Chanakya Neethi Introduction

CHANAKYA NEETHI
INTRODUCTION
Chanakya neethies are told in a total of 17 chapters and cover more
than 47 pages- Courtesy ISKCON (www.iskcon. org). All the neethies are
told in very simple language. Many of these make us laugh loud ,
many make slight laugh .But all make us sit on & and ponder with
out knowing the passing of time. I am happy to reproduce a few of them
in two parts. This is part 1. I will be happy if it will produce at
least narasimha Rao smile in you.

1.1 Neethies referring to marriage and women

Women have hunger two-fold, shyness four-fold, daring six-fold, and
lust eight-fold as compared to men..Chanakya Niti 8

The prostitute has to forsake a man who has no money, the subject a
king that cannot defend him, the birds a tree that bears no fruit, and
the guests a house after they have finished their meals.

Scriptural lessons not put into practice are poison; a meal is poison
to him who suffers from indigestion; a social gathering is poison to a
poverty stricken person; and a young wife is poison to an aged man.

Constant travel brings old age upon a man; a horse becomes old by
being constantly tied up; lack of sexual contact with her husband
brings old age upon a woman; and garments become old through being
left in the sun.

Among men the barber is cunning; among birds the crow; among beasts
the jackal; and among women, the malin (flower girl).

Brass is polished by ashes; copper is cleaned by tamarind; a woman, by
her menses; and a river by its flow.

Knowledge is lost without putting it into practice; a man is lost due
to ignorance; an army is lost without a commander; and a woman is lost
without a husband.

Courtesy should be learned from princes, the art of conversation from
pandits, lying should be learned from gamblers and deceitful ways
should be learned from women.

It is ruinous to be familiar with the king, fire, the religious
preceptor, and a woman. To be altogether indifferent of them is to be
deprived of the opportunity to benefit ourselves, hence our
association with them must be from a safe distance.

We should always deal cautiously with fire, water, women, foolish
people, serpents, and members of a royal family; for they may, when
the occasion presents itself, at once bring about our death.

The heart of a woman is not united; it is divided. While she is
talking with one man, she looks lustfully at another and thinks fondly
of a third in her heart.(Recollect Mhahabharata mango story and Panchali)
The fool (mudha) who fancies that a charming young lady loves him,
becomes her slave and he dances like a shakuntal bird tied to a string.

When a man has no strength left in him he becomes a sadhu, one without
wealth acts like a brahmacari, a sick man behaves like a devotee of
the Lord, and when a woman grows old she becomes devoted to her husband.

The eating of tundi fruit deprives a man of his sense, while the vacha
root administered revives his reasoning immediately. A woman at once
robs a man of his vigour while milk at once restores it. ( can you
control laugh?)

O lady, why are you gazing downward? Has something of yours fallen on
the ground? (She replies) O fool, can you not understand the pearl of
my youth has slipped away? ( can you control laugh?)

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, through
beauty. Marriage in a family of equal status is preferable.

Trees on a river bank, a woman in another man's house, and kings
without counsellors go without doubt to swift destruction.

Friendship between equals flourishes, service under a king is
respectable, it is good to be business-minded in public dealings, and
a handsome lady is safe in her own home..Chanakya Niti 10

The beauty of a cuckoo is in its notes, that of a woman in her
unalloyed devotion to her husband, that of an ugly person in his
scholarship, and that of an ascetic in his forgiveness.

She is a true wife who is clean (suci), expert, chaste, pleasing to
the husband, and truthful..Chanakya Niti 13

The learned are envied by the foolish; rich men by the poor; chaste
women by adulteresses; and beautiful ladies by ugly ones.(Are you
control your laugh)

The power of a king lies in his mighty arms; that of a brahmana in his
spiritual knowledge; and that of a woman in her beauty youth and sweet
words.

1.2Neethies referring to education and culture

Though men be endowed with beauty and youth and born in noble
families, yet without education they are like the palasa flower which
is void of sweet fragrance.

Chanting of the Vedas without making ritualistic sacrifices to the
Supreme Lord through the medium of Agni, and sacrifices not followed
by bountiful gifts are futile(Can you remain with out thinking on it?)

those who are endowed with beauty and youth and who are born of noble
families are worthless if they have no learning. They are just like
the kimshuka blossoms ( flowers of the palasa tree) which, though
beautiful, have no fragrance.

The student (brahmacari) should completely renounce the following
eight things—his lust, anger, greed, desire for sweets, sense of
decorating the body, excessive curiosity, excessive sleep, and
excessive endeavour for bodily maintenance.

The house in which the lotus feet of brahmanas are not washed, in
which Vedic mantras are not loudly recited, and in which the holy
rites of svaha (sacrificial offerings to the Supreme Lord) and swadha
(offerings to the ancestors) are not performed, is like a crematorium.

