Top Quotes by Chanakya

Chanakya is also known as Kautilya. He was a philosopher, an Indian teacher as well as royal advisor. He managed the first Maurya emperor Chandragupta’s rise to power at a young age. Chanakya, originally was a professor of political science and economics at the ancient Takshashila University. He was well known for his polices and power thoughts. Some of the great quotes Chanakya ‘Kautilya’ are listed here.

1. “Learn from the mistakes of others… you can’t live long enough to make them all yourselves!!” - Chanakya
2. “Good behavior wins even an enemy.” - Chanakya
3. “A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and Honest people are screwed first.” - Chanakya
4. “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
5. “Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous.” - Chanakya
6. “The biggest guru-mantra is: never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you.” - Chanakya
7. “There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth.” - Chanakya
8. “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
9. “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
10. “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
11. “As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it.” - Chanakya
12. “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
13. “The world’s biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman.” - Chanakya
14. “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
15. “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
16. “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
17. “The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction.” - Chanakya
18. “Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person.” - Chanakya
19. “God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple.” - Chanakya
20. “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
21. “A man is great by deeds, not by birth.” - Chanakya
22. “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
23. “Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness.” - Chanakya
24. “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
25. “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
26. “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
27. “Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person.” - Chanakya
28. “A friend, even if he be the enemy’s son, should be protected.” - Chanakya
29. “Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth.” - Chanakya
30. “Knower of the means makes impossible tasks also possible.” - Chanakya
31. “A permanent relationship is dependent on particular purpose (or wealth).” - Chanakya
32. “The disgrace of one’s people brings sorrow to the Nobel minded.” - Chanakya
33. “Task performed by an unintelligent person should not be rated high.” - Chanakya
34. “The wise man should restrain his senses like the crane and accomplish his purpose with due knowledge of his place, time and ability.” - Chanakya
35. “Do not reveal what you have thought upon doing, but by wise council keep it secret being determined to carry it into execution.” - Chanakya
36. “Prosperity last long for one who acts after proper consideration.” - Chanakya
37. “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
38. “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
39. “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
40. “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

We hope you will enjoy reading the above quotes by the great Indian Teacher, Chanakya. If you have more quotes by Chanakya, do share the same in the comments section.