Chanakya

Chanakya is not about a person its about an idea where change is about changing the way a society and nation thinks and reacts. Vivek ji

Chanakya (350 - 283 B.C)

History
One of the greatest figures of wisdom and knowledge in the Indian history is Chanakya. He is estimated to have lived from 350 - 283 B.C. Chanakya is touted as the "Pioneer Economist of India". Chanakya was the adviser and Prime Minister of Emperor Chandragupta.

History
Chanakya was a professor at the University of Takshila (located in present day Pakistan) and was an expert in commerce, warfare, economics, etc. His famous works include Chanakya Neeti, Arthashastra and Neetishastra. Chanakya is also known by the name of Kautilya and Vishnugupta His famous work called Arthashastra is a classic example of statecraft and politics .

Legend
When Chanakya was born he had a full set of teeth, which is a sign that he would become a king or an emperor. But since he was born in a Brahmin family, it was considered inappropriate. Thus, his teeth were broken and it was predicted that he would make another person a king and rule through him. Even as a child, Chanakya had the qualities of a born leader.

Legend
Chanakya was thrown out of the court of King Nanda as he was a blunt man and spoke his mind clearly. Chanakya swore he would take revenge. Chanakya comes across Chandragupta as a young child. Even at that age, he was a born leader and showed the qualities of an able Emperor. He was the guiding force behind Chandragupta and the vital person who made him an able Emperor.

Legend
Chanakya adds poison in little amounts daily in Chandragupta's food in order to make him immune to poison, lest some enemy tries to poison him. However Chandragupta was unaware about this and once gave a little food to his wife who was in the ninth month of pregnancy. She didn't survive but Chanakya cut open her belly and took out the baby.

Chandragupta

Legendable emperor named This baby grew up to become an

Bindusara. He had a minister named Subandhu who did not like Chanakya. He told Bindusara that Chanakya had killed his mother.

Without assessing facts, Bindusara confronted Chanakya. On knowing the whole story, he felt ashamed at his hasty actions and begged for forgiveness. He asked Subandhu to go and apologize and make Chanakya come back.

Legend

Subandhu was very cunning and on the pretext of going to apologize to Chanakya, he killed him. Thus, ended the life of a great person like Chanakya just because of political rivalry.

Two books are attributed to Chanakya:

Arthashastra Neetishastra (Chanakya Niti)

Arthashastra
discusses monetary and fiscal policies, welfare, international relations, and war strategies in detail.

Neetishastra (Chanakya Niti)

is a treatise on the ideal way of life, and shows Chanakya's deep study of the Indian way of life.

Philosophy His main philosophy was "A debt should be paid off till the last penny; An enemy should be destroyed without a trace". He seemed to have lived - and died - by his philosophy, a paradigm shift. It has also emphasized the need for original and path breaking legal research to create new legal knowledge and ideas that will help meet these new challenges in a manner responsive to the needs of the country and ideals and goals of our Constitution.

QUOTES OF CHANAKYA
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 man is great by deeds, not by birth. As single withered tree, if set aflame, causes a whole forest to burn, so does a rascal son destroy a whole family.

QUOTES OF CHANAKYA

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

QUOTES OF CHANAKYA

Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth. God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple.