Chanakya in Daily Life - PDFDrive · Chanakya has spoken on all these topics in detail, imparting...

RadhakrishnanPillaiisthebest-sellingauthorofCorporateChanakya,amongmany.Heisreveredacrossthecountrynotonlyasanauthorbutalsoasamotivationalspeaker.Thisbookishighlyanticipatedbyallhisfollowers as it is the first one that covers topics outside of one’sprofessionallifeandhasaholisticapproachtowardshelpingthereaderstackleproblemsthattheyfaceoneveryfront.

PublishedbyRupaPublicationsIndiaPvt.Ltd20177/16,AnsariRoad,DaryaganjNewDelhi110002

Copyright©RadhakrishnanPillai2017

Theviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisbookaretheauthor’sownandthefactsareasreportedbyhim/herwhichhavebeenverifiedtotheextentpossible,andthepublishersarenotinanywayliableforthesame.

Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,transmitted,orstoredinaretrievalsystem,inanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recordingorotherwise,withoutthepriorpermissionof

thepublisher.

ISBN:978-81-291-×××-××

Firstimpression2017

10987654321

Thisbookissoldsubjecttotheconditionthatitshallnot,bywayoftradeorotherwise,belent,resold,hiredout,orotherwisecirculated,withoutthepublisher’spriorconsent,inanyformofbindingorcoverother

thanthatinwhichitispublished.

Thisbookisdedicatedtothosewhostruggletostrikeabalanceintheirlives.

AndthegreatAcharyaChanakya,whomakesitpossible.

Contents

Introduction

PERSONALLIFE1.WakingUp2.MusicfortheDay3.TimeforThinking4.Health5.DailyRituals6.Astrology7.Afternoon8.PowerNap9.StudyDaily

10.YourSwadharma11.YourDailyTimetable12.Meditation13.Food14.Self-discipline15.FindYourPattern16.CreativeHobby17.PersonalFinances18.LifePlan19.BecomeanInstitution20.PersonalGuru21.PracticalPhilosophy22.FulfilYourDesires23.UltimateHappiness

PROFESSIONALLIFE

24.GoingtotheWorkplace25.SilentTime26.EyeonAccounts27.MeetingPeople28.ManagersAreImportant29.CreatingYourWorkplace30.TrainingPeople31.TwoKeystoSuccess32.Decision-making33.RoleClarity34.WalkAround35.HabitofDocumentation36.YourContacts37.Contracts38.Work-relatedTravel39.FromYearlyPlanningtoaDailyReview40.HappinessofOthers41.OnceaWeek42.AppointingManagers43.PersonalIncome44.MakingProfits45.BoardofExperts46.RetirementPlan

FAMILYLIFE47.DutiesofaHouseholder48.Marriage—aChoice49.SexinMarriage50.HouseBecomesaTemple51.TakingCareofFamilyMembers52.EducatingChildren53.FamilyPrayer54.FamilyFriends55.SingleChild56.SecretofGoodParenting57.Women’sRights58.RespectintheFamily59.CommonProperty60.IrresponsibletoResponsible

61.CharityBeginsatHome62.BooksatHome63.ManagingYourServants64.CompanyoftheNoble65.FamilyTrips66.Chanakya’sSevenPillarsofaFamily67.FamilySuccession68.PrivateSpace69.FeelingofGratitude

Introduction

‘WhowasChanakya?’‘HewasoneofthegreatestthinkersIndiahasproduced.Hewasamasterof

manysubjects.No,no…Icorrectmyself…hewasamasterofallsubjects.’Thesewere thewords of the vice chancellor of a universitywhen hewas

launchingmybook.Ihadjustthencompletedtakingaseriesoflecturesforabout300students,

onChanakyaandhisideasbeingappliedinprofessionalcareers.Whenthevicechancellorsaidthosewords,ithitmehardthattherearefew

parallels inworld historywho could speak on somany subjects—philosophy,public administration,military,warfare, economics, politics, strategy, taxation,law,crimeandcontrol,punishments,dutiesofindividuals,gemology,Ayurveda,Yoga,etc.Thelistgoeson.

EventhoughinArthashastra,Chanakyahaswrittenon180topics,therearemanysub-topicswithineach topic. Ihavepersonallycountedover1000topicsthatChanakyahadspokenandwrittenabout.Butthen,everytimeIthinkofanyproblemIalwaysfinda‘Chanakyasolution’toit.

When I met Kapish Mehra of Rupa Publications for the first time anddiscussedtheideaofthisbook,webrain-stormedonmanythemes.

Finallywedecidedthethemeforthisbook—Chanakyaindailylife.Formeitbecameeasytofocusfromthatpointon.Becausewhenwelook

into the literature Chanakya had written, it is so vast (6000 sutras inArthashastraandChanakyaNiti).So,thatjustnarroweditdownwellforme.

‘Whowouldbethereadersofourbook—thetargetaudience?’wasmynextquestion.

‘Anyone and everyone who wants to practise Chanakya in daily life—insimple,easy-to-practisesteps,’wasourconclusion.

Therefore, the book that you have in your hand is simple and profound.

Now,anyonecanbenefitfromthewisdomofthegreatmasterChanakyaChanakyainDailyLifeisdividedinto3parts:

•Part1—ChanakyainPersonallife•Part2—ChanakyainProfessionallife•Part3–ChanakyainFamilylife

All of us play these roles simultaneously every day—we have a personal life(onlyknown tous),professional life (involvingourwork)and family life (thepartofourlifewherewegetmaximumhappinessorsadnessfrom,whiledealingwithourfamilymembers).

Chanakyahasspokenonallthesetopicsindetail,impartingknowledgethatwillputyouonthepathtoahealthyandhappylife.

Balancingthesethreerolesisachallengetoanyindividual.At a personal level, onewants to exercise his freedom of choice.But not

weighing the impactofhis choicesonhisprofessional and family life canputhimintrouble.Hemaybelabelledarebel.Individually,thepersonmaybepath-breaker,buthemightend-upbeingdisharmoniouswhileworkingwithteams.

At a professional level, onemay be super successful, have lots ofmoney,powerandposition.Buthemaybe frustratedandboggeddownby the feelingthat he could have done better. Probably, there is a sense of incompleteness.Alternatively, hemay think that bykeepinghis family financiallywell-off, hehasdonehisdutytowardsthem.Andlateron,hemayrealizethathiswifeandkids wanted was to spend more time with him only. But by then, it wouldprobablybetoolate.

Atafamilylevel,onemaybeanexcellentparentandfamilymember.Yet,onemight have thoughts like ‘What did I do formyself?’There is a sense offrustrationonemightfeelwhenheseeshissiblingsbetteroffthanhimself.Thisperson may have sacrificed his whole life for others, but instead of feelingfulfilled,hefeelsbroken.

Thisbookaddressesallthesethreeaspectsoflife,simultaneously.Anditispossiblethatonecanbesuccessfulinallthesethreeroles.How?Thisbookgivesyouthepracticalrouteforthesame.Whether you are a student or a married person with responsibilities or a

retiredperson,Chanakyahasamessageforyou.Themost defining part of this book is that, alongwith giving you tips to

improve your daily life, it slowly takes you towards the higher goal of life—spirituality.

Whileplanningyourliferememberwhatawisepersonsaid,‘Youarenotahuman being on a spiritual journey. You are a spiritual being on a humanjourney.’

AllgreatIndianrishis(seers)hadalifeplantheycouldchalkout.Chanakya’s‘grandplan’forusistobesuccessfulinthisworldandalsothe

otherworldaswell.Arthashastrasays,

Thisscience(ofArthashastra)bringsintobeingandpreservesspiritualgood,materialwell-beingandpleasures,anddestroysspiritualevil,

materiallossandhatred(15.1.72)

IfyoufollowChanakya,whenyou lookback,youwillhaveno regrets.Whenyouareinthemidstofyourlife,youhavegatheredtherequiredexperience,butalso have a sense of purpose. If you are still starting off your life, you haveplanned your life well and you have set a goal, made your roadmap and settowardsyourlifewithclarity.

If you have understood this book and its teachingswell, youwill be likeChanakya,whosaid,‘Comeanyproblem,inlife—Iamready.Because,Iknowthatnoproblemisaproblemforapersonwhothinkswithclarityandpurpose.’

Note

Followthesesimplestepstogetmaximumbenefitfromthisbook:

•Thebestpartisyoucanreadthebookfromanychapter.Readonechapterorafewchaptersinaday.

•Thinkandreflectovertheideasyouhaveunderstood.•Maintainadairyandmakenotesofyourprogressonadailybasis.•Discusstheseideaswithyourfamilyorfriendsatworkplacedaily.• If you are on social media–share your notes and thoughts on Chanakya

with others on Facebook, twitter, WhatsApp etc. and spread themessage

•Readthebookasecondtimeorathirdtime.Re-readingisencouraged.•Therearemanyideasthatarerepeatedinthebookatdifferentplaces.Itis

not by mistake. It is to make sure you understand the same idea indifferentcontexts.Repetitionmakesknowledgeperfect.

PERSONALLIFE

1

WakingUp

HAS IT EVER occurred to you that the first thought of your day is the mostimportantone?

‘Goodmorning!’isthewaywegreetourfamilymemberswhenwewakeup.Beitatschool,collegeoraworkplace,wegreeteachotherwiththispositive

phrase.Butwhatcanonedotoreallymakethemorninggood?IntheIndiantradition,wehaveamethodtodivinizeourthoughts.Westartthedaywithasenseofgratitude.Manytraditionshavespecificprayersthatshouldbechantedassoonasone

wakesup,whileothersencouragesittingquietlyandmeditating for some timebeforeonegoesabouttheirdailyroutine.

Chanakya,whowrotetheArthashastra,hadsomegoodtipsonhowtobeginone’sday.Hesuggested,

‘He(theking)shouldawakentothesoundofmusicalinstruments.’(1.19.21)

The first book of the Arthashastra focuses on the training that the kingunderwent.Itiscalled‘Vidyasamuddesh’.Init,heshareshisknowledgeonhowtobeagoodleader.Chanakyaalsogivespracticaltipsonhowtoexecuteone’sleadershipskills.Notethatthesetipscanalsobefollowedbythosewhoarenotleaders,butcommonerslikeyouorme.Itsbeautyliesinthefact thatoncewefollowthetips,weautomaticallystartdevelopingtheleadershipqualitiesinus.

Thefirststepofhoningone’sleadershipskillsliesinthewaywebeginourday.

Asstatedabove,Chanakyasuggeststhatoneshouldawakentothesoundofmusicalinstruments.Thismeansthatwhenapersonwakesuplisteningtomusic,itsetstherightmood.

Imaginewakingup fromabaddream—thewholedaystartsonanegativenote.Youfeeldrainedwitheverypassingminute.

Butallthatcanbecorrectedjustwiththesoundofmusicalinstruments.Howdowepractise thismessagebyChanakya inourdaily life?Here are

sometips:

Sleepwell

Itisnotjusthowyouwakeup,butalsothequalityofyoursleepthatmatters.Agood seven to eight hours of sleep is essential for an average person. If onesleepsearly,andhashadanundisturbedsleep, thenwakingupwillbeaneasytask. Ithelpsonefeelenergeticandrejuvenated tostart theday.Somakesureyousleepontimetowakeupontime.

Alarmclock

There are two types of alarm clocks one can use forwaking up—the externalalarmclockand the internalalarmclock.Mostofusareawareof theexternalalarm clock,which rings at a preset time.But dowe know about our internalalarmclock?

Peoplewho have control over theirminds use this alarm clock aswell towake up. They are so disciplined that they instruct their mind, ‘Tomorrowmorning,Iwanttowakeupat5a.m.’andyouwouldbesurprisedtoknowthattheywakeupexactlyat5a.m.withoutneedinganexternalalarmclock.

This requires a little bit of practice because you have to keep instructingyour mind until it listens. Try it for some time and you will eventually startwakingupatthedecidedtime.

Music

For those who use an external alarm clock, the alarm sound is crucial.Nowadays,mostofususethealarmclockonourmobilephones.Chooseyouralarm toneverycarefully.Therearevarious ringtones tochoose from.Choosesomethingmelodious,forexample,analarmtonethatisinspiredbynature,likethecallofbirdsorthesoundofthewind.

Aloudandheavyringtonewillensurethatyouwakeup,butinadisturbedstate. And if there are others in the room, they too will get disturbed. So in

general,aloudringtonewillspoileveryone’sday.As Chanakya said, do wake up with the sound of music—but the right

music.Some even start their daywith devotionalmusic and spiritual hymns and

mantras.

Carrythemood

It isnotenoughtojustwakeupintherightmood;oneshouldalsocarryoninthat cheerfulmood all day long.Be the source of inspiration to others aroundyou. When you feel good about yourself, you should make others feel goodaboutthemselvestoo.Greetothersaroundyoupositively.

Astheoldsayinggoes,‘Thebestmake-uponyourfaceisasmile.’Thiswillhelpmakesurethatyour‘goodmorning’becomesa‘goodday’.

2

MusicfortheDay

LIFEWOULDBEincompletewithoutmusic.Everyaspectofourlifeisconnectedtomusic.Itmightsoundstrangebutthe

psycheofapersoncanchange,basedonthemusics/helistensto.Noteverybodycanbeasingerorplayamusicalinstrument;however,every

personcanbealistenerofmusicandappreciateitsbeauty.Chanakyahadusedmusictodevelopthepersonalityofaleader.Letuslook

atwhataspectsChanakyafocusedon.

‘Beingdevotedtothetrainingofthetroops,heshouldarrangesignalsforthearraysbymeansofmusicalinstruments,bannersandflags,when

halting,marchingorattacking.’(2.33.11)

Ourgreatacharyasuggeststhatweshouldplaymusicalinstrumentsevenaswegotowar.

Anygoodleaderusesmusicalinstrumentstotrainhistroopsanddisciplinethem.Eventoday,thearmyalwayshasabandofmusicplayers.Theseplayerscompose tunes that uplift themoodof the soldiers.The drums andhorns—allhelpgenerateenthusiasminthearmy,whichgetschargedupandreadytoattacktheenemy.

Similarly, even at an individual level, the right use of music can help usimprovethequalityofourlife.

Howdowepractisemusicinourdailylifeinaneffectivemanner?

Timeoftheday

Onehastothinkcarefullybeforelisteningtoanytypeofmusic.Don’tjustputon the radioor television randomly.Remember,weneed to chooseourmusiccarefully,asitwillinvariablyinfluenceourpersonality.

Holdon.Thinkforaminute.Decidewhatkindofmindsetyouwanttocreatethroughthemusic.The time of the day is an equally important factor. Mornings are very

‘sattvic’orpure.Thisisthetimewhenthemindismostsensitivetotheslightestvibrationsaround.It’sbesttoavoidlisteningtoloudorrockmusicatthistime.

As the day progresses, everyone gets fully charged up.Hence, during theafternoonlistentothekindofmusicthathasafasterpacetomatchyourinnerbuild-upofenergy.

Later in the afternoon, after half the day’s work is done, one shouldcontemplateonwhatone’smindneeds.Ifyouwanttotakeanap,listentosoftmusic.Ifyouwanttobeactive,increasethepaceofthemusicaccordingly.

Moodsrequired

One can also create themood required. For example, if you go to a pub, themoodcreatedthereisthroughaparticularkindofmusic.Oneisnotexpectedtomeditatethere,sothemusicisboundtobeloudandencouragedancing.

Thebackgroundmusicofmovieshasagreatimpactontheviewers.Agoodmusicdirectorwillalwaysputtogetherthesoundtrackcarefully.

So use music to create the mood you desire. When you want to have aromantic dinner, choose the appropriatemusic in the background. If youwantyourfactoryworkerstobealertatnoon,choosemusicthatisofahighertempoandsounds‘active’.

Nowthenextstepishowtodevelopan‘earformusic’.Chanakyahadthebestofmusicexpertsguidinghimonthisandhadaccess

tograndperformancesinthekingdom.Howdowepractisethesameinourgeneration?

Practiceofmusic

Haveagoodcollectionofalbums,beitonCDsormp3files,onyourcomputerormobilephone.Themorethevarietyofgenres,thebetteritis.

Also, attend music concerts. Keep yourself informed of the artistsperforminginyourcitythroughthenewspaperandtheInternet.

Learn a musical instrument or even vocal singing. Participate in somemusicalperformance.

Onappreciating artists,KahlilGibran said, ‘And if there come the singersand the dancers and the flute players, buy of their gifts also. For they too aregatherersoffruitandfrankincense,andthatwhichtheybring,thoughfashionedofdreams,israimentandfoodforyoursoul.’

Thisiswhyit’simportantthatonepaysthemusiciansandartistswell.Theyareaquintessentialpartofhumandevelopment.

Andremember,silenceisthegreatestmusic.Sitquietlyeverydayfortwentyminutesandlistentoyoursoul.

3

TimeforThinking

THEABILITYTOthinkisGod’sgreatestgifttohumans.Other species, too, can think and analyse.However, human beings are far

superiorintheiranalytical,logicalandcreativethinkingskills.Intelligenceis,therefore,ourmostextraordinaryasset.Butweseldomexerciseourability to think.Weworry instead.Mostofus

don’tknowthedifferencebetweenthinkingandworrying.Worrying is likea rockingchair, itmovesbutdoesnotgoahead.There is

actionbutnoprogress.Thinking, on the other hand, enables one tomove forward. From solving

problemstocreatingart,thepowerofimaginationreallyhasnobounds.According to the Arthashastra, we can only achieve our goals through

‘anvikshiki’.Inotherwords,clearthinking.Chanakyasuggeststhatoneshouldhaveclearthinkingfromthemomentone

wakesupinthemorning.Hesays,

‘Heshouldawakenandponderovertheteachingofthescienceofpoliticsaswellasovertheworktobedone.’(1.19.21)

Nosooner areweawake thanourmind is filledwith chatter.And this chattercontinuesfortherestoftheday.Itissimplythenatureofthemind.

