Kautilya Arthashastra Quotes

Every neighbouring state is an enemy and the enemy’s enemy is a friend.

Just as it is impossible to know when a swimming fish is drinking water, so it is impossible to find out when a government servant is stealing money

for in the absence of a magistrate (dandadharabhave), the strong will swallow the weak; but under his protection, the weak resist the strong.

Dharma is law in its widest sense—spiritual, moral, ethical and temporal. Every individual, whether the ruler or the ruled, is governed by his or her own dharma. To the extent that society respected dharma, society protected itself; to the extent society offended it, society undermined

mentioned only in the two lists and his duties are not spelt out anywhere. It is possible that this designation is a retention from earlier texts and, in the Arthashastra, is used only to represent a higher grade for salary and

not be treated as the main one at a given time; only one of the neighbours is the main enemy. The other difference is that, in {7.6.1}, the enemy is to be outmanoeuvred but in {7.7.1} a neighbour’s help is to be accepted.

A king will come under the power of as many people as he reveals a secret to, becoming powerless because of that act.

An arrow unleashed by an archer may kill a single man or not kill anyone; but a strategy unleashed by a wise man kills even those still in the womb (10.6.51)

the mind of the valiant, though naturally kept steadfast, may not, when once vitiated and repelled under the four kinds of allurements, return to and recover its original form.

Such brave desperados of the country who, reckless of their own life, confront elephants or tigers in fight mainly for the purpose of earning money are termed fire-brands or fiery spies (tíkshna).

The same rule shall apply to women with shaved head (munda), as well as to those of súdra caste. All these are wandering spies (sancháráh).

NO ONE CAN BECOME A GOOD POLITICIAN WITHOUT RESORTING TO DIPLOMACY.