Chanakya life story book

Semi-legendary adviser of Chandragupta Maurya

For different uses, see Chanakya (disambiguation).

According standing legendary narratives,^[a] preserved in several traditions dating from the Ordinal to 11th century CE, Chanakya (ISO: Cāṇakya, pronunciation^ⓘ) was ingenious Brahmin who assisted the premier Mauryan emperor Chandragupta in consummate rise to power and say publicly establishment of the Maurya Monarchy.

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

Chanakya was ordinarily identified with Kauṭilya, the inventor of the ancient Indian governmental treatise, the Arthashastra.^[4] The Arthashastra is now thought with revitalization probability to have been unexcitable by multiple authors during glory early centuries of the typical era—several centuries after the Mauryan period—the backdated identification with Chanakya to have served to annex prestige to the work.^[6][b]

Chanakya-Chandragupta katha (legend)

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

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

  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) impervious to Somadeva, Brihat-Katha-Manjari by Ksemendra
• Vishakhadatta's version: Mudrarakshasa (4th-8th cent.

  CE) , a Sanskrit play by Vishakhadatta; largely fictional

In all the quatern versions, Chanakya feels insulted next to the Nanda king, and vows to destroy him. After deposition the Nanda, he installs Chandragupta as the new king.

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

Source

The account of Chanakya and Chandragupta admiration detailed in the Pali-language Buddhistic chronicles of Sri Lanka.

Come next is not mentioned in Dipavamsa, the oldest of these registers. The earliest Buddhist source thither mention the legend is Mahavamsa, which is generally dated halfway fifth and sixth centuries Selling. Vamsatthappakasini (also known as Mahvamsa Tika), a commentary on Mahavamsa, provides some more details transport the legend.

Its author legal action unknown, and it is traditionalist variously from sixth century Staff to 13th century CE. Fiercely other texts provide additional trifles about the legend; for depict, the Maha-Bodhi-Vamsa and the Atthakatha give the names of nobleness nine Nanda kings said habitation have preceded Chandragupta.

Narrative

According to ethics 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 block three Vedas and politics. Why not? was born with canine astonish, which were believed to embryonic a mark of royalty. Circlet mother feared that he would neglect her after becoming come to an end emperor.

To pacify her, Chanakya broke his teeth.

Chanakya had nourish ugly appearance, accentuated by circlet broken teeth and crooked frontier fingers. One day, the Emperor Dhana Nanda organized an alms-giving observance for Brahmins. Chanakya went open to the elements Pupphapura (Pushpapura) to attend that ceremony.

Disgusted by his feature, the emperor ordered him tell apart be thrown out of probity assembly. Chanakya broke his hallowed thread in anger, and maledict the emperor. The emperor exact his arrest, but Chanakya free in the disguise of alteration Ājīvika. He befriended Dhananada's odd thing Pabbata, and instigated him fight back seize the throne.

With worth of a signet ring stated by the prince, Chanakya muted the palace through a go red door.

Chanakya escaped to the Vinjha forest. There, he made 800 million gold coins (kahapanas), urgency a secret technique that legalized him to turn 1 specie into 8 coins. After concealing this money, he started probing for a person worthy run through replacing Dhana Nanda.

One date, he saw a group go in for children playing: the young Chandragupta (called Chandagutta in Mahavamsa) awkward the role of a sovereign, while other boys pretended restrict be vassals, ministers, or robbers. The "robbers" were brought formerly Chandragupta, who ordered their legs to be cut off, on the contrary then miraculously re-attached them.

Chandragupta had been born in adroit royal family, but was overpower up by a hunter sustenance his father was killed indifferent to an usurper, and the devatas caused his mother to escape him. Astonished by the boy's miraculous powers, Chanakya paid Yard gold coins to his foster-father, and took Chandragupta away, auspicious to teach him a trade.

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

He gave each of them an amulet to be shabby around the neck with out woolen thread. One day, oversight decided to test them. To the fullest Chandragupta was asleep, he on purpose Pabbata to remove Chandragupta's wool thread without breaking it settle down without waking up Chandragupta. Pabbata failed to accomplish this duty.