But the good news is thatwe have the freedom to control ourminds andsteeritsthoughtsinapositivedirection.

Uponwakingup,sayyourprayersandexpressgratitude.

Soonyourmindwillstarttowander…Stop!Ratherthanlettingyourminddecidewhereitwantstotakeyou,youleadthe

way.Chanakyahassuggestedtwosimplestepsforthispurpose—ponderoverthe

teachingsofthescienceofpoliticsandponderovertheworktobedonethatday.Letusseehowwecanpractisethisinourdailylives.

Ponderoverthescienceofpolitics

Arthashastrameans ‘science of politics’,which involves the study of politicalstrategies, systems of governance and the theory of politics; and ChanakyasuggestsoneshouldponderovertheteachingsoftheArthashastra.Bydoingso,onewillhaveadirectiononwhatneedstobeaccomplishedduringtheday.Youwill learn how to align and prioritize your activities of the day, take keydecisions,etc.basedonthetipsandguidancegivenintheArthashastra.

Following this step involves thinking over. One needs to imagine,contemplateanddiscussmatterswithoneself.

Everypersonisplayingaroleinlife.Often,wehavetoplaymultipleroles.As an individual you could be an artist, sportsperson or nature lover.Professionally, you could be a business person, amanager in a company or aself-employed doctor, lawyer or architect. In your family, you could havemultiplerolesasaparent,aspouseorahomemaker.

As soon as we wake up, all these roles, along with their responsibilities,comesrushingintoourminds.

Anatureloverwouldwanttowatchthesunrise.Ahealthfreakwouldwantto go for amorningwalkor hit the gym.Abusiness professionalwouldhaveclients tomeet,projects tofinishandemails toreplyto.Astudentwouldhaveassignments tocomplete.Asa familymember,onecouldhave thebirthdayoftheir child to celebrate, grocery shopping todo,grandparent’shealth check-updue,orafamilyvacationtoplan.

Imaginethis—everydaywe’restruckbythesechallenges.Andthenatureofthechallengekeepschanging.Sowhatdowedowhenall these thoughts startdisturbinguseverymorning?

Ponderovertheworktobedone

Afterponderingoverallthatcomestomind,pauseforamoment.Try to think through this clearly. Not every task needs to be worked on

immediately.Somecanbeacteduponlateralso.Groceryshoppingneednotbedone today itself if there is enough stock for the next two days. Collegeassignmentsmaybesubmittedafteraweek.

Therefore, it’scrucial thatyouprioritizewhatneeds tobedonerightawayandwhat canwait.First thing is to assimilateyour thoughts so thatyoudon’tmiss out on anything.Make a list of the tasks that need to be accomplished.Thenprioritizewhatneedstobedone,basedonitsurgency.

Youcanmakethisdailyto-dolistonanotepad,acomputerorevenonyourmobile phone. Once the priority for the day is set, you will have achieved adegreeofclaritythatwillmakeyoufeelyouareinchargeofyourselfandyourday.

Endthedaywithareview

Makingato-dolistatthestartofthedayisnotenough.Onealsoneedstoreviewitasthedayprogresses.Thereisalwaysapossibilityofnewprioritiescroppingup,andonemayforgettoreprioritizeaccordingly.

Checkyourto-dolistatleastthreetofourtimesadayandputatickagainstwhateverisdone.

By theendof thedaywhenyou reviewyour list,you’ll feelconfident forhavingaccomplishedyourtasksinaconstructivemanner.

Carefulplanningfollowedbyexecutionisthekeytosuccess.SwamiChinmayanandausedtosay,‘Planoutyourwork,andworkoutyour

plan.’

4

Health

YOUSURELYMUSThaveheardthephrase‘Healthiswealth’.Healthisthegreatestassetanypersoncanhave.Ifoneishealthy,onecando

anything.Butifonedoesnothaveahealthybodyandmind,noamountofricheswillbringonehappiness.

Canonehaveahealthybodyandmindatalltimes?Yes,thatispossible.Becausehealthisamatterofchoice.Onecanchooseto

behealthy.Butwait. Don’t just start doing physical exercise or run amarathon right

away.Becominghealthyrequiresalotofpreparationandplanning.It’sallabouttraining.Onthismatter,Chanakyasaid,

‘Traininganddisciplineareacquiredbyacceptingtheauthoritativenessoftheteachersintherespectivefields.’(1.5.6)

Intheabovesutra(formula),Chanakyarevealstousthesecretofsuccessinanyfieldoflife.Hesays,tosucceedinanyfieldonerequirestraininganddiscipline.

Howdoesoneexcelintraininganddiscipline?Byacceptingtheauthoritativenessofone’steachers.Itisasure-shotformulaforsuccessgivenbyChanakya.Let us find out howwe can plan to be perfectly healthy using the above

method:

Setahealthgoal

Oneneedstofirstdefinewhatbeinghealthymeanstothem.Isitlosingweight?Or is it getting over some chronic disease which has been affecting you foryears?Orisitincreasingyourstaminaandendurance?Orisitgettingridofthelong-standingbackache?

Oncewehavedefined it,wewillhaveasetgoal inmind.Butweneed toplanhowtoachievethisgoal.Andplanningisthetrickiestpart.

Howdoesonecomeupwithaplantobecomehealthy?

Findateacher

Yes, this is your next step. Here, a teacher does not mean someone from aschool,collegeoruniversity.You’llneedtoseekoutsomeonewhoisanexpertinthatparticularfieldofhealthandfitness.

Itcouldbeagyminstructor,ayogateacher,adoctororanutritionist.Theseteachersorgurushavespentyearsmasteringtheirsubject.

Foryou,becominghealthy isyourpersonalgoal.For them, it is their full-timejobtomakepeoplehealthy.Sotheyhaveampleexperience.

Shouldwehaveonlyoneteacher?Notreally.It’sbetterifyouhaveayogateacheralongwithadoctor.Theyoga teacherwill teachyouasanas,while thedoctorwillkeepacheckonyourbodyreadingslikebloodpressure,sugarlevel,etc.

Acceptauthority

Itisimportanttoacceptyourteacher’sauthoritycompletely.Youcan’tjusttakesometipsfromthemandnotfollowitthrough.Youneedtoacceptthefactthatyourteachersknowtheirjobwell.Followtheirinstructionswithoutadoubtandletthemworkonyou.

Today,everythingateachersaysisavailableontheInternet.Onejusthastogoogletocross-checkwhattheteachershavetold.Itisnicetobeinformed,anda second opinion is always a good idea. But remember, technology cannotreplace your teacher. No online courses on health will have the effect that apersonaltrainercanhave.

Evenifyouarefullyhealthy,donotneglectyourhealth.Makehealthyourtoppriorityinlife.

Awisemasteroncesaid,‘Ahealthypersonthinksbetter.’

5

DailyRituals

ALLOFUSpractiseasetofdailyrituals.How does one define a ritual? It is generally understood as a religious or

solemn ceremony. It consists of a series of actions performed according to aprescribedorder.

But not all rituals are religious. We wake up in the morning, go to thebathroomandbrushourteeth,haveabath,havebreakfastandgotowork.Mostoftheseritualsaredonesubconsciously.Wehardlyputanythoughtoreffortintoourdailyroutine.

Interestingly, management is now considered a science in the field ofacademics.Experts,scholarsandteacherswhodoresearchworkinthisfieldarecalled ‘management scientists’. Recently, management scientists have provedthatritualsaregoodforus,astheyhelpusleadadisciplinedlife.

Didyouknow thatChanakyahelpedsetupadaily ritual for theking?Heprovidedadailyto-dolisttohisstudents.Regardlessofwhethertheywerekingsorleaders,theyweresupposedtofollowthosedailyrituals.

Ritualsareimportanteventodevelopleadershipqualitiesinaperson.ThereforethesuggestionofChanakyaintheArthashastra:

‘And,aftergoingaroundacowwithhercalfandabull,heshouldproceedtotheassemblyhall.’(1.19.24)

TheIndianculturehasalwaysshownrespecttowardsanimalsandnature.Manyofuseveninthemoderntimesfollowthereligiousritualofprayingtothecow.

Thereisadeepersignificancetothisritual.

Ifapersonhasanunderlyingrespectfornature,hebeginseachdaywithafeelingofgratitudeandisatonewithGod’screation.

This is especially important for people who live in cities. They may betotally cut off from nature but such rituals help them connect to it on a dailybasis.

