Chanakya Niti Sloka – Explained with Meaning and Images

The Canakya Niti (Canakya Neeti Sastra) Shlokas

The Chanakya Niti (Canakya Neeti Sastra) is an anthology of aphorisms compiled from various Hindusastras (treats) attributed to the Indian kingmaker, statesman, tactician and philosopher Chanakya in the first millennium BC. Live an extraordinary and humble life by following these Chanakya Niti Sloka. Get inspiring chanakyas quotes and videos to share with your friends and family.

Chanakya, also known as Vishnu Gupta Kautilya was an ancient Indian political science professor at the Takshashila University. He was the chief advisor to the Maurya Emperor Chandragupta and his son Bindusara. According to legend, the Indian kingmaker, statesman, tactician and philosopher Chanakya was born in Takhkhasila near Peshawar, Pakistan, in the first millennium BC.

Chanakya Kautilya was one of the greatest philosophers, advisors and teachers in Indian history. He helped Chandragupta Maurya come to power and become one of the greatest kings in Indian history and his books, also known as Kautlya-niti, inspired many kings in India.

You may have read many books on various topics in your school, but you have never read a single book like this that gives you knowledge of the most important topics in life, which is the vehicle that brings you to life. When you have not even read a single book from your school that will lead you to the conclusion of your education how can you begin your life and live and solve your problems? Aacharya, the teacher of Chanakya, has encoded the experiences of his life in books and puts them into us so that we can live our lives with a lot of experience, encounter situations and direct our lives in the right direction.

Acharya Chanakya has emphasized the necessity of education in life in this chanakya niti, also known as the “Chanakya Neeti,” which contains all the life teachings he has observed throughout his life. Chanakya said that once you get an education, the only thing you will be left with is your life. This book contains numerous lessons and in this article we will talk about 15 prominent teachings of Aacharya that can help a person in their everyday life.

Chanakya Niti Sloka

Sanskrit Sloka
प्रणम्य शिरसा विष्णुं त्रैलोक्याधिपतिं प्रभुम् ।
नानाशास्त्रोद्धृतं वक्ष्ये राजनीतिसमुच्चयम् ॥

Transliteration
praṇamya śirasā viṣṇuṃ trailokyādhipatiṃ prabhum ।
nānāśāstroddhṛtaṃ vakṣye rājanītisamuccayam ॥

Hindi Translation
तीनों लोकों के पालन करने वाले सर्वशक्तिमान विष्णु को सिर से प्रणाम करके अनेक शास्त्रों में से निकालकर राजनीती समुच्य नामक ग्रन्थ को कहता हूँ।

English Translation
I salute to the Lord of the three realms, Lord Vishnu, and now commence to describe the principles of the statecraft culled from various ancient books of knowledge.

Source
Chanakya Niti 1.1

Sanskrit Sloka
अधीत्येदं यथाशास्त्रं नरो जानाति सत्तमः ।
धर्मोपदेशविख्यातं कार्याकार्यं शुभाशुभम् ॥

Transliteration
adhītyedaṃ yathāśāstraṃ naro jānāti sattamaḥ ।
dharmopadeśavikhyātaṃ kāryākāryaṃ śubhāśubham ॥

Hindi Translation
जो व्यक्ति इसको विधिवत पढ़कर धर्मशास्त्र में प्रसिद्ध शुभ कार्य और अशुभ कार्य को जानता है वह अति उत्तम माना जाता है।

English Translation
That man who by the study of these maxims from the satras acquires a knowledge of the most celebrated principles of duty, and understands what ought and what ought not to be followed, and what is good and what is bad, is most excellent.

Source
Chanakya Niti 1.2

Chanakya Niti Sloka 1.4

Indian Superheroes in your house – Tfi-store Wall Poster

Explore our variety of handmade portrait of Indian Warriors wall art. Click on the image below to see more.