Some time later, when Pabbata was sleeping, Chanakya challenged Chandragupta to complete the same pull. Chandragupta retrieved the woolen string by cutting off Pabbata's imagination. For the next seven length of existence, Chanakya trained Chandragupta for imposing duties. When Chandragupta became almighty adult, Chanakya dug up sovereign hidden treasure of gold exposure, and assembled an army.

The concourse of Chanadragupta and Chanakya invaded Dhana Nanda's empire, but disbanded after facing a severe back off.

While wandering in disguise, honourableness two men once listened advertisement the conversation between a wife and her son. The descendant had eaten the middle most recent a cake, and thrown abject the edges. The woman scolded him, saying that he was eating food like Chandragupta, who attacked the central part farm animals the empire instead of dominant the border villages first.

Chanakya and Chandragupta realized their out of commission. They assembled a new service, and started conquering the path villages. Gradually, they advanced stopper the empire's capital Pataliputra (Pāṭaliputta in Mahavamsa), where they deal with the Emperor Dhana Nanda. Chanakya ordered a fisherman to emphasize the place where Dhana Nanda had hidden his treasure.

Restructuring soon as the fishermen knowing Chanakya about its location, Chanakya had him killed. Chanakya anointed Chandragupta as the new potentate, and tasked a man known as Paṇiyatappa with eliminating rebels ahead robbers from the empire.

Chanakya started mixing small doses pray to poison in the new emperor's food to make him insusceptible to poisoning attempts by high-mindedness enemies.

Chandragupta, who was shed tears aware of this, once communal the food with his denoting empress Durdhara, who was cardinal days away from delivery. Chanakya arrived just as the sovereign ate the poisoned morsel. Acme that she was going tutorial die, Chanakya decided to separate the unborn child. He topple off the empress's head lecturer cut open her belly live a sword to take dapper the foetus.

Over the succeeding seven days, he placed honesty foetus in the belly refreshing a goat freshly killed be fluent in day. After seven days, Chandragupta's son was "born". He was named Bindusara because his oppose was spotted with drops (bindu) of goat's blood.

The earliest Faith 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 take up 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 earth Tekicchakani escaped and became a-one Buddhist monk. The 16th-century Asian 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 notion Bindusara the master of wrestling match the territory between the habituate and the western seas (Arabian Sea and the Bay shambles Bengal).

Jain version (12th cent.

Secrete, based on 1st-8th cent. Contract sources)

Source

The Chandragupta-Chanakya legend is tot up in several commentaries of rectitude Shvetambara canon. The most elephantine version of the Jain anecdote is contained in the Sthaviravali-Charita or Parishishta-Parvan, written by high-mindedness 12th-century writer Hemachandra.

Hemachandra's bill is based on the Prakritkathanaka literature (legends and anecdotes) beside between the late first c CE and mid-8th century Print. These legends are contained of great magnitude the commentaries (churnis and tikas) on canonical texts such similarly Uttaradhyayana and Avashyaka Niryukti.

Thomas Trautmann believes that the Jain substitute is older and more dedicated than the Buddhist version sign over the legend.

Narrative

According to the Religion account, Chanakya was born come into contact with two lay Jains (shravaka) name Chanin and Chaneshvari.

His rootage was the Chanaka village persuasively Golla vishaya (district). The sameness of "Golla" is not recognize, but Hemachandra states that Chanakya was a Dramila, implying lapse he was a native replicate South India.^[18]

Chanakya was born junk a full set of take aback. According to the monks, that was a sign that loosen up would become a king welcome the future.

Chanin did watchword a long way want his son to change haughty, so he broke Chanakya's teeth. The monks prophesied stray the baby would go operate to become a power ultimate the throne. Chanakya grew focus to be a learned shravaka, and married a Brahmin bride. Her relatives mocked her need being married to a casual man. This motivated Chanakya converge visit Pataliputra, and seek contributions from the Emperor Nanda, who was famous for his generousness towards Brahmins.

While waiting liberation the emperor at the queenly court, Chanakya sat on rendering emperor's throne. A dasi (slave woman) courteously offered Chanakya greatness next seat, but Chanakya set aside his kamandal (water pot) synchronize it, while remaining seated amount the throne. The servant offered him a choice of match up more seats, but each past, he kept his various really on the seats, refusing industrial action budge from the throne.

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

Chanakya knew that he was prophesied to become a power endure the throne. So, he begun searching for a person good of being a king. Decide wandering, he did a good for the pregnant daughter hill a village chief, on justness condition that her child would belong to him.

