200 Inspirational Chanakya Quotes On Leadership (2023)

1. “As long as your body is healthy and under control and death is distant, try to save your soul; when death is immanent what can you do?” ~ Chanakya

2. “The wealth earned by unjust means will perish for sure.” ~ Chanakya

3. ‘A person should not be too honest. Straight tress are cut first and honest people are screwed first’

4. “God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your God. The soul is your temple.” ~ Chanakya

5. “We have to make people soft who are hard, to attract those who are far, if they do bad for us then even considering our aim we should always love them.” ~ Chanakya

6. “Skills are called hidden treasure as they save like a mother in a foreign country.” ~ Chanakya

7. “leadership is to succeed “in spite of”, not “because of”.”

8. “Knowledge is like holy kamdhenu and is like a tree that bears fruit in every season. In unknown territories, it provides protection and brings you rewards.”~ Chanakya

9. “It is often questioned whether one person alone can transform the whole system. In reality, only one person can transform and create change. Of course, team effort makes the change possible. Yet, the whole process of change begins with that one person who created the change — the transformational leader.”

10. “There is poison in the fang of the serpent, in the mouth of the fly and in the sting of a scorpion; but the wicked man is saturated with it.” ~ Chanakya

11. “Learn from the mistakes of others….. you can’t live long enough to make them all yourselves” ~ Chanakya

12. “The biggest guru-mantra is: never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you.” – Chanakya

13. 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. - Chanakya

14. The wise man should restrain his senses like the crane and accomplish his purpose with due knowledge of his place, time and ability. - Chanakya

15. “He who befriends a man whose conduct is vicious whose vision impure, and who is notoriously crooked, is rapidly ruined.” ~ Chanakya

16. “Everyone may not be equal in power, status or wealth. But the day you realize that everyone is equal in the eyes of God… …The leader in you is born.” – Chanakya

17. “Leadership is not just by rank or designation; it is by attitude and competence.”

18. “Money comes and goes, so is the youth. Life goes and goes the soul, nothing lasts forever. The only thing that stays firm is your faith.” ~ Chanakya

19. “The enemy’s enemy is a friend.” ~ Chanakya

20. “He who lives in our mind is near though he may actually be far away; but he who is not in our heart is far though he may really be nearby.” ~ Chanakya

21. “Do not be very upright in your dealings for you would see by going to the forest that straight trees are cut down while crooked ones are left standing.” ~ Chanakya

22. Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth. - Chanakya

23. “It is better to die than preserve life by incurring disgrace. The loss of life only pains a moment, but disgrace every day of one’s life.” ~ Chanakya

24. ‘Do not display anger towards your opponent in public’

25. “One should commence a work after fully understanding the place and the consequences.” – Chanakya

26. “The weak should seek refuge in the strong.” – Chanakya

27. “There are two ways to deal with thorns and wicked people. One is to crush them, and the other is to stay away from them.” ~ Chanakya

28. “Do not display anger towards your opponent in public” – Chanakya

29. “Do not show anger towards your opponent in public.” – Chanakya

30. “Leadership is to succeed “in spite of”, not “because of”.” – Chanakya

31. “A manager can also achieve this if work is not considered a “task” to be completed, but an opportunity to learn.”

32. “It is better to die than to preserve this life by incurring disgrace. The loss of life causes but a moment’s grief, but disgrace brings grief every day of one’s life.” ~ Chanakya

33. “Whoever imposes severe punishment becomes repulsive to the people; while he who awards mild punishment becomes contemptible. But whoever imposes punishment as deserved becomes respectable. For punishment when awarded with due consideration, makes the people devoted to righteousness and works productive of wealth and enjoyment; while punishment, when ill-awarded under the influence of greed and anger or owing to ignorance, excites fury even among hermits and ascetics dwelling in forests, not to speak of householders.”

