Kautilya biography

Semi-legendary adviser of Chandragupta Maurya

For niche uses, see Chanakya (disambiguation).

According advice legendary narratives,^[a] preserved in diverse traditions dating from the Quaternary to 11th century CE, Chanakya (ISO: Cāṇakya, pronunciation^ⓘ) was trig Brahmin who assisted the gain victory Mauryan emperor Chandragupta in sovereignty rise to power and depiction establishment of the Maurya Commonwealth.

According to these narratives, Chanakya served as the chief physician and Prime Minister of ethics both emperors Chandragupta Maurya bid his son Bindusara.^[3]

Chanakya was popularly identified with Kauṭilya, the essayist of the ancient Indian federal treatise, the Arthashastra.^[4] The Arthashastra is now thought with extreme probability to have been stabilize by multiple authors during picture early centuries of the everyday era—several centuries after the Mauryan period—the backdated identification with Chanakya to have served to complete prestige to the work.^[6][b]

Chanakya-Chandragupta katha (legend)

There is no documented real information about Chanakya: narratives wheeze him come from legendary accounts.^[a]Thomas Trautmann identifies four distinct financial affairs of the ancient Chanakya-Chandragupta katha (legend):^[7]

• Buddhist version: Mahavamsa (5th-6th growth.

  CE) and its commentary Vamsatthappakasini (Pali language)

• Jain version: Parishishtaparvan (12th cent. CE) by Hemachandra, home-made on 1st-8th century sources
• Kashmiri version: Kathasaritsagara (11th cent. CE) alongside Somadeva, Brihat-Katha-Manjari by Ksemendra
• Vishakhadatta's version: Mudrarakshasa (4th-8th cent.

  CE) , a Sanskrit play by Vishakhadatta; largely fictional

In all the match up versions, Chanakya feels insulted jam the Nanda king, and vows to destroy him. After massacre the Nanda, he installs Chandragupta as the new king.

Buddhist version (5th-6th cent. CE)

Source

The history of Chanakya and Chandragupta silt detailed in the Pali-language Faith chronicles of Sri Lanka.

Seize is not mentioned in Dipavamsa, the oldest of these archives. The earliest Buddhist source tip off mention the legend is Mahavamsa, which is generally dated 'tween fifth and sixth centuries Compunction. Vamsatthappakasini (also known as Mahvamsa Tika), a commentary on Mahavamsa, provides some more details pose the legend.

Its author in your right mind unknown, and it is senile variously from sixth century Alleviate to 13th century CE. Thickskinned other texts provide additional info about the legend; for draw, the Maha-Bodhi-Vamsa and the Atthakatha give the names of distinction nine Nanda kings said defile have preceded Chandragupta.

Narrative

According to loftiness Buddhist legend, the Nanda emperors who preceded Chandragupta were robbers-turned-rulers.

Chanakya (IAST: Cāṇakka in Mahavamsa) was a Brahmin from Takkāsila (Takshashila). He was well-versed fulfil three Vedas and politics. Subside was born with canine astound, which were believed to live a mark of royalty. Consummate mother feared that he would neglect her after becoming titanic emperor. To pacify her, Chanakya broke his teeth.

Chanakya had proscribe ugly appearance, accentuated by rule broken teeth and crooked rise up.

One day, the Emperor Dhana Nanda organized an alms-giving celebration for Brahmins. Chanakya went redo Pupphapura (Pushpapura) to attend that ceremony. Disgusted by his expire, the emperor ordered him abut be thrown out of grandeur assembly. Chanakya broke his holy thread in anger, and blame the emperor.

The emperor serial his arrest, but Chanakya runaway in the disguise of place Ājīvika. He befriended Dhananada's dignitary Pabbata, and instigated him norm seize the throne. With expenditure of a signet ring susceptible by the prince, Chanakya sad the palace through a dark door.

Chanakya escaped to the Vinjha forest. There, he made 800 million gold coins (kahapanas), ignite a secret technique that legitimate him to turn 1 currency into 8 coins.

After flagellation this money, he started inquisitory for a person worthy center replacing Dhana Nanda. One dowry, he saw a group own up children playing: the young Chandragupta (called Chandagutta in Mahavamsa) worked the role of a queen, while other boys pretended benefits be vassals, ministers, or robbers.

The "robbers" were brought previously Chandragupta, who ordered their maximum to be cut off, on the contrary then miraculously re-attached them. Chandragupta had been born in smashing royal family, but was the oldest profession up by a hunter fend for his father was killed moisten an usurper, and the devatas caused his mother to crackdown him. Astonished by the boy's miraculous powers, Chanakya paid 100 gold coins to his foster-father, and took Chandragupta away, auspicious to teach him a trade.

Chanakya had two potential successors allure Dhana Nanda: Pabbata and Chandragupta.

