KAUTILYA

Abhishek Aradhya B U

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Chanakya, often referred to as Kautilya or Vishnugupta, was born in Pataliputra,

Magadh (today's Bihar), and afterwards relocated to Taxila, in the Gandhar province
(now in Pakistan). He taught political science as an acharya at the Takshashila
University and thereafter the Emperor's Prime Minister the Chandragupta Maurya.
One of the oldest recognized political figures, economists, intellectuals, and king-
makers.He was the one who envisioned the creation of the first Indian empire
through the union of subsequently, a number of kingdoms in the Indian subcontinent
and offer cause of battles with Greek conqueror Alexander.
Compared to other social and political philosophers of the globe like Confucius and
Machiavelli, Chanakya may be less widely recognized outside of India. His wisdom,
depth of knowledge, and politics of practicality contributed to the establishment of
India's great Mauryan Empire. One of the world's earliest works on political
philosophy and social order, the Arthashastra, is a compilation of his political
theories. In India, his ideas are still widely used today.
Chanakya was referred to as the Indian Machiavelli in Jawaharlal Nehru's book, The
Discovery of India. Arthashastra, Nitishastra, and Chanakya Niti are three books
credited to Chanakya. Arguably the first comprehensive treatise on economics is
Arthashastra, which translates to "the Science of Material Gain" in Sanskrit. It goes
into great detail of monetary and fiscal policies, welfare, world affairs, and military
tactics. Many of his rules or directives are included in the book Charralrya. Niti.
Nitishastra, a book on the perfect method of living, is evidence of Chanakya's
thorough research of Indian culture.
According to a narrative, Chanakya began putting little doses of poison in
Chandragupta Maurya's diet while he was the ruler's prime minister to get him used
to it. This was done to guard against enemies poisoning the Emperor. Durdha, the
queen, once fed the Emperor while still carrying child. She perished because she
wasn't accustomed to consuming contaminated food. Chanakya made the decision
that the infant shouldn't perish and cut open the tummy to do so. Of the queen and
removed the infant. A poisonous drop (Bindu in Sanskrit) hasto the infant's head,
passed. Therefore, Chanakya gave him the name Bindusara. Bindusara went on to
become a magnificent king and have the most famous children.
Asoka has been the Mauryan Emperor since Chandragupta. Bindusara's emergence
as a Chandragupta was a young man who left the kingdom and followed the Jain
saint. Bhadrabahu travelled to modern-day Karnataka and settled there. Belagola
Sravana. He spent a few years ascetic living and passed away voluntarily. According
to Jain doctrine, starving Chanakya continued to serve as the Chief Executive of
Bindusar. He revealed to Bindusara one day that Chanakya was the one who killed
his mother. Bindusara confronted Chanakya and demanded to know from the nurses
who had heard this report that it was true.
According to legend, Chanakya believed that he was already nearing the end of his
life when he learned that the Emperor was upset with him. In addition to giving up all
of his fortune to the needy, widows, and orphans, he fasted completely, sat on a
dung heap, and prepared to die. While waiting, Bindusara heard the entire nurses'
account of his birth and hurried to ask Chanakya for pardon. But Chanakya remained
steadfast. Bindusara returned and confronted.
Subandhu, who requested time to petition Chanakya's pardon. Chanakya was still
despised by Vasubandhu, who sought to ensure that he was never happy. He set up a
ceremony of respect because he did not return to the city, but slid a burning charcoal
ember into the manure unobserved by anyone. The man who founded the Mauryan
Empire and wrote the Arthashastra was killed by fire after the dung heap quickly
caught fire with the help of the wind.
His major tenet was, "A loan should be paid off completely; an adversary should be
eliminated without leaving a trace." He appeared to have lived his philosophy and
passed away by it.
Kautilya’s Arthashasta
The written material on stance, policy, and military strategy penned by Kautilya
serves as an example of a practice of political diplomacy that developed in India. In
addition to serving as the Prime Minister of the Mauryan Empire, Kautilya was a
professor at Taxila University.
He is known as the Indian Machiavelli because of his unquestionably cunning
strategies and tactics, which reflect a "realism" approach to politics, diplomacy, and
military. His Arthashastra treatise advised against using unethical tactics including
tolerating torture, fraud, deceit, and espionage in order to gain power, wealth, or
territory. Instead, it suggested that a ruler should use legal measures rather than
unethical ones like these.
According to Kautilya, the Prince's Code of Conduct: He should associate with wise
seniors in order to improve his self-control because only in them does discipline have
solid foundations. A person with a sharp brain practices yoga because it teaches self-
control. Only a monarch who is wise, obedient, committed to justly managing his
subjects, and conscious of the wellbeing of all beings, may enjoy the world without
opposition.