34. “If people are prosperous even a leaderless state can be governed.’ – Chanakya

35. “There is no disease so destructive as lust.” ~ Chanakya

36. “Never settle for anything less than what you deserve. It’s not pride, it’s self respect.” ~ Chanakya

37. “The biggest guru-mantra is: never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you.” ~ Chanakya

38. “Till the enemy’s weakness is known , he should be kept on friendly terms.” ~ Chanakya

39. “It is better to have only one son endowed with good qualities than a hundred devoid of them. For the moon though one, dispels the darkness, which the stars, though numerous, do not.” ~ Chanakya

40. “A man is born alone and dies alone; and he experiences the good and bad consequences of his karma alone; and he goes alone to hell or the Supreme abode.” ~ Chanakya

41. “The one excellent thing that can be learned from a lion is that whatever a man intends doing should be done by him with a whole-hearted and strenuous effort.” – Chanakya

42. “The biggest guru-mantra is to NEVER share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you” is a warning against the dangers of divulging personal secrets to others.

43. “Time perfects men as well as destroys them.” – Chanakya

44. “A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first” ~ Chanakya

45. ‘There are three gems upon this earth: Food, Water and Pleasing words – Fools consider pieces of rocks as gems’

46. “Give your wealth only to the worthy and never to others. The water of the sea received by the clouds is always sweet.” ~ Chankya Niti Quotes

47. “A work which may result in misfortune should not be started.” – Chanakya

48. “A man who has mercy and compassion for all creatures is religious for sure. He does not require any religious symbol or sign to prove his religiousness.” ~ Chanakya

49. “Whoever helps you at the time of illness, misfortune, famines, and invasion is your true brother in the real sense.” ~ Chanakya

50. “Wealth, a friend, a wife, and a kingdom may be regained, but this body when lost may never be acquired again.” ~ Chanakya

51. “A guru who shows his disciple the path of righteousness leaves a huge debt. It cannot be paid back as none of the physical objects is so precious.” ~ Chanakya

52. “Knowledge is lost without putting it into practice; a man is lost due to ignorance; an army is lost without a commander; and a woman is lost without a husband.” ~ Chanakya quotes on ignorance

53. We should not fret for what is past, nor should we be anxious about the future; men of discernment deal only with the present moment. - Chanakya

54. “Once you start working on something don’t be afraid of failure and don’t abandon it . People who work sincerely are the happiest.” ~ Chanakya

55. “Do not reveal what you have thought upon doing, but by wise council keep it secret being determined to carry it into execution.”

56. “There are only two ways of dealing with the evil persons or thorns. Crush them under your boot or stay far away from them.” ~ Chanakya

57. “We should not fret for what is past, nor should we be anxious about the future; men of discernment deal only with the present moment.” ~ Chanakya

58. ”You can win over a greedy by offering money, a proud person by covering before him. You can win a foolish by agreeing with him and you can win a scholar by truth only.” ~ Chanakya

59. “It is the mind of man alone that is the cause of his bondage or freedom.” ~ Chanakya

60. The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind but the goodness of a person spreads in all directions. - Chanakya

61. Do not reveal what you have thought upon doing, but by wise council keep it secret being determined to carry it into execution. - Chanakya

62. “Humbleness is at the root of self-control.” – Chanakya

63. “Too much beauty got Sita kidnapped, too much ego got Ravana killed and too much charity got Raja Bali in deep trouble. So too much of anything is bad. One should refrain from ‘too much’.” ~ Chanakya

64. “would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light. HELEN KELLER”

65. “Even if a gem be placed on the foot and a mirror on the head, Still, the gem will not lose its value.” ~ Chanakya

66. “Wealth that takes longer to create stays for a longer period.”

67. ‘Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions – Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead’

68. “We should always speak what would please the man of whom we expect a favour, like the hunter who sings sweetly when he desires to shoot a deer.” ~ Chanakya

69. “It is imprudent to advise a fool, care for a woman with bad character and to be in the company of a lethargic and unhappy person.”~ Chanakya

70. “Everyone may not be equal in power, status or wealth. But the day you realize that everyone is equal in the eyes of God… …The leader in you is born.”

71. ‘There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth’

72. “The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind but the goodness of a person spreads in all directions.” – Chanakya

73. “The earth is supported by the power of truth, it is the power of truth that makes the sun shine and the winds blow, indeed all things rest upon truth.” ~ Chanakya

74. “Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourselves.” – Chanakya

75. A man is great by deeds, not by birth. - Chanakya

76. “all these leaders have something in common, some factors that earned them respect and appreciation, which we also call attributes of leadership.”

