Chanakya Quotes

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

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

"Constant travel brings old age upon a man; a horse becomes old by being constantly tied up; lack of sexual contact with her husband brings old age upon a woman; and garments become old through being left in the sun."

"To have ability for eating when dishes are ready at hand, to be robust and virile in the company of one's religiously wedded wife, and to have a mind for making charity when one is prosperous are the fruits of no ordinary austerities."

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

"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."

"There is no disease (so destructive) as lust; no enemy like infatuation; no fire like wrath; and no happiness like spiritual knowledge."

"Those born blind cannot see; similarly blind are those in the grip of lust. Proud men have no perception of evil; and those bent on acquiring riches see no sin in their actions."

"Generosity, pleasing address, courage and propriety of conduct are not acquired, but are inbred qualities."

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

"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."

"The hearts of base men burn before the fire of other's fame, and they slander them being themselves unable to rise to such a high position."

"Fate makes a beggar a king and a king a beggar. He makes a rich man poor and a poor man rich."

"Therefore kings gather round themselves men of good families, for they never forsake them either at the beginning, the middle or the end."

"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."

"For one whose heart melts with compassion for all creatures; what is the necessity of knowledge, liberation, matted hair on the head, and smearing the body with ashes."

"Whores don't live in company of poor men, citizens never support a weak company and birds don't build nests on a tree that doesn't bear fruits."

"The rain water enlivens all living beings of the earth both movable (insects, animals, humans, etc.) and immovable (plants, trees, etc.), and then returns to the ocean it value multiplied a million fold."

"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."

"Moral excellence is an ornament for personal beauty; righteous conduct, for high birth; success for learning; and proper spending for wealth."