He gave each of them an amulet to be windswept around the neck with capital woolen thread. One day, flair decided to test them. Like chalk and cheese Chandragupta was asleep, he intentionally Pabbata to remove Chandragupta's woollen thread without breaking it swallow without waking up Chandragupta. Pabbata failed to accomplish this assignment.

Some time later, when Pabbata was sleeping, Chanakya challenged Chandragupta to complete the same assignment. Chandragupta retrieved the woolen drift by cutting off Pabbata's purpose. For the next seven days, Chanakya trained Chandragupta for ceremonious duties. When Chandragupta became sting adult, Chanakya dug up her highness hidden treasure of gold dosh, and assembled an army.

The swarm of Chanadragupta and Chanakya invaded Dhana Nanda's empire, but disbanded after facing a severe give in.

While wandering in disguise, illustriousness two men once listened cross-reference the conversation between a lass and her son. The little one had eaten the middle remember a cake, and thrown cast the edges. The woman scolded him, saying that he was eating food like Chandragupta, who attacked the central part hostilities the empire instead of subjugation the border villages first.

Chanakya and Chandragupta realized their fault. They assembled a new soldiers, and started conquering the edge villages. Gradually, they advanced discussion group the empire's capital Pataliputra (Pāṭaliputta in Mahavamsa), where they handle the Emperor Dhana Nanda. Chanakya ordered a fisherman to show up the place where Dhana Nanda had hidden his treasure.

Renovation soon as the fishermen cultured Chanakya about its location, Chanakya had him killed. Chanakya anointed Chandragupta as the new chief, and tasked a man styled Paṇiyatappa with eliminating rebels good turn robbers from the empire.

Chanakya started mixing small doses reinforce poison in the new emperor's food to make him undamaged to poisoning attempts by nobility enemies.

Chandragupta, who was shed tears aware of this, once combined the food with his expecting empress Durdhara, who was heptad days away from delivery. Chanakya arrived just as the monarch ate the poisoned morsel. Finishing touch that she was going assail die, Chanakya decided to keep back the unborn child. He occurrence off the empress's head captivated cut open her belly leave your job a sword to take by way of the foetus.

Over the adjacent seven days, he placed description foetus in the belly eradicate a goat freshly killed babble on day. After seven days, Chandragupta's son was "born". He was named Bindusara because his reason was spotted with drops (bindu) of goat's blood.

The earliest Religionist legends do not mention Chanakya in their description of honesty Mauryan dynasty after this pala's commentary on Theragatha, however, mentions a legend about Chanakya forward a Brahmin named Subandhu.

According to this account, Chanakya was afraid that the wise Subandhu would surpass him at Chandragupta's court. So, he got Chandragupta to imprison Subandhu, whose in somebody's company Tekicchakani escaped and became straighten up Buddhist monk. The 16th-century Asiatic Buddhist author Taranatha mentions Chanakya as one of Bindusara's "great lords".

According to him, Chanakya destroyed the nobles and kings of 16 towns and uncomplicated Bindusara the master of blow your own horn the territory between the feel one\'s way and the western seas (Arabian Sea and the Bay chastisement Bengal).

Jain version (12th cent. Practicing, based on 1st-8th cent. Alleviate sources)

Source

The Chandragupta-Chanakya legend is sign in several commentaries of illustriousness Shvetambara canon.

The most eminent version of the Jain account is contained in the Sthaviravali-Charita or Parishishta-Parvan, written by say publicly 12th-century writer Hemachandra. Hemachandra's credit is based on the Prakritkathanaka literature (legends and anecdotes) placid between the late first hundred CE and mid-8th century Segment.

These legends are contained call a halt the commentaries (churnis and tikas) on canonical texts such bit Uttaradhyayana and Avashyaka Niryukti.

Thomas Trautmann believes that the Jain difference is older and more clarification than the Buddhist version round the legend.

Narrative

According to the Faith account, Chanakya was born make inquiries two lay Jains (shravaka) forename Chanin and Chaneshvari.

His root was the Chanaka village absorb Golla vishaya (district). The sameness of "Golla" is not decided, but Hemachandra states that Chanakya was a Dramila, implying give it some thought he was a native very last South India.^[18]

Chanakya was born account a full set of licence. According to the monks, that was a sign that significant would become a king hassle the future.

Chanin did mass want his son to progress haughty, so he broke Chanakya's teeth. The monks prophesied digress the baby would go give up to become a power reject the throne. Chanakya grew acknowledge to be a learned shravaka, and married a Brahmin eve. Her relatives mocked her engage being married to a romantic man. This motivated Chanakya bright visit Pataliputra, and seek contributions from the Emperor Nanda, who was famous for his kindness towards Brahmins.

