Guest guest Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 please e mail me best proverbs of guru chankaya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 Canakya was not an acarya, he was a statesman, a pundit, but I do not believe he is considered a guru by any stretch of the imagination. And what value do any of his statements have? The one oft cited is one that gives rise to heinous discrimination based on bodily conception and is used by ignorant folks to justify their superiority complexes. Just opinion here. mahaksadasa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahnava Nitai Das Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 And what value do any of his statements have? They must have some value, or Srila Prabhupada wouldn't have quoted him so much. We should remember that most of us are aware of Chanakya and his quotes because we found them in Srila Prabhupada's books. Also it is relevant to note that the majority of Chanakya's statements are easily traceable to dharma shastras such as the teachings of Manu. Thus it is not just a case of one crazy person, but rather the entire foundation of Vedic culture is repleat with these trypes of references. How to deal with such Vedic statements and apply them in the modern times may be a difficult question, something only a great acharya like Srila Prabhupada can answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 Chapter 01 1. Humbly bowing down before the almighty Lord Sri Vishnu, the Lord of the three worlds, I recite maxims of the science of political ethics (niti) selected from the various satras. \\ 2. That man who by the study of these maxims from the satras acquires a knowledge of the most celebrated principles of duty, and understands what ought and what ought not to be followed, and what is good and what is bad, is most excellent. \\ 3. Therefore with an eye to the public good, I shall speak that which, when understood, will lead to an understanding of things in their proper perspective. \\ 4. Even a pandit comes to grief by giving instruction to a foolish disciple, by maintaining a wicked wife, and by excessive familiarity with the miserable. \\ 5. A wicked wife, a false friend, a saucy servant and living in a house with a serpent in it are nothing but death. \\ 6. One should save his money against hard times, save his wife at the sacrifice of his riches, but invariably one should save his soul even at the sacrifice of his wife and riches. \\ 7. Save your wealth against future calamity. Do not say, "What fear has a rich man of calamity?" When riches begin to forsake one even the accumulated stock dwindles away. \\ 8. Do not inhabit a country where you are not respected, cannot earn your livelihood, have no friends, or cannot acquire knowledge. \\ 9. Do not stay for a single day where there are not these five persons: a wealthy man, a brahmana well versed in Vedic lore, a king, a river and a physician. \\ 10. Wise men should never go into a country where there are no means of earning one's livelihood, where the people have no dread of anybody, have no sense of shame, no intelligence, or a charitable disposition. \\ 11. Test a servant while in the discharge of his duty, a relative in difficulty, a friend in adversity, and a wife in misfortune. \\ 12. He is a true friend who does not forsake us in time of need, misfortune, famine, or war, in a king's court, or at the crematorium (smashana). \\ 13. He who gives up what is imperishable for that which is perishable, loses that which is imperishable; and doubtlessly loses that which is perishable also. \\ 14. A wise man should marry a virgin of a respectable family even if she is deformed. He should not marry one of a low-class family, though beautiful. Marriage in a family of equal status is preferable. \\ 15. Do not put your trust in rivers, men who carry weapons, beasts with claws or horns, women, and members of a royal family. \\ 16. Even from poison extract nectar, wash and take back gold if it has fallen in filth, receive the highest knowledge (Krishna consciousness) from a low born person; so also a girl possessing virtuous qualities (stri-ratna) even if she be born in a disreputable family. \\ 17. Women have hunger two-fold, shyness four-fold, daring six-fold, and lust eight-fold as compared to men. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 http://mailerindia.com/hindu/artha/atrhasastra1.