Note here thatChanakya is telling the king to visit the cow, calf and bullbefore going to the assembly hall. The assembly hall is where official andadministrative activities of the king took place. Therefore, Chanakya issuggesting that evenbeforeone’sofficialworkbegins for theday,one shouldconnecttonature.

‘Do the most important thing first thing in the morning,’ said SwamiTejomayanandaji(fromChinmayaMission)tohisstudent.‘Laterintheday,youwillgetsuckedintothedemandsofothers,andyouwillneverbeabletodoit.’

That iswhyChanakya, too,suggestedthatalldailyritualsbeperformedinthemorningitself.

Sohowshouldonepractisedailyrituals?

Havearitual

Makealistoftheritualsyoufollowregularly.Itcouldbereadingabook,goingfor awalk, etc. These could even be religious rituals—doing pooja or namaz,readingsomeversesfromholyscriptures,etc.

Ifyouarealreadydoingit—excellent!Ifnot,makethatlistandstartfollowingit.Inthebeginning,practisingtheseritualswillrequireeffort.Makethatlittle

effort.Onceyougetoverthatstage,youwillstartenjoyingit.Rememberhowourparentsforcedustobrushourteethwhenwewerekids?

Now,wejustcan’tdowithoutit.Similarly, even religious rituals seem boring in the beginning. But once

you’vesetthingsinmotion,theunderlyinglogicwillsurface.

Letitbecomeahabit

Oncetheritualbecomesahabit,thenthere’shardlyanyeffortrequiredonyourpart.Asmentionedbefore,atthisstageyoustartenjoyingyourroutine.

Habitcanchangethedestinyofapersonandagoodhabitcangoalongwayinbetteringthequalityofone’slife.

Asanauthor,Itoohaveadailyritualofwritingfortwohoursaday.Intheinitialstages,Ididnotknowhowtowritefortwohours.Mymindusedtogive

mereasonsnot towrite, Icouldn’tcomeupwithnewideas.But thenI forcedmyselftositfortwohourseverydayjusttowriteandnowIdosoeffortlessly!Ienjoyit.Infact,IfeelfrustratedonthedaysIdonotwrite.

And look atwhat a daily ritual turned into a habit hasmademe—one ofIndia’smostsuccessfulbestsellingauthors.

It’sself-discipline

Aritualisallaboutself-discipline.Itforcesyoutodosomethingimportantonaregularbasis.Suchdailyritualsarehealthyforus.

Italsohasapositivepsychologicalimpact.Youstartmasteringyourmind,agreattaskindeed.

Astudentwasonceasked,‘Howcomeyoutopinallyourexams?’Shegaveagreatinsight,‘Istudybeforeexamsandduringexams.ButIstudyafterexamsalso.Inreality,Ihavestartedenjoyingmystudies.Itdoesnotmatterifstudyingisforexamsornot.Istudyforthesakeofstudy.Itissomuchfun.’

Sothekeyistostartenjoyingyourdailyrituals!

6

Astrology

IAMABOUTtodealwithasensitivetopicinthischapter—astrology!Astrology is connected with astronomy—both are sciences dealing with

planets,spaceandthephysicaluniverseasawhole.Ourancestorswerethinkersofthehighestlevel.Theyknewthatthewhole

world is interconnected. Right from the largest planet to the smallest atom.Nothingandnooneexistsinisolation.Weallareinterdependentoneachother.

Basedon theseprinciples, our rishis developed the scienceof astrology toguideusthroughlife.

Astrologyiscalled‘jyotishshastra’inSanskrit.Jyoti(light)andish(iswara—God).SoitmeanstolightupthepaththatleadstoGod.

But unfortunately,we look at astrologyonly in termsof futureprediction.It’s true that that isapartofastrology,but it isnot theultimateaimof jyotishshastra.

Agoodastrologercanhelpyoutransformyourlife.Theycanleadyoufromdarknesstolight.

Therefore, Chanakya suggests meeting an astrologer on a daily basis. Hesays,

‘Heshouldreceive(guidance)byseeinghisastrologer.’(1.19.23)

Chanakyahimselfwasanexpertastrologer,sohewaswell-awareofitsbenefits.Thatiswhyherecommendedthatthekingtaketipsfromagoodastrologer.

Butchoosing the rightastrologer iscrucial.Therefore,anentirechapter inthe Arthashastra has been dedicated on how to select a raj purohit who has

knowledge of the scriptures as also astrology (Book 1, chapter 9—MantriPurohitaUtpatti).

Astrologyisneverwrong;astrologerscouldbe.Since astrology is based on calculations, a good astrologer is also a good

mathematician.Itisascienceofpermutationandcombination.Sohowshouldonegoaboutusingastrologytoimprovethequalityofone’s

life?

Studyastrology

Yes.Therearebooksavailableonthebasicsofastrologyforbeginners.Insteadofgoing toanastrologer rightaway, first reada littlebitabout it;get familiarwith its concept. I amnot suggestingyoubecomeanastrologerbyprofession.Butithelpsifoneunderstandsthebasicprinciplesofastrology.

Chanakya shared the same belief and hence, included the subject ofastrologyforkingsstudyingatthegurukul(Arthashastra1.3.3).

Trysmalltips

Mostnewspaperscarrydailytipsforitsreadersfromvariousastrologers.Payingattentiontothesecolumnsisagreatwayoftestingthescienceofastrologyandmightevenhelpyouavertproblems.Forexample,iftheweatherforecastsaysitisgoingtorain,it’sbettertotaketheumbrellawithyou.Ifitdoesrain,younotonlyrealizethattheweatherforecastcanbetrustedbutyoualsoavoidedgettingwet!

Note thatastrologyrequiresagoodguide.Otherwise it turns intoamentaltrap. It is like walking on a razor’s edge. You have to be alert about whatastrologersaretellingyouandknowhowtohandleitintelligently.Ifyouarenotsure,tryoutsomesmalltips.Donotfollowastrologyblindly—youmaydrown.

Onceyoustartnoticingitsbenefits,youwillgainconfidenceinthefield.

Don’tdependonastrology

Nowthis ismyfinal suggestionand it’s totallycontradictingwhatwassaid inthebeginning.

Yes,youshouldexploretherealmofastrologybutdonotfullydependonit!Chanakyasays,

‘Wealthwillslipawayfromthefoolishpersonwhocontinuouslyconsultsthestars;forwealthisthestarofwealth;whatwillthestarsdo?Capable

menwillcertainlysecurewealthatleastafterahundredtrails.’(9.4.26)

ForChanakya,humaneffortdefinesone’sdestiny.But ifaperson’sdestiny isdeterminedbyhishardworkandcommitment,thenwhatcanthestarsdo?

Hesays,hewho‘continuously’consultsthestarsisafool.Soafterhavingconsultedanastrologer,weshouldhavetheinnerwisdomto

guide ourselves. Respect the tips and guidance given by the astrologer. Butremember,yourlifeisinyourhands.

SwamiVivekanandaputitwell:‘Thereisnogreaterforceinthisworldthanhumanwill,coupledwithfaith.’

Thetrickisinknowinghowmuchtotakefromastrologyandhowmuchtoletgo.

7

Afternoon

MORNINGSAREUSUALLYthetimewhenyoudoyourbestwork.Itisatimewhentherearefewerdisturbances.Yourmoodisfreshasyouare

wellrestedandyoufindyourselfatthepeakofgeneratinggreatideas.But as the day progresses, you get tangled up in the demands of others.

Slowly,youlosecontrolofyourday.Andthencomestheafternoon.By this time, most of your energy has already been spent on your daily

routine.Youaresemi-exhausted,ifnotfullydrainedofyourenergy.A good lunch and probably some discussion with others helps you

rejuvenate.Thenexttwohoursarecritical.Thisistypicallythelazyperiodofyourday

—theafternoon.Whatistobedoneduringafternoonsthen?Chanakyaadvises,

‘Duringtheremainingpartoftheday(afternoon),heshouldlearnnewthings.’(1.5.15)

According toChanakya, afternoons are the best time to learn something new.Whydoeshesayso?Becausewhilethemindcanbequitelazyinthisperiod,ifyougiveitanewdirectiontoworkin,surprisinglyitwillcooperate.

In the gurukul, the university ofChanakya, itwas suggested that studentsshould study new subjects during the afternoon time. He also suggested that

juniorstudentsshoulddiscusstheirdoubtswiththeirseniorsatthistime.HowcanwebenefitfromChanakya’sadviceinourdailylives?

Haveahobby

Ourlivesaredullwhenwedonotengageinanythingcreativeonadailybasis.Afternoonsaretheidealtimetopursueone’shobby.Itcouldbeanartform

likedancing,painting,singingorplayinganinstrument.Ihaveknownpeoplewhotakeashortbreakafterlunch,evenduringwork

days, and go swimming for half an hour. The person returns to his deskproductiveandefficient.

