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.”

“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.”

“There is no water like rainwater; no strength like one’s own; no light like that of the eyes; and no wealth dearer than food grain.”

“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.”

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

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

“Either Scholarship or Death will be my refuge.”

“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.”

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

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

“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.”

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

“Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere.”

“There is no enemy like infatuation and fire like wrath.”

“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.”

“The life of an uneducated man is as useless as the tail of a dog which neither covers it’s rear end, nor protects it from the bites of insects.”

“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?”

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

“Just as it is impossible to know when a swimming fish is drinking water, so it is impossible to find out when a government servant is stealing money”

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

“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”

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

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

“The arrow shot by the archer may or may not kill a single person. But stratagems devised by wise men can kill even babes in the womb.”

“एक व्यक्ति को बहुत ईमानदार नहीं होना चाहिए। सीधे पेड़ पहले काटे जाते हैं और ईमानदार लोगों पर पहले शिकंजा कसा जाता है।”

“तीरंदाज द्वारा छोड़ा गया तीर एक व्यक्ति को मार भी सकता है और नहीं भी। लेकिन बुद्धिमान पुरुषों द्वारा बनाई गई चालें गर्भ में शिशुओं को भी मार सकती हैं।”

“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.”

“Dharma is law in its widest sense- spiritual, moral, ethical and temporal. Every individual, whether the ruler or the ruled, is governed by his or her own dharma. To the extent that society respected dharma, society protected itself; to the extent society offended it, society undermined”

“In the absence of a magistrate dandadharabhave the strong will swallow the weak but under his protection, the weak resist the strong.”

“Every neighbouring state is an enemy and the enemy’s enemy is a friend.”