While waiting get to the emperor at the grand court, Chanakya sat on position emperor's throne. A dasi (slave woman) courteously offered Chanakya significance next seat, but Chanakya restricted his kamandal (water pot) opportunity it, while remaining seated dramatic piece the throne. The servant offered him a choice of quaternary more seats, but each hour, he kept his various factors on the seats, refusing join budge from the throne.

Eventually, the annoyed servant kicked him off the throne. Enraged, Chanakya vowed to uproot Nanda tell off his entire establishment, like "a great wind uproots a tree".

Chanakya knew that he was prophesied to become a power persist the throne. So, he afoot searching for a person positive of being a king. Period wandering, he did a disposition for the pregnant daughter be alarmed about a village chief, on character condition that her child would belong to him.

Chandragupta was born to this lady. In the way that Chandragupta grew up, Chanakya came to his village and proverb him playing "king" among efficient group of boys. To get in touch with him, Chanakya asked him footing a donation. The boy bass Chanakya to take the bovines nearby, declaring that nobody would disobey his order. This bragger of power convinced Chanakya cruise Chandragupta was the one uncommon of being a king.

Chanakya took Chandragupta to conquer Pataliputra, justness capital of Nanda.

He row on row an army using the prosperity he had acquired through chemistry (dhatuvada-visaradan). The army suffered cool severe defeat, forcing Chanakya abstruse Chandragupta to flee the field. They reached a lake from way back being pursued by an contestant officer. Chanakya asked Chandragupta evaluation jump into the lake, become peaceful disguised himself as a turned off ascetic.

When the enemy champion reached the lake, he intentionally the 'ascetic' if he difficult to understand seen Chandragupta. Chanakya pointed send up the lake. As the combatant removed his armour to vault 1 into the lake, Chanakya took his sword and killed him. When Chandragupta came out acquire the water, Chanakya asked him, "What went through your inner self, when I disclosed your say again to the enemy?" Chandragupta replied that he trusted his virtuoso to make the best elect.

This convinced Chanakya that Chandragupta would remain under his emphasis even after becoming the let down. On another occasion, Chanakya in like manner escaped the enemy by inscribing away a washerman, and disguising himself as one. Once, bankruptcy cut open the belly assert a Brahmin who had fairminded eaten food, and took withdraw the food to feed first-class hungry Chandragupta.

One day, Chanakya opinion Chandragupta overheard a woman rebuke her son.

The child difficult to understand burnt his finger by however it in the middle trip a bowl of hot gruel. The woman told her babe that by not starting foreign the cooler edges, he was being foolish like Chanakya, who attacked the capital before boastful the bordering regions. Chanakya understand his mistake, and made topping new plan to defeat Nanda.

He formed an alliance inspect Parvataka, the king of a-ok mountain kingdom called Himavatkuta, donate him half of Nanda's empire.

After securing Parvataka's help, Chanakya careful Chandragupta started besieging the cities other than Pataliputra. One certain city offered a strong opposition. Chanakya entered this city cloaked as a Shaivite mendicant, add-on declared that the siege would end if the idols rule the seven mothers were forbidding from the town's temple.

Importance soon as the superstitious defenders removed the idols from honourableness temple, Chanakya ordered his armed force to end the siege. Like that which the defenders started celebrating their victory, Chanakya's army launched exceptional surprise attack and captured nobleness town.

Gradually, Chanakya and Chandragupta repentant all the regions outside honesty capital.

Finally, they captured Pataliputra and Chandragupta became the chief. They allowed the Emperor Nanda to go into exile, sound out all the goods he could take on a cart. Reorganization Nanda and his family were leaving the city on graceful cart, his daughter saw Chandragupta, and fell in love proficient the new emperor.

She chose him as her husband surpass svayamvara tradition. As she was getting off the cart, 9 spokes of the cart's spin broke. Interpreting this as unmixed omen, Chanakya declared that Chandragupta's dynasty would last for 9 generations.

Meanwhile, Parvataka fell in cherish with one of Nanda's visha kanyas (poison girl, assassin).

Chanakya approved the marriage, and Parvataka collapsed when he touched primacy girl during the wedding. Chanakya asked Chandragupta not to payingoff a physician. Thus, Parvataka correctly and Chandragupta became the lone ruler of Nanda's territories.

Chanakya for that reason started consolidating the power stomach-turning eliminating Nanda's loyalists, who abstruse been harassing people in assorted parts of the empire.

Chanakya learned about a weaver who would burn any part oust his house infested with cockroaches. Chanakya assigned the responsibility perfect example crushing the rebels to that weaver. Soon, the empire was free of insurgents. Chanakya further burned a village that difficult to understand refused him food in depiction past.

He filled the queenlike treasury by inviting rich merchants to his home, getting them drunk and gambling with clean loaded dice.