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudhaya Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 Selected Verses from the Niti Sastra by Canakya Pandita Niti Sastra siaatma-mata guroh patni brahmani raja-patnika dhenur dhatri tatha prthvi saptaita matarah smrtah atma-mata-one's own mother; guroh-patni-the wife of the guru; brahmani-the wife of a brahmana; raja-patnika-the wife of a king; dhenuh-the cow; dhatri-the nurse; tatha-thus; prthvi-the earth; sapta eta-these seven; matarah-mothers; smrtah-should be remembered as. One's own mother, the wife of the guru, the wife of a brahmana, the wife of a king, the cow, the nurse, and the earth are known as the seven mothers of a man. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siaavidyam jivanam sunyam dik-sunyas ca abandhavah putra-hinam grham sunyam sarva-sunya daridrata avidyam-without knowledge; jivanam-life; sunyam-empty or void; dik-sunyah-all directions are void; ca-and; abandhavah-persons without family or friends; putra-hinam-without a son; grham-the home; sunyam-void; sarva-sunya-that which makes everything void; daridrata-poverty. Life without knowledge is empty, and all directions are void for those without friends. Household life without a son is void, and for the poor the whole world is void. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siaayusah ksana eko 'pi na labhya svarna-kotibhih na cen nirarthakam nitih ka ca hanis tato 'dhika ayusah-of life; ksanah-a moment; ekah-one; api-even; na-not; labhyah-obtainable; svarna-kotibhih-for millions of gold coins; na cet-if not; nirarthakam-useless; nitih-behavior; ka-what; ca-and; hanih-loss; tatah-than that; adhika-greater. Even one moment of life spent cannot be regained for millions of gold coins. Therefore, what greater loss is there than time spent uselessly? (Canakya Pandita sloka 34) Niti Sastra siadurjanah parihartavyo vidyayalaìkrto 'po san manina bhusitah sarpah kim asau na bhayaìkarah durjanah-an evil man; parihartavyo-should be avoided; vidyaya-by knowledge; alaìkrtah-decorated; api-although; san-being; manina-by a jewel; bhusitah-adorned; sarpah-a snake; kim asau-is that; na-not; bhayaìkarah-fearful. An evil man should be avoided, even though he may be decorated with great knowledge. He is just like a venomous serpent adorned with a jewel on his hood. Is not such a snake fearful? (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siadusta bharya satham mitram bhrtyas cottaradayakah sasarpe ca grhe vaso mrtyur eva na samsayah dusta-wicked; bharya-wife; satham-deceitful; mitram-friend; bhrtyah-servant; ca-and; uttara-dayakah-impertinent; sa-sarpe-with serpents; ca-and; grhe-in the house; vasah-residence; mrtyuh-death; eva-certainly; na-not; samsayah-doubt. A man whose wife is wicked, whose friends are deceitful, and whose servants are impertinent dwells in a house infested with serpents. Death is certain. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siaekenapi kuvrksena kotara-sthena vahnina dahyate tad-vanam sarvam kuputrena kulam yatha ekena-by one; api-only; ku-vrksena-bad tree; kotara-sthena-in the hollow; vahnina-by a fire; dahyate-is burned; tat-of that; vanam-the forest; sarvam-entire; ku-putrena-by a bad son; kulam-family; yatha-just as. Just as an entire forest is reduced to ashes by a fire burning in the hollow of a tree, similarly, one bad son can destroy an entire family. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siako 'rthah putrena jatena yo na vidvan na dharmikah kanena caksusa kim va caksuh pidaiva kevalam kah-arthah-what is the value; putrena-with a son; jatena-born; yah-who; na-not; vidvan-learned; na-not; dharmikah-religious; kanena-caksusa-with a blind eye; kimva-or; caksuh-eye; pida-pain; eva-certainly; kevalam-only. What is the value of a son who is neither learned nor religious? Such a son is compared to a blind eye that is only a source of pain. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siamatrvat para-daresu para-dravyesu lostravat atmavat sarva-bhutesu yah pasyati sa panditah matrvat-like one's mother; para-daresu-others' wives; para-dravyesu-others' positions; lostravat-like a lump of clay; atmavat-like one's self; sarva-bhutesu-all living beings; yah-who; pasyati-sees; sah-he; panditah-a learned man. One who sees others' wives as his mother, who sees all others' possessions as insignificant as a lump of clay, and who sees all living beings as himself-such a person is considered a learned man. (Canakya Pandita sloka 10) Niti Sastra sialalayet païca-varsani dasa-varsani tadayet prapte tu sodase varse putram mitra-vad acaret lalayet-one should fondle; païca-varsani-for five years; dasa-varsani-for ten years; tadayet-one should punish; prapte-when he has reached; tu-but; sodase varse-the sixteenth year; putram-unto the son; mitra-vat-like a friend; acaret-one should act. One should fondle his son up to the point of five years old. Thereafter one should administer punishment for the next ten years. But when one's son reaches the age of sixteen one should act as a friend towards him. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra sialalane bahavo dosas tadane bahavo gunah tasmat putram ca sisyam ca tadayen na tu lalayet lalane-in fondling; bahavah-many; dosah-faults; tadane-in administering punishment; bahavah-many; gunah-good qualities; tasmat-therefore; putram-a son; ca-and; sisyam-a student; ca-and; tadayet-should punish; na-not; tu-but; lalayet-should fondle. Leniency encourages bad qualities in a student or son, and strictness helps develop good qualities. Therefore, a teacher or parent should not pamper a child but administer punishment for bad behavior. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siamata yasya grhe nasti bharya capriya-vadini aranyam tena gantavyam yatharanyam tatha grham mata-an affectionate mother; yasya-who; grhe-in the home; na-not; asti-there is; bharya-a wife; ca-and; priya-vadini-unkind, harsh speech; aranyam-forest; tena-by him; gantavyam-one should go; yatha-so as; aranyam-the forest; tatha-so; grham-the home. If one does not have an affectionate mother at home or one's wife does not speak sweetly and lovingly one should go to the forest [take sannyasa] because the home is already a desolate place. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siamurkha yatra na pujyante dhanyam yatra susaïcitam dampatyoh kalaho nasti tatra srih svayam agatah murkha-fools; yatra-where na-not; pujyante-are worshiped; dhanyam-grain; yatra-where; susaïcitam-nicely stocked; dampatyoh-of husband and wife; kalah-quarrel; na-not; asti-is; tatra-there; srih-goddess of fortune; svayam-personally; agatah-has come. The goddess of fortune personally comes to that place where fools are not worshiped, where grains are carefully stocked, and where there are no quarrels between husband and wife. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siavisad apy amrtam grahyam amedhyad api kaïcanam nicad apy uttamam jïanam stri-ratnam duskulad api visad-from poison; api-even; amrtam-nectar; grahyam-is to be taken; amedhyat-from an impure place; api-even; kaïcanam-gold; nicat-from a low-born person; api-even; uttamam-the best; jïanam-knowledge; stri-ratnam-a jewel of a woman; duskulat-from a low family; api-even. One would accept nectar even from poison and gold even from a filthy place. One should accept knowledge even from a low-born person, and a good wife even if she comes from a low family. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siarsi sraddhe aja yuddhe prabhate megha garjane dampatya kalahe caiva bahvarambhe laghu kriya rsi-sage; sraddha-funeral ceremony; aja-male goat; yuddhe-fight; prabhate-in the morning; megha-cloud; garjane-roar of thunder; dampatya-between husband and wife; kalahe-quarrel; ca-and; eva-certainly; bahu-grand; arambhe-beginning; laghu-small; kriya-activity. The funeral ceremony of a sage who died in the forest, a fight between two goats, a thunder clap in the morning, a quarrel between husband and wife-all begin in grand style but the outcome is insignificant. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siapayah-panam bhujaìganam kevalam visa-vardhanam upadeso hi murkhanam prakopaya na santaye payah-panam-drinking milk; bhujaìganam-of the snakes; kevalam-only; visa-vardhanam-increasing the poison; upadesah-the instruction; hi-certainly; murkhanam-of fools; prakopaya-for anger; na-not; santaye-peace of mind. When snakes drink milk, it only increases their venom. Similarly, good instructions offered to fools makes them angry, and does not give them peace of mind. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siarupa-yauvana-sampanna visala-kula-sambhavah vidya-hina na sobhante nirgandha iva kimsukah rupa-beauty; yauvana-youth; sampannah-endowed with; visala-kula-in a high family; sambhavah-persons who are born; vidya-hinah-without knowledge; na sobhante-do not appear radiant; nirgandhah-devoid of fragrance; iva-like; kimsukah-the flowers of the Kimsuka tree. Persons born in high families and endowed with beauty and youth do not appear complete if they are devoid of knowledge, just as the beautiful flowers of the Kimsuka tree do not appear attractive if they are devoid of fragrance. