Chanakya's brand of wisdom is ageless and immutable. Chanakya expounds his views with amazing foresight and charity. It has a large smattering of pithy observations on Women, Family Life, Human Relationships, Moral Conduct and Spirituality. His startling prophecies, meaningful reflections on everyday living and Heard Headed axioms.
1 A man may behave pleasantly in your presence, and yet curse you silently. Such a man does not deserve your friendship. Nurturing a relationship with such a man would be equivalent to chopping your feet off with your own axe. Such a friend is far more dangerous than an obvious enemy!
2 Do not seek the company of a man who derives pleasure from severing one's roots. Befriend a trustworthy man, who will exult in one's happiness, and prove to be a great support in times of trouble. But even to such a friend, one must not disclose these secrets, for when seized by annoyance, he may disclose one's secrets to one's enemies. Hence, one has to be very careful in shaping one's friendships!
3 One must always seek to befriend a person who possesses the qualities of brilliance, respect, fear, shame, and a sense of sacrifice. If these virtues do not exist in a person's heart, then he is not worthy of one's friendship. One can rest assured that such a friendship will not stand the test of time!
4 One must establish a rapport with a man who enjoys an equal status and position in society. When two people do not enjoy the same status, it is difficult for the friendship to run smoothly along parallel tracks. Sooner or later, dissension will set in, bringing the friendship to an abrupt end!
5 When a man is affluent, there will be many people crowding around him. Under the guise of friendship, they all connive to fulfill their personal needs at his expense. The prosperous man is flattered by their show of adulation, but remains unaware of their true intent!
6 It's man's selfishness that leads him into friendships. If one was not selfish, one would not feel the need to befriend others. That is the bitter truth!
7 A friend's sincerity can be tested only when one is in troubled waters. As long as there is happiness in one's home, people will staunchly stand by one. But a true friend will continue to stand by one, even in the face of a calamity!
8 A friend in need is a friend indeed. A true and sincere friend will protect you from all possible dangers. Friendship is held in even greater esteem than a sense of fraternity!
9 There can be no peace or understanding between the snake and the mongoose, the goat and the tiger, or the lioness and the dog. Similarly, it is not possible for the sinner and the saint to come to a friendly understanding. If such a friendship exists, it must be superficial and hypocritical. In a nutshell, a true friendship is not possible between persons with contrasting temperaments!
10 Just as a mirror reflects a man face, his personality is reflected in his choice of friends. One must always be careful in forming friendships and acquaintances, for one's friends, are in a way, an extension of one's inner inclinations and tendencies!
11 One should always steer clear of idiots, for they are incapable of behaving like ordinary human beings. They are extremely loquacious and unpredictable, and they chatter without any sense of propriety. A wise man refrains from befriending an idiot, and never give him refuge!
12 If a person, will shed his blood for your sake, as unhesitatingly as he sheds his own sweat, only then should he be called your friend. Otherwise your friendship is nothing but sheer hypocrisy!
13 A sagacious man gravely considers each friendship he cultivates. He knows that the seeds of friendship sown in haste will lay the ground for future animosity!
14 When the son matures into an adult, the father must treat him like a friend!
15 It is more pleasurable to nurture a friendship with a young damsel, then to enter into a nuptial agreement with her. The irony o is that it is only after various experiences in life, that one finally stumbles upon this realization the matter!
16 Any individual who attempts to establish a sexual relationship with a women from his friend's family, should be regarded as an absolutely depraved person.
17 The ties of friendship that bound Krishna to Sudama, Arjun to Krishna; and Rama to Vibhishana, were of an exemplary nature. Only such rare friendships are worthy of imitation.
18 One must be able to have faith in a friend. A rapport with a feeble-minded man is far more dangerous than enmity with a mighty one. A feeble-minded man, with his inherent cowardice, will never be able to prove faithful to one.