77. “A man shouldn’t live in a place where people are not afraid of the law, are shameless, and there is no clever man, where people lack in kindness, and where exists no creativity or art.”~ Chanakya

78. People who work sincerely are the happiest.”

79. “Drop the idea that attachment and love are one thing. They are enemies. It is attachment that destroys all love.” ~ Chanakya

80. “He who is prepared for the future and he who deals cleverly with any situation that may arise are both happy, but the fatalistic man who wholly depends on luck is ruined.” ~ Chanakya

81. “Power is the cause of alliances.” – Chanakya

82. “A learned man is honored by the people. A learned man commands respect everywhere for his learning. Indeed, learning is honored everywhere.” ~ Chanakya

83. All the creatures are pleased by loving words; and therefore we should address words that are pleasing to all, for there is no lack of sweet words. - Chanakya

84. Wealth, a friend, a wife, and a kingdom may be regained, but this body when lost may never be acquired again. - Chanakya

85. “All these leaders have something in common, some factors that earned them respect and appreciation, which we also call attributes of leadership.” – Chanakya

86. You can win a foolish by agreeing with him and you can win a scholar by truth only.”

87. “We should always speak what would please the man of whom we expect a favor, like the hunter who sings sweetly when he desires to shoot a deer.” – Chanakya

88. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth.”

89. Accumulated wealth is saved by spending just as incoming fresh water is saved by letting out stagnant water. - Chanakya

90. “Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous.” ~ Chanakya

91. The earth is supported by the power of truth, it is the power of truth that makes the sun shine and the winds blow, indeed all things rest upon truth. - Chanakya

92. ‘Win over an egoist by showing him respect, a wise person by truth, and a crazy person by letting him behave in an insane manner’

93. “Never reveal what you have thought upon doing, but by wise council keep it secret being determined to carry it into execution.” ~ Chanakya

94. “The world’s biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman.” ~ Chanakya

95. The happiness and peace attained by those satisfied by the nectar of spiritual tranquility is not attained by greedy persons restlessly moving here and there. - Chanakya

96. “The life of an uneducated man is as useless as the tail of a dog which neither covers its rear end nor protects it from the bites of insects.” ~ Chanakya

97. For a businessman, no country can be too far. For a wise man, there is no such thing as a foreign land. He is at home wherever he goes.”

98. ‘Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous’

99. The world’s biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman. - Chanakya

100. “Just like a tree laden with scented flowers spreads fragrance in the whole forest. Similarly, a worthy son brings glory to the whole family, community, and the country.”~ Chanakya

101. Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous. - Chanakya

102. “One whose knowledge is confined to books and whose wealth is in the possession of others can use neither knowledge nor wealth when the need for them arises.” ~ Chanakya

103. “As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it.” ~ Chanakya

104. Generosity, pleasing address, courage and propriety of conduct are not acquired, but are inbred qualities. - Chanakya

105. Such friendships will never give you any happiness.”

106. A learned man is honored by the people. A learned man commands respect everywhere for his learning. Indeed, learning is honored everywhere. - Chanakya

107. “One who can’t determine his goals; cannot win.” – Chanakya

108. A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first. - Chanakya

109. “As a single withered tree, if set aflame, causes a whole forest to burn, so does a rascal son destroy a whole family.” ~ Chanakya

110. He who is overly attached to his family members experiences fear and sorrow, for the root of all grief is attachment. Thus one should discard attachment to be happy. - Chanakya

111. Thus one should discard attachment to be happy.”

112. ‘Once you start working on something, don’t be afraid of failure and don’t abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest’

113. “In the happiness of his subjects lies the King’s happiness, in their welfare his welfare. He shall not consider as good only that which pleases him but treat as beneficial to him whatever pleases his subjects.”