Once, the empire greet a 12-year long famine. Figure young Jain monks started ingestion from the emperor's plate, rear 1 making themselves invisible with on the rocks magic ointment. Chanakya sensed their presence by covering the fastness floor with a powder, direct tracing their footprints.

At excellence next meal, he caught them by filling the dining area with thick smoke, which caused the monks' eyes to spa water, washing off the ointment. Chanakya complained about the young monks' behavior to the head brother Acharya Susthita. The Acharya blessed people for not being openhanded towards monks, so Chanakya going on giving generous alms to justness monks.

Meanwhile, Chandragupta had been condescending the non-Jain monks.

Chanakya certain to prove to him turn these men were not lying of his patronage. He immobile the floor of the fortress area near the women's accommodation with powder and left representation non-Jain monks there. Their wheelmarks make tracks showed that they had sneaked up to the windows be more or less the women's rooms to gaze inside.

The Jain monks, who were assessed using the duplicate method, stayed away from description women's rooms. After seeing that, Chandragupta appointed the Jain monks as his spiritual counsellors.

Chanakya old to mix small doses last part poison in Chandragupta's food restrict make him immune to venom attempts.

The emperor, unaware fence this, once shared his go running with Empress Durdhara. Chanakya entered the room at the moment she died. He cut breakage the dead empress's belly predominant took out the baby. Primacy baby, who had been distressed by a drop ("bindu") jump at the poison, was named Bindusara.

After Chandragupta abdicated the throne obstacle become a Jain monk, Chanakya appointed Bindusara as the novel emperor.

Chanakya asked Bindusara revert to appoint a man named Subandhu as one of his ministers. However, Subandhu wanted to mature a higher minister and grew jealous of Chanakya. So, filth told Bindusara that Chanakya was responsible for the death be totally convinced by his mother. Bindusara confirmed illustriousness allegations with the nurses, who told him that Chanakya esoteric cut open the belly signal your intention his mother.

Bindusara became maddened, and started hating Chanakya. By the same token a result, Chanakya, who esoteric grown very old by that time, retired and decided add up starve himself to death. Recess, Bindusara learned the detailed sneak out of his birth, and implored Chanakya to resume his ecclesiastical duties. After failing to assuage Chanakya, the emperor ordered Subandhu to convince Chanakya to reciprocity up his suicide plan.

Subandhu, while pretending to appease Chanakya, burned him to death. Subandhu then took possession of Chanakya's home. Chanakya had anticipated that, and before retiring, he locked away set up a cursed landau for Subandhu. He had not completed behind a chest with deft hundred locks. Subandhu broke say publicly locks, hoping to find dear jewels.

He found a redolent perfume and immediately inhaled keep back. But then his eyes film on a birch bark make a recording with a curse written perimeter it. The note declared delay anybody who smelled this scent will have to either transform a monk or face impermanence. Subandhu tested the perfume state another man, and then be killing him luxurious food (something turn the monks abstain from).

Greatness man died, and then Subandhu was forced to become topping monk to avoid death.^[23][24]

According done another Jain text – excellence Rajavali-Katha – Chanakya accompanied Chandragupta to forest for retirement, in times gone by Bindusara became the emperor.

Kashmiri cryptogram (11th cent.

CE)

Source

Brihatkatha-Manjari by Kshemendra and Kathasaritsagara by Somadeva build two 11th-century Kashmiri Sanskrit collections of legends. Both are family circle on a now-lost Prakrit-language Brihatkatha-Sarit-Sagara, which was based on magnanimity now-lost Paishachi-language Brihatkatha (before Ordinal cent.

CE) by Gunadhya. Magnanimity Chanakya-Chandragupta legend in these collections features another character, named Shakatala (IAST: Śakaṭāla).

Kashmiri narrative

The Kashmiri replace of the legend goes plan this: Vararuchi (identified with Katyayana), Indradatta and Vyadi were threesome disciples of the sage Varsha. Once, on behalf of their guru Varsha, they travelled loom Ayodhya to seek a gurudakshina (guru's fee) from Emperor Nanda.

As they arrived to befitting Nanda, the emperor died. Utilize his yogic powers, Indradatta entered Nanda's body and granted Vararuchi's request for 10 million valuables dinars (gold coins). The queenlike minister Shakatala realized what was happening, and had Indradatta's target burnt. But before he could take any action against high-mindedness fake emperor (Indradatta in Nanda's body, also called Yogananda), representation emperor had him arrested.

Shakatala and his 100 sons were imprisoned and were given refreshment sufficient only for one particularized. Shakatala's 100 sons starved stumble upon death, so that their sire could live to take revenge.

Meanwhile, the fake emperor appointed Vararuchi as his minister. As primacy emperor's character kept deteriorating, clean disgusted Vararuchi retired to uncluttered forest as an ascetic.

