Kautilya and Artha-Shastra

About Chanakya

Chanakya, also known as Vishnu Gupta, grew up in a Brahman family and went to Taxila for his studies (now in Pakistan). He was said to know medicine and astrology, and it’s thought he was familiar with Zoroastrians’ introduction of Greek and Persian learning to India. Some sources claim he was a Zoroastrian or was affected by it. Chanakya served as a counsellor and adviser to Chandragupta (reigned c. 321–c.297), the founder of the Mauryan empire of northern India, yet he lived alone. He aided Chandragupta in deposing the mighty Nanda dynasty in Pataliputra in the Magadha area.

Chandragupta’s advice was based on Chanakya’s book. Each of the book’s 15 sections is dedicated to a different aspect of administration, which Chanakya summarises as “the science of punishment.” He publicly advocates the creation of a complex surveillance system that reaches all levels of society, as well as political and covert killing. The book was found in 1905 after being lost for centuries.

Chanakya is both vilified for his ruthlessness and cunning and commended for his good political intelligence and grasp of human nature, with many comparing him to Italian statesman and writer Niccole Machiavelli and others to Aristotle and Plato. The Mauryan kingdom under Chandragupta and later under Ashoka became a model of effective government in large part thanks to Chanakya, according to all experts.

Chanakya marriage life

Chanakya began working as a teacher in the Takshashila and Nalanda districts after completing his study. He believed that a woman who was beautiful in appearance could make him happy only for one night, but a woman who was beautiful from the inside could make him happy for the rest of his life. As a result, he chose to marry Yashodhara, a girl from his Brahmin heritage. She was not as attractive as he was. For some, her black color became a joke. When Yashodhara agreed to accompany Chanakya to a ceremony at her brother’s house, everyone made fun of Chanakya’s poverty. She was dissatisfied with the situation and encouraged him to meet King Dhanananda and receive a gift of some money.

Meeting with Dhananda

The emperor of Magadha at the time, Dhanananda, had organized a feast supper for the Brahmins at Pushpapuri. Chanakya also attended the feast in the hopes of receiving some gifts from King Dhanananda in exchange for his advice on how to create an unbroken India. Dhanananda, on the other hand, was a haughty King who insulted Chanakya by staring at his unattractive appearance and flatly rejecting his proposals. Then Chanakya became enraged and declared war on the Nanda Empire.

Chanakya had two weapons ready to remove Dhanananda’s head at the time. If Chandragupta was one of them, Pabbata was the other. Chanakya made the decision to train one of the two and crown him emperor. He decided to put them to a modest test. Chandragupta triumphed in that challenge by successfully removing Pabbata’s head.

Chandragupta period

Chandragupta established the Mauryan Empire by toppling the Nanda dynasty after Dhana Nanda’s death. When Chandragupta became emperor of the Maurya Empire, he appointed Chanakya as his prime minister. Chanakya assembled a capable cabinet to ensure the empire’s stability. All of the ministers were given their own ministries. He also provided all of the necessary amenities for the inhabitants’ welfare. Chanakya used to feed Chandragupta a small bit of poison in his food when he was a child because he was worried about his life. He used to put poison in his food. Durdhara, Chandragupta’s wife, accidentally ate his supper one day. By consuming the poisoned food, Durdhara fell into the clutches of death.

She was pregnant at the time. Chanakya cut off Durdhara’s womb and removed the baby from her tummy after observing Chandragupta’s anxiety about losing his wife and kid. There were numerous bloodstains on the child’s body. That’s why he was given the name Bindusara.

Bindusara

Bindusara succeeded Chandragupta as the Mauryan Empire’s new monarch. For him, Chanakya also became Prime Minister. Subandhu, on the other hand, was jealous of Chanakya, Bindusara’s minister. He had always aspired to be Prime Minister. Subandhu was telling Bindusara about his birth one day. When Bindusara learned that Chanakya was to blame for his mother’s death, he became enraged. When Chanakya saw the king’s rage, he decided to give up everything and join the forest.

Death of Chanakya

Chanakya died in 275 BC, and the circumstances surrounding his demise remain a mystery. According to one version, he starved himself to death, while another claims he perished as a result of political intrigue during Bindusara’s rule. Bindusara realized after a few days that he should not have been so upset at Chanakya. But it was too late now. Chanakya lived in a little cabin among the forest like a monk. Bindusara told Subandhu to go into the forest and persuade Chanakya to return. Subandhu, on the other hand, was not pleased with Chanakya’s arrival. He burned Chanakya alive in his cabin in the wilderness when he discovered it. As a result of Subandhu’s plot, Chanakya died.

Literary works

Arthashastra and Chanakya Niti, commonly known as Chanakya Neeti-shastra, are two texts credited to Chanakya. The Arthashastra was found in 1905 by Oriental Research Institute Mysore librarian Rudrapatna Shamasastry in an uncatalogued set of ancient palm-leaf manuscripts provided by an anonymous pandit. The Arthashastra, which goes to great length about monetary and fiscal policy, as well as welfare, foreign affairs, and war strategies. The passage also explains what a ruler’s responsibilities are. Some academics believe that Arthashastra is a compilation of several older writings written by multiple authors, with Chanakya. Chanakya Niti is a collection of aphorisms that Chanakya is supposed to have chosen from several shastras.

Arthashastra

The Arthashastra is a form of political diplomacy that originated in India and is exemplified by Kautilya’s written material on stance, policy, and military strategy. Chanakya’s Arthashastra treatise advised that no measures were beyond a ruler’s scope to expand his territory or gain power, as well as the unethical ethics of allowing torture, fraud, deception, and spying as valid tactics to gain territory, wealth, and power. 

Arthashastra delves deeply into the attributes and disciplines that a king must possess in order to lead his subjects more efficiently. A king, according to Kautilya, is someone who: Has self-control after conquering the senses’ unfavourable temptations.

Conclusion

Chanakya was a highly educated guy who was well-versed in a wide range of subjects, and he wrote the ‘Arthashastra,’ which covered a wide range of topics, including military strategy, economic policy, and social welfare, and so on. 

Chanakya established the Mauryan Empire by making Chandragupta King from the streets. However, he was only assassinated by his own people. In the instance of Chanakya, the old adage “Whoever seeks vengeance, joins the graveyard badly” proved to be true. Millions of people have benefited from Chanakya’s ideas, policies, and schemes even now. Politicians, merchants, and a wide range of other people are currently employing the Chanakya Niti to achieve their goals.

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