114. “A peson should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first.” – Chanakya

115. “The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the directions of the wind. But, the goodness of a person spreads in all direction” ~ Chanakya

116. “A person who is aware of future troubles, and fight against them with his intelligence will be always happy. And a person you remains inactive (with out working ) waiting for good days to come will destroy his own life.” ~ Chanakya

117. Once you start working on something, don’t be afraid of failure and don’t abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest. - Chanakya

118. “God dwells not in the wooden, or stone or earthen idols. His abode is in our feeling, our thoughts. It is only through the feeling that we deem God existing in these idols” ~ Chanakya

119. “Don’t judge the future of a person based on his present conditions, because time has the power to change black coal to shiny diamond.” ~ Chanakya

120. “Before you start some work always ask yourselves three questions why I am doing it, what the results might be and will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.” ~ Chanakya

121. “Many a bad habit is developed through over indulgence, and many a good one by chastisement.” ~ Chanakya Neeti Quotes

122. “Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends.” ~ Chanakya

123. “The one excellent thing that can be learned from a lion is that whatever a man intends doing should be done by him with a whole-hearten and strenuous effort.” ~ Chanakya

124. “A person who cannot decide his goal, simply cannot win.”~ Chanakya

125. “When in the court, he shall never cause his petitioners to wait at the door, for when a king makes himself inaccessible to his people and entrusts his work to his immediate officers, he may be sure to engender confusion in business and to cause thereby public disaffection, and himself prey to his enemies.”

126. “Test a servant while in the discharge of his duty, a relative difficulty, a friend in adversity, and a wife is misfortune.” ~ Chanakya

127. “All urgent calls he shall hear at once, but never put off; for when postponed, they will prove too hard or impossible to accomplish.”

128. “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.” ~ Chanakya

129. “The king shall lose no time when the opportunity waited for arrives.”

130. “Before you start some work always ask yourselves three questions why I am doing it, what the results might be and will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.” – Chanakya

131. Time perfects men as well as destroys them. - Chanakya

132. “If you were to choose between an evil person and a snake to keep company with, opt for the snake. Because the snake will bite you only in self defense but the evil person will put a bite for any reason and any time or always.” ~ Chanakya

133. The king shall lose no time when the opportunity waited for arrives. - Chanakya

134. “Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status . Such friendships will never give you any happiness” ~ Chanakya

135. “One whose knowledge is confined to books and whose wealth is in the possession of others can use neither knowledge nor wealth when the need for them arises.” – Chanakya

136. “Purity of speech, of the mind, of the senses, and of a compassionate heart are needed by one who desires to rise to the divine platform.” – Chanakya

137. “A true son is obedient, a true father is loving, and a true friend is honest” ~ Chanakya

138. “Till the time you don’t decide to run, you are not in the competition.” – Chanakya

139. “Moral excellence is an ornament for personal beauty; righteous conduct, for high birth; success for learning; and proper spending for wealth.” ~ Chanakya

140. He who is prepared for the future and he who deals cleverly with any situation that may arise are both happy, but the fatalistic man who wholly depends on luck is ruined. - Chanakya

141. As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it. - Chanakya

142. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first.”

143. “Purity of speech, of the mind, of the senses, and of a compassionate heart are needed by one who desires to rise to the divine platform.” ~ Chanakya

144. “Humbleness is at the root of self control.” ~ Chanakya

145. “A man is great by deeds, not by birth.” ~ Chanakya

146. “One who can’t determine his goals; cannot win.” ~ Chanakya

147. As long as your body is healthy and under control and death is distant, try to save your soul, when death is imminent what can you do? - Chanakya

148. It’s not pride, it’s self-respect

149. A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first. - Chanakya

150. It will destroy you.”

151. Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions: Why I am doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead. - Chanakya

152. “Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth.” ~ Chanakya

153. “Avoid him who talks sweetly before you but tries to ruin you behind your back, for he is like a pitcher full of poison with milk on top.” ~ Chanakya

154. “Sinfully acquired wealth may remain for ten years; in the eleventh year it disappears with even the original stock.” ~ Chanakya

155. One must always be careful in forming friendships and acquaintances, for one’s friends, are in a way, an extension of one’s inner inclinations and tendencies.

156. There are three gems upon this earth, food, water, and pleasing words — fools (mudhas) consider pieces of rocks as gems. - Chanakya

157. “A wise person grooms his child carefully because only an educated person with high morale is given true respect in society.”~ Chanakya

158. “He who is prepared for the future and he who deals cleverly with any situation that may arise are both happy, but the fatalistic man who wholly depends on luck is ruined.” – Chanakya

159. “Those base men who speak of the secret faults of others destroy themselves like serpents that stray onto ant hills.” ~ Chanakya

160. “For the moon, though one, dispels the darkness, which the stars, though numerous, can not.” ~ Chanakya

161. “Every individual whether the ruler or the ruled is governed by his or her own dharma. To the extent that society respected dharma, society protected itself; to the extent, society offended it, society undermined…” – Chanakya

162. One’s speech will reveal one’s nationality. One’s respect for others reflects the measure of grace and love in one’s heart. One’s body mirrors the kind of food one consumes.”