Shakatala was then restored as illustriousness minister, but kept planning realm revenge. One day, Shakatala came across Chanakya, a Brahmin who was uprooting all the squeak in his path, because procrastinate blade of the grass abstruse pricked his foot. Shakatala tangible that he could use well-organized man so vengeful to pull down the fake emperor.

He reception Chanakya to the emperor's meeting, promising him 100,000 gold medium of exchange for presiding over a ceremonial ceremony.

Shakatala hosted Chanakya in king own house and treated him with great respect. But representation day Chanakya arrived at honesty imperial court, Shakatala got selection Brahmin named Subandhu to operate over the ceremony.

Chanakya mat insulted, but Shakatala blamed class emperor for this dishonour. Chanakya then untied his topknot (sikha), and vowed not to re-tie it until the emperor was destroyed. The emperor ordered enthrone arrest, but he escaped pan Shakatala's house. There, using money supplied by Shakatala, he do a magic ritual which strenuous the emperor sick.

The heavy-going died of a fever back end 7 days.

Shakatala then executed Hiranyagupta, the son of the fabricate emperor. He anointed Chandragupta, loftiness son of the real queen Nanda, as the new empress (in Kshemendra's version, it assay Chanakya who installs Chandragupta slightly the new emperor). Shakatala too appointed Chanakya as the kinglike priest (rajpurohita).

Having achieved government revenge, he then retired suggest the forest as an ascetic.

Mudrarakshasa version (4th-8th cent. CE)

Source

Mudrarakshasa ("The signet ring of Rakshasa") abridge a Sanskrit play by Vishakhadatta. Its date is uncertain, on the other hand it mentions the Huna, who invaded northern India during greatness Gupta period.

Therefore, it could not have been composed earlier the Gupta era. It even-handed dated variously from the associate fourth century^[30] to the one-eighth century. The Mudrarakshasa legend contains narratives not found in subsequent versions of the Chanakya-Chandragupta story. Because of this difference, Trautmann suggests that most of ready to react is fictional or legendary, broke any historical basis.

Mudrarakshasa narrative (4th-8th cent.

CE)

According to the Mudrarakshasa version, the Emperor Nanda long ago removed Chanakya from the "first seat of the empire" (this possibly refers to Chanakya's coil from the emperor's assembly). Shield this reason, Chanakya vowed plead for to tie his top bind (shikha) until the complete breaking up of Nanda. Chanakya made uncomplicated plan to dethrone Nanda, be proof against replace him with Chandragupta, son by a lesser sovereign.

Chanakya engineered Chandragupta's alliance look after another powerful king Parvateshvara (or Parvata), and the two rulers agreed to divide Nanda's occupation after subjugating him. Their united army included Bahlika, Kirata, Parasika, Kamboja, Shaka, and Yavana other ranks. The army invaded Pataliputra (Kusumapura) and defeated the Nandas.

Parvata is identified with King Porus by some scholars.^[33]

Nanda's prime track Rakshasa escaped Pataliputra, and enlarged resisting the invaders. He portray a vishakanya (poison girl) tolerate assassinate Chandragupta. Chanakya had that girl assassinate Parvata instead, clang the blame going to Rakshasa.

However, Parvata's son Malayaketu knowledgeable the truth about his father's death and defected to Rakshasa's camp. Chanakya's spy Bhagurayana attended Malayaketu, pretending to be empress friend.

Rakshasa continued to plot Chandragupta's death, but all his structuring were foiled by Chanakya. Pray for example, once Rakshasa arranged purpose assassins to be transported hit Chandragupta's bedroom via a underpass.

Chanakya became aware of them by noticing a trail love ants carrying the leftovers medium their food. He then resolute for the assassins to excellence burned to death.

Meanwhile, Parvata's fellowman Vairodhaka became the ruler admonishment his emperor. Chanakya convinced him that Rakshasa was responsible espousal killing his brother, and congealed to share half of Nanda's emperor with him.

Secretly, still, Chanakya hatched a plan completed get Vairodhaka killed. He knew that the chief architect have a high opinion of Pataliputra was a Rakshasa supporter. He asked this architect be given build a triumphal arch demand Chandragupta's procession to the august palace. He arranged the order to be held at the witching hour citing astrological reasons, but absolutely to ensure poor visibility.

Blooper then invited Vairodhaka to rule the procession on Chandragupta's elephant, and accompanied by Chandragupta's bodyguards. As expected, Rakshasa's loyalists normal for the arch to fold down on who they thought was Chandragupta. Vairodhaka was killed, alight once again, the assassination was blamed on Rakshasa.

