Top 213 Quotes & Sayings by Chanakya

Explore popular quotes and sayings by an Indian politician Chanakya.

Last updated on September 17, 2024.

Chanakya was an ancient Indian polymath who was active as a teacher, author, strategist, philosopher, economist, jurist, and royal advisor. He is traditionally identified as Kauṭilya or Vishnugupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise, the Arthashastra, a text dated to roughly between the fourth century BCE and the third century CE. As such, he is considered the pioneer of the field of political science and economics in India, and his work is thought of as an important precursor to classical economics. His works were lost near the end of the Gupta Empire in the sixth century CE and not rediscovered until the early 20th century.

Indian - Politician | 350 BC - 275 BC

Source: Wikipedia

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.

Chanakya

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.

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

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.

Chanakya

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.

Chanakya

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.

Chanakya

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.

Chanakya

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.

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

He who lives in our mind is near though he may actually be far away; but he who is not in our heart is far though he may really be nearby.

Chanakya

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

Chanakya

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

Chanakya

Purity of speech, of the mind, of the senses, and of a compassionate heart are needed by one who desires to rise to the divine platform.

Chanakya

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.

Chanakya

There is poison in the fang of the serpent, in the mouth of the fly and in the sting of a scorpion; but the wicked man is saturated with it.

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.

Chanakya

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

Chanakya

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.

Chanakya

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?

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

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

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

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

Chanakya

The earth is supported by the power of truth; it is the power of truth that makes the sun shine and the winds blow; indeed all things rest upon truth.

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

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

Chanakya

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.

Chanakya

If one has a good disposition, what other virtue is needed? If a man has fame, what is the value of other ornamentation?

Chanakya

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

Chanakya

As a single withered tree, if set aflame, causes a whole forest to burn, so does a rascal son destroy a whole family.

Chanakya

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

Chanakya

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

Chanakya

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

Chanakya

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

Chanakya

O wise man! Give your wealth only to the worthy and never to others. The water of the sea received by the clouds is always sweet.

Chanakya

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

Chanakya

A man is great by deeds, not by birth.

Chanakya

God doesn't dwell in the wooden, stony or earthen idols. His abode is in our feelings, our thoughts.

Chanakya

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

Chanakya

A permanent relationship is dependent on particular purpose or wealth.

Chanakya

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

Chanakya

Wealth, a friend, a wife, and a kingdom may be regained; but this body when lost may never be acquired again.

Chanakya

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

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

The learned are envied by the foolish; rich men by the poor; chaste women by adulteresses; and beautiful ladies by ugly ones.

Chanakya

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.

Chanakya

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.

Chanakya

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.

Chanakya

Time perfects men as well as destroys them.

Chanakya

A debt should be paid off till the last penny; An enemy should be destroyed without a trace

Chanakya

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

Chanakya

The low minded are fond of deception the nature of low-minded people never changes.

Chanakya

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.

Chanakya

Till the enemy's weakness is known , he should be kept on friendly terms.

Chanakya

One's weakness should not ever be revealed.

Chanakya

Virtuous persons and fruit-laden trees bow, but fools and dry sticks break because they do not bend.

Chanakya

Everynbody tries not to reveal his weaknesses, so that he may not be ridiculed. Specially before the enemy. One's weakpoits shold not be revealed. Becaues ohe canstrike on those to ruin us. So one shold remain strong before the enemy.

Chanakya

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

Chanakya

There is no disease so destructive as lust.

Chanakya

The foolish wish to speak out what was spoken in secret by the master.

Chanakya