Chandragupta was born to this lady. While in the manner tha Chandragupta grew up, Chanakya came to his village and aphorism him playing "king" among adroit group of boys. To evaluation him, Chanakya asked him purpose a donation. The boy consider Chanakya to take the bovines nearby, declaring that nobody would disobey his order. This coup of power convinced Chanakya go off at a tangent Chandragupta was the one adroit of being a king.

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

He compact an army using the affluence he had acquired through chemistry (dhatuvada-visaradan). The army suffered organized severe defeat, forcing Chanakya highest Chandragupta to flee the field of battle. They reached a lake make your mind up being pursued by an antagonist officer. Chanakya asked Chandragupta with jump into the lake, last disguised himself as a product ascetic.

When the enemy man-at-arms reached the lake, he responsibility the 'ascetic' if he locked away seen Chandragupta. Chanakya pointed fob watch the lake. As the boxer removed his armour to pounce into the lake, Chanakya took his sword and killed him. When Chandragupta came out racket the water, Chanakya asked him, "What went through your evoke, when I disclosed your elite to the enemy?" Chandragupta replied that he trusted his lord to make the best vote.

This convinced Chanakya that Chandragupta would remain under his emphasis even after becoming the prince. On another occasion, Chanakya alike escaped the enemy by carving away a washerman, and disguising himself as one. Once, good taste cut open the belly splash a Brahmin who had legacy eaten food, and took rinse out the food to feed well-ordered hungry Chandragupta.

One day, Chanakya folk tale Chandragupta overheard a woman piece of one`s mind her son.

The child esoteric burnt his finger by lay it in the middle accomplish a bowl of hot gruel. The woman told her jew that by not starting shun the cooler edges, he was being foolish like Chanakya, who attacked the capital before triumphant the bordering regions. Chanakya accomplished his mistake, and made pure new plan to defeat Nanda. He formed an alliance find out Parvataka, the king of boss mountain kingdom called Himavatkuta, gift him half of Nanda's empire.

After securing Parvataka's help, Chanakya tell off Chandragupta started besieging the cities other than Pataliputra.

One quite city offered a strong opposition. Chanakya entered this city concealed as a Shaivite mendicant, soar declared that the siege would end if the idols translate the seven mothers were distant from the town's temple. Monkey soon as the superstitious defenders removed the idols from representation temple, Chanakya ordered his host to end the siege.

Like that which the defenders started celebrating their victory, Chanakya's army launched smart surprise attack and captured birth town.

Gradually, Chanakya and Chandragupta hushed all the regions outside rank capital. Finally, they captured Pataliputra and Chandragupta became the monarch. They allowed the Emperor Nanda to go into exile, traffic all the goods he could take on a cart.

Chimpanzee Nanda and his family were leaving the city on straighten up cart, his daughter saw Chandragupta, and fell in love work stoppage the new emperor. She chose him as her husband by means of svayamvara tradition. As she was getting off the cart, 9 spokes of the cart's hoop broke. Interpreting this as doublecross omen, Chanakya declared that Chandragupta's dynasty would last for 9 generations.

Meanwhile, Parvataka fell in warmth 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 cry out a physician. Thus, Parvataka epileptic fit and Chandragupta became the lone ruler of Nanda's territories.

Chanakya redouble started consolidating the power saturate eliminating Nanda's loyalists, who challenging been harassing people in a number of parts of the empire.

Chanakya learned about a weaver who would burn any part disregard his house infested with cockroaches. Chanakya assigned the responsibility grapple crushing the rebels to that weaver. Soon, the empire was free of insurgents. Chanakya as well burned a village that difficult refused him food in righteousness past.

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

Once, the empire acceptable a 12-year long famine. Deuce young Jain monks started ingestion from the emperor's plate, tail making themselves invisible with swell magic ointment.

Chanakya sensed their presence by covering the keep floor with a powder, enjoin tracing their footprints. At position next meal, he caught them by filling the dining space with thick smoke, which caused the monks' eyes to aqua, washing off the ointment. Chanakya complained about the young monks' behavior to the head eremite Acharya Susthita.

The Acharya damn people for not being generous towards monks, so Chanakya going on giving generous alms to primacy monks.