Sanskrit Sloka
मूर्खशिष्योपदेशेन दुष्टस्त्रीभरणेन च ।
दुःखितैः सम्प्रयोगेण पण्डितोऽप्यवसीदति ॥

Transliteration
mūrkhaśiṣyopadeśena duṣṭastrībharaṇena ca ।
duḥkhitaiḥ samprayogeṇa paṇḍito’pyavasīdati ॥

Hindi Translation
निर्बुद्धि शिष्य को पढ़ाने से, दुष्ट स्त्री के पोषण से और दुःखियों के साथ व्यवहार करने से पंडित भी दुःख पाता है।

English Translation
Even a pandit comes to grief by giving instruction to a foolish disciple,
by maintaining a wicked wife, and by excessive familiarity with the
miserable.

Source
Chanakya Niti 1.4

Sanskrit Sloka
दुष्टा भार्या शठं मित्रं भृत्यश्चोत्तरदायकः ।
ससर्पे च गृहे वासो मृत्युरेव न संशयः ॥

Transliteration
duṣṭā bhāryā śaṭhaṃ mitraṃ bhṛtyaścottaradāyakaḥ ।
sasarpe ca gṛhe vāso mṛtyureva na saṃśayaḥ ॥

Hindi Translation

दुष्ट पत्नी, मुर्ख मित्र, उत्तर देने वाला दास और सांप वाले घर में वास ये मृत्यु स्वरूप ही है, इसमें कोई संशय नहीं है।

English Translation
A wicked wife, a false friend, a saucy servant and living in a house with
a serpent in it are nothing but death.

Source
Chanakya Niti 1.5

Sanskrit Sloka
यस्मिन्देशे न सम्मानो न वृत्तिर्न च बान्धवाः ।
न च विद्यागमोऽप्यस्ति वासं तत्र न कारयेत् ॥

Transliteration
yasmindeśe na sammāno na vṛttirna ca bāndhavāḥ ।
na ca vidyāgamo’pyasti vāsaṃ tatra na kārayet ॥

Hindi Translation
जिस देश में न आदर, न जीविका, न बन्धु, न विद्या का लाभ है वहां वास नहीं करना चाहिए।

English Translation
Do not inhabit a country where you are not respected, cannot earn your
livelihood, have no friends, or cannot acquire knowledge.

Source
Chanakya Niti 1.8

Sanskrit Sloka
आतुरे व्यसने प्राप्ते दुर्भिक्षे शत्रुसङ्कटे ।
राजद्वारे श्मशाने च यस्तिष्ठति स बान्धवः ॥

Transliteration
āture vyasane prāpte durbhikṣe śatrusaṅkaṭe ।
rājadvāre śmaśāne ca yastiṣṭhati sa bāndhavaḥ ॥

Hindi Translation
आतुर होने पर, दुःख प्राप्त होने पर, काल पड़ने पर, शत्रुओं से संकट आने पर,
राजा के समीप और शमशान पर जो साथ रहता है वही बन्धु है।

English Translation
He is a true friend who does not forsake us in time of need, misfortune,
famine, or war, in a king’s court, or at the crematorium (smasana).

Source
Chanakya Niti 1.12

Chanakya Niti Sloka 2.9

Sanskrit Sloka
शैले शैले न माणिक्यं मौक्तिकं न गजे गजे ।
साधवो न हि सर्वत्र चन्दनं न वने वने ॥

Chanakya Niti 2.9

Sanskrit Sloka
पुत्राश्च विविधैः शीलैर्नियोज्याः सततं बुधैः ।
नीतिज्ञाः शीलसम्पन्ना भवन्ति कुलपूजिताः ॥

Transliteration
putrāśca vividhaiḥ śīlairniyojyāḥ satataṃ budhaiḥ ।
nītijñāḥ śīlasampannā bhavanti kulapūjitāḥ ॥

Hindi Translation
बुद्धिमान व्यक्ति अपने पुत्र को विभिन्न प्रकार की सुशीलता में लगाए, ताकि निति के जानने वाले यदि शीलवान होंगे तो अपने कुल का नाम प्रसिद्ध करेंगे।

English Translation
Wise men should always bring up their sons in various moral ways, for
children who have knowledge of niti-sastra and are well-behaved
become a glory to their family.