Readabook

Alwayscarryabookalongwithyouwhereveryougo.Readafewchaptersofthebookeveryafternoon.Makesomenotesand, if

possible,discusstheseideaswithothers.If youdevelop this habit, by the endof oneyear, youwouldhave read at

leasttentotwelvebooks,whichyouprobablydidn’tthinkyouhadthetimefor.You can also watch some educational videos during the afternoon. TED

talksarethebest.Inamatteroftwentyminutes,you’dhavelistenedtoaworld-class expert on their subject. And it’ll help you stay up to date on the latestdevelopmentsacrosstheglobe.

Planaproject

Startplanningyourprojectsinwriting.Itcouldbeavacation,buyinganewcar,travelling overseas for an educational course—justwrite downyour plan on apieceofpaper.Theseareactivitiesthatrequiretimeandsomeeffort.

Sospendsometimeonthisintheafternoon,andyouwillbeabletoforeseechallengesandbepreparedwithsolutions.

Meetsomeone

Any time of the day is a great time to meet friends. But I’d especiallyrecommendafternoons.Beitinyouroffice,homeorcollege—humaninteractionisalwaysagoodthing.

I know someone who built his career just by meeting people in theafternoons.

He said, ‘Mycompanywasamultinationalwith lotsof employees. Itwas

practically impossible to know everyone. I made a list of themost importantpeople,theoneswhowouldhelpgetmyworkdone.EverydayIusedtocallupapersonandgotomeethimintheafternoon.Istartedlearningalotaboutotherfieldslikefinance,marketing,branding,etc.’

Heconcluded, ‘Itwas likea liveclassroomeveryday. I learnt frommanyteachers.’

ThatisbasicallywhatChanakyasaid—thattosucceedinlife,oneshoulduseone’safternoonsproductivelyandengageinnewactivities.

8

PowerNap

SLEEP—WHATABLISSFULstatetobein.Sleepplaysavitalroleinmaintainingone’shealth.Therightkindofsleeprefreshesandrejuvenatesus.Sleepisnowconsideredascience.Doctors,psychologistsandpsychiatrists

usesleepastherapyformanymentaldiseases.Intheageoftechnology,stressisthebiggestchallengetomostpeople.Somewhere in the midst of mankind’s progress, our biological clock is

gettingdisturbed.Andsincewearenotintunewithnature’sclock,wearefacinghealthproblemsneverseenbefore.

If you observe any other living creature, you’ll find that they all have anaturalpatternthattheyfollowtomaintainahealthylifestyle.

Aretheretipstoliveahealthy,naturallifestyleintheArthashastra?Yes,andit’ssimple.Chanakyasuggeststhatoneshouldgettherightamount

ofqualitysleep.Hesays,

‘Duringthethird(partofthenight),heshouldgotobedtothestrainsofmusicalinstrumentsandsleepduringthefourthandfifthparts.’(1.19.20)

Chanakyahaddividedthedayandnightinpartsofone-and-a-halfhourseach.Sohesuggeststhatduringthethirdpartofthenight,whichis,say,from9

p.m.to10.30p.m.onemustgotobed.Butmostofus,whenwehitthebed,donotfallasleepimmediately.Sowhatshouldwedotoeasetheprocessoffallingasleep?Listentomusicalinstrumentsbeforegoingtobed.

Music has a soothing effect on our mind. The sleep is, thus, peaceful.Remember,there’sagoodreasonwhylullabiesaresungtochildrentoputthemtosleep.

Andforhowlongshouldonesleep?Chanakya says, for the remaining twoparts. So one has to sleep for three

partsofone-and-a-halfhourseach.From9.30p.m. to1.30a.m.Totalof four-and-a-halfhours.

Surprised?Inrealityitisnotthelengthofsleep,butthequalityofsleepthatmatters.So

ifwesleepwellthisshouldbeenough.Whatifoursleepduringthenightisnotenough?ThenextsuggestionbyChanakyais,

‘Duringthesixthpartoftheday,heshouldengageinrecreationathispleasureorholdconsultations.’(1.19.14)

Takeapowernapintheafternoon.Chanakyaadvisesthatthebesttimetotakeanapisbetween1.30p.m.and3

p.m.Aquick rest in theafternoongoesa longway.Andsowithanotherone-and-a-halfhours’sleepduringtheafternoon,atotalofsixhoursofsleepistakencareof.

Thisamountofsleepisgoodenoughforanyaveragepersontofeelenergeticagain.

Whatifwedonotgettosleepintheafternoon?Herearesomepracticaltipstodealwiththat:

Goforrecreation

Takeabreakandgoforawalk;chatwithafriendorevendosomeyogaasanas;orjustsitquietlyandmeditate;readabook;listentomusic.Dedicatethisbreak-timetoyourself.

Itwill,inturn,makeyouproductivefornextfourhours.

Holdconsultation

Incaseyouarefreshandmentallyalert,donotforceyourselftosleep.There are always issues where we require guidance from consultants and

mentors. Seek an appointment with them. And over a cup of tea, discuss themattersofyourconcern.Asyougetnew ideas from them,you return toworkfocusedandreadyforaction.

Makeitadailydiscipline

Now the key to quality sleep is to sleep on time every night. Chanakya hadadvisedgoingtobedat9p.m.Makethedecisiontosleepatafixedtimeonadailybasis.Disciplineiskey.

Therefore,thewisesayingholdstrueeventoday:‘Earlytobedandearlytorise,makesapersonhealthy,wealthyandwise.’

9

StudyDaily

Whenwereadtheword‘study’,weusuallyassumeitreferstostudentsonly.ButChanakyatellsusthatweshouldbestudentsforlife.Learning is the most important thing in every aspect of our lives. Only

throughlearningdowegrowinternallyandexternally.‘Theinnerworldandouterworldisthesame,’saidSwamiVivekananda.So

if you have to change your outerworld, it is important to first work on yourinnerworld.

Theinsidemanifestsitselfontheoutside.So change the way you think. Move towards the world of knowledge.

Questionandreassessyourbeliefs.The best way to study is to remind onself that studying is not just for a

degreealone.Unfortunately,oureducationsystemhasbecomeanexaminationsystem.Yes,oneneedstogiveexams.Butdon’tstudyonlytogiveexams.Youmust

developapassionforknowledge.Chanakya,therefore,suggestedpursuingstudiesforeveryoneinanywalkof

life.

‘Thedutiesofaking(leader)are—studying,performingsacrificesforself,makinggiftsandprotectingbeings.’(1.3.6)

Amongthevariousdutiesprescribedfortheking,hisfirstandforemostdutywastostudy.

Adultsmaygiveexcuses like theydonothave the timeorare toobusy to

study.Butwho canbebusier than akingor a leader?That person is completely

responsibleforeverythingthathappensinhisorhercountryororganization.The king was not given a choice. Studying was his most important duty.

Onlythencouldhebuildastrongkingdom.Today,theworldisgoingtowardsaknowledge-based economy—a new-age economy based on people who createwealth from knowledge. For example, scientists, teachers, consultants, ITprofessionals,etc.

Even wealth is created through knowledge. So imagine what a wise andknowledgeable leadercanaccomplish.S/hewillnaturally focusonmaking theworldabetterplaceandthecitizensmoreliterateandeducated.

Chanakya also suggested studying to businessmen, teachers and people inotherprofessions.

‘Duringthethirdpartoftheday,heshouldtakehisbathandmealsanddevotehimselftostudy.’(1.19.11)

The instruction continues to suggest studying during the day: ‘During thesecond part of the night, he should take bath and meals and engage instudy.’(1.19.19)In theArthashastra, theSanskritwordused for ‘study’ is ‘swa-adhyaya’ (self-study).Onehas to take interest in studying.Thekeywordshereare ‘devoted’and‘engaged’.

Once that interest is created, then one naturally feels inspired to pursueknowledge.

Sointotal,oneshouldstudyforaboutthreehourseveryday.Interestingly,evenstudentsthesedaysdonotstudyforthreehoursadayon

a regular basis. Students are supposed to study full-time. But they only studyduringtheirexams.Afterthattheyforgeteverythingthey’velearnt.

And here is a leader who possesses the discipline to study every day,irrespectiveofalltheresponsibilitiesonhisshoulders.

So let us all make study a part of our daily commitment. Here are somepracticaltipsonhowtodothat:LoveforbooksThefirststeptostudyistodevelopaloveforbooks.Buybooksontopicsthatinterestyouandhaveadedicatedspacefortheminyourhomeoroffice.

Ifnot, thenat least joina library. Ithasmanybenefits—youdon’thave tospend toomuch on buying books; you can simply read and return; you don’thavetostockbooksinyourhouse.Mostimportant,witheachvisittothelibrary,youstayupdatedabout the latestbooks, journalsandmagazines thatarebeing

published.

Attendseminars

If you are a student, it is your responsibility to attend all the lectures.But gobeyond that.Therecouldbesomevisitingprofessorswhospecialize incertainsubjects;tryandattendtheirlecturestoo.

