Chanakya NitiFriendship and trust
Chanakya Niti on friends, trust and betrayal
The Niti is cautious about friendship. It advises you to look at who stays with you in difficulty, to keep an eye on the person who is sweet to your face, and not to give away all your secrets even to a good friend. Read as practical advice, not cynicism: trust is built over time and tested in trouble.
The verses
जानीयात् प्रेषणे भृत्यान् बान्धवान् व्यसनागमे । मित्रं चापत्तिकाले तु भार्यां च विभवक्षये
jānīyāt preṣaṇe bhṛtyān bāndhavān vyasanāgame | mitraṃ cāpattikāle tu bhāryāṃ ca vibhavakṣaye
In plain words: Servants are tested on errands, relatives in trouble, friends in adversity and a spouse when wealth is lost.
परोक्षे कार्य्यहन्तारं प्रत्यक्षे प्रियवादिनम्॥ वर्ज्जयेत्तादृशं मित्रं विषकुम्भम्पयोमुखम्
parokṣe kāryyahantāraṃ pratyakṣe priyavādinam|| varjjayettādṛśaṃ mitraṃ viṣakumbhampayomukham
In plain words: Keep away from the friend who spoils your work behind your back and speaks sweetly to your face: he is a pot of poison with milk on top.
न विश्वसेत्कुमित्रे च मित्रे चापि न विश्वसेत् । कदाचित्कुपितं मित्रं सर्वगुह्यं प्रकाशयेत्
na viśvasetkumitre ca mitre cāpi na viśvaset | kadācitkupitaṃ mitraṃ sarvaguhyaṃ prakāśayet
In plain words: Do not trust a bad friend, and do not trust even a good friend completely: if he becomes angry he may reveal all your secrets.
The Sanskrit is from a volunteer-made online edition and may contain slips; the gists are our own plain summaries, not a translation. Maxims reflect the society and the views of their time, and some verses about women, birth and class are not views we share; we show the text as it is and do not comment on those verses.