Source
Chanakya Niti 2.10

Chanakya niti sloka 2.11

Sanskrit Sloka
माता शत्रुः पिता वैरी याभ्यां बाला न पाठिताः ।
सभामध्ये न शोभन्ते हंसमध्ये बको यथा ॥

Transliteration
mātā śatruḥ pitā vairī yābhyāṃ bālā na pāṭhitāḥ ।
sabhāmadhye na śobhante haṃsamadhye bako yathā ॥

Hindi Translation
वह माता शत्रु और पिता वैरी है, जिसने अपने पुत्र को नहीं पढ़ाया है, इस कारण वे
किसी भी सभा के मध्य ऐसे ही विराजमान होते है जैसे हंस के समूह में बकुला।

English Translation
Those parents who do not educate their sons are their enemies; for as is
a crane among swans, so are ignorant so are ignorant sons in a public
assembly.

Source
Chanakya Niti 2.11

Good news is that there is a huge collection of Acharya Chanakya T-shirts at tfi-store, so please check them out at tfi-store. Click on Image for more.

Chanakya niti sloka 3.4

Sanskrit Sloka
दुर्जनस्य च सर्पस्य वरं सर्पो न दुर्जनः ।
सर्पो दंशति काले तु दुर्जनस्तु पदे पदे ॥

Transliteration
durjanasya ca sarpasya varaṃ sarpo na durjanaḥ ।
sarpo daṃśati kāle tu durjanastu pade pade ॥

Hindi Translation
दुर्जन और सांप में सांप अच्छा है दुर्जन नहीं, कारण यह है की सांप
समय आने पर काटता है, दुर्जन पग पग पर।

English Translation
Of a rascal and a serpent, the serpent is the better of the two, for he
strikes only at the time he is destined to kill, while the former at every
step.

Source
Chanakya Niti 3.4

Sanskrit Sloka
कोकिलानां स्वरो रूपं स्त्रीणां रूपं पतिव्रतम् ।
विद्या रूपं कुरूपाणां क्षमा रूपं तपस्विनाम् ॥

Transliteration
kokilānāṃ svaro rūpaṃ strīṇāṃ rūpaṃ pativratam ।
vidyā rūpaṃ kurūpāṇāṃ kṣamā rūpaṃ tapasvinām ॥

Hindi Translation
कोयल की सोभा स्वर है, स्त्रियों की शोभा पतिव्रत है, करूपो की सोभा
विद्या है और तपस्वियों की शोभा क्षमा है।

English Translation
The beauty of a cuckoo is in its notes, that of a woman in her unalloyed
devotion to her husband, that of an ugly person in his scholarship, and
that of an ascetic in his forgiveness.

Source
Chanakya Niti 3.9

Sanskrit Sloka
कामधेनुगुणा विद्या ह्यकाले फलदायिनी ।
प्रवासे मातृसदृशी विद्या गुप्तं धनं स्मृतम् ॥

Transliteration
kāmadhenuguṇā vidyā hyakāle phaladāyinī ।
pravāse mātṛsadṛśī vidyā guptaṃ dhanaṃ smṛtam ॥

Hindi Translation
विद्या में कामधेनु के सामान गुण है, इसी कारण से यह अकाल में भी फल देती है,
और विदेश में माता के सामान है अतः विद्या को गुप्त धन भी कहते हैं।

English Translation
Education is like a kamdhenu. It, like her, yields in all seasons. Like a
mother, it feeds you on your journey. Therefore learning is a hidden
treasure.

Source
Chanakya Niti 4.5

Sanskrit Sloka
तावद्भयेषु भेतव्यं यावद्भयमनागतम् ।
आगतं तु भयं वीक्ष्य प्रहर्तव्यमशङ्कया ॥

Transliteration
tāvadbhayeṣu bhetavyaṃ yāvadbhayamanāgatam ।
āgataṃ tu bhayaṃ vīkṣya prahartavyamaśaṅkayā ॥

Hindi Translation
भय से सिर्फ तब तक ही डरना चाहिए जब तक भय समीप नहीं आया है, आये हुए
भय को देख कर प्रहार करना ही उचित है।

English Translation
A thing may be dreaded as long as it has not overtaken you, but once it
has come upon you, try to get rid of it without hesitation.