Evenifyouhaveajob,tryandattendaseminaroralectureatleastonceamonth.ManyofthemtakeplaceonSaturdaysandSundays.Betterstill,becomeamemberofclubsorgroupsthatorganizesuchprogrammes.

Makenotes

Set aside time to study on a daily basis. Start with spending one hour a day.Switchofffromtechnologyduringthisperiodtoavoiddistractionsfromothers.

Makenotesaboutwhatyouhavestudied.Thisisveryimportantbecauseyoucanrefertoyourpersonalnotesinfuturetoo.Thishelpsrefreshyourmemory,andyouretainwhatyouhavestudiedforalongtime.

AsmanagementguruStevenCoveysaid, ‘Readdeepandreadwide.Also,readscholarlyandresearchpapersforyourpersonalgrowth.’

10

YourSwadharma

SWADHARMAISASANSKRITwordfoundinmostoftheancientIndianliterature.Itconsistsoftwowords—swa(oneself)anddharma(somethingnatural).Therefore,itrepresentssomethingthatisnaturaltooneself.Everyoneisnotcreatedequal.Buteveryoneisunique.Eachoneofuspossessessomethingwhichothersdonothave—sometalent,

naturalgiftorquality.Butunfortunately,insteadoffocusingonwhatisgoodinus,wefollowthe

herdmentalityandarealwayscopyingothers.Wecompareourselvesagainstthesuccess of others.Why can’twe just focus onwhat is best suited for us—ourswadharma?Andalsoourswabhava(accordingtoournature)?

Stop following blindly. The real journey in life involves being true tooneself.

Chanakyasuggests thesameforeachofus—tofollowapath,aprofessionthatcomesnaturallytous,somethingthatwecanbeateasewith.

‘Theobservanceofone’sownswadharma(specialduty)leadstoheavenandtoendlessbliss.’(1.3.14)

When a people finds their natural calling in life, they is bound to findhappiness. There could be challenges along the way but nothing would stopthembecausethey’redoingthekindofworktheylove.

For instance, if aperson isanaturallygiftedpainter, theywillbehappiestwhentheyarepainting.Evenifintheinitialstagesthereisstruggle,itwillnotaffectthemmuch.

Onemayevengetpaid lesser in the initialphasebut it isonlyamatteroftimebeforeone’stalentgetsnoticed.

Allgreatachieversenjoyedtheirrespectivefieldsofwork.Theylovedwhattheydidandwerereadytogiveupeverythingfortheirpursuit.

This is the advice given by Chanakya—to find your calling, yourswadharma.Oncewehavefoundit,thenwearealreadyinthemidstofendlessbliss.

Butthekeyquestionremains—howdoesonefindhisorherswadharma?Today, we are living in a world full of opportunities. Having too many

opportunities has become a problem rather than a solution, especially for thenewgeneration.Forexample,students incollegeshavemanydifferentstreamsorcoursestochoosefrom.Peoplearegettingconfusedanddonotknowwhattodo.

Take for instance, a young studentwho is very good in academics.Whenthatstudentpassesoutfromschool,shedoesnotknowwhichfieldtopursueinhercareer.Shemaygetadmissionintoamedicaloranengineeringcollege.Butmaybesheisinclinedtowardssports.

However,socialandpeerpressurewillnotallowhertotakeupsportsasacareer. ‘You are so good in studies, why go for sports?’ would be the firstreactionfromalmostallpeople.

Thenandtherewouldbethedemiseofatalentedsportsperson.Sohowdowefindacareerthatwillfulfilus?

Observeyourselfeveryday

This method of checking oneself is a good starting point. Observe thosemoments thatbringyouhappiness inyourdaily life. It couldbeanything.Forexample, if writing makes you happy, probably there is a writer in you whowantstoexpresshimself.Ifyoufindjoyinsolvingamathematicalequation,youmightbeaprodigyinmathandnotevenknowit.

Follow up your observation with another round of self-check. Are thosemomentsoccurringinisolation,justonetime,oraretheyrepeatingthemselves?The resulting patternwill light up the direction you need tomove in, in yourcareer.

Checkwithexperts

Being talented is not enough.One needs some form of guidance to become agenius.Go andmeet an expert in your fieldof interest.Discuss andget someinputs.Thereisnoreplacementforgettingcoachedandmentoredbyaguru.

Sachin Tendulkar had a natural flair for cricket. But his talent would nothavemetwiththedegreeofsuccessithashadhisbrothernottakenhimtohiscoachRamakanthAcharekar,whomadetheroughdiamondshineontheworldstage.

Makeitanambition

Makeityour lifegoal tofindyourswadharma;goat itwithfull force.Thingsdon’t happen when you wait for them to happen. Take matters in your own

hands.ForSteveJobs,technologyandinnovationcamesonaturallythathecreated

aglobalempire,Apple,outofhispassion.Inreality,hehadfoundhisswadharma.Haveyoufoundyours?

11

YourDailyTimetable

PLANNINGISTHEfirststeptowardssuccess.Whenyouwereastudent,yourschoolhadaplanforyou,onethatstretched

for many years, from kindergarten to secondary school. Now that you’re anadult,doyouhaveaplanfortherestofyourlife?

Mostofusdon’t.Whileit isgoodtogowiththeflow,it’salsoimportant tobeawareof the

direction you’removing in.Are youmoving in a desirable direction?What isyourultimategoalinlife?

Ifwedonotthinkthroughtheseissues,ourliveswillinevitablybeinamessafewyearsdowntheline.

Asuccessfulpersononcesaid,‘Ifyoufailtoplan,youplantofail.’Makealistofyourprioritiesandbreakthemdownintoyearly,monthlyand

dailygoalsthatwillbeeasilyachievable.In Chapter 19 of theArthashastra, Chanakya guides the king to follow a

dailyroutine,whereallhisdutiesareincludedinasingleday.The day would be full of activities, including meeting citizens,

administration,studying,consulting,meetingelders,timeforthinkingandmanyother priorities.The ideawas that at the endof the day, the king shouldhaveachievedallthegoals.

Butdoesn’tthedailytimetableofakingseemmonotonousandrigid?Notatall!Itisdiverseandflexible.

Chanakyaadvises:

‘Or,heshoulddividethedayandnightintodifferentpartsinconformitywithhiscapacityandcarryouthistasks.’(1.19.25)

Chanakyagivesfullfreedomtoadjustthisdailyroutine.Heacknowledgesthateveryperson’scapacitytoworkdiffers.Somepeoplearemoreproductiveinthemorning,while others are in the evening. There are dayswhen one feels likedoingmorework,whiletherearedayswhenonefeelstakingiteasy.

SohowdoweplanourdailytimetableasperChanakya’swisdom?

Makeatimetable

Itisimportanttostartfromwhereyouare.Ifyoufeelyourlifeisunplanned,donotworry.Startplanningitnow.Ifyoudonothaveagoalinyourlife,findoutwhat it is now. In case you’re wondering—no, it isn’t too late. Once you’vefiguredoutwhatyouwantfromlife,breakitdownintodailyachievabletargets.

Forexample,beforeIbeganwritingthisbook,Ibrokeupthetaskintosmallchapters. Then I prepared the timeline for its completion, which involvedmeputtinginabouttwohoursperday.Thismadeitaloteasierformetomeetmydeadline. All my books have been written in record time. It is all due to theadvanceplanningonmypart.

Refineit

Thedailytimetableyouprepareshouldnotjustcoveryourwork,butmaketimeforallyourotherrolesinyourpersonalandsociallife.Ifyoufocusonjustyourcareer, youmay succeed in it butmight endup losing the respect and loveofyourfamily.

Andremember,noplansucceedswithoutperseverance.Afteryouhavesetadaily timetable, follow it religiously. Theremight be initial hiccups, but pushyourself.Youwillberewardedforthesame.

Seetheprogress

Once you get a grip on your daily timetable, you will feel confident and incontrolofyourlife.

Makenoteofanyprogressyoumake.Themoreyourecordyoursuccess,themoreyouwillgetmotivatedtocontinueyourpursuit.

Alteritasyougrow

Astimepasses,yourdailytimetablemustchangetokeepupwithyourpersonalgrowth.It’simportantthatyoualteryourplansfromtimetotime.

One of the best books on goal-setting is Steven Covey’sThe 7Habits ofHighlyEffectivePeople.Here,hestressesthatgoal-settingshouldbepartofyourdailyroutine.

Hesays,‘Don’tprioritizeyourschedule,butscheduleyourpriorities.’

12

Meditation

Meditationisaverypowerfulexercise.Manyconsideritaprocessthathelpsonetranscendthelimitsofthought,butitisalsoastateofmind.

Ameditativepersonisfocused,composed,clearandconsiderate.Heknowswhattodo,andwhatnottodo.Heknowswhentostart,andwhentostop.

