ଚାଣକ୍ଯ ନୀତି - ସପ୍ତମୋଽଧ୍ଯାଯଃ

A wise person should never disclose the loss of wealth, mental distress, domestic misconduct, being cheated, or public humiliation.

One should discard shyness in matters of financial transactions, the acquisition of knowledge, eating, and daily dealings; only then can one be happy.

The happiness and peace found by those satisfied with the nectar of contentment cannot be attained by the greedy, who run restlessly from one place to another.

One should practice contentment in three things: one's own spouse, food, and wealth; however, one should never be contented in three other things: the study of scriptures, chanting (japa), and charity.

One should not pass between two learned men (Brahmins), a Brahmin and a fire, a husband and wife, a master and his servant, or a plow and an ox.

One should never touch with their feet fire, a teacher (guru), a Brahmin, a cow, a young maiden, an elderly person, or a child.

Maintain a distance of five cubits from a cart, ten cubits from a horse, a thousand cubits from an elephant, and leave the country entirely to avoid a wicked person.

An elephant is controlled by a hook (ankusha), a horse by a whip, an animal with horns by a stick, and a wicked person by a sword.

Brahmins are pleased by a feast, peacocks by the rumbling of clouds, noble people by the prosperity of others, and wicked people by the misfortunes of others.

Deal with a powerful person by following their lead, with a wicked person by opposing them, and with an enemy of equal strength either through diplomacy or force.

The strength of a king lies in the power of his arms, while the strength of a Brahmin lies in his knowledge of the Supreme. The ultimate strength of a woman is her beauty, youth, and grace.

One should not be excessively straightforward or simple-minded. Look at the forest; the straight trees are the ones that get cut down, while the crooked ones are left standing.

Swans congregate where there is water, but they abandon a place as soon as it dries up. A man should not act like a swan, constantly abandoning and returning to others based on convenience.

The only way to preserve earned wealth is to share it; just as water in a reservoir must be allowed to flow out to stay fresh, wealth must be circulated to remain meaningful.

He who has wealth has friends, and he who has wealth has relatives. He who has wealth is considered a man of standing in this world, and he who has wealth is considered wise.

The traits of those who belong to heaven are manifested in this world through four signs: a disposition to be charitable, sweet speech, devotion to the Divine, and service to the learned.

Excessive anger, bitter speech, poverty, hostility towards one’s own kin, associating with low-minded people, and serving those of base character—these are the signs of those who dwell in a state of hell.

If one ventures into the den of a lion, one may obtain the pearls found in the forehead of an elephant. But if one goes to the den of a jackal, one will only find the tail of a calf or scraps of donkey hide.

Life without knowledge is as useless as the tail of a dog, which can neither cover its private parts nor ward off stinging insects.

Purity of speech, purity of mind, control over the senses, and compassion for all living beings—this is the true purity for those who seek the highest purpose in life.

Just as fragrance exists in a flower, oil in sesame seeds, fire in wood, ghee in milk, and jaggery in sugarcane, one should perceive the indwelling Self (Atman) within the body through the power of spiritual discrimination.