Source
Chanakya Niti 5.3

Sanskrit Sloka
अजीर्णे भेषजं वारि जीर्णे वारि बलप्रदम् ।
भोजने चामृतं वारि भोजनान्ते विषापहम् ॥

Transliteration
ajīrṇe bheṣajaṃ vāri jīrṇe vāri balapradam ।
bhojane cāmṛtaṃ vāri bhojanānte viṣāpaham ॥

Hindi Translation
अपच होने पर जल औषधी है, पच जाने पर जल बल देता है, भोजन के समय जल
अमृत के समान है, भोजन के अंत में जल विष का फल देता है।

English Translation
Water is the medicine for indigestion; it is invigorating when the food that is eaten is well digested; it is like nectar when
drunk in the middle of a dinner; and it is like poison when taken at the end of a meal.

Source
Chanakya Niti 8.7

Sanskrit Sloka
शान्तितुल्यं तपो नास्ति न सन्तोषात्परं सुखम् ।
नतृष्णायाः परोव्याधिर्न च धर्मोदयापरः।

Transliteration
śāntitulyaṃ tapo nāsti na santoṣātparaṃ sukham ।
natṛṣṇāyāḥ parovyādhirna ca dharmodayāparaḥ।

Hindi Translation
शांति के सामान दूसरा तप नहीं है, न संतोष से परे सुख, न तृष्णा से दूसरी व्याधि है, न दया से अधिक धर्म।

English Translation
There is no austerity equal to a balanced mind, and there is no happiness equal to contentment; there is no disease like covetousness, and no virtue like mercy.

Source
Chanakya Niti 8.13

Sanskrit Sloka
मुक्तिमिच्छसि चेत्तात विषयान्विषवत्त्यज ।
क्षमार्जवदयाशौचं सत्यं पीयूषवत्पिब ॥

Hindi Translation
यदि मुक्ति चाहते हो तो विषयों को विष के सामान छोड़ दो! सहनशीलता, सरलता, दया,
पवित्रता और सच्चाई को अमृत की तरह पियो अर्थात स्वीकार करो।

English Translation
My dear child, if you desire to be free from the cycle of birth and death,
then abandon the objects of sense gratification as poison. Drink instead
the nectar of forbearance, upright conduct, mercy, cleanliness and truth.

Source
Chanakya Niti 9.1

Chanakya niti sloka 11.9

Sanskrit Sloka
ये तु संवत्सरं पूर्णं नित्यं मौनेन भुञ्जते ।
युगकोटिसहस्रं तैः स्वर्गलोके महीयते ॥

Transliteration
ye tu saṃvatsaraṃ pūrṇaṃ nityaṃ maunena bhuñjate ।
yugakoṭisahasraṃ taiḥ svargaloke mahīyate ॥

Hindi Translation
जो वर्ष भर नित्य चुपचाप भोजन करता है वह सहस्त्रकोटि युगलों स्वर्गलोक में पूजा जाता है।

English Translation
He who for one year eats his meals silently (inwardly meditating upon
the Lord’s prasadam); attains to the heavenly planets for a thousand
crore of years. ( Note: one crore equals ten million)

Source
Chanakya Niti 11.9

Read More : Best 10 Shlokas From Vedas and Upanishads

The most widely used piece of clothing today is a half sleeves T-shirt that forms an integral part of your wardrobe – be it for your morning run, Gym, Friday dressing at office, a campout with friends or maybe getting to bed! tfi-store offers a wide range of half sleeves t-shirts featuring Devbhasha Sanskrit Collection in the form of various quotes and graphics and historical warriors like Maharana Pratap and Vishnugupta Chanakya from every corner of India, catering to Men, Women, Kids and Toddlers. Checkout our Acharya Chanakya collection.

TFIStore from the house of The Frustrated Indian is trying to make Indian Culture cool with its unique historical Heroes and Sanskrit apparel collection.

Well Good news is that there is a huge collection of Acharya Chanakya T-shirts at tfi-store, so please check them out at tfi-store. Click on Image for more.

Women’s Collection | Men’s Collection | Kid’s Collection

Instagram : THE OFFICIAL TFISTORE

Twitter: TFISTORE 

Facebook: TFISTORE