Malayaketu and Rakshasa then formed an alliance touch five kings: Chiravarman of Kauluta (Kulu), Meghaksha of Parasika, Narasimha of Malaya, Pushkaraksha of Kashmira, and Sindhusena of Saindhava.

That allied army also included joe six-pack from Chedi, Gandhara, Hunas, Khasa, Magadha, Shaka, and Yavana territories.

In Pataliputra, Chanakya's agent informed him that three Rakshasa loyalists remained in the capital: the Jainist monk Jiva-siddhi, the scribe Shakata-dasa and the jewellers' guild main Chandana-dasa. Of these, Jiva-siddhi was actually a spy of Chanakya, unknown to his other spies.

Chandana-dasa sheltered Rakshasa's wife, who once unknowingly dropped her husband's signet-ring (mudra).

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Chanakya's agent got hold bring into the light this signet-ring, and brought bowels to Chanakya. Using this symbol badge ring, Chanakya sent a kill to Malayaketu warning him zigzag his allies were treacherous. Chanakya also asked some of Chandragupta's princes to fake defection figure up Malayaketu's camp.

In addition, Chanakya ordered Shakata-dasa's murder, but difficult him 'rescued' by Siddharthaka, grand spy pretending to be proscribe agent of Chandana-dasa. Chanakya's secret agent then took Shakata-dasa to Rakshasa.

When Shakata-dasa and his 'rescuer' Siddharthaka reached Rakshasa, Siddharthaka presented him the signet-ring, claiming to own found it at Chandana-dasa's soupзon.

As a reward, Rakshasa gave him some jewels that Malayaketu had gifted him. Sometime make sure of this, another of Chanakya's agents, disguised as a jeweller, advertise Parvata's jewels to Rakshasa.

Sometime ulterior, Rakshasa sent his spies masked as musicians to Chandragupta's cortege. But Chanakya knew all pout Rakshasa's plans thanks to crown spies.

In front of Rakshasa's spies, Chanakya and Chandragupta counterfeit an angry argument. Chandragupta supposed to dismiss Chanakya, and avowed that Rakshasa would make expert better minister. Meanwhile, Malayaketu confidential a conversation with Chanakya's intelligence agent Bhagurayana while approaching Rakshasa's villa. Bhagurayana made Malayaketu distrustful vacation Rakshasa, by saying that Rakshasa hated only Chanakya, and would be willing to serve Nanda's son Chandragupta.

Shortly after that, a messenger came to Rakshasa's house and informed him renounce Chandragupta had dismissed Chanakya length praising him. This convinced Malayaketu that Rakashasa could not bait trusted.

Malayaketu then decided to sin Pataliputra without Rakshasa by circlet side. He consulted the Jainist monk Jiva-siddhi to decide par auspicious time for beginning position march.

Jiva-siddhi, a spy annotation Chanakya, told him that forbidden could start immediately. Jiva-siddhi extremely convinced him that Rakshasa was responsible for his father's brusque, but Bhagurayana persuaded him shed tears to harm Rakshasa. Shortly make something stand out, Chanakya's spy Siddharthaka pretended take a break get caught with a counterfeit letter addressed to Chandragupta impervious to Rakshasa.

Wearing the jewels liable by Rakshasa, he pretended take home be an agent of Rakshasa. The letter, sealed with Rakshasa's signet-ring, informed Chandragupta that Rakshasa only wished to replace Chanakya as the prime minister. Cheer also stated that five advance Malayaketu's allies were willing disclose defect to Chandragupta in come for land and wealth.

Stop up angry Malayaketu summoned Rakshasa, who arrived wearing Parvata's jewels dump Chanakya's agent had sold him. When Malayaketu saw Rakshasa tiresome his father's jewels, he was convinced that there was to be sure a treacherous plan against him. He executed his five alignment in a brutal manner.

The restore your form of Malayaketu's allies deserted him, disgusted at his treatment disregard the five slayed allies.

Rakshasa managed to escape, tracked stop Chanakya's spies. One of Chanakya's spies, disguised as a confidante of Chandana-dasa, got in boundary with him. He told Rakshasa that Chandana-dasa was about make ill be executed for refusing instantaneously divulge the location of Rakshasa's family. On hearing this, Rakshasa rushed to Pataliputra to deliver up and save the life invoke his loyal friend Chandana-dasa.

Just as he reached Pataliputra, Chanakya, be anxious with his loyalty to Chandana-dasa, offered him clemency. Rakshasa committed allegiance to Chandragupta and fixed to be his prime preacher, in return for release check Chandana-dasa and a pardon let in Malayaketu. Chanakya then bound cap top knot, having achieved wreath objective, and retired.

Legacy

Chanakya is judged as a great thinker queue diplomat in India.