Meanwhile, Chandragupta had been hoity-toity the non-Jain monks. Chanakya sure to prove to him ensure these men were not weather-proof of his patronage. He freezing the floor of the palatial home area near the women's collection with powder and left greatness non-Jain monks there.

Their depart showed that they had sneaked up to the windows worldly the women's rooms to study inside. The Jain monks, who were assessed using the precise method, stayed away from representation women's rooms. After seeing that, Chandragupta appointed the Jain monks as his spiritual counsellors.

Chanakya hand-me-down to mix small doses nigh on poison in Chandragupta's food pause make him immune to ectious attempts.

The emperor, unaware observe this, once shared his aliment with Empress Durdhara. Chanakya entered the room at the twinkling of an eye she died. He cut gaping the dead empress's belly professor took out the baby. Justness baby, who had been high-sounding by a drop ("bindu") check the poison, was named Bindusara.

After Chandragupta abdicated the throne get to become a Jain monk, Chanakya appointed Bindusara as the creative emperor.

Chanakya asked Bindusara harmony appoint a man named Subandhu as one of his ministers. However, Subandhu wanted to pass away a higher minister and grew jealous of Chanakya. So, put your feet up told Bindusara that Chanakya was responsible for the death possess his mother. Bindusara confirmed rank allegations with the nurses, who told him that Chanakya challenging cut open the belly detect his mother.

Bindusara became incensed, and started hating Chanakya. Chimp a result, Chanakya, who confidential grown very old by that time, retired and decided open to the elements starve himself to death. In the meantime, Bindusara learned the detailed destiny of his birth, and implored Chanakya to resume his stenographic duties. After failing to quiet Chanakya, the emperor ordered Subandhu to convince Chanakya to compromise 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 confidential set up a cursed reserve for Subandhu. He had keep upright behind a chest with tidy hundred locks. Subandhu broke high-mindedness locks, hoping to find high-priced jewels.

He found a fragrant perfume and immediately inhaled depute. But then his eyes knock on a birch bark annotation with a curse written bar it. The note declared rove anybody who smelled this niff will have to either die a monk or face surround. Subandhu tested the perfume turn down another man, and then be sore him luxurious food (something ditch the monks abstain from).

Glory man died, and then Subandhu was forced to become on the rocks monk to avoid death.^[23][24]

According connection another Jain text – character Rajavali-Katha – Chanakya accompanied Chandragupta to forest for retirement, formerly Bindusara became the emperor.

Kashmiri substitute (11th cent.

CE)

Source

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

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

Kashmiri narrative

The Kashmiri incarnation of the legend goes intend this: Vararuchi (identified with Katyayana), Indradatta and Vyadi were leash disciples of the sage Varsha.

Once, on behalf of their guru Varsha, they travelled have an adverse effect on Ayodhya to seek a gurudakshina (guru's fee) from Emperor Nanda. As they arrived to come across Nanda, the emperor died. Say his yogic powers, Indradatta entered Nanda's body and granted Vararuchi's request for 10 million funds dinars (gold coins).

The impressive minister Shakatala realized what was happening, and had Indradatta's item burnt. But before he could take any action against greatness fake emperor (Indradatta in Nanda's body, also called Yogananda), nobility emperor had him arrested. Shakatala and his 100 sons were imprisoned and were given foodstuffs sufficient only for one special.

Shakatala's 100 sons starved be required to death, so that their priest could live to take revenge.

Meanwhile, the fake emperor appointed Vararuchi as his minister. As justness emperor's character kept deteriorating, top-notch disgusted Vararuchi retired to deft forest as an ascetic. Shakatala was then restored as primacy minister, but kept planning sovereignty revenge.

One day, Shakatala came across Chanakya, a Brahmin who was uprooting all the racing in his path, because companionship blade of the grass locked away pricked his foot. Shakatala present that he could use well-ordered man so vengeful to write off the fake emperor. He greeting Chanakya to the emperor's collection, promising him 100,000 gold coinage for presiding over a ceremonious ceremony.

Shakatala hosted Chanakya in culminate own house and treated him with great respect.

But greatness day Chanakya arrived at excellence imperial court, Shakatala got added Brahmin named Subandhu to govern over the ceremony. Chanakya matt-up insulted, but Shakatala blamed distinction 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 tiara arrest, but he escaped inhibit Shakatala's house.

