There is a paṇḍita, learned man. His name is Cāṇakya. If you, some of you, had been in India, in New Delhi, where foreign ambassadors are settled, in New Delhi, capital of India, there is a quarter which is called Cāṇakya Purī. Cāṇakya Purī. This Cāṇakya Purī has been named due to the name of this gentleman, Cāṇakya. He was a great politician and prime minister during the reign of Emperor Candragupta. Long, long years before. He was a great politician. So his politics are studied in higher, M.A. class, and so he has got some, he has got a book which is called Cāṇakya Śloka and some principles of morality, some principles of morality. So we, in our childhood, we had to study that small book, Cāṇakya Śloka. So in that principles of morality even Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that sannimitte varaṁ tyāga vināśe niyate sati. Vināśe niyate sati: "Oh, this body, this body is destined to be destroyed. You cannot protect it. It is to be destroyed."
Candragupta
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 2
According to the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, the pious and learned brāhmaṇas were the natural guardians of society. The brāhmaṇas, by their learned labor of love, would instruct the administrator-kings how to rule the country in complete righteousness, and thus the process would go on as a perfect welfare state. The kings or the kṣatriya administrators would always consult the council of learned brāhmaṇas. They were never autocratic monarchs. The scriptures like Manu-saṁhitā and other authorized books of the great sages were guiding principles for ruling the subjects, and there was no need for less intelligent persons to manufacture a code of law in the name of democracy. The less intelligent mass of people have very little knowledge of their own welfare, as a child has very little knowledge of its future well-being. The experienced father guides the innocent child towards the path of progress, and the childlike mass of people need similar guidance. The standard welfare codes are already there in the Manu-saṁhitā and other Vedic literatures. The learned brāhmaṇas would advise the king in terms of those standard books of knowledge and with reference to the particular situation of time and place. Such brāhmaṇas were not paid servants of the king, and therefore they had the strength to dictate to the king on the principles of scriptures. This system continued even up to the time of Mahārāja Candragupta, and the brāhmaṇa Cāṇakya was his unpaid prime minister.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
This brāhmaṇa will enthrone Candragupta, whose son will be named Vārisāra. The son of Vārisāra will be Aśokavardhana.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Light of the Bhagavata
Only after such good training were the princes allowed to be enthroned. When such a prince became king, then too he was guided by the advice of good brāhmaṇas. Even in the Middle Ages, Mahārāja Candragupta was guided by the learned brāhmaṇa Cāṇakya Paṇḍita.
In a monarchy, one man sufficiently trained was competent enough to conduct alone the business of the state. But in a democracy no one is trained like a prince; instead, politicians are voted to responsible posts of administration by diplomatic arrangements. In place of one king or supreme executive officer, in a democracy there are so many quasi-kings: the president, the ministers, the deputy ministers, the secretaries, the assistant secretaries, the private secretaries, and the undersecretaries.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
"No, I am not poverty-stricken. My students get some rice for me, and my wife cooks it, and I get some..." There was a tamarind tree. "So I get some tamarind leaves. So it is very nice. I don't require any help." You see. This is India's... Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, he was the greatest scholar, politician. He was prime minister of Mahārāja Emperor Candragupta, under whose name the Cāṇakya Purī is going on. He was living in a cottage, not accepting any salary. And as soon as Mahārāja Candragupta wanted some explanation, (he) immediately resigned. This is the standard of persons who are born in India. Vyāsadeva—who can be greater scholar than Vyāsadeva? He has written... His last contribution is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and each word, if you study for hundreds of years, still, you have to understand. Each word. Such a scholar. He was living in a cottage.
The brāhmaṇas have no interest or they have no time. Even a brāhmaṇa is made king... It is not his business. He may do it for some time, temporarily. Just like Viśvāmitra also did. But it is not his business. The brāhmaṇa should give advice to the ministers or the legislators. They should be all qualified brāhmaṇas, not paid man. Paid man has nothing to do... Even during the time of Mahārāja Candragupta, emperor, he had a brāhmaṇa minister, prime minister, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. He was not taking a single farthing as salary. When once explanation was called for from Cāṇakya Paṇḍita by Candragupta, immediately he resigned. "You cannot call any explanation. Then I resign." And he was living in a cottage, not that palatial building. He was living in a cottage. That was the system. Brāhmaṇa lived very humbly. He was not poor. Not that they are poor men. They were so rich that when Viśvāmitra approached Mahārāja Daśaratha, immediately he vacated his seat and welcomed, "Sir, sit down here."
It doesn't matter whether one is son or one is something else or born in śūdra family or brāhmaṇa family or a sannyāsī. We are concerned with the science of Kṛṣṇa. That is required. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita also. He was a politician. You know Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Under his name there is, New Delhi, quarter: Cāṇakya Purī. He was a great politician, prime minister of Ma..., Samrat, Emperor Candragupta. He also advises. He has got a moral instruction, Cāṇakya-śloka. He says that viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam: "In the poison pot, if there is nectarine, you should accept it. Don't neglect it because it is on the poison pot. You are concerned with the nectarine. Take it." Viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam amedhyād api kāñcanam. In a filthy place... Suppose in your laboratory (lavatory?), in a very filthy place, there is gold. So it doesn't matter. You should take it, gold. It is not that the gold is in the filthy place, therefore you should not touch it. Other metal you cannot touch. That is the Vedic injunction. But gold you can take.
Such a great scholar was living in a cottage. You see. Not only that. He was, of course, brāhmaṇa, he was saintly... But he was family man. He had his wife, he had his children.
Similarly, you'll find the history of Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. He was a great politician, prime minister of Emperor Candragupta. Those who have read history of India, they know it. The Candragupta was during the time of Alexander the Selkar(?) in Greece. He also visited India to conquer. That history is there. So at that time Candragupta was the emperor of India, and he had his prime minister Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. And he was not charging a farthing. And he was vastly learned man. You see. His politics is studied in the M.A. class in India university. And those who are the students of politics, they might have known this gentleman's name, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. And in India, New Delhi, there is a quarter where foreign ambassadors are supplied place. So that quarter is known as Cāṇakyapuri. Cāṇakyapuri.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
Unless we try to know it, simply we waste our time in frivolous activities, that is not proper utilization of human form of life. We are simply requesting people that "You don't waste your valuable time." Our time is so valuable. It has been calculated by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita was a great politician, prime minister, in India, about three thousand years ago, when Candragupta was the emperor. It was about contemporary to Alexander the Great in the Greek history. So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita was there. He was a great diplomat. He has calculated the value of our life. He says... It is very practical. Anyone can calculate.
General Lectures
At the same time, there is warning that we should not waste even a single moment of our life. Please try to understand these Vedic instructions, how nice they are. There is a great politician of the name Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. He was prime minister of Emperor Candragupta, a contemporary to the reign of Alexander the Great, in Greece. So, he was Prime Minister of that Emperor Candragupta, and he has many moral instructions and social instructions. In one of his verses, he says that āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi na labhyaḥ svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ. Āyuṣaḥ, "of your duration of life." Suppose you are twenty years old. Today is 19th May, and there was 4 p.m. Now, this time, 4 p.m., 19th May, 1969, gone. You can never get it back even if you are prepared to pay millions of dollars. Just try to understand. Similarly, even a moment of your life is wasted for nothing, simply in the matter of sense gratification-eating, sleeping, mating and defending—then you do not know the value of your life.
That is the defect of modern education. Śūdra, śūdra means paricaryātmakam kāryaṁ śūdra karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). After education, every (indistinct) is hankering after a service. That is śūdra karma svabhāva-jam. This is not perfect education. There must be brāhmaṇas who are independent. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, whose name is still, still celebrated, he was prime minister of Mahārāja Candragupta, but he was not accepting a single paisa as salary. That was the, formerly, although there was monarchy, still there was a council of learned brāhmaṇas and sages. They used to advise the king. The brāhmaṇas did not take part in politics, but they gave advice, instruction to the kings, rājarṣi. Imaṁ rājarṣayoḥ viduḥ. The rājarṣi used to understand what is the values of life under the instruction of brāhmaṇas, and they execute the order of the brāhmaṇas. The people were happy. And because at the present moment such system is lost, people are confused and they are in frustration.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes, yes. So if anyone believes in the śāstras, they should take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is intelligence, to take advantage of authorized scriptures. You'll find in the Bhāgavata, There is a history of Candragupta, and "The Yavanas will become kings." That means English occupation, Mohammedan occupation. Everything is there. And Buddha's appearance, kikaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati. Kikaṭeṣu means in the Bihar province in India. Bhaviṣyati. Because Bhāgavata Purāṇa was written five thousand years ago, and Lord Buddha appeared about 2,600 years ago. So therefore it is stated, bhaviṣyati: "In future, just in the beginning of Kali-yuga, Lord will appear as Buddha. His mother's name will be Añjana, and his business will be to cheat the atheists."
Allen Ginsberg: To cheat the atheists.
Allen Ginsberg: The museum at Mathurā, I think, had the earliest human statues of Buddha, which are Greek nature.
Guest (1): Because Candragupta's style... (Bengali) And they had many temple...
Prabhupāda: No, Buddha is worshiped by statue. That is historical. That is historical fact. And there are many temples in Burma, China, and in Japan, all these Buddhist countries. But these Buddhist temples began not exactly after Buddha's disappearance. At least, after one thousand years. That is a fact.
Allen Ginsberg: Yes. That's much later.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Our predecessor ācārya, Rūpa Gosvāmī, he was finance minister in the Mohammedan government. He was. When he resigned, the Nawab was not very satisfied, that "I cannot relieve you because you are my right hand man. If you resign all of a sudden in this way, then I shall arrest you." There is a long history. So that's a fact. The brāhmaṇas were kept. So the advisory committee of the king... Now, as I was going to speak, Candragupta, Candragupta, just the lastest Hindu king, Candragupta... Candragupta is the age of Alexander the Great because at that time, during Candragupta's..., little before Candragupta, Alexander the Great from Greece, they went to India and conquered some portion. So this Candragupta, when he became emperor, he had his prime minister, Canakya. Perhaps you heard this name, Canak... Ca-na-kya.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: During the time of Candragupta. Before Mohammedan or British rule. Long ago.
Śyāmasundara: He wrote a book of political wisdom, how to run on the state.
Prabhupāda: According to his opinion, viśvāso naiva... (someone knocks on the door) Yes? Come on. Viśvāso naiva kartavyaḥ strīṣu rāja-kuleṣu ca. He's giving warning that "Never trust woman and politician." (laughs)
Lord Brockway: A great deal of truth in that. (laughter) Well, Your Divine Grace, I must be going.
Prabhupāda: All right. Thank you for your coming here.
Lord Brockway: It has been a great privilege to meet you.
Prabhupāda: We enjoyed your company, talked very nicely. Sometimes you come with your wife.
Prabhupāda: There is one moral instruction by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita was a great minister during the time of Mahārāja Candragupta. So he was honorary Prime Minister in the empire. So he has a book of moral instruction. So he says in that moral instruction, who is a learned man. So he gives the description of a learned man, that: mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. Mātṛvat. "Just treat all other women except your wife as your mother." Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu, para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat. Loṣṭa means as there are so many pebbles lying on the street, you don't care for it, similarly, others' property, others' money you should treat just like these pebbles lying on the street or the garbage lying on the street. Don't touch it. So mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat, ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu. And treat all living entities as you want to be treated. If one has got these three qualifications, he is learned man. He does not say, one who has got this BAC, DAC degrees, and so on, so on, so on. No.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: You perhaps know. There is a embassy quarter in New Delhi which is called Cāṇakya Purī under his name. He was a great politician. About three thousand years ago when there was the reign of Candragupta, he was the prime minister. (break)
Reporter (3): The parade on Saturday, would that be down the same route it was last year with the thing at the Civic Center?
Jayatīrtha: Yes.
Reporter (3): You'll be serving food?
Jagadīśa: Yes.
Reporter (3): And you got all the civic permits this year? You ran into quite a bit of trouble last year, as I recall.
Prabhupāda: (break) ...is also known as Magadha. Magadha. That is the... Candragupta and others, they were reigning in Bihar, emperor of India. Jarāsandha also belonged to Bihar. (break) ...a great scientist?
Cyavana: Yes, I studied.
Prabhupāda: How this sand is made?
Cyavana: From the rocks it is... They call it weathering. The weather makes it ground up from the rocks. This is their theory.
Prabhupāda: No.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Devotee (1): I think Candragupta's name is also.... The last emperor of India. (break) ...fighting between the demons and the demigods, the demons brought mountain and it was in fire, the jungle, and it was split by dynamite, and all the stones fell down on the enemies. Where is that war plan? Bring the mountain on the head of the enemies and split it by dynamite, and it will.... (break) This information is there, that dynamite was there, and it was used for breaking mountain. Fighting was taking place. Not in this planet, upper planet.
Hari-śauri: This is in connection with the churning of the ocean?
Prabhupāda: Yes. (break)
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
By agriculture they used to solve the bread, clothing and shelter problems and industrialization was unknown to them. Thus they had no idea of living in big palatial buildings at the cost of sacrificing the boon of humanity. They were satisfied to live in the cottages and yet they were perfectly intelligent. Even the famous Canakya Pandit who was the Prime Minister of India during the reign of Candragupta, used to live in a cottage and draw no salary from the State. Such simple habits did not deteriorate his high intelligence and dignity and as such he had compiled many useful literatures which are still read by millions for social and political guidance. Thus the simplicity of Brahmanical culture was an ideal to the subordinate others of the society and in the Deductive way the subordinate orders, namely the the Ksatriyas, the Vaisyas and the Sudras would follow the instruction of the cultured Brahmin. Such ways of approaching the Truth is always simple, plain and perhaps the most perfect.
Poverty means poverty of knowledge. Prime minister Canakya Pandit used to live in a thatched house or cottage but he was the dictator of India in the days of Emperor Candra Gupta. Mahatma Gandhi your political Guru voluntarily accepted the ways of the so called poor Indians and still he was the dictator of India's destiny. But was he actually poverty sticken on account of his plain living with the primitive charkha? He was always proud of his spiritual knowledge. Therefore it is the spiritual knowledge which makes a man really rich and not the radio set or the motor car. Please therefore try to understand this position of Indian culture and try to give it to the western brothers in the prescribed standard method of the liberated persons and that will be an exchange of Indian culture with western material advancement and necessarily bring in a happy life in the peaceful world.
| Page Title: | Candragupta |
| Compiler: | Bhaktavasagovinda, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 06 of Oct, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=2, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=8, Con=8, Let=2 |
| No. of Quotes: | 21 |