Biography of Chankya

Neeti book of Chanakya is what most of the common people know him with. It is the selling brand of his wisdom.The book consists of couplets and quartets which tell ‘Do and Dont’s of everyday life. He claims them to be the extracts of the wisdom of various scripture written for the benefits of the […]

This chapter deas with gems, precious metals jewellery, non-gem minerals and matierials. Kautilya had dealt with this subject extnsively.The ideal charactristics of precious metals and gems are described as clear, smooth, lustrous, rasonant, cool, hard etc. The jewellery hasd been listed by names Sirsaka, Dvaghataka, Indrachhanda, Manavaka, Ratnavali, Apavartaka etc.The colour of various gems is

A state can not run without finances. For a state finance is what blood is to our body. Kautilya accepts this basic fact frankly. So, treasury is the most important institution of a state. All the undertakings and welfare of the state depends on the financial management.Kautilya’s Arthshastra pay due attention to the financial management

Chanakya wrote his books on political, economic and social management under one title ‘Arthshastra’ which literally means ‘Meaningful Science’ or ‘Gainful Science’. Today the word stands for ‘Ecnomics’ which surely was not the idea in Chanakya’s mind because he includes political constitution, other non-economy subjects in his ‘Arthshastra’ treatise. The series was written under the

It is believed that as a minister Chanakya had ordered the royal cooks to add a small amount of arsenic to the food served to the Emperor Chandragupta every day. He believe that it would make the Emperor immune to poisons and there would he no danger to his getting poisoned. During that period murder

To write his books Chanakya needed some relief from work. The Emperor would not spare him from prime ministership.Chanakya also realised that the Emperor needed his protection because Amatya Rakshasa was still there creating trouble. He was a loyal soldier of Nandas and would not accept defeat easily. He was still managing to raised soldiers

This time the army of Chandragupta and his guide Chanakya decided to attack from the borders and move towards the capital.Sumalya turned out to be no better than his brother Dhanananda and father Mahapadma. He had little inteligence. His weakness also was woman. It was like a family desease. For women he could use any

Meanwhile a lot had happend at Patliputra. It had a new ruler now.Mahapadma had nine sons among whom Dhanaanda was the eldest. After the death of Mahapadma he descended on the throne. Acharya Shaktar was minister in Mahapadma day. He continued in the ministry of Dhanananda and later became Prime minister.Many of the important persons

Now it was time for Chandragupta to fight his own war. He raised an army of youth who were not happy with Nanda rule. There also were a large number of broken soldiers who made up his army. These broken soldiers belonged to armies who had engaged in battle that had been raging in the

Chanakya impressd upon Chandragupta the importance of proper academic education for a person who was an aspirant to the throne.Some historians believe that Chanakya took Chandragupta to Taxila and got him graduated from that universtiy. Others dismiss this theroy on the ground that Taxila was already taken over by Greek armies of Alexander and it

Emperor Nandavardhana was the last in the dynasty of Shishnaga to rule Magdha. He ruled by tyranny and debauchry. His aim was to destroy the nearby fiefdoms and Kingdoms mainly to take their women. Nandvardhana had insatiable hunger for woman.Once he was touring his kingdom ontensibly for the purpose of stydying the condition and welfare

The die had been cast.Now it was not safe for Chanakya to linger on in Patliputra. The kings soldiers were sure to come after him to deal him the punishment for offending the king and the royal court. He disguised himself as a sadhu and left the city. He was able to give a slip

The summer had passed. Monsoon was looming large on the skies. One day on a dark night the commanders told their soldiers that Alexander wanted them to cross Vitasta (Jhelum) river younder which lay Kaikya kingdom. Greek army was to invade Puru’s land. Thousands of Greek soldiers crossed the river in thousands on horse backs

Taxila was the capital of Gandhar kingdom situated between Indus and Jhelum rivers. It was a happy kingdom with Taxila University its pride as everyone knew.The king Puru of the neighbouring kingdom was very jealous of the fame of Taxila. Puru was an ambitious king. His kingdom was known as Kaikya. He already had annexed

After graduating, Chanakya joined Taxila university as a professor. There was no problem for him in getting accepted as a teacher by the time Chanakya reached the final years of his courses. His academic brilliance had become evident to all the fellow students and the teachers. The teacher had already begun to treat him as