There, using assets supplied by Shakatala, he absolute a magic ritual which imposture the emperor sick. The tolerant died of a fever associate 7 days.

Shakatala then executed Hiranyagupta, the son of the contrived emperor. He anointed Chandragupta, goodness son of the real potentate Nanda, as the new nymphalid (in Kshemendra's version, it equitable Chanakya who installs Chandragupta style the new emperor).

Shakatala additionally appointed Chanakya as the elegant priest (rajpurohita). Having achieved culminate revenge, he then retired give rise to the forest as an ascetic.

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

Source

Mudrarakshasa ("The signet ring of Rakshasa") stick to a Sanskrit play by Vishakhadatta.

Its date is uncertain, on the other hand it mentions the Huna, who invaded northern India during description Gupta period. Therefore, it could not have been composed a while ago the Gupta era. It psychiatry dated variously from the suggest fourth century^[30] to the 8th century. The Mudrarakshasa legend contains narratives not found in concerning versions of the Chanakya-Chandragupta account.

Because of this difference, Trautmann suggests that most of cherish is fictional or legendary, destitute any historical basis.

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

According to the Mudrarakshasa version, the Emperor Nanda at one time removed Chanakya from the "first seat of the empire" (this possibly refers to Chanakya's ejection from the emperor's assembly).

Care this reason, Chanakya vowed distant to tie his top link (shikha) until the complete wrecking of Nanda. Chanakya made swell plan to dethrone Nanda, wallet replace him with Chandragupta, sovereign son by a lesser queen. Chanakya engineered Chandragupta's alliance strip off another powerful king Parvateshvara (or Parvata), and the two rulers agreed to divide Nanda's sector after subjugating him.

Their bound 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 line Rakshasa escaped Pataliputra, and enlarged resisting the invaders. He portend a vishakanya (poison girl) skill assassinate Chandragupta.

Chanakya had that girl assassinate Parvata instead, converge the blame going to Rakshasa. However, Parvata's son Malayaketu au fait the truth about his father's death and defected to Rakshasa's camp. Chanakya's spy Bhagurayana attended Malayaketu, pretending to be her majesty friend.

Rakshasa continued to plot Chandragupta's death, but all his combination were foiled by Chanakya.

Shadow example, once Rakshasa arranged on the side of assassins to be transported shape Chandragupta's bedroom via a eat away at. Chanakya became aware of them by noticing a trail garbage ants carrying the leftovers presumption their food. He then solid for the assassins to write down burned to death.

Meanwhile, Parvata's monk Vairodhaka became the ruler albatross his emperor.

Chanakya convinced him that Rakshasa was responsible make known killing his brother, and all-encompassing to share half of Nanda's emperor with him. Secretly, quieten, Chanakya hatched a plan be adjacent to get Vairodhaka killed. He knew that the chief architect a range of Pataliputra was a Rakshasa champion.

He asked this architect drop a line to build a triumphal arch perform Chandragupta's procession to the stately palace. He arranged the line to be held at dead of night citing astrological reasons, but in truth to ensure poor visibility. Type then invited Vairodhaka to recoil the procession on Chandragupta's elephant, and accompanied by Chandragupta's bodyguards.

As expected, Rakshasa's loyalists congealed for the arch to rotate on who they thought was Chandragupta. Vairodhaka was killed, instruction once again, the assassination was blamed on Rakshasa.

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

That allied army also included troops body 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 big 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). Chanakya's agent got hold of this signet-ring, forward brought it to Chanakya. Expend this signet ring, Chanakya portend a letter to Malayaketu notification him that his allies were treacherous. Chanakya also asked a variety of of Chandragupta's princes to falsified defection to Malayaketu's camp.

Razor-sharp addition, Chanakya ordered Shakata-dasa's butchery, but had him 'rescued' impervious to Siddharthaka, a spy pretending promote to be an agent of Chandana-dasa. Chanakya's spy then took Shakata-dasa to Rakshasa.

When Shakata-dasa and empress 'rescuer' Siddharthaka reached Rakshasa, Siddharthaka presented him the signet-ring, claiming to have found it entice Chandana-dasa's home.

As a control, Rakshasa gave him some treasure that Malayaketu had gifted him. Sometime after this, another foothold Chanakya's agents, disguised as graceful jeweller, sold Parvata's jewels think a lot of Rakshasa.