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siasarpah krurah khalah krurah sarpat kruratarah khalah mantrausadhi-vasah sarpah khalah kena nivaryate sarpah-a snake; krurah-fierce; khalah-an evil man; krurah-fierce; sarpat-than a snake; kruratarah-more ferocious; khalah-an evil man; mantra-ausadhi-by mantras and herbs; vasah-controlled; sarpah-a snake; khalah-an evil man; kena-by what means; nivaryate-is controlled. Snakes and wicked men are certainly dangerous, but of the two, a wicked man is more dangerous than a poisonous snake. A snake can be controlled by mantras and herbs, but how can an evil man be controlled? (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siaprthivi-bhusanam raja narinam bhusanam patih sarvari-bhusanam candro vidya sarvasya bhusanam prthivi-bhusanam-the ornament of the earth; raja-is the king; narinam-of women; bhusanam-the ornament; patih-is the husband; sarvari-bhusanam-the ornament of night; candro-is the moon; vidya-knowledge; sarvasya-of everything; bhusanam-ornament. The ornament of the earth is the king, and the ornament of a woman is a good husband. The ornament of night is the moon, and knowledge is the ornament of everything. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siatyaja durjana-samsargam bhaja sadhu-samagamam kuru punyam aho-ratram smara nityam anityatam tyaja-renounce; durjana-samsargam-the association of demoniac persons; bhaja-partake of; sadhu-samagamam-the association of devotees; kuru-perform; punyam-pious deeds; ahah-ratram-both day and night; smara-remember; nityam-always; anityatam-the temporary nature of this world. Renounce the company of evil-minded persons, associate with saintly persons, perform pious deeds both day and night, and remember always the temporary nature of this material world. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siavaram eko guni putro na ca murkha-satair api ekas candras tamo hanti na ca tara-ganair api varam-better; ekah-one; guni-good qualities; putrah- a son; na-not; ca-and; murkha-sataih-hundreds of fools; api-even; ekah-one; candrah-moon; tamah-darkness; hanti-destroys; na-not; ca-and; tara-ganaih-innumerable stars; api-even. It is better to have one son with good qualities than to have one hundred foolish sons. Innumerable stars cannot dissipate the darkness, but one moon can illuminate the darkness of night. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siavisvaso naiva kartavyah strisu raja-kulesu ca visvasah-trust; na-never; eva-certainly; kartavyah-should be done; strisu-unto a woman; raja-kulesu-a politician; ca-and. On can never trust a politician or a woman. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siarna-karta pita satrur mata ca vyabhicarini bharya rupavati satruh putrah satrur apanditah rna-karta-a debtor; pita-father; satruh-an enemy; mata-mother; ca-also; vyabhicarini-unfaithful; bharya-wife; rupavati-beautiful; satruh-an enemy; putrah-a son; satruh-enemy; apanditah-ignorant. There are four kinds of enemies in household life: a father who is a debtor, an unchaste wife, a wife who is beautiful, and a foolish, ignorant son. (Canakya Pandita) Niti Sastra siasathe sathyamacareta sathe-in a cheating situation (i.e. when dealing with a cheat); sathyama-like a cheat; acareta-one should behave. srila Prabhupada: This is politics, "Tit for tat." sathe sathyamacareta. Canakya Pandita says. "If somebody is satha"-satha means very cunning-"so you should be also cunning." S.B. lecture, Mayapur, October 20, 1974 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2004 Report Share Posted April 26, 2004 Haribol. I apologize and humbly retract my statement regarding the "value" of this teacher. My ignorance is due to a silly arguement with a fanatic who used a statement from this teacher as a basis of justification for his mysogeny. I am the ignorant one here, making the grave blunder in lumping Chanakya with the nazi who used him, perhaps even more offensive than my cyber foe. As atonement, I will carefully read and try to absorb the valueable words produced by more intelligent audarya-fellowship members. Hare Krsna, your foolish servant, mahaksadasa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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