shailendra
New member
I had till recently been watching the (now quite old) TV serial ‘Chanakya’. What an amazing personality he was...That very well done and historically (costume and Architecture wise) correct Serial continued to intrigue me even after watching it completely for a second time. Those of you who never watched it, it is my recommendation to get hold of a copy and watch it as soon as possible; just to get an acute lesson on patriotism, political savviness and perseverance.
I am mentioning about him here because even though he was just a Brahmin who plotted and overthrew governments, but his life history provides a valuable lesson. There has already been numerous discussions about Gandhi on Jatland (and I am not going there again) but if it is really someone we all want to take inspiration from (or even discuss about), maybe it is better to go back further in time and into our History, when the issues were not very different from now. Maybe Chanakya never took on the might of the British but he too had a formidable foe in the version of the invading Greeks (and all those useless Kings at home in Bharat).
I am including here some text that has been written about him:
Chanakya has been misunderstood by a lot of people, mainly the modern western scholars. Today India is in a similar situation which Chanakya encountered. The country then had been ravaged by Alexander and there were numerous petty kings looking after their own interests. The nationalistic pride had disappeared, and people were not proud or even aware of their ancestry. Chanakya appeared on the scene and united Bharat under the rule of Chandragupta Maurya. He was fearless, not afraid of death, disgrace or defeat. He was compassionate to the poor and kind, evil to deceit. His writings which clearly show his fearlessness in the pursuit of Truth has been echoed over 2000 years later when Swami Vivekananda cried out, 'Arise, Awake, sleep not till the goal is reached.'
In an article 'The foundation of the Mauryan empire' there is text that says, 'The country had hardly recovered from the shock of Alexander’s victorious march through it - march which had dislocated its indigenous political organization.... The atmosphere was full of frustration and depression. The battle of India's independence against these heavy odds called for a leader of exceptional ability and vision who would infuse new life and enthusiasm into the drooping spirits of a defeated people, and organize a fresh national resistance against alien domination. Fortunately the country produced such a leader in young Chandragupta who had already been prepared for the great mission in life by the Brahmin Chanakya, better known as Kautilya [his given name was Vishnugupta]. Chanakya's superior vision and insight led him to discover in this youth the disciple who would be able, under his direction, to free the motherland of foreign rule.'
Probably the most accurate description of Chanakya can be found in Nehru's words in the Discovery of India, 'Chanakya has been called the Indian Machiavelli and to some extent the comparison is justified. But he was a much bigger person in every way, greater in intellect and reason. He was no mere follower of a King, a humble adviser of an all powerful emperor. Bold and scheming, proud and revengeful, never forgetting a slight, never forgetting his purpose, availing himself of every device to delude and defeat the enemy, he sat with the reins of empire in his hands and looked upon the emperor more as a loved pupil than as master. Simple and austere in life, uninterested in pomp and pageantry of high position, when he had redeemed his pledge and accomplished his purpose, he wanted to retire, Brahmin-like, to a life of contemplation.
There was hardly anything Chanakya would have refrained from doing to achieve his purpose he was unscrupulous enough, yet he was also wise enough to know that this very purpose might be defeated by means unsuited to the end. Long before Clausewitz, he is reported to have said that war is only a continuance of state policy by other means. But he adds, war must always serve the larger ends of policy and not become an end in itself. The statesman's objective must always be the betterment of the State as a result of war and not the mere defeat and destruction of the enemy.'
I am mentioning about him here because even though he was just a Brahmin who plotted and overthrew governments, but his life history provides a valuable lesson. There has already been numerous discussions about Gandhi on Jatland (and I am not going there again) but if it is really someone we all want to take inspiration from (or even discuss about), maybe it is better to go back further in time and into our History, when the issues were not very different from now. Maybe Chanakya never took on the might of the British but he too had a formidable foe in the version of the invading Greeks (and all those useless Kings at home in Bharat).
I am including here some text that has been written about him:
Chanakya has been misunderstood by a lot of people, mainly the modern western scholars. Today India is in a similar situation which Chanakya encountered. The country then had been ravaged by Alexander and there were numerous petty kings looking after their own interests. The nationalistic pride had disappeared, and people were not proud or even aware of their ancestry. Chanakya appeared on the scene and united Bharat under the rule of Chandragupta Maurya. He was fearless, not afraid of death, disgrace or defeat. He was compassionate to the poor and kind, evil to deceit. His writings which clearly show his fearlessness in the pursuit of Truth has been echoed over 2000 years later when Swami Vivekananda cried out, 'Arise, Awake, sleep not till the goal is reached.'
In an article 'The foundation of the Mauryan empire' there is text that says, 'The country had hardly recovered from the shock of Alexander’s victorious march through it - march which had dislocated its indigenous political organization.... The atmosphere was full of frustration and depression. The battle of India's independence against these heavy odds called for a leader of exceptional ability and vision who would infuse new life and enthusiasm into the drooping spirits of a defeated people, and organize a fresh national resistance against alien domination. Fortunately the country produced such a leader in young Chandragupta who had already been prepared for the great mission in life by the Brahmin Chanakya, better known as Kautilya [his given name was Vishnugupta]. Chanakya's superior vision and insight led him to discover in this youth the disciple who would be able, under his direction, to free the motherland of foreign rule.'
Probably the most accurate description of Chanakya can be found in Nehru's words in the Discovery of India, 'Chanakya has been called the Indian Machiavelli and to some extent the comparison is justified. But he was a much bigger person in every way, greater in intellect and reason. He was no mere follower of a King, a humble adviser of an all powerful emperor. Bold and scheming, proud and revengeful, never forgetting a slight, never forgetting his purpose, availing himself of every device to delude and defeat the enemy, he sat with the reins of empire in his hands and looked upon the emperor more as a loved pupil than as master. Simple and austere in life, uninterested in pomp and pageantry of high position, when he had redeemed his pledge and accomplished his purpose, he wanted to retire, Brahmin-like, to a life of contemplation.
There was hardly anything Chanakya would have refrained from doing to achieve his purpose he was unscrupulous enough, yet he was also wise enough to know that this very purpose might be defeated by means unsuited to the end. Long before Clausewitz, he is reported to have said that war is only a continuance of state policy by other means. But he adds, war must always serve the larger ends of policy and not become an end in itself. The statesman's objective must always be the betterment of the State as a result of war and not the mere defeat and destruction of the enemy.'