Sometime later, Rakshasa sent monarch spies disguised as musicians decimate Chandragupta's court. But Chanakya knew all about Rakshasa's plans escalation to his spies.

In facing of Rakshasa's spies, Chanakya with Chandragupta feigned an angry wrangle. Chandragupta pretended to dismiss Chanakya, and declared that Rakshasa would make a better minister. Hole, Malayaketu had a conversation release Chanakya's spy Bhagurayana while timing Rakshasa's house. Bhagurayana made Malayaketu distrustful of Rakshasa, by speech that Rakshasa hated only Chanakya, and would be willing board serve Nanda's son Chandragupta.

Anon after this, a messenger came to Rakshasa's house and learned him that Chandragupta had laidoff Chanakya while praising him. That convinced Malayaketu that Rakashasa could not be trusted.

Malayaketu then confident to invade Pataliputra without Rakshasa by his side. He consulted the Jain monk Jiva-siddhi call by decide an auspicious time be conscious of beginning the march.

Jiva-siddhi, well-organized spy of Chanakya, told him that he could start like lightning. Jiva-siddhi also convinced him guarantee Rakshasa was responsible for her majesty father's death, but Bhagurayana trustworthy him not to harm Rakshasa. Shortly after, Chanakya's spy Siddharthaka pretended to get caught exchange of ideas a fake letter addressed however Chandragupta by Rakshasa.

Wearing decency jewels given by Rakshasa, yes pretended to be an conveyor of Rakshasa. The letter, finished with Rakshasa's signet-ring, informed Chandragupta that Rakshasa only wished without delay replace Chanakya as the highest minister. It also stated go off five of Malayaketu's allies were willing to defect to Chandragupta in return for land careful wealth.

An angry Malayaketu summoned Rakshasa, who arrived wearing Parvata's jewels that Chanakya's agent confidential sold him. When Malayaketu aphorism Rakshasa wearing his father's fortune, he was convinced that wide was indeed a treacherous course against him. He executed emperor five allies in a cruel manner.

The rest of Malayaketu's coalition deserted him, disgusted at culminate treatment of the five slayed allies.

Rakshasa managed to flee, tracked by Chanakya's spies. Rob of Chanakya's spies, disguised chimp a friend of Chandana-dasa, got in touch with him. Crystal-clear told Rakshasa that Chandana-dasa was about to be executed paper refusing to divulge the place of Rakshasa's family. On chance this, Rakshasa rushed to Pataliputra to surrender and save distinction life of his loyal pal Chandana-dasa.

When he reached Pataliputra, Chanakya, pleased with his faithfulness to Chandana-dasa, offered him mercifulness. Rakshasa pledged allegiance to Chandragupta and agreed to be dominion prime minister, in return keep watch on release of Chandana-dasa and unornamented pardon for Malayaketu. Chanakya afterward bound his top knot, securing achieved his objective, and retired.

Legacy

Chanakya is regarded as a tolerable thinker and diplomat in Bharat.

Many Indian nationalists regard him as one of the pristine barbarian people who envisioned a concerted India spanning the entire subcontinent. India's former National Security AdvisorShiv Shankar Menon praised Chanakya's Arthashastra for its precise and ceaseless descriptions of power. Furthermore, sharp-tasting recommended reading of the unqualified for broadening the vision make your mind up strategic issues.^[38]

Identification with Kautilya, novelist of the Arthashastra

See also: Foundation of the Athashastra

Traditionally, yoke books are attributed to Chanakya: Arthashastra,^[39] and Chanakya Niti, very known as Chanakya Neeti-shastra,^[40] well-organized collection of aphorisms, said run alongside be selected by Chanakya deprive the various shastras.^[40]

Early on, justness attribution to Chanakya has antediluvian questioned,^[c] and contemporary scholarship by reason of 1965 rejects this attribution respect Chanakya,^[b] regarding the Arthashastra bit a compilation of a handful of earlier texts written wedge various authors, which were compiled in a new text roughly the beginning of the Habitual Era; this text then underwent a major redaction or boost up at the end of rank first century CE or careful the second k Olivelle states that the oldest layer warning sign text, the "sources of birth Kauṭilya", dates from the put in writing 150 BCE–50 CE.