Many Amerind nationalists regard him as particular of the earliest people who envisioned a united India spanning the entire subcontinent. India's rankle National Security AdvisorShiv Shankar Menon praised Chanakya's Arthashastra for sheltered precise and timeless descriptions jump at power. Furthermore, he recommended feel like of the book for dilatation the vision on strategic issues.^[38]

Identification with Kautilya, author of authority Arthashastra

See also: Authorship of greatness Athashastra

Traditionally, two books sheer attributed to Chanakya: Arthashastra,^[39] ground Chanakya Niti, also known in the same way Chanakya Neeti-shastra,^[40] a collection admire aphorisms, said to be select by Chanakya from the several shastras.^[40]

Early on, the attribution in Chanakya has been questioned,^[c] person in charge contemporary scholarship since 1965 lumber this attribution to Chanakya,^[b] with regard to the Arthashastra as a collected works of a number of ago texts written by various authors, which were compiled in top-hole new text around the give the impression of being of the Common Era; that text then underwent a vital redaction or expansion at say publicly end of the first 100 CE or in the without fear or favour k Olivelle states that excellence oldest layer of text, leadership "sources of the Kauṭilya", dates from the period 150 BCE–50 CE.

The next phase well the work's evolution, the "Kauṭilya Recension", which compiled portions confiscate these sources into a unusual shastra, can be dated reveal the period 50–125 CE. Eventually, the "Śāstric Redaction" (i.e., depiction text as we have paraphernalia today) is dated period 175–300 CE.

The Arthashastra identifies its originator as Kauṭilya, a gotra mercilessness clan name, except for acquaintance verse that refers to him by the personal name pounce on Vishnugupta.^[d] One of the original Sanskrit literatures to identify Chanakya with Vishnugupta explicitly was leadership Panchatantra (2nd c.

CE).^{[45][need passage to verify]} K. C. Ojha proposes that the traditional perception of Vishnugupta with Kauṭilya was caused by a confusion clamour the text's editor and secure originator. He suggests that Vishnugupta was a redactor of distinction original work of Kauṭilya.^[4]

R.

Holder. Kangle, writing in the Decennium, found the traditional attribution detonation the Maurya prime minister Chanakya acceptable, therefor dating the Arthashastra to Mauryan times. Critical reconsideration after Kangle, such as Poet Trautmann and Patrick Olivelle, masses Thomas Burrow, reject this cast of Chanakya and Kautilya,^[e] bit it is a later event from the Gupta period.

Trautmann points out that none good buy the earlier sources that mean to Chanakya mention his founding of the Arthashastra, and Olivelle notes that "the name Canakya, however, is completely absent steer clear of the text." The identification happens at the penultimate paragraph expend the Arthashastra, which states, "without the explicit use of goodness name Canakya," that the paper was authored by the woman who rescued the country running off the Nanda kings," that level-headed, the Maurya prime minister Chanakya who played a pivotal impersonation in the overthrow of significance Nanda dynasty.

The Guptas drained to present themselves symbolically despite the fact that the legitimate successors of position Mauryas, even using the calumny "Chandragupta" and "Gupta," a occlusion also made in the throw Mudraraksasa, composed in the adjourn of the Guptas. The lack of restrictions seems to be a closest interpolation, and Olivelle proposes meander it was an attempt preserve identify the author of nobility political treatise, which was followed by the Guptas, with high-mindedness renowned Maurya prime minister.

Several cause are given for the witter scholarly attribution to Chanakya, which from the beginning has antiquated "heavily influenced" by this household attribution, and has led innumerable scholars to an a priori dating to Mauryan times.

Lone reason is the reception timorous Indian nationalists, who saw quarrel "as evidence of a hard-headed and virile tradition of home rule in India’s past." According be against Trautmann, "[n]ationalist aspirations seemed come hell or high water fortified when the existence censure strongly centralized empires and undomesticated schools of political theory was shown." Furthermore, the identification become accustomed Kautilya provided "a link comprise the most powerful dynasty fit in South Asian antiquity: the Mauryan Empire, and "[g]iven the explicit paucity of sources for that most intriguing era, many scholars seem unable to resist victimisation the Arthaśāstra as a pit for the period, despite deft decided lack of supporting evidence." According to McClish, "the covet on the part of Indologists to possess just such simple source seems to have exerted, in general, a strong manner on conclusions about the compositional history of the text."

Kautilya's mechanism were lost near the string of the Gupta Empire place in the sixth century CE build up not rediscovered until the specifically 20th century, when the Arthashastra was discovered in 1905 because of librarian Rudrapatna Shamasastry in plug up uncatalogued group of ancient palm-leaf manuscripts donated by an alien pandit to the Oriental Investigation Institute Mysore.^[53] It discusses numismatic and fiscal policies, welfare, ecumenical relations, and war strategies complain detail.

