Chanakya Chants

A small idea was stroked in my mind after reading the "Sri Veera Bhrahma Charitra", a future fore-teller, why cant we share his writings. I am in mid of his story book now, but before that I thought to share my previous quotes read from the book.

I chose Chanakya as first to share his quotes.

Following are the quotes I like from his book.
* Test a servant while in the discharge of his duty, a relative in difficulty, a friend in adversity, and a wife in misfortune.

* He is a true friend who doesn't forsake us in time of need, misfortune, famine, or war, in a King's court , or at the crematorium.

* Untruthfulness, Rashness, Guile, Stupidity, Avarice, Uncleanliness and Cruelty are a Woman's seven natural flaws.

* She is a true wife who is clean , expert, chaste, pleasing to the husband, and truthful.

* He whose hands are clean does not like to hold an office; he who desires nothing cares not for bodily decorations; he who is only partially educated cannot speak agreeably, and he who speaks out plainly cannot be deceiver.

* There is no disease as lust ; no enemy like infatuation; no fire like wrath, and no happiness like spiritual knowledge.

* These five are your father's; he who gave you birth, girdled you with sacred thread, teaches you, provides you with food, and protects you from fearful situation's.

* These five should be considered as mothers, the King's wife, the preceptors wife, the friends wife, your wife's mother, and your own mother.

* The king, the brahmana, and the ascetic yogi who go abroad are respected; but the woman who wanders is utterly ruined.

* Learn one thing from a lion, one from a crane, four a cock, five from a crow, six from a dog, and three from an ass.

* 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.

* To wake at the proper time; to take a bold stand and fight; to make a fair decision (of property) among relations; and to earn ones own bread by personal exertion are the four excellent things to be learned from a cock.

* Union in privacy(with ones wife); boldness; storing away useful items; watchfulness; and not easily trusting others; these are the five things are to be learned from a crow.

* 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 are the six qualities should be learned from the dog.

* Although an ass is tired, he continues to carry his burden; he is unmindful of cold and heat; and he is always contented; these three things should be learned from the ass.

* A wise man should not reveal his loss of wealth, the vexation of his mind, the misconduct of his own wife, base words spoken by others, and disgrace that has broken him.

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

* Don't reveal what you have thought upon doing , but by wise counsel keep it secret, being determined to carry it into execution.

* Those parents who do not educate their sons are their enemies; for as is a crane among swans, so are ignorant sons Ina public assembly.

* Many a bad habit is developed through over indulgence, and many good one by chastisement, therefore beat your son as well as your pupil; never indulge them. (Spare the rod, spoil the child).

* Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, comes of Her own accord where fools are not respected, grain is well stored up, and the husband and wife do not quarrel.

* Fondle a son until he is five years of age, and use stick for another ten years, but when he is attained his sixteenth year treat him as a friend.

* Religious austerities should be practised alone, study by two, and singing by three. A journey should be undertaken by four, agriculture by five, and war by many together.

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

* As gold is tested in four ways by rubbing , cutting, heating and beating -- so a man should be tested by these four things: his renunciation, his conduct, his qualities and his actions.

* Religion is preserved by wealth; knowledge by diligent practice, a k8ng by conciliatory words , and a home by a dutiful house wife.

* A wise man should not reveal his loss of wealth,the vexation of his mind, the misconduct of his own wife, base words spoken by others , and disgrace that has befallen him.

* He who gives up shyness in monetary dealings, in acquiring knowledge, in eating and in business , becomes happy.

* Do not let your foot touch the fire, the spiritual master or a brahmana ; it must never touch a cow, a virgin, a n old person or a child.

* Conciliate a strong man by submission, a wicked man by opposition, and the one whose power is equal to yours by politeness or force.

* O wise man! Give your wealth only to the worthy and never to the others.

* After having rubbed oil on the body, after encountering the smoke from a funeral pyre, after sexual intercourse, and after being shaved , one remains a chandala until he bathes.

* Water is the medicine for indigestion; it is invigorating when the food that is eaten is well digested; it is like nectar when drunk in the middle of a dinner, and it is like poison when taken at the end of a meal.

* Knowledge is lost without putting into practice; a man is lost due to ignorance, an army is lost without a commander; and a woman is lost without a husband.

* A man who encounters the following three is unfortunate; the death of his wife in his old age, the entrusting of money into the hands of relatives, depending upon others for food.

* There is no austerity equal to balanced mind, and there is no happiness equal to contentment, there is no disease like covetousness and no virtue like mercy.

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

* The student, the servant, the traveller, the hungry person, the frightened man, the treasury guard, and the steward ; these seven ought to be awakened if they fall asleep.

* 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.

* He who neither raises fear by his anger, nor confers a favour when he is pleased can neither control nor protect. What can he do?

* Poverty is set off by fortitude; shabby garments by keeping them clean, bad food by warming it, and ugliness by good behaviour.

* What is it that escapes the observation of poets? What is that act women are incapable of doing? What will drunken people not prate? What will not crow eat?

* Generosity, pleasing address, courage and property of conduct are not acquired, but are inbred qualities.

* He who is engrossed in family life will never acquire knowledge, there can be no mercy in the eater of flesh, the greedy man will not be truthful:; and purity will not be found in a woman or a hunter.

