Chanakya - Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 203.199.81.148 (talk) at 15:43, 31 August 2005. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Revision as of 15:43, 31 August 2005 by 203.199.81.148 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)

You must add a |reason= parameter to this Cleanup template – replace it with {{Cleanup|reason=<Fill reason here>}}, or remove the Cleanup template.

Chanakya (c.350 - c.275 BC) also known as 'Kautilya' or 'Vishnugupta' is one of the earliest known political thinkers, economists and king-makers in the literal sense of the word. He is less well know than later arrivals like Sun-Tzu and Machiavelli.

It is said that his foresight and wide knowledge coupled with politics of expediency helped found the mighty Mauryan Empire in India.

Three books are attributed to him 'Arthashastra', 'Nitishastra' and 'Chanakyaniti'.

Origins

Chanakya is a fascinating historical character because here was a man who achieved so much in the time period 300 BC. Chanakya is described as the son of Acharya (Indian teacher) Chanak. At an early age, he is supposed to have begun study of the Vedas, then considered the toughest scriptures to study and memorise.He was dilligent student and loved to study political science espicially the role of king and the ways of effective administration. He was born in Magadha (then the center of Nanda empire). After his father was accused as a traitor and killed in the prison, Chanakya left Magadha vowing never to come back. He later came back to ask for help against the Greek invasion but was humiliated and sent back. He then vowed to cause the downfall of Magadha empire.He was responsible for uniting the Indian states for fighting against the attack by Alexander of Macedonia around 327 BC.

Takshasilâ

Chanakya enjoyed the best education at the time, in 'Takshasilâ' (also known in its corrupted form as 'Taxila').Takshasilâ had established itself as a place of learning and it was there that Panini had written the Sanskrit Grammar. The new states in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh by uttarapatha along the base of the Himalayas maintained contact with Takshasilâ and at the eastern end of the uttarapatha was the kingdom of Magadha with its capital city, Pataliputra. Chanakya's life was connected to these two cities, Pataliputra and Takshasilâ. The University taught subjects using the best of practical knowledge acquired by the teachers. The age of entering the University was sixteen. The branches of studies most sought after in around India ranged from law, medicine, warfare and other indigenous forms of learning. In the present day world, Taxila is situated in Pakistan, near Rawalpindi. Chanakya eventually became a professor of political science at the University. Two of his more famous students were Bhadrabhatt and Purushdutt.

Political turmoil in Western India at that time caused by greek invasion forced Chanakya to leave the University environment for the city of 'Patliputra' (presently known as Patna, in the state of Bihar, India).

Patliputra

Also known by other names like Pushpapur, Pushpanagar, Patliputra and Patna, this was a famous and prosperous city. The Chinese traveller Fa-Hian visited the city in 399 BC, as did another fellow traveller Xuanzang in 629 BC(also spelt as Hieun-Tsang).

Dhanananda (literally 'the enjoyer of wealth' in Sanskrit) was the ruler of the City. Although Chanakya initially prospered in his relations with the ruler, being a blunt person he was soon disliked by the Dhanananda. This ended with Chanakya being removed from an official position he enjoyed.

Introduction to Chandragupta

Folklore has it that on his way out of the city after his removal, Chanakya was hurt by a thorny bush. He then bought a pot of milk and poured on the bush so that ants could come and destroy the bush. It is said that at this moment he was observed by a young Chandragupta Maurya, the future Emperor and creator of the Mauryan Empire. Chanakya's patience, determination and single-minded focus is what attracted him. He was the kingmaker who actually planned the unification of India for the first time under Chandragupta.

Chanakya took a promising young boy of ten from the streets and brought him up to become one of the greatest emperors of India. Chanakya is also supposed to have induced Amatya Rakshasa from the enemy camp to serve as Chandragupta's Prime minister.

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. A picture of him emerges from an old Indian (Sanskrit) play Mudra Rakshasa (Rakshasa's Ring) which deals with this period. Simple and austere in life, uninterested in pomp and pageantry of high position, when he had accomplished his purpose, he wanted to retire, brahminlike, to a life of contemplation.

Chanakya's Arthashastra (literally 'the Science of Material Gain' in Sanskrit) is a classic of statecraft. Many of his nitis or policies have been compiled under the book Chanakya Niti.

According to Professor Roger Boesche:

"To return to Machiavelli's after reading the military writings of Kautilya is jolting. It becomes readily apparent that Machiavelli is not even trying to tell us something new about warfare, because he believed the ancient Greeks and Romans knew it all - aside from such things as artillery...

"They (Kautilya and Sun Tzu) were also prepared to win in ways Machiavelli would regard as dishonourable and disgraceful-assassination, disinformation, causing quarrels between ministers by bribes or by means of jealousy over a beautiful woman planted as a secret agent, and so on. Machiavelli - who offers no systematic discussion of even guerrilla warfare - would have been easily outmatched by generals reading either Sun Tzu or Kautilya."

Death of Chanakya

While Chanakya served as the Prime Minister of Chandragupta Maurya, he started adding small amounts of poison in Chandragupta's food so that he would get used to it. The aim of this was to prevent the Emperor from being poisoned by enemies.

One day the queen, Durdha, shared the food with the Emperor while she was pregnant. Since she was not used to eating poisoned food, she died. Chanakya decided that the baby should not die; hence he cut open the belly of the queen and took out the baby. A drop (bindu) of poison had passed to the baby's head, and hence Chanakya named him Bindusara.

When Bindusara became a youth, Chandragupta gave up the throne and followed the Jain saint Bhadrabahu to Karnataka and settled in a place known as Sravana Belagola. He lived as an ascetic for some years and died of starvation according to Jain tradition.

Chanakya meanwhile stayed as the Prime Minister of Bindusara. Bindusara also had a minister named Subandhu who did not like Chanakya. One day he told Bindusara that Chanakya was responsible for the murder of his mother. Bindusara asked the nurses who confirmed this story and he became very angry with Chanakya.

Chanakya, on hearing that the Emperor was angry with him, thought that anyway he was at the end of his life. He donated all his wealth to the poor, widows and orphans and sat on a dung heap, prepared to die by total abstinence from food and drink. Bindusara meanwhile heard the full story of his birth from the nurses and rushed to beg forgiveness of Chanakya. But Chanakya would not relent. Bindusara went back and vent his fury on Subandhu, who asked for time to beg for forgiveness from Chanakya.

Subandhu, who still hated Chanakya, wanted to make sure that Chanakya did not return to the city. So he arranged for a ceremony of respect, but unnoticed by anyone, slipped a smoldering charcoal ember inside the dung heap. Aided by the wind, the dung heap was on fire and the man behind the Mauryan Empire and the author of Arthashastra was burned to death.

The Legend Of Chanakya

Legend has it that Chanakya was insulted by the Nanda rulers, and vowed to destroy their kingdom. Travelling through the forest, he came across a boy who had regal bearings, and obvious leadership qualities. Chanakya picked him up and trained him to be Chandragupta Maurya.

It is also told that once, the thorns of a bush hurt Chankya's feet while he was passing through a forest. The Wily Brahmin was cut to the quick, and wanted revenge. He got his revenge by pouring sugar syrup into the roots of the bush, thus ensuring that the ants eat up the root and destroy the bush.