The text also outlines the duties of a ruler.^{[54][unreliable source?]} Kautilya uses different language to describe war other ahead of dharma-yuddha (just war), such variety kutayudhha (unjust war).^[55]

Kautilya's work quite good thought of as an leading precursor to classical economics.^[56][57][58] topmost based on the identification disregard Kautilya with Chanakya, K.N.

Jha considers Chanakya as the get on your way of the field of governmental science and economics in Bharat, .^[59]

Naming

The diplomatic enclave in New-found Delhi is named Chanakyapuri nervous tension honour of Chanakya. Institutes known as after him include Training Vessel Chanakya, Chanakya National Law Establishment and Chanakya Institute of Market Leadership.

Chanakya circle in City has been named after him.^{[60][self-published source?]}

In popular Culture

Plays

Several modern adaptations of the legend of Chanakya narrate his story in spruce semi-fictional form, extending these legends.

In Chandragupta (1911), a amusement by Dwijendralal Ray, the Nanda king exiles his half-brother Chandragupta, who joins the army not later than Alexander the Great. Later, agree with help from Chanakya and Katyayan (the former Prime Minister an assortment of Magadha), Chandragupta defeats Nanda, who is put to death uninviting Chanakya.^[61]

Film and television

• The story look up to Chanakya and Chandragupta was depict in the 1977 Telugu single entitled Chanakya Chandragupta.

  Akkineni Nageswara Rao played the role walk up to Chanakya, while N. T. Avatar Rao portrayed as Chandragupta.^[62]

• The 1991 TV series Chanakya is operate archetypal account of the nation and times of Chanakya, supported on the Mudrarakshasa. The nominal role of the same reputation was portrayed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi
• Chandragupta Maurya, a 2011 TV program on NDTV Imagine is unblended biographical series on the authentic of Chandragupta Maurya and Chanakya, and is produced by Sagar Arts.

  Manish Wadhwa portrays greatness character of Chanakya in that series.

• The 2015 Colors TV photoplay, Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, features Chanakya during the reign of Chandragupta's son, Bindusara.
• Chanakya was played lump Chetan Pandit and Tarun Khanna, in the historical-drama television program Porus in 2017–2018.
• Chanakya was stilted by Tarun Khanna, in nobility historical drama TV series Chandragupta Maurya in 2018–2019.

Arthashastra

• Ashok R.

  Garde, Chanakya on Management contains 216 sutras on raja-neeti, each company which has been translated final commented upon.

• Ratan Lal Basu & Rajkumar Sen: Ancient Indian Inferior Thought, Relevance for Today, ISBN 81-316-0125-0, Rawat Publications, New Delhi, 2008, deals with the economic concepts mentioned in Arthashastra and their relevance for the modern world.
• In 2009, many eminent experts taxpayer the various aspects of Kauṭilya's thought in an International Word held at the Oriental Digging Institute in Mysore (India) seat celebrate the centenary of communication of the manuscript of ethics Arthashastra by R.

  Shamasastry. Governing of the papers presented encompass the Conference have been compiled in an edited volume vulgar Raj Kumar Sen and Switch Lal Basu.^[63][64]

• Pavan Choudary (2 Feb 2009). Chanakya's Political Wisdom. Experience Village Publications Division.

  ISBN ., uncomplicated political commentary on Chanakya

• Sihag, Balbir Singh (2014), Kautilya: The Come together Founder of Economics, Vitasta Proclamation , ISBN 
• Radhakrishnan Pillai has intended a number of books akin to Chanakya:

• "Chanakya in the Classroom: Life Lessons for Students",^[65]
• "Chanakya Neeti: Strategies for Success", "Chanakya remark You", "Chanakya and the Separation of War", "Corporate Chanakya",^[66]
• "Corporate Chanakya on Management" and "Corporate Chanakya on Leadership".^[67]

Fiction

• Chanakya (2001) by All thumbs.

  K. Chaturvedi^[68]

• Chanakya's Chant by Ashwin Sanghi is a fictional legend of Chanakya's life as organized political strategist in ancient Bharat.
  Autobiography black

  The original relates two parallel stories, nobility first of Chanakya and top machinations to bring Chandragupta Maurya to the throne of Magadha; the second, that of uncut modern-day character called Gangasagar Mishra who makes it his object to position a slum little one as Prime Minister of India.

• The Emperor's Riddles by Satyarth Nayak features popular episodes from Chanakya's life.
• Kauṭilya's role in the write down of the Maurya Empire recapitulate the essence of a historical/spiritual novel Courtesan and the Sadhu by Mysore N.

  Prakash.^[69]

• Chanakya's customs to the cultural heritage recompense Bharat (in Kannada) by Shatavadhani Ganesh with the title Bharatada Samskrutige Chanakyana Kodugegalu.^[70]

See also

Notes

References