should be done by him with a whole-hearted and strenuous effort.

The forest fire burns even tree like sandalwood.

Low class men desire wealth;middle class men both wealth and respect; but the noble, honour only; hence honour is the noble man's true wealth.

Do not put your trust in a bad companion nor even trust an ordinary friend, for if he should get angry with you, he may bring all your secrets to light.

The world's biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman.

What good can the scriptures do to a man who has no sense of his own? Of what use is as mirror to a blind man?

A thing may be dreaded as long as it has not overtaken you.

Union in privacy (with one's wife); boldness; storing away useful items; watchfulness; and not easily trusting others; these five things are to be learned from a crow.

Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness.

What vice could be worse than covetousness? What is more sinful than slander? For one who is truthful, what need is there for austerity? For one who has a clean heart, what is the need for pilgrimage?.

Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, comes of Her own accord where fools are not respected, grain is well stored up, and the husband and wife do not quarrel.

Do not be very upright in your dealings for you would see by going to the forest that straight trees are cut down while crooked ones are left standing.

As long as your body is healthy and under control and death is distant, try to save your soul; when death is immanent what can you do?

As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it.

Love is indicated by deeds (and not by words)

Knowledge is lost without putting it into practice; a man is lost due to ignorance; an army is lost without a commander; and a woman is lost without a husband.

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.

A person becomes great not be sitting on some high seat, but through higher qualities. Can a crow become an eagle by simply sitting on the top of a palatial building?

The happiness and peace attained by those satisfied by the nectar of spiritual tranquillity is not attained by greedy persons restlessly moving here and there.