cāṇakya nīti - prathamo'dhyāyaḥ

Having bowed my head to Lord Vishnu, the sovereign of the three worlds, I shall narrate a collection of political wisdom extracted from various scriptures.

By studying this treatise, a virtuous man learns that which is proclaimed by the scriptures regarding dharma, discerning clearly between what should be done and what should not, and between good and evil.

I shall now explain this for the well-being of the people, so that by merely understanding these principles, one may attain a state of true discernment and wisdom.

Even a learned man suffers if he wastes his energy instructing a foolish disciple, supporting a wicked wife, or keeping company with miserable people.

A wicked wife, a deceitful friend, a disobedient servant, and living in a house infested with snakes—these are nothing but certain death, of this there is no doubt.

Save wealth for the sake of adversity, and protect your wife even at the cost of your wealth; but above all, always protect your own soul, even by sacrificing your wife and your wealth.

One should save wealth for a time of need; do not think that the wealthy are immune to misfortune, for fortune is fickle, and even accumulated riches can vanish in an instant.

Do not reside in a place where you receive no respect, have no means of livelihood, possess no friends, and have no opportunity to acquire knowledge.

Do not spend even a single day in a place where there is no wealthy person, no learned scholar, no ruler, no river, and no physician.

Do not reside in a place where these five are absent: the means of social survival, the fear of doing wrong, a sense of modesty, a spirit of kindness, and a habit of generosity.

One should test the loyalty of servants when they are sent on an errand, relatives during a time of misfortune, friends during times of adversity, and a wife when one’s wealth has been lost.

He who stands by your side during illness, misfortune, famine, conflict with enemies, at the royal court, and at the cremation ground is your true relative.

He who abandons what is certain to pursue what is uncertain loses both; for that which was certain is destroyed, and that which was uncertain is already lost.

A wise man should marry a girl from a noble family, even if she is not physically beautiful. He should not marry a girl from a low family, even if she is beautiful and virtuous, as marriage should ideally take place between equals.

One should never place complete trust in rivers, beings with weapons, those with claws or horns, women, or those connected to royalty.

One should extract nectar even from poison, retrieve gold even from filth, accept virtuous conduct even from an enemy, and learn a good lesson even from a child.

It is said that women possess twice the appetite of men, four times the sense of modesty, six times the capacity for courage, and eight times the intensity of desire.