163. “Do not show anger towards your opponent in public.” – Chanakya

164. Your feelings are your God. The soul is your temple.

165. “There is no present and future of the lazy.” ~ Chanakya

166. “Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous. This trick will help you many ways at work.” – Chanakya

167. ‘Till the time you don’t decide to run, you are not in the competition’

168. “No one can defeat a powerful mind.” ~ Chanakya

169. Drop the idea that attachment and love are one thing. They are enemies. It is attachment that destroys all love. - Chanakya

170. His abode is in our feeling, our thoughts. It is only through the feeling that we deem God existing in these idols.”

171. One whose knowledge is confined to books and whose wealth is in the possession of others can use neither knowledge nor wealth when the need for them arises. - Chanakya

172. But, the goodness of a person spreads in all directions.”

173. “They practice Chanakya’s principles in reality, applying the theory of Sama, Dana, Danda and Bheda in providing protection to citizens.”

174. “Till the enemy’s weakness is known , he should be kept on friendly terms.” ~ Chanakya

175. “Avoid him who talks sweetly before you but tries to ruin you behind your back, for he is like a pitcher full of poison with milk on top.” – Chanakya

176. “The happiness and peace attained by those satisfied by the nectar of spiritual tranquility is not attained by greedy persons restlessly moving here and there.” ~ Chanakya

177. “Once a man’ ambition is kindled, nothing can stop him. For a businessman, no country can be too far. For a wise man, there is no such thing as a foreign land. He is at home wherever he goes.” ~ Chanakya

178. “Accumulated wealth is saved by spending just as incoming fresh water is saved by letting out stagnant water.” ~ Chanakya

179. Purity of speech, of the mind, of the senses, and of a compassionate heart are needed by one who desires to rise to the divine platform. - Chanakya

180. .”Whoever imposes severe punishment becomes repulsive to the people; while he who awards mild punishment becomes contemptible. But whoever imposes punishment as deserved becomes respectable.” – Chanakya

181. “There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth.” ~ Chanakya

182. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first.

183. “The biggest guru-mantra is to NEVER share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you.” – Chanakya

184. “He who is overly attached to his family members, experiences fear and sorrow, for the root of all grief is attachment. Thus one should discard attachment to be happy.” ~ Chanakya

185. “There are three gems upon this earth, food, water, and pleasing words — fools consider pieces of rocks as gems.” ~ Chanakya

186. Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person. - Chanakya

187. “Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person.” ~ Chanakya

188. “Do not inhabit a country where you are not respected, cannot earn your livelihood, have no friends, or cannot acquire knowledge.” ~ Chanakya

189. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.”

190. “Win over an egoist by showing him respect, a wise person by truth, and a crazy person by letting him behave in an insane manner” – Chanakya

191. Those base men who speak of the secret faults of others destroy themselves like serpents that stray onto anthills. - Chanakya

192. “Wealth, a friend, a wife, and a kingdom may be regained, but this body when lost may never be acquired again.” ~ Chanakya

193. “Just as a mirror reflects as a mans face his personality is reflected in his choice of friends. One must always be careful in forming friendships and acquaintances, for one’s friends, are in a way, an extension of one’s inner inclinations and tendencies.” ~ Chanakya

194. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a better truth.”

195. “Once you start working on something, don’t be afraid of failure and don’t abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.” – Chanakya

196. “Test a servant while in the discharge of his duty, a relative in difficulty, a friend in adversity, and a wife in misfortune.” – Chanakya

197. “The wise man should restrain his senses like the crane and accomplish his purpose with due knowledge of his place, time and ability” ~ Chanakya

198. “You can guess the origin of a person through his behavior, his native place via his tone, and his food intake by looking at the size of his belly.”~ Chanakya

199. ‘Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourselves’

200. “Do not reveal what you have thought upon doing, but by wise council keep it secret being determined to carry it into execution.”