Kharavela, King of Kalinga (Orossa), 2nd Century BC
Chapter - 2 of Chanakya's Treatise on Policies for Kings & Ministers
 

Translation:
Lying, courage to do wrong deeds, ensnaring in illusionary attachment, foolishness, excessive greed, lack of cleanliness, and cruelty are natural faults of women.

Commentary:
[This quote strongly contradicts modern day values about women. Since ancient days Hindu society has changed in this respect in a major way and today women have access to more freedom & education. In today's context, as I have stated in the preface, this & similar statements about women are outdated and unacceptable. Incidentally several ancient saints in India & elsewhere, also had a somewhat negative attitude towards women.]

Translation:
Good things to eat and the ability to eat them, beautiful woman and the ability to have sexual intercourse, wealth & the ability to donate are not the result of meager penance.

Commentary:
[These things are not found together because great time & effort is required to obtain them - good things to eat, beautiful woman, wealth. By the time one obtains them, one is old and has partly lost the ability to enjoy them.]

Translation:
The heaven is here itself on earth for one whose son is under his control, wife lives according to scriptures, and who is satisfied with his wealth.

Translation:
Son is he who is devoted to his father, father is he who provides upbringing, friend is he who is trusted, and wife is she who delights the heart.

Commentary:
[Many relationships exist in the world, but most important are with son, father & mother, friend, and wife.]

Translation:
A friend who spoils work behind the back and speaks sweetly in presence should be abandoned like a pot of poison topped with milk.

Translation:
Do not trust a bad friend and do not totally trust a friend also. Sometimes a friend on becoming angry will disclose all your secrets.

Translation:
A work thought of in the mind should not be disclosed by voice. Protect it like mantra, a secret chant given by guru to his disciple which should never be disclosed, and execute the work.

Commentary:
[If the work is not completed then pre-disclosure will invite ridicule. Moreover, enemies may also put hurdles in the work.]

Translation:
Being foolish is a problem, being youthful is also a problem. Staying in someone else's house as a dependent is the biggest problem amongst problems.

Commentary:
[Fool does not know what is right to do and what is wrong, so he suffers. Youth is blind so he suffers. Losing one's independence by staying in someone's house is the biggest suffering.]

Translation:
Every mountain does not contain precious stones, every elephant does not have mukta (a type of pearl only the king of elephant is said to have), every forest does not have sandal-wood trees, and a virtuous human being does not exist everywhere.

Translation:
Wise man should continuously educate his son on the different ways of good behavior. The knower of ethics (i.e. niti, the subject matter of this book) and possessor of good behavior comes to be revered in the family.

Translation:
The mother and father who do not provide education are enemies of their child. Just as a crow does not look graceful amongst swans, so also an uneducated child in an assembly.

Translation:
From indulgence arise faults and from strictness arise good qualities. Therefore son and disciples student should be dealt with by strictness and not indulgence.

Translation:
Think about one quote of this book, or its half, or half of half, or even one word of the quote. The day should be made meaningful by thinking, studying, and donating.

Translation:
Separation from the wife one loves, insult from people who are near & dear, being unable to repay a loan, serving a bad king, being in poverty, company of treacherous people burn the human body without fire.

Translation:
Tree on the river bank, attractive woman staying in another's house, and king without ministers are undoubtedly destroyed quickly.

Translation:
Strength of priestly class is their knowledge, strength of kings is their army, strength of business class is their money, and strength of working class is their ability to render service.

Commentary:
[The Hindu society was divided into four castes in ancient times. This quote summarizes the type of work done by the members of each of the castes.]

Translation:
Prostitute abandons a man on his becoming poor, public abandons a king on his losing power or being defeated, birds abandon a tree when it stops bearing fruit, guest leaves the house after having eaten food.

Translation:
After taking gift the priest leaves the house-holder, after taking knowledge the disciple leaves the teacher, animals leave the forest on it's catching fire.

Commentary:
[A person relates with & depends on another only till his purpose is served or achieved, and then parts company.]

Translation:
Good persons having friendship with those possessing bad conduct, bad outlook, causing harm to others without any reason, and criminal people are quickly destroyed.

Translation:
Friendship with equals looks graceful, [amongst service] service of the king looks graceful, doing business looks graceful for business class, and a home becomes graceful by the presence of outstanding woman of the house.

Gwalior Fort, MP

References


[1] Chanakya Neeti, Ashwini Parashar, New Delhi, 1998.
[2] Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, R.S. McGregor (Edited), New Delhi, 1999.
[3] Bhargava's Concise Dictionary of the English Language (Anglo-Hindi Edition), R. C. Pathak (Edited), Varanasi, 1995