Chanakya (also known as Kautilya or Vishnu Gupta) was royal adviser, philosopher, teacher. He played a prominent role in establishment of Maurya Empire. He was chief advisor to Chandragupta and Bindusara. He is also called as Indian Machiavelli.
A few quotes regarding his teachings and philosophy are presented here.
A good wife is one who serves her husband in the morning like a mother does, loves him in the day like a sister does and pleases him like a prostitute in the night.
Chanakya
A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first.
Chanakya
Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.
Chanakya
A man is great by deeds, not by birth.
Chanakya
Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth.
Chanakya
A man is born alone and dies alone; and he experiences the good and bad consequences of his karma alone; and he goes alone to hell or the Supreme abode.
Chanakya
Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness.
Chanakya
The biggest guru-mantra is: never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you.
Chanakya
There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth.
Chanakya
The world's biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman.
Chanakya
God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple.
Chanakya
Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person.
Chanakya
He who is overly attached to his family members experiences fear and sorrow, for the root of all grief is attachment. Thus one should discard attachment to be happy.
Chanakya
Test a servant while in the discharge of his duty, a relative in difficulty, a friend in adversity, and a wife in misfortune.
Chanakya
The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction.
Chanakya
Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.
Chanakya
Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends.
Chanakya
He who lives in our mind is near though he may actually be far away; but he who is not in our heart is far though he may really be nearby.
Chanakya
As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it.
Chanakya
The life of an uneducated man is as useless as the tail of a dog which neither covers its rear end, nor protects it from the bites of insects.
Chanakya
Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous.
Chanakya
O wise man! Give your wealth only to the worthy and never to others. The water of the sea received by the clouds is always sweet.
Chanakya
The serpent, the king, the tiger, the stinging wasp, the small child, the dog owned by other people, and the fool: these seven ought not to be awakened from sleep.
Chanakya
There is no austerity equal to a balanced mind, and there is no happiness equal to contentment; there is no disease like covetousness, and no virtue like mercy.
Chanakya
Do not be very upright in your dealings for you would see by going to the forest that straight trees are cut down while crooked ones are left standing.
Chanakya
