A permanent
relationship is dependent on particular purpose (or wealth).
Every relationship has
one or the other motive behind it. Friendship or enmity is not purposeless.
Oneness of motive is turned into friendship. While diversity of motive cause enmity.
Royal relationships also depend upon one or the other purpose. But such relations
are mainly for the welfare of the state.
A friend, even if he be
the enemy’s son, should be protected.
This sutra gives
example about the purpose of relationship. A son of enemy, who wants to uproot
his own father, should be treated as friend and should be protected. This may
be called opportunism but is and should be necessary part of polity and
statesmanship. Moreover, if a father is not an upright man to have friendship
with his son can be a meritorious person. So it is better to protect him.
Till the enemy’s
weakness is known, he should be kept on friendly terms.
Everybody has same or
the other weakness. This is also a general tendency to conceal the weaknesses.
For people may not harm for these, but they will surely ridicule or make fun
of. Friendship, of course feigned should be retained with enemy till his
weakness is known. Let him remain elated.
An enemy should be
struck at his weak point.
Once the weak point of
enemy is known, he should be reined by striking on that. Chanakya is offering
here a fool proof method of devastation of enemy. T here is not place of
showing mercy on him.
One’s weakness should
not ever be revealed.
Everybody tries not to
reveal his weaknesses, so that he may not be ridiculed. Especially before the
enemy. One’s weak points should not be revealed. Because one can strike on
those to ruin us. So one should remain strong before the enemy.
Enemies strike at weak
points.
It is natural for enemy
to attack on the weaker side of the adversary.
Even a captured enemy
is not to be trusted.
A ruler wishing to win should
not trust a captured enemy even if he may be extending had to be friend.
Because deep rooted enmity, however, concealed, will rarely come to light.
The disgrace of one’s
people brings sorrow to the Nobel minded.
The demerits of our own
people bring infamy. Their disgrace is our own disgrace. That is why infamy so
such people really hurt. It is desirable that the ruler or the administrator
may work in a way that such disgraceful conduct may not occur.
Defect in one’s limb
ruins a man.
If one limb of the body
is defected or inflicted with, disease, the whole feels the pain. Some way if
any department, minister or official of the state is faulty, the whole country
is affected. An administrator should try hard to curb it.
Good behaviour wins
even an enemy.
If people of one’s own
side have good conduct, it adds power to oneself. The misconduct on the
contrary renders one powerless. The enemy takes advantage of it. A skilled
statesman never allows enemy to win over.
The low minded are fond
of deception the nature of low-minded people never changes.
No amount of advice
changes his attitude. He does not list to good advice. Rather he gets angry.
A low-minded person
should not be given good advice.
Nikrti means deceptive behavior;
the nature of a low minded person is fraudulent. They always like to ridicule
god person. Breach of trust is natural for a wicked. That is why this Chanakya
quote enjoys indirectly saving oneself from them.
They (low-minded) ones
should never be trusted.
Low minded people are
fraudulent, wicked and cheat. They should not be trusted. To have faith in low
minded ones is mistake in policy and useless because they are not trustworthy.
An administrator should not invited calamity by trusting the low minded ones.
Evil person causes harm
even if treated will.
How well u treat the
wicked people, they do not give up their wickedness. They derive pleasure in
hurting others. A serpent made to drink milk, it ejects poison only.
The forest fire burns
even tree like sandalwood.
The fire of the forest
burns trees to ashes. Even expensive sandalwood tree which is endowed with
qualities of cooling and fragrance, cannot escape from burning. In the same way
wicked cause harm to their benefactors also.
Fire, even if put on
head, burns only.
Wicked ones are like
fire. Even if you on heat, they burn only. They do not leave unhurt even their
well – wishers and benefactors.
No one should ever be
disrespected.
This sutra enjoins a
rule of morality. It says nobody should be disrespected. A man can impress everybody
by his virtues. Disrespecting others means downfall of our own virtues. A
person who disrespects others, in a way disrespect himself. A virtuous man does
not disrespect his friend or vein his enemy. Disrespect to enemy can
investigate him to react. The best thing is to destroy him completely. For a
ruler this is very important.
One who is to be
pardoned should not be harassed.
To pardon unworthy and
to not pardon the worthy shows thoughtlessness. To pardon the worthy shows
thoughtlessness. To pardon is humanitarian quality. But as far as the royal
duty is concerned the ruler has to exert his judiciary powers in deciding who
is to be punished and who is to be pardoned Chanakya relates that a criminal
insignificant offence should always be forgiveness.
Considering the forbearance
of a person, Do not harass him.
A tolerant person
should not be harassed. The subject or the ruled ones generally is loyal to the
ruler. The people take to revolt when they are helpless. The duty of the ruler
is that his humble people may not take to revolt being suppressed by his bad
polity. Considering the forbearance of the subject, do not ill behave with them
so that they may feel oppressed.
The foolish wish to
speak out what was spoken in secret by the master.
Chanakya is referring
there to the prohibition of entry of the untrustworthy in the counsel-room.
Disloyal persons foolishly speak out the secrets of the counsel not knowing the
harmful effects of the same. Disclosing the secrets of the counsel mars the
welfare of the country.
Love is indicated by
deeds (and not by words)
Love or affection
towards an individual or nation, is indicated by good action snot merely be
words. The adoration towards nation is
expressed by works of welfare equally done by the ruler and the ruled. The ruler himself must be engaged, in welfare
of the country and also should select officials examining their involvement
with the public god. Self-cantered people greedy of the power should be kept
away
Fate being unfavorable (or without god’s grace, even an easy task becomes difficult to accomplish)
Easiest tasks become
difficult to accomplish if the destiny is unfavorable. But Chanakya does not
consider any task impossible. Extra handwork and diligence make possible a
difficult task even if fate may be unfavorable for a while.
(Before starting a task)
a wise man should think of (the interest of) place and time. Indian Political
Pundit Chanakya stresses again and again that wise man should examine place and
time before starting a new task.
Prosperity last long
for one who acts after proper consideration.
A person or a ruler who
executes his plans (of public welfare) after due consideration, the prosperity
stands with him for a longer period.
All types of riches
should be amassed by all means.
For the protection of
state and welfare of the people, a ruler should collect all types of wealth. By
suing devices of sama, dama , danda, bheda , he should increase income of the
state, strong administration helps in collecting different type of taxes for
exchequer.
Prosperity forsakes
even a Lucky one, if he acts without foresight.
A man or a ruler should
always take up a task after thoroughly considering its consequences. Otherwise
fate also cannot protect his wealth.
Examination (of a
thing) should be done with reference to what is known and what is to be inferred.
By one’s own experience
(or knowledge) and by one’s logical power, the consequence of a particular task
should be examined. By doing this there remains no chance of failure.
Knower of the means
makes impossible tasks also possible.
The ruler should employ
person in tasks according to their abilities because Knower’s (or the means)
and efficient employees make impossible tasks also possible.
Task performed by an
unintelligent person should not be rated high.
Sometimes
coincidentally an unintelligent person can accomplish a task but that does not
mean that he is a know er of means and device or is experienced. A ruler should
be careful enough to designate other tasks to such persons.
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