He who regards another's wife as his mother, the wealth that does not
belong to him as a lump of mud, and the pleasure and pain of all other
living beings as his own—truly sees things in the right perspective,
and he is a true pandit.

Near and distant relatives are pleased when they are hospitably
received with bathing, food, and drink; and pandits are pleased with
an opportunity for giving spiritual discourse.

Sastric knowledge is unlimited, and the arts to be learned are many;
the time we have is short, and our opportunities to learn are beset
with obstacles. Therefore select for learning that which is most
important, just as the swan drinks only the milk in water..Chanakya
Niti 36

(Lord Visnu asked His spouse Lakshmi why She did not care to live in
the house of a brahmana, when She replied) " O Lord a rishi named
Agastya drank up My father (the ocean) in anger; Brighu Muni kicked
You; brahmanas pride themselves on their learning having sought the
favour of My competitor Sarasvati; and lastly they pluck each day the
lotus which is My abode, and therewith worship Lord Shiva. Therefore,
O Lord, I fear to dwell with a brahmana and that properly.

Although sandalwood be cut, it does not forsake its natural quality of
fragrance; so also the elephant does not give up sportiveness though
he should grow old. The sugarcane does not cease to be sweet though
squeezed in a mill; so the man of noble extraction does not lose his
lofty qualities, no matter how pinched he is by poverty.

One whose knowledge is confined to books and whose wealth is in the
possession of others, can use neither his knowledge nor wealth when
the need for them arises..Chanakya Niti 39

The scholar who has acquired knowledge by studying innumerable books
without the blessings of a bonafide spiritual master does not shine in
an assembly of truly learned men just as an illegitimate child is not
honoured in society.

O ketki flower! Serpents live in your midst, you bear no edible
fruits, your leaves are covered with thorns, you are crooked in
growth, you thrive in mud, and you are not easily accessible. Still
for your exceptional fragrance you are as dear as a kinsmen to others.
Hence, a single excellence overcomes a multitude of blemishes.

1.3 Neethies referring to family

As a whole forest becomes fragrant by the existence of a single tree
with sweet-smelling blossoms in it, so a family becomes famous by the
birth of a virtuous son.

Fondle a son until he is five years of age, and use the stick for
another ten years, but when he has attained his sixteenth year treat
him as a friend.

Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, comes of Her own accord where fools
are not respected, grain is well stored up, and the husband and wife
do not quarrel..Chanakya Niti 12(Can you avoid thinking at point)
Residing in a small village devoid of proper living facilities,
serving a person born of a low family, unwholesome food, a frowning
wife, a foolish son, and a widowed daughter burn the body without
fire. Can you avoid hurs of thinking at point)

Religion is preserved by wealth; knowledge by diligent practice; a
king by conciliatory words; and a home by a dutiful housewife.

A father who is a chronic debtor, an adulterous mother, a beautiful
wife, and an unlearned son are enemies ( in one's own home).Will you
laugh or think or both?

It is better to be without a kingdom than to rule over a petty one;
better to be without a friend than to befriend a rascal; better to be
without a disciple than to have a stupid one; and better to be without
a wife than to have a bad one..Chanakya Niti 17

Water seeping into the earth is pure; and a devoted wife is pure; the
king who is the benefactor of his people is pure; and pure is the
brahmana who is contented.

He is a blessed grhasta (householder) in whose house there is a
blissful atmosphere, whose sons are talented, whose wife speaks
sweetly, whose wealth is enough to satisfy his desires, who finds
pleasure in the company of his wife, whose servants are obedient, in
whose house hospitality is shown, the auspicious Supreme Lord is
worshiped daily, delicious food and drink is partaken, and who finds
joy in the company of devotees.

Excessive attachment to sense pleasures leads to bondage, and
detachment from sense pleasures leads to liberation; therefore it is
the mind alone that is responsible for bondage or liberation.
12.
Wealth, a friend, a wife, and a kingdom may be regained; but this body
when lost may never be acquired again.( Can you proceed with out thinking)

A wise man should not divulge the formula of a medicine which he has
well prepared; an act of charity which he has performed; domestic
conflicts; private affairs with his wife; poorly prepared food he may
have been offered; or slang he may have heard. .( Can you proceed with
out thinking)

A bad action committed by a great man is not censured (as there is
none that can reproach him), and a good action performed by a
low-class man comes to be condemned (because none respects him).( What
a big neethi!!!)

What is there to be enjoyed in the world of Lord Indra for one whose
wife is loving and virtuous, who possesses wealth, who has a
well-behaved son endowed with good qualities, and who has a
grandchildren born of his children? (What a big neethi!!!)

To be continued….
__._,_

Good one waiting for the next one....................

But what is narasimha Rao smile

Dear Sunkan,

Very good ones. Waiting for some more. It is not just narasimha Rao's smile. Definitely more than that.

Meenakshi Rajan