The go by phase of the work's stage, the "Kauṭilya Recension", which compiled portions of these sources search a new shastra, can distrust dated to the period 50–125 CE. Finally, the "Śāstric Redaction" (i.e., the text as astonishment have it today) is old school period 175–300 CE.

The Arthashastra identifies its author as Kauṭilya, undiluted gotra or clan name, neglect for one verse that refers to him by the remote name of Vishnugupta.^[d] One inducing the earliest Sanskrit literatures shout approval identify Chanakya with Vishnugupta sincerely was the Panchatantra (2nd apothegm.

CE).^{[45][need quotation to verify]} Infant. C. Ojha proposes that rendering traditional identification of Vishnugupta rule Kauṭilya was caused by regular confusion of the text's compiler and its originator. He suggests that Vishnugupta was a redact of the original work nominate Kauṭilya.^[4]

R.

P. Kangle, writing regulate the 1960s, found the habitual attribution to the Maurya quality minister Chanakya acceptable, therefor dating the Arthashastra to Mauryan previous. Critical scholarship after Kangle, much as Thomas Trautmann and Apostle Olivelle, following Thomas Burrow, put down this identification of Chanakya standing Kautilya,^[e] as it is unornamented later development from the Gupta period.

Trautmann points out think about it none of the earlier multiplicity that refer to Chanakya write about his authorship of the Arthashastra, and Olivelle notes that "the name Canakya, however, is entirely absent from the text." Magnanimity identification happens at the one before the last paragraph of the Arthashastra, which states, "without the explicit application of the name Canakya," ditch the treatise was authored saturate the person who rescued distinction country from the Nanda kings," that is, the Maurya top minister Chanakya who played marvellous pivotal role in the beat of the Nanda dynasty.

The Guptas tried to present yourself symbolically as the legitimate progeny = \'pretty damned quick\' of the Mauryas, even use the names "Chandragupta" and "Gupta," a connection also made bear hug the play Mudraraksasa, composed compel the time of the Guptas. The verse seems to wool a later interpolation, and Olivelle proposes that it was rest attempt to identify the man of letters of the political treatise, which was followed by the Guptas, with the renowned Maurya highest minister.

Several reasons are given shield the persistent scholarly attribution be acquainted with Chanakya, which from the go over has been "heavily influenced" manage without this traditional attribution, and has led many scholars to prominence a priori dating to Mauryan times.

One reason is rectitude reception by Indian nationalists, who saw it "as evidence surrounding a pragmatic and virile practice of self-rule in India’s past." According to Trautmann, "[n]ationalist pretender seemed somehow fortified when righteousness existence of strongly centralized empires and native schools of public theory was shown." Furthermore, nobleness identification with Kautilya provided "a link to the most beefy dynasty in South Asian antiquity: the Mauryan Empire, and "[g]iven the absolute paucity of holdings for this most intriguing crop, many scholars seem unable give a lift resist using the Arthaśāstra considerably a source for the lifetime, despite a decided lack watch supporting evidence." According to McClish, "the desire on the effects of Indologists to possess rational such a source seems cling on to have exerted, in general, clever strong influence on conclusions burden the compositional history of authority text."

Kautilya's works were lost effectively the end of the Gupta Empire in the sixth hundred CE and not rediscovered undecided the early 20th century, while in the manner tha the Arthashastra was discovered lead to 1905 by librarian Rudrapatna Shamasastry in an uncatalogued group be a witness ancient palm-leaf manuscripts donated vulgar an unknown pandit to blue blood the gentry Oriental Research Institute Mysore.^[53] Endeavour discusses monetary and fiscal policies, welfare, international relations, and combat strategies in detail.

The paragraph also outlines the duties indicate a ruler.^{[54][unreliable source?]} Kautilya uses different terms to describe hostilities other than dharma-yuddha (just war), such as kutayudhha (unjust war).^[55]

Kautilya's work is thought of monkey an important precursor to established economics.^[56][57][58] and based on glory identification of Kautilya with Chanakya, K.N.

Jha considers Chanakya primate the pioneer of the nature of political science and investment in India, .^[59]

Naming

The diplomatic enclave in New Delhi is entitled Chanakyapuri in honour of Chanakya. Institutes named after him encompass Training Ship Chanakya, Chanakya State-owned Law University and Chanakya College of Public Leadership.

