Chanakya's advice on being invincible
Contents
Who was Chanakya?
Chanakya (also identified as Kautilya) was one of the foremost political scientists of India. He is thought to have lived between 370 and 273 BCE. He was a teacher and a mentor to the emperor of the first largest Indian kingdom - Chandragupta Maurya as well as his son Bindusara.
Chanakya is considered as the pioneer of the field of economics and political science in India, and his work is thought of as an important precursor to Classical Economics.[1][2][3][4] Chanakya is often called the "Indian Machiavelli",[5] although his works predate Machiavelli's by about 1,800 years.[6] His works were lost near the end of the Gupta dynasty and not rediscovered until 1915.[2]
Chanakya's advice on being invincible
In Chapter 6 of his book Neeti Shastra (the science of polity), Chanakya says that we can learn a lot from the animals around us:
15. Learn one thing from a lion; one from a crane; four a cock; five from a crow; six from a dog; and three from an ass.
16. 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.
17. The wise man should restrain his senses like the crane and accomplish his purpose with due knowledge of his place, time and ability.
18. To wake at the proper time; to take a bold stand and fight; to make a fair division (of property) among relations; and to earn one's own bread by personal exertion are the four excellent things to be learned from a cock.
19. 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.
20. Contentment with little or nothing to eat although one may have a great appetite; to awaken instantly although one may be in a deep slumber; unflinching devotion to the master; and bravery; these six qualities should be learned from the dog.
21. Although an ass is tired, he continues to carry his burden; he is unmindful of cold and heat; and he is always contented; these three things should be learned from the ass.
22. He who shall practice these twenty virtues shall become invincible in all his undertakings.
Chanakya's rise: Revenge against the Nanda empire
References
- ^ L. K. Jha, K. N. Jha (1998). "Chanakya: the pioneer economist of the world", International Journal of Social Economics 25 (2-4), p. 267–282.
- ^ a b Waldauer, C., Zahka, W.J. and Pal, S. 1996. Kauṭilya's Arthashastra: A neglected precursor to classical economics. Indian Economic Review, Vol. XXXI, No. 1, pp. 101-108.
- ^ Tisdell, C. 2003. A Western perspective of Kauṭilya's Arthasastra: does it provide a basis for economic science? Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Paper No. 18. Brisbane: School of Economics, The University of Queensland.
- ^ Sihag, B.S. 2007. Kauṭilya on institutions, governance, knowledge, ethics and prosperity. Humanomics 23 (1): 5-28.
- ^ "The Indian Machiavelli" or Political Theory in India Two Thousand Years Ago by Herbert H. Gowen. Political Science Quarterly Vol. 44, No. 2 (Jun., 1929), pp. 173-192. Published by: The Academy of Political Science.
- ^ Herbert H. Gowen (1929). and in a much more conventional world.or Political Theory in India Two Thousand Years Ago, Political Science Quarterly 44 (2), p. 173–192.
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| Title | Chanakya's advice on being invincible | Article is on this general topic | Mythology and religion | Author | Gaurav Moghe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specific location(s) where study was conducted | Not noted | General region where study was conducted | Not noted | State where study was conducted | Pan-India |
| Institutional affiliation | Not noted | Institution located at | Not noted | Institution based around | Not noted |
| Species Group | Not noted | User ID | User:Gauravm | Page creation date | 2012/11/13 |
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