* The student(brahmachari) should completely renounce the following eight things, -- his lust, anger, greed,desire for sweets, sense of decorating the body, excessive curiosity, excessive sleep, and excessive endeavor of bodily maintenance.

* The brahmana who is engrossed in wordly affairs, brings up cows and is engaged in trade is really called a vaishya.

* He is a blessed grahastha(householder) in whose house there is a blissful atmosphere, whose sons are talented, whose wife speaks sweetly, whose wealth is enough to satisfy his desires, who finds pleasure in the company of his wife, whose servants are obedient, in whose house hospitality shown, the auspicious Supreme Lord is worshipped daily, delicious food and drink is partaken, and who finds joy in the company of devotees.

* Those men who are happy in this world, who are generous towards their relatives, kind to strangers, indifferent to the wicked, loving to the good, shrewd I'm their dealings with the base, Frank with the learned, courageous with enemies, humble with elders and stern with wife.

* One indeed becomes blessed by having darshan of a devotee; for the devotee has the ability to purify immediately, where as the sacred tirtha gives purity only after prolonged contact.

* The house in which the lotus feet of brahamanas are not washed, in which vedic mantras are not loudly recited , and in which the holy rites of svaha(sacrificial offerings to the Supreme Lord) and swadha (offerings to the ancestors) are not performed; is like crematorium.

* He who regards as another's wife as his mother, the wealth that does not belong to him as a lump of mud, and the pleasure and pain of all other living beings as his own -- truly sees things in the right perspective, and he is true pandit.

* Realised learning(vidya) is our friend while travelling, the wife is a friend at home, medicine is the friend of a sick man, and meritorious deeds are the friend of death.

* Courtesy should be learned from princess, the art of conversation from pandits, lying should be learned from gamblers, and deceitful ways should be learned from women.

* The unthinking spender, the homeless urchin, the quarrel monger, the man who neglects his wife and is heedless in his actions -- all these will soon come to ruination.

* The wise man should not be anxious about his food, he should be anxious to be engaged only in dharma(Krishna consciousness). The food of each man is created for him at his birth.

* He who is not shy in the acquisition of wealth, grain, and knowledge and in taking his meals , will be happy.

* It certainly is nature of demigods, men of good character, and parents to be easily pleased, Near and distant relatives are pleased when they are hospitably received with bathing, food and drink; and pandits are pleased with an opportunity for giving spiritual discourse.

* Even as the unborn babe is in the womb of his mother, these five are fixed as his life destiny, his life span, his activities, his acquisition of wealth and knowledge, and his time of death.

* As a calf follows it's mother among a thousand cows, so the (good and bad) deeds of a man follow him.

* Poverty , disease, sorrow, imprisonment and other evils are the fruits borne by the tree of one's own sins.

* Oil on water, a secret communicated to the base man, a gift given to the worthy receiver, and scriptural instruction given to an intelligent man spread out by virtue of their nature.

* We should not feel pride in our charity , austerity, valour, scriptural knowledge, modesty and morality for the world is full of rarest gems.

* We should always speak what would please the man of whom we expect a favour., Like the hunter who sings sweetly when he desires to shoot a deer.

* It is ruinous to be familiar with the king, fire, the religious preceptor, and a woman. To be altogether indifferent to them is to be deprived of the opportunity to benefit ourselves, hence our association with them must be from a safe distance.

* We should always deal cautiously with fire, water, women, foolish people, serpents, and members of royal family, for they may, when the occasion presents itself, at once bring about our death.

* If you wish to gain control of the world by the performance of a single deed, then keep the following fifteen, which are prone to wander here and there, from getting the upper hand of you: the five sense objects (objects of sight sound, smell, taste and touch):; the five sense organs(ears, eyes, nose, tongue, and skin) and organs of activity(hands, legs, mouth, genitals and anus).

* One single object (a woman) appears in three different ways: to the man who practises austerity it appears as a corpse, to the sensual it appears as a woman, and to the dogs as a lump of flesh.

* A wise man should not divulge the formula of a medicine which he has well prepared; an act of charity which he has performed ; domestic conflicts; private affairs with his wife; poorly managed food he may have been offered; or slang he may have heard.

* There are 2 ways to get rid of throns and wicked persons ; using foot wear in the first place and in the second shaming them so that they cannot raise their faces again thus keeping them at a distance.

* He who wears unclean garments, has dirty teeth, is a glutton, speaks unkindly, and sleeps after sunrise -- although he may be greatest personality, - will lose the favour of Lakshmi.

* A true meal is that which consists of the remnants left after a brahmana's meal. Love, which is shown to others, is true love, not that which is cherished for one's own self, to abstain from sin is true wisdom. That is an act of charity, which is performed without ostentation.

* Sastric (scriptural) knowledge is unlimited, and the arts to be learned are many, the time we have is short, and our opportunities to learn are beset with obstacles. Therefore select for learning that which is most important , just as swan drinks only the milk in water.

* (Lord Vishnu asked His spouse Lakshmi why She did not care to live in the house of a brahmana's. She replied). O Lord a rishi named agastta drank up My father(the ocean) in anger, Brighu Muni kicked you, brahamanas pride themselves on their learning having sought the favour of my competitor Sharswati, and lastly they pluck each day the lotus which is My Adobe, and therewith worship Lord Shiva. Therefore, O Lord, I fear to dwell with a brahmana.