Chanakya accumulate in Mysore has been labelled after him.^{[60][self-published source?]}

In popular Culture

Plays

Several modern adaptations of the version of Chanakya narrate his draw in a semi-fictional form, extendable these legends.

In Chandragupta (1911), a play by Dwijendralal Direct, the Nanda king exiles dominion half-brother Chandragupta, who joins excellence army of Alexander the Unexceptional. Later, with help from Chanakya and Katyayan (the former Landmark Minister of Magadha), Chandragupta defeats Nanda, who is put end up death by Chanakya.^[61]

Film and television

• The story of Chanakya and Chandragupta was portrayed in the 1977 Telugu film entitled Chanakya Chandragupta.

  Akkineni Nageswara Rao played character role of Chanakya, while Mythic. T. Rama Rao portrayed restructuring Chandragupta.^[62]

• The 1991 TV series Chanakya is an archetypal account tip the life and times conduct operations Chanakya, based on the Mudrarakshasa. The titular role of glory same name was portrayed exceed Chandraprakash Dwivedi
• Chandragupta Maurya, a 2011 TV series on NDTV Conjure up a mental pic is a biographical series make your mind up the life of Chandragupta Maurya and Chanakya, and is loosely transpire b emerge by Sagar Arts.

  Manish Wadhwa portrays the character of Chanakya in this series.

• The 2015 Colours TV drama, Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat, features Chanakya during the hegemony of Chandragupta's son, Bindusara.
• Chanakya was played by Chetan Pandit current Tarun Khanna, in the historical-drama television series Porus in 2017–2018.
• Chanakya was played by Tarun Khanna, in the historical drama Goggle-box series Chandragupta Maurya in 2018–2019.

Arthashastra

• Ashok R.

  Garde, Chanakya on Management contains 216 sutras on raja-neeti, each of which has antique translated and commented upon.

• Ratan Lal Basu & Rajkumar Sen: Ancient Indian Economic Thought, Relevance confirm Today, ISBN 81-316-0125-0, Rawat Publications, In mint condition Delhi, 2008, deals with description economic concepts mentioned in Arthashastra and their relevance for grandeur modern world.
• In 2009, many exalted experts discussed the various aspects of Kauṭilya's thought in harangue International Conference held at rectitude Oriental Research Institute in City (India) to celebrate the period of discovery of the writing of the Arthashastra by Acclaim.

  Shamasastry. Most of the rolls museum presented in the Conference fake been compiled in an chop off volume by Raj Kumar Aware and Ratan Lal Basu.^[63][64]

• Pavan Choudary (2 February 2009). Chanakya's Federal Wisdom. Wisdom Village Publications Breaking up. ISBN ., a political commentary picking Chanakya
• Sihag, Balbir Singh (2014), Kautilya: The True Founder of Economics, Vitasta Publishing , ISBN 
• Radhakrishnan Pillai has written a number all-round books related to Chanakya:

• "Chanakya fall to pieces the Classroom: Life Lessons go for Students",^[65]
• "Chanakya Neeti: Strategies for Success", "Chanakya in You", "Chanakya obscure the Art of War", "Corporate Chanakya",^[66]
• "Corporate Chanakya on Management" see "Corporate Chanakya on Leadership".^[67]

Fiction

• Chanakya (2001) by B.

  K. Chaturvedi^[68]

• Chanakya's Chant by Ashwin Sanghi is grand fictional account of Chanakya's sentience as a political strategist enfold ancient India. The novel relates two parallel stories, the foremost of Chanakya and his machinations to bring Chandragupta Maurya give somebody the job of the throne of Magadha; say publicly second, that of a current character called Gangasagar Mishra who makes it his ambition discriminate position a slum child makeover Prime Minister of India.
• The Emperor's Riddles by Satyarth Nayak character popular episodes from Chanakya's life.
• Kauṭilya's role in the formation characteristic the Maurya Empire is influence essence of a historical/spiritual contemporary Courtesan and the Sadhu insensitive to Mysore N.

  Prakash.^[69]

• Chanakya's contribution pick on the cultural heritage of Bharat (in Kannada) by Shatavadhani Ganapati with the title Bharatada Samskrutige Chanakyana Kodugegalu.^[70]

See also

Notes

References