Meditationisnotjustsomethingyou‘do’.Itisalsoastateofmindto‘be’in,something that you develop throughout your life. You turn meditation into alifelongexperience.

Acombinationofcontemplation(manan)andmeditation(dhyana)leadsustoastateofmindthatisspiritual.

The Arthashastra starts with developing the knowledge of anvikshiki.Anvikshiki stands formany things, one of them being philosophical thinking.Thiscanalsobeinterpretedasmeditation.

Sowhatarethebenefitsofregularanddeepmeditation?Chanakyasays,

‘Anvikshikikeepsthemindsteadyinadversityandprosperityandbringsaboutproficiencyinthought,speechandaction.’(1.2.11)

Herewearenot talkingabout theprocessofmeditation,but its end result.Ofcourse, the highest benefit of meditation is self-realization—moksha, nirvana,jeevanmukti,etc.Alltheseareatthespirituallevel.

On the personal front, meditation is the last leap of faith that you taketowardsyourself—aleapthatcanbenefityouataworldlylevel.Thefirststeptoachieve success in this world is to have a calm and peacefulmind. Read theaboveversebyChanakyaagain.

Hepointsoutthatoneshouldmeditatetokeepthemindsteady.Whenthingsaregoingcompletelywrongandonedoesnotknowwhattodo,

one must find a way to keep calm. But when things are going right andeverythingseemstobemovinginapositivedirection,it’sstillimportanttokeepcalm.

Andthisisachievablethroughtheprocessofmeditation.Whenyouarerelaxedinanysituation,itbringsaboutproficiencyinthought,

speech and action—your thoughts are clear, you speakwithout confusion and

youractionsleadtosuccess.As the Bhagwad Gita says, ‘Yoga Karmasu Kaushalam.’ Yoga brings

excellenceinwhateveryoudo.Asabeginner,herearesomebasictipstohelpyoumeditate:

Sitquietly

The first step in meditation is to sit quietly in one place. Start with fifteenminutesadayandslowly,overaperiodoftime,makeitabouthalfanhour,orevenonehour.

Chooseatimeslot,preferablyinthemorning,andsitdowninacomfortableplaceandposition.Trynottochangetheplace.Thiswillhelptrainyourmindtobeatthesameplaceandthesametimeeachday.

Keep all gadgets and other unnecessary distractions away from you. Dorequestyourfamilymembersnottodisturbyouduringthattime.

Relaxandobserveyourmind

Takeafewdeepbreaths.Relaxyourmindandbody.Positiveaffirmationslike‘Iamrelaxed’,‘Iamcalm’,‘Iamquiet’allhelponefeelcalm.

Now watch your mind. Start praying to God. Since you are new tomeditation,asmallprayeraskingforhelpfromtheAlmightyisalwaysagoodthing.Surrender.

Nomind

Your thoughtswill start receding. This is the time to be alert. In this relaxedstate, it’s imperative that you resist any urge to fall asleep. It is natural for arelaxed and calm mind to want to take a nap. But that is the opposite ofmeditation,whichisastateofcompletealertness.

Keepdoingthisandtrytobeinthestateofnomindandnothoughtsforaslongasyoucan.

Whenyouaredone,trytokeepyourselfcalmasmuchasyoucanevenafterleavingyourseatofmeditation.

This stateofmindwillcarry itself forwardontoyourworkand the restofyour activities. And you will improve on every front. You will even haverevelations.

Srinivasa Ramanujan, the great Indian mathematician, used to pray andmeditateandhecouldcrackthemathematicsoftheuniverse.Heoncesaid,‘AnequationmeansnothingtomeunlessitexpressesathoughtofGod.’

Finally,don’tgiveup.There couldbe some failures in thebeginning.Butthesecretofsuccessistocontinuemeditatinguntilyousucceed.

13

Food

THEESSENCEOFapersongreatlydependsonthekindoffoodheconsumes.Therearetwotypesoffood—thephysicalfoodthatweeat,andthefoodfor

thought.Therealwisdomliesinchoosingyourfoodcarefully.Rightfoodconsumed

intherightmannercanhelptransformthehealthofyourmindandbody.Allmedicalinstitutionsacrosstheglobeknowthatalongwithmedicines,the

foodthatisconsumedisequallyimportantincuringanydisease.Chanakya was an expert in the science of food. He had thoroughly

researchedfoodand itsconsumption.Hedid itnotonlyforhumanbeings,butforanimalsandplantstoo.

ThroughouttheArthashastra,hegivestipsonwhattypesoffoodaretobeconsumed.

Thefirstadvicegiventoakingistomeetthecookonadailybasis:

‘Duringtheeighthpartoftheday,heshouldseehischiefcook.’(1.19.23)

Aspartofhisroutine,thekingmustgoandmeethischiefcookeachday.Thechiefcookwassomeonewhohadin-depthknowledgeofeverythingthat

went into preparing a royal meal—from the raw ingredients to the supplysystems,fromhowtosourcethebestfruits,vegetablesandspicestothefinancesinvolved.He understood the impact of seasons on his rawmaterial.He couldalsodifferentiatebetweenoriginalandduplicateitems.

All governments have policies that focus on providing quality food to itspeople. For example, in India, food security is a basic right for every citizen.Plus, nowwe are also focusing on providing food that is nutrition-centric, tosolvetheproblemofmalnutritioninthecountry.

Similarly,intheking’scase,thechiefcookwasresponsiblefortheoverallhealthofhiskingdom.And,therefore,adailymeetingwiththechiefcookwasessentialfortheking.

Butwhatcanwedoatanindividuallevelregardingourdiet?

Dosomeshopping

Now,thisisthebestthingyoucandotolearnaboutthemostimportantpartof

food—theingredients.Takeatriptothelocalmarketandobservewhatkindofvegetables,fruits,pulses,grainsandspicesarebeingsold.

Listen carefully to the discussions between shopkeepers and buyers.Understand from where the ingredients are sourced. Understanding the foodindustry will also help you understand the economics of it—the concept ofdemandandsupply.

Trymakingsomething

Nowthatyouhaveunderstoodhowthingswork,trytoactuallymakesomething.Thebestwaytounderstandfoodistomakeityourself.Becomeachefforaday.

There isnobetterexpressionof love towardsanyofyour familymembersthantryingoutarecipeforthem.Thisisagreatexperimentnotonlyintermsofcookingbutalsoasanactoflove.

Lastbutmostimportant—whereverandwheneveryoutravel,trytoeatwhatthelocalseat.AndinacountrylikeIndia,thereisnodirthofvarietyinfood.

Thebestwaytodiscoveraplaceisthroughitsfood.Andthebestwaytoaperson’sheartisthroughthestomach!

14

Self-discipline

THERE ARE TWO types of discipline—external discipline and internal/self-discipline.

Disciplinemaybeenforcedexternallyinthebeginning,say,byateacherinschool,orabossatwork,oraparentathome.But,inthelongrun,theexternaldisciplineshouldbeinternalizedandturnedintoself-discipline.

For example, in your initial phase at work, the rules of the company ororganizationwill forceyou tobepunctual and achieve the targets set foryou.Your bossmaymonitor and even do amicro-review of your work. But onceexperienced,youwillhavetotaketheinitiativeyourself.

Chanakyahadasimilarmethodtodisciplineaking.Hewouldkeepaministerinchargetodisciplinetheking,especiallyontime

management.

‘He(king)shouldsetthepreceptorsorministersastheboundsofproperconduct(forhimself),whoshouldrestrainhimfromoccasionsofharm,orwhenheiserringinprivate,shouldprickhimwiththegoadintheformofindicationoftimefortheperformanceofhisregulardutiesbymeansofthe

shadowofthewaterclock.’(1.7.8)

This is a beautiful method through which Chanakya is imposing externaldisciplineontheking.Whenoneisnotsureifonecanfollowdisciplineonone’sown,it’sgoodtoappointatrustedpersontoremindone.

Thepreceptor(teacher)oranyothertrustedpersonwastoldtosetaproperboundary,andnottocrossthelimits.Theywereempoweredtorestraintheking

whenever therewas a possibility of harm. So even in private if hewas doingsomethingwrong,theywereadvisedtoprickhimwithagoad(rod).

Thekinghadmanymeetingswithpeopleofhigherpositions.Therewasanaturaltendencyforonemeetingtoexceedandspilloverintothenextmeeting.Soasoftreminderfromtheteacherorministerhelped.Theydidthisbyshowingaclocktotheking.

But finally, Chanakya says that over a period of time, all this shouldtranslateintoself-discipline.

‘Onedoingwhateverpleaseshimdoesnotachieveanything.’(7.11.35)

Here,Chanakya is stressing on the importance of controlling one’smind.Themindhasatendencytodoasitpleases.Apersonwhodoeswhateverpleaseshisminddoesnotachieveanything.

