Chanakya About Politics

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.