Chanakya words of wisdom

Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC 75 BC)

"A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and Honest people are screwed first."
" Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous."
"The biggest guru-mantra is: Never share your secrets with anybody.! It will destroy you."
"There is some self- interest behind every friendship. There is no Friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth."
"Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead."
"As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it."
"Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest."
"The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction."
"Whore's don't live in company of poor men, citizens never support a weak company and birds don't build nests on a tree that doesn't bear fruits."
"God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple."
"A man is great by deeds, not by birth."
"Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness."
"Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends."
"Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person."
"Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth."

Ten Commandments for Ex Servicemen

Focus on enjoying people, not on indulging in or accumulating material things.

Plan to spend whatever you have saved. You deserve to enjoy it and the few healthy years you have left. Travel if you can afford it. Don't leave anything for your children or loved ones to quarrel about. By leaving anything, you may even cause more trouble, when you are gone.

Live in the here and now, not in the yesterdays and tomorrows. It is only today that you can handle. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may not even happen.

Enjoy your grandchildren (if blessed with any) but don't be their full time baby sitter. You have no moral obligation to take care of them. Don't have any guilt about refusing to baby sit anyone's kids, including your own grand kids. Your parental obligation is to your children. After you have raised them into responsible adults, your duties of child-rearing or babysitting are finished. Let your children raise their own off-springs.

Accept physical weakness, sickness and other physical pains. It is a part of the aging process. Enjoy whatever your health can allow.

Enjoy what you are and what you have right now. Stop working hard for what you do not have. If you don't have something, it's probably too late.

Enjoy your life with your spouse, children, grandchildren and friends. People, who truly love you, love you for yourself, not for what you have. Anyone who loves you for what you have will just give you misery.

Forgive and accept forgiveness. Forgive yourself and others. Enjoy peace of mind and peace of soul.

Befriend death. It's a natural part of the life cycle. Don't be afraid of it. Death is the beginning of a new and better life. So, prepare yourself not for death but for a new life with the Almighty.

Be at peace with your "Creator". For He is all you have after you leave this life.

Brig PT Gangadharan (Retd)