Chanakya quotes

Chanakya, also known as Kautilya or Vishnugupta, was a prominent ancient Indian philosopher, economist, and politician. He served as an advisor to the Mauryan Emperor Chandragupta, playing a crucial role in shaping the empire's governance and policies. As an SEO friendly bio, this snippet will help provide an overview of Chanakya's life and accomplishments for search engines: Chanakya, a renowned ancient Indian philosopher, economist, and politician, played a pivotal role in shaping the governance and policies of the Mauryan empire. Serving as advisor to Emperor Chandragupta, he was known as Kautilya or Vishnugupta. Discover more about Chanakya and his influential insights on statecraft and economics.

There is no disease so destructive as lust.

- Chanakya

Test a servant while on his duty, and a relative in difficulty, test a friend in adversity, and a wife in misfortune.

- Chanakya

One whose knowledge is confined to books and whose wealth is in the possession of others can use neither knowledge nor wealth when the need for them arises.

- Chanakya

One should save money against hard times, save his wife against spending or sacrificing the money and one should save self at the cost of the wife and the riches.

- Chanakya

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

- Chanakya

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

- Chanakya

It is unwise to advice a fool, caring for a woman of loose character, and to be in company of a sad fellow.

- Chanakya

It is the mind of man alone that is the cause of his bondage or freedom.

- Chanakya

It is better to die than to preserve this life by incurring disgrace. The loss of life causes but a moment’s grief, but disgrace brings grief every day of one’s life.

- Chanakya

He whose son is obedient to him, whose wife’s conduct is in accordance with his wishes and who is content with his riches has the heaven here on earth.

- Chanakya

He who has wealth has friends.

- Chanakya

He shall despise none, but hear the opinions of all. A wise man shall make use of even a child’s sensible utterance.

- Chanakya

Do not put your trust in rivers, men who carry weapons, beasts with claws or horns, women and members of a royal family.

- Chanakya

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.

- Chanakya

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

- Chanakya

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

- Chanakya

As a single dried tree, if fired, sets a whole forest on fire, so does a bad son destroy a whole family.

- Chanakya

A person who cannot decide his goal, simply cannot win.

- Chanakya

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?

- Chanakya

A human being should strive for four things in life – dharma (duty), artha (money), kama (pleasure) and moksha (salvation). A person who hasn’t striven for even one of these things has wasted life.

- Chanakya

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.

- Chanakya

A father who is a chronic debtor, an adulterous mother, a beautiful wife, and an unlearned son are enemies in one’s own home.

- Chanakya

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

- Chanakya

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

- Chanakya

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

- Chanakya

It is better to die than to preserve this life by incurring disgrace. The loss of life causes but a moment's grief, but disgrace brings grief every day of one's life.

- Chanakya

One whose knowledge is confined to books and whose wealth is in the possession of others, can use neither his knowledge nor wealth when the need for them arises.

- Chanakya

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

- Chanakya

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

- Chanakya

A man is great by deeds, not by birth.

- Chanakya