Chanakya NitiPrudence and planning
Chanakya Niti on saving, safety and clear thinking
These are the most practical lines in the book: keep savings for an emergency, look after yourself first, and ask yourself again and again where you stand in time, place, friends, money and strength.
The verses
आपदर्थे धनं रक्षेद्दारान् रक्षेध्दनैरपि । आत्मानं सततं रक्षेद्दारैरपि धनैरपि
āpadarthe dhanaṃ rakṣeddārān rakṣedhdanairapi | ātmānaṃ satataṃ rakṣeddārairapi dhanairapi
In plain words: Save money for emergencies; protect your family even at the cost of money; but protect yourself above both, whatever it costs.
कः कालः कानि मित्राणि को देशः कौ व्ययागमौ । कश् चाहं का च मे शक्तिर् इति चिन्त्यं मुहुर्मुहुः
kaḥ kālaḥ kāni mitrāṇi ko deśaḥ kau vyayāgamau | kaś cāhaṃ kā ca me śaktir iti cintyaṃ muhurmuhuḥ
In plain words: Think again and again: What time is it? Who are my friends? What place is this? What are my income and expenses? Who am I, and what is my strength?
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.