|| चाणक्य नीति शास्त्र ||
प्रणम्य शिरसा विष्णुं त्रैलोक्याधिपतिं प्रभुम् |
नानाशास्त्रोद्धृतं वक्ष्ये राजनीतिसमुच्चयम् ||
Humbly bowing down before almighty Lord Shri Vishnu, the Lord of the
three worlds, I recite maxims of political science, selected from
various vedic scriptures. 1.1
यदधीत्य यथाशास्त्रं नरो जानाति सत्तमः |
धर्मोपदेशविख्यातं कार्याकार्यं शुभाशुभम् ||
धर्मोपदेशविख्यातं कार्याकार्यं शुभाशुभम् ||
A man who, by study of these maxims from scriptures, acquires knowledge
of most celebrated principles of duty, and understands what is to be
followed , what is not to be followed, what is good and what is bad, is
the most excellent man. 1.2
तदहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि लोकानां हितकाम्यया |
येन विज्ञातमात्रेण सर्वज्ञात्वं प्रपद्यते ||
येन विज्ञातमात्रेण सर्वज्ञात्वं प्रपद्यते ||
Therefore keeping public welfare in mind, I speak that, which when
understood, will lead to understanding of the things in their proper
perspective. 1.3
मूर्खशिष्योपदेशेन दुष्टस्त्रीभरणेन च |
दुःखितैः सम्प्रयोगेण पण्डितोsप्यवसीदति ||
Even the most wise person comes to grief by giving instruction to
foolish disciple, by maintaining a wicked wife, by excessive
familiarity with a miserable person. 1.4
दुष्टा भार्या शठं मित्रं भृत्यश्र्चोत्तरदायकः |
ससर्पे च गृहे वासो मृत्युरेव न संशयः ||
A wicked wife, a false friend, inappropriately bold servant, and living in house with snake in it are nothing but the death. 1.5
आपदार्थे धनं रक्षेद्दारान् रक्षेद्धनैरपि |
आत्मानं सततं रक्षेद्दारैरपि धनैरपि ||
आत्मानं सततं रक्षेद्दारैरपि धनैरपि ||
One should save his money against hard times. One should save his wife at sacrifice of his wealth. But one should invariably save his soul even at the sacrifice of his wife and wealth. 1.6
आपदार्थे धनं रक्षेच्छ्रीमतां कुत आपदः |
कदाचिच्चलते लक्ष्मीः सञ्चितोsपि विनश्यति ||
Save your wealth against future calamity. Do not say , 'what fear a rich man has for calamity...', when wealth begins to forsake one, even the accumulated stock finishes away. 1.7
यस्मिन्देशे न सन्मानो न वृत्तिर्न च बान्धवाः |
न च विद्यागमोsप्यस्ति वासं तत्र न कारयेत् ||
Do not inhabit a country where you are not respected, or where you can not earn your livelihood, or where you have no friends, or where you can not acquire knowledge. 1.8
धनिकः श्रोत्रियो राजा नदी वैद्यस्तु पञ्चमः |
पञ्च यत्र न विद्यन्ते न तत्र दिवसं वसेत् ||
पञ्च यत्र न विद्यन्ते न तत्र दिवसं वसेत् ||
Do not stay for even a single day where these five persons are not present : a wealthy man, a brahmana well versed in vedic literature, a king, a river, and a physician. 1.9
लोकयात्रा भयं लज्जा दाक्षिण्यं त्यागशीलता |
पञ्च यत्र न विद्यन्ते न कुर्यात्तत्र संस्थितिम् ||
पञ्च यत्र न विद्यन्ते न कुर्यात्तत्र संस्थितिम् ||
Wise men should never go into a country where there are no means of earning one's livelihood, where people have no fear of anybody, where people have no sense of shame, have no intelligence, and no inclination towards charity . 1.10
जानीयात्प्रेषणे भृत्यान्बान्धवान्व्यसनागमे |
मित्रं चापत्तिकालेषु भार्यां च विभवक्षये ||
Test the servant while in discharge of his duty, test the relative in the time of difficulty, test a friend in time of calamity, test a wife in time of misfortune. 1.11
आतुरे व्यसने प्राप्ते दुर्भिक्षे शत्रुसंकटे |
राजद्वारे श्मशाने च यस्तिष्ठति स बान्धवः ||
He is a true friend who does not forsake us in time of need, misfortune, famine, or in war, in king's court or at the crematorium. 1.12
यो ध्रुवाणि परित्यज्य अध्रुवं परिषेवते |
ध्रुवाणि तस्य नश्यन्ति चाध्रुवं नष्टमेव हि ||
He who gives up what is imperishable for that which is perishable, doubtlessly looses both perishable and imperishable. 1.13
वरयेत्कुलजां प्राज्ञो विरूपामपि कन्यकाम् |
रूपशीलां न नीचस्य विवाहः सदृशे कुले ||
रूपशीलां न नीचस्य विवाहः सदृशे कुले ||
A wise man should marry a virgin girl of a respectable family, even if she is deformed. He should not marry one of low class family, even if she is beautiful. Marriage between families of equal status is preferable. 1.14
नदीनां शस्त्रपाणीनांनखीनां श्रन्गिणां तथा |
विश्र्वासो नैव कर्तव्यः स्त्रीषु राजकुलेषु च ||
Do not put your trust in rivers, those who carry weapon, beasts with claws or horns, women and members of royal family. 1.15
विषादप्यमृतं ग्राह्यममेध्यादपि काञ्चनं |
नीचादप्युत्तमा विद्या स्त्रीरत्नं दुष्कुलादपि ||
Extract nectar even from the poison. Wash and take back gold even of it has fallen in the dirt. Receive the highest knowledge (knowledge about Vishnu, Krishna ) even from the low born. Accept a girl possessing virtuous qualities even though she is born in disreputable family. 1.16
स्त्रीणां द्विगुण आहारो लज्जा चापि चतुर्गुणा |
साहसं षङ्गुणं चैव कामश्चाष्टगुणः स्मृतः ||
Women have hunger two-fold, shyness four-fold, daring six-fold and lust eight-fold as compared to men. 1.17
