Chanakya in You

by Radhakrishnan Pillai

“Yes. Spirituality is man’s search for God; the search for the meaning of life. It is a journey from being ordinary to becoming extraordinary, to discover your huge inner potential and the ability to achieve the impossible. Yet, spirituality is about overcoming your ego.”

There are three types of people in this world. The first type learns by making mistakes; the second type keeps making mistakes but never learns; and finally, the third is the most intelligent type – they learn from the mistakes of others.

“You can become a king, but a king can lose his position over a period of time. A kingmaker, on the other hand, can make many kings. And the king will always be under the supervision, guidance and control of the kingmaker. So, he is very powerful. He rules without a position. He does not have power, yet he controls everything.”

“People become kings or leaders through various methods: through money, power, hierarchy or various crooked means. Even if you do, you should atleast have the capability of leading your people after getting the position.”

“If the person is not capable, then he will not be able to keep his chair for long. That is why Chanakya wrote the Arthashastra – so that kings would know how to run their kingdom effectively after attaining of leadership.”

Wars are not fought in the battlefield, but in the minds of the generals.

it was not about what or who you had on your side, but how you used them that mattered.

“But don’t play games for the sake of playing. Think while you play a game. In any game there will be winners and losers, but both can be learners. The one who keeps learning, keeps improving and winning becomes natural for him.”

The more you plan during peacetime, the less you bleed during wartime. Planning is more important than execution; in fact, better planning helps in effective execution.

L eadership is a very interesting concept,” grandpa said. “It has various dimensions. It is the ability to lead people to a higher goal; the clarity to take decisions in difficult circumstances; making the impossible possible; inspiring a group and walking the talk. It is not just about knowing the rules of the game, but winning the game. Above all, it is the ability to see things where others do not.”

In short, to become a leader, one should be able to think and act like a leader.”

“Leadership is not just about a position or power of authority that you hold; it is also being morally right.”

“So, with the Bhagavad Gita as a base, when you study the Arthashastra, a king becomes an ideal king. He becomes a Dharmic king not just in theory, but also in practice, combining his knowledge of philosophy and strategy. Both the books have the objective of bringing out the decision-maker in you; to bring out the leader in you.”

“Remember, do not look at leadership only from a king’s point of view. In today’s democratic world, every person can be a king. The Arthashastra can be used by both men and women, by people in various fields and professions, by people across nations and generations.”

Some people live as if they are already dead, while others live on even after their physical death.

A book can be your best friend. This friend has a viewpoint to offer, yet does not object to your opinion.

“To understand a subject, one needs to do three types of reading; rather, read it three times, but from different angles.” She continued, “The first time you read a book for a research paper, it should be general reading, almost like taking a glance. Check if the subject is of interest to you or not. If there is no connect, just drop the book.” This was a good time-management tip, since in today’s world, millions of books are being published across the globe.

“If the book interests you, do a second round of reading. This time, it is serious work. Take a pen or pencil and make notes. If there are questions, get clarity on them and seek answers from experts.”

“The third type of reading is called revision reading. After clearing all your doubts, you revisit the book. This time, you are almost like an expert on the subject.” She further added, “Now, you can also go and give a presentation on the book to others.”

“To understand a scripture, you require four types of Krupa, or grace: Atma Krupa, Ishwar Krupa, Guru Krupa and Shastra Krupa.

Atma Krupa is the grace you give yourself through self efforts. No lazy person can ever understand any scripture. You need sincerity and dedication in your study of the scriptures.”

“Ishwar Krupa is the grace of god on you. If you take one step towards god, god will t...

“Guru Krupa is the grace of your teacher. Never study the Shastras alone. It should be done under the guidance of an expert teacher. The teacher will open up unknown dimensions about the scripture to you.”

“Lastly, Shastra Krupa is the grace of the scripture itself. The scripture that you study should open up to you. There are many people who study various scriptures, yet you will find them hollow. They speak about the scripture, but it is the scripture that has to speak to you.”

As I matured, I understood that certain people do not die at all. Yes, at the physical level, one may turn back into dust, but the ideas and ideals that one believed in, live on forever.

The student should be attuned to the Guru, both in mind and thought, forever.” I wondered if such concepts still existed in our modern education system.

“A student learned from his Guru in three ways – through his Aachaar (his conduct), Vichaar (his thoughts and ideas) and Vyavahaar (his interaction and behaviour with others); all three were linked to each other.

“Arguments are different from discussions. In arguments, one wants to prove that he is right; while in discussions, one wants to know what is right.”

I may not agree with what you say, but till my death, I will not take away your freedom to disagree with me.

“In a village, the first person knows the last person and in a city, the first person does not even know the next person.”

“But you need to read different versions of the Arthashastra, written by other scholars, to get different viewpoints. Never limit your knowledge to one person or one book. Keep your mind wide open.”

Sometimes we have to understand the view points of different peope before reaching to any conclusion.

Arthashastra deals with various topics like identification of wealth, creation of wealth, management of wealth and distribution of wealth. So, I knew very well that I needed to identify where wealth would come from before I could create it. At the same time, I need not just create or manage wealth; I should also give back to the society that I got it from.”

it’s best to learn from earlier teachers, even if they have contradictory views – and to take your own independent stand,”

“Also, never belittle previous teachers and their wisdom, just because you feel it is outdated. Respect all teachers. That is the real message.”

“I will not get emotional about the situation and take a decision, which is in the larger interest of my organization. I will try to be a good judge and take the right call.”

“A king or leader is required to possess four types of knowledge – Aanvikshiki (philosophy), Trai (Vedas), Vaarta (economics) and Dandaniti (political science),”

Aanvikshiki is ever thought of as the lamp of all sciences, as the means of all actions and as the support of all laws and duties. (1.2.12)

“Aanvikshiki is about alternative thinking, lateral thinking, thinking out of the box. But, it is also about questioning if there is a box at all.” So many dimensions!

When I went for my evening class, I asked, “Guruji, is it not that the Arthashastra – and Aanvikshiki in particular – teaches you how to use your intellect in full?” “And also, where not to use your intellect,” Guruji said matter-of-factly.

“Analysis, analysis and only analysis leads to paralysis,” he smiled. “Yes, you are right. The Arthashastra is about logical thinking, but the fact is that the most intelligent person also knows that there is something beyond the intellect and human understanding.

“An excellent leader is one who is intelligent and also dynamic (in spirit). Without dynamism and enthusiasm, a leader cannot energize others. And without energy, no one will work. A leader is the one who inspires,”

One needs to think and do, and also do and think. Thinking and taking action should happen simultaneously; both go hand-in-hand.”

After one has thought enough from all possible angles, one should jump into action. Without action, all plans are useless,”