Thisiswhereself-disciplinecomesin.Decidewhatistobedone,thengoaheadandachieveit.Herearesomesimplestepswecanfollowtoachieveself-discipline:

Haveaclearagendaorgoal

Onehastohaveacleargoalinmind,forstarters.Iftheagendaitselfisnotthere,thenweendupfeelingpurposeless.Soit’simportanttosetagoalthatourmindcanfocuson.

Forexample, say,youneed to lose tenkilos.Now thatyouhave thataim,drawupaplanonhowyouwillachieveit—adietplan,anexerciseroutine,etc.

Shareitwithsomeoneclose

Makesureyouhaveafriendwithwhomyoushareyourgoals.Andthenaskthepersontohelpyoumonitoryourprogress.Itcouldbeyourgyminstructor,yourspouse,yourbrotherorevenacolleague.

Makesurethesearepeopleyoutrust,becauseyou’reessentiallyaskingthemtobeyourpartnerinachievingyourgoal.Theyshouldbegiventhefreedomtocorrectyouwithoutyoufeelingoffended.

Tryonyourown

Therecomesatimewhenyouhavetotrydoingthingsonyourown.Canyougetupwithoutthealarmclock?Canyougetintoofficeontimewithoutyourbossaskingyoutobepunctual?Canyoucompleteyourhomeworkwithoutthethreat

ofpunishmentfromtheteacher?Oncesuchastateofself-motivationisachieved,youautomaticallybecome

aninspirationtoothersaroundyou.Then others will seek your guidance on the path to success and self-

discipline.

15

FindYourPattern

PATTERNSEXISTEVERYWHERE.Forexample,allsuccessfulpeoplehavepatterns.SteveJobshadapatterninthewayhedressedup—healwaysworeablack

turtleneckwithjeans.SachinTendulkarhadapatternofbattingwellagainstspinbowlers.Everyonehasapattern.Manypeopleliketogoforawalkeverydayatthe

sametimeandonthesameroute.Evennatureworksinpatterns—seasons,sunrise,thebloomingofflowers—

everythinghappensattherighttime.Andfarmersknowthisall toowell,foritaidstheirharvest.

Patternsareuseful,becausetheyfreethemindfromusingenergyforroutinework.Theway thisworks is that since themindhas a tried-and-testedpatternthatitcanblindlyfollow,itcaninsteadfocusonother,moreinnovativework.

Oneofthefirststepstowardssuccessinlifeistorecognizeyourpattern.Someoneoncesaidthatthemostproductiveyearsofapersonisbetweenthe

agesoffortytosixty.Atfortyyouarenotinexperienced.Youhaveagoodsenseofwhatlifeisallabout.Butyoualsohavetwentymoreproductiveyearsaheadofyou.

Sorecognizingthepatternofyourlifeatfortysetsyouonthepathtowardsahigher,purposefullife.Amidlifecrisiscanbecomeamidlifeboon.

Chanakyaadvisesthekingtofollowapatterninhisdailyactivities.Hesays,

‘Heshoulddividethedayandnightintoeightparts,asalsothenightbymeansofnalikas(timemeasurement).’(1.19.6)

HereweseethepatternbeingcreatedbyChanakyafortheking.First,dividethetwenty-fourhoursofyourdayintodayandnight.Dividethe

dayintoeightpartsandthenightintoanothereightparts.So,intotal,adayoftwenty-four hours is divided into sixteen parts. Each part is of one-and-a-halfhourseach.

Nowdecidewhatyouwant toaccomplish in thatday.Thenyoucan fit ineverytaskinthepatternofone-and-a-half-hourunitsandhaveaclearerscheduleinmind.

Thispatternofone-and-a-halfhours isvery relevant inourageand ifyouobserve, you’ll find this pattern everywhere. It has been scientifically proventhatanaveragepersoncanfocusononethingforamaximumofninetyminutes.Afterthat,itbecomesratherdifficulttocontinue.

Andso,itmakessensewhythelengthofanEnglishfilmisusuallymadeofone-and-a-half hours long, in other words, ninetyminutes. A Bollywood filmusuallylastsforaboutthreehours,withanintervalafterone-and-a-halfhours.

Eveninhighereducationinuniversities,lecturesusuallylastforone-and-a-halfhours.

SoChanakya’sadvice,toputitsimply,istotakeabreakandcomebacktothat work with renewed concentration. How should you set patterns in yourlives?

Makealistofyourpersonalgoals

Thislistcouldbepersonalorprofessional.Dopreparealist,ifyoudonothaveonealready.Thenprioritizeeachtaskandsetatimelimittoachieveeachgoal;andthenputthemintoslotsofninetyminuteseach.

Butitisimperativethatyousetyourgoalfirst.

Doitinchunksofninetyminutes

Forexample,whenIsetouttowriteabook,thefirstthingIdoissetadeadlinefor its completion. I divide the book into sections and put them into ninety-minutetimeslots.

SointotalIworkforthreehourseveryday,withabreakaftereveryninetyminutes.When theday ismore relaxed, Iwrite for three to foursetsofninetyminuteseach.Imayevenwriteforsixhoursadaywithoutgettingtired.

Includeeverything

Don’tget fixedonone thingandputasideeverythingelse.An idealpattern isonewhereyouincludetimeforrelaxationtoo.

Setasideninetyminuteseverydayforexerciseorspendingtimewithyourfamily. Or read every day for those ninety minutes. You will find yourproductivityatapersonallevelreachinggreaterheightswitheverypassingday.

Here’sasecret—theuniverse isfullofpatterns.Tounderstandit,youfirstneedtounderstanditspatterns.

Ourlifeissimplyareflectionoftheuniverseitexistsin.Sosetapatternforyourself,andbeonewiththeflowoftheuniverse.

16

CreativeHobby

MANYCONSIDERAhobbyassomethingthatisjustforpassingtime.They’rewrong.Ahobbymakeseffectiveuseoftimebyhelpingonecreate

something.If you look at the definition of a hobby, it means an activity or interest

pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation. Gardening,reading, singing, are all considered hobbies that people do, other than theirprofessionalwork.

Butthetruthis, ifyoufollowyourhobbydiligently, itmightendupbeingmoreproductivethanyourmainoccupation.

All great people have hobbies. J.R.D. Tata, the famous industrialist, likedlistening to music from across the globe. Homi Bhabha, the great nuclearscientist, enjoyed painting. Albert Einstein, the world-renowned physicist,playedtheviolinandpiano,apartfromsailingandwritingtravelogues.

The various hobbies Chanakya suggested to a king included listening tomusicalinstruments,swimmingandhunting.

Forhunting,whichwasagameduringthosedays,Chanakyasuggested,

‘Heshouldgotoaforestcontaininggame,forpractisingonmovingtargets.’(1.21.23)

Mostcountrieshavenowbannedhuntingasaleisureactivity.ButweneedtolookatChanakya’ssuggestionfromadifferentperspective.The above suggestion for hunting does not suggest the act of killing an

animalorbird.Itsimplysaystopractiseonamovingtarget.A king in those days was also expected to be a great warrior. So during

leisuretimehewassupposedtohuntandevencatchanimals.Butitwasnotaneasytask.Ananimalfromtheforestunderstandsitshabitatbetterthanhumansandknowsallitsroutes.Ifyoutrytocatchit,itcaneasilyescape.Thereisalsothe danger of the hunter becoming the hunted. So it is all a mind game andrequires a foolproof strategy if one is to win. And this was where the king’strainingcameintoplay.

Similarly, this logic is applicable to other hobbies aswell. If you take upgardening,youshouldresearchseasonsandtheirimpactsonplants.Ifyoutake

up an instrument, you should hone your ability to differentiate between notesandscales.Whateveryoudo,acquireaholisticunderstandingofyourhobby.

Soyousee,hobbyisaseriousactivity.Except,itisnotstressful.Itactuallyde-stressesyou.

Sowhatshouldonekeepinmindwhiledevelopingahobby?

Itisimportant

Havingahobbyin itself is important. It issomethingweshouldalldevelopinour lives.Justas readingandwritinghelpsus inallwalksof life,ahobby toohelpsusdevelopcertainskillsrequiredinlife.

Itisalsoimportanttoupgradeyourselfinyourhobby.Supposeyourhobbyistoplaytheflute;donotplaythesametuneeverydayevenaftertwentyyears.Thiswoulddrainthecreativityofthisactivity.Sokeepimprovingyourhobby.Listen to new tunes, learn new dance pieces. Whatever your hobby, keeplearning.

Itrefinesyou

Ahobbyhelpssharpenthemind.Butitisonlyoveraperiodoftimethatyou’llbe able to appreciate the finer aspects ofyourhobby.Yourmindwill becomemorealertandreceptive.

If reading isaperson’shobby, subconsciously theperson isbound to startunderstanding the patterns of various books. He is soon able to differentiatebetweengoodandbadbooks.This typeof insightcanbedeveloped throughahobbyinotherfieldstoo.

Giveittimