Chanakya was undoubtedly ancient India's finest political strategist and thinker. Chanakya's brand of wisdom is ageless and immutable. Chanakya expounds his smattering of pithy observations on women, family life, human relationships, moral conduct and spirituality. His startling prophecies, meaningful reflection on everyday living and hard-headed axioms. Chanakya's amazing knowledge of human psychology his masterly insight into every facet of human life! The teachings of Chanakya are the real nourishment of life. Even if years and centuries go by, even if natural calamities change the face of the planet, the teaching of the great being spring forth a new.Or from time to time they are unearthened old treasure perhaps, but still alive with consciousness still essentials. Such teachings are never destroyed; nor does the subtle presence of such divine beings ever diminished.
Chanakya was a strong character and great teacher. His message is a ageless in quality inspiring both for individuals and nations; a message which has countrymen from darkness to light and from poverty to prosperity. The most famous work of Chanakya is the treatise on the science of politics, referred to as, "Arthashastra". Although it is often referred to as Kautilya's Arthashastra. Arthashastra has 6000 verses.This is an extraordinary detailed manual on statecraft and the science of living by one of classical India's greatest minds. Kautilya, also known as Chanakya and Vishnugupta, wrote the Arthashastra not later than 150 AD. His genius is reflected in this volume, which is the most comprehensive treatise of statecraft of classical times. It is written mainly in prose but also incorporates 380 shlokas.
The Arthashastra is an ancient Indian Treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy, written in Sanskrit. Arthashastra, discuss the ethics of economics and the duties and obligations of a king. The scope of Arthashastra is, however, far wider than statecraft and it offers an outline of the entire legal and bureaucratic framework for administering a kingdom, with a wealth of descriptive cultural details on topics such as minirology, mining and agriculture, animal husbandry, medicine and the use of wildlife.
The Arthashastra also focuses on issues of welfare (for instance redistribution of wealth during a famine and the collective ethics that hold a society together.
In Arthashastra, Kautilya mixes the harsh pragmatism for which he is famed with compassion for the poor, for slaves, and for women. He reveals the imagination of a romancer in imagining all manner of scenarios which can hardly have been commonplace in real life.
Centrally, Arthaśāstra argues for an autocracy managing an efficient and solid economy. It discusses the ethics of economics and the duties and obligations of a king. The scope of Arthaśāstra is, however, far wider than statecraft, and it offers an outline of the entire legal and bureaucratic framework for administering a kingdom, with a wealth of descriptive cultural detail on topics such as mineralogy, mining and metals, agriculture, animal husbandry and medicine. The Arthaśāstra also focuses on issues of welfare (for instance, redistribution of wealth during a famine) and the collective ethics that hold a society together.
Chanakya, also known as Kautilya or Vishnugupta, was an adviser and a prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta, and architect of his rise to power. Other important works of Chanakya are ‘Chanakya Sutras’ and ‘Chanakya Niti Darpanam’.
R. P. Kangle defines Arthashastra as “science of politics,” a treatise to help a king in “the acquisition and protection of the earth”.
This text is divided into 15 books:
- Book I, "Concerning Discipline"
- Book II,"The Duties of Government Superintendents"
- Book III, "Concerning Law"
- Book IV, "The Removal of Thorns"
- Book V, "The Conduct of Courtiers"
- Book VI, "The Source of Sovereign States"
- Book VII, "The End of the Six-Fold Policy"
- Book VIII, "Concerning Vices and Calamities"
- Book IX, "The Work of an Invader"
- Book X, "Relating to War"
- Book XI, "The Conduct of Corporations"
- Book XII, "Concerning a Powerful Enemy"
- Book XIII, "Strategic Means to Capture a Fortress"
- Book XIV, "Secret Means"
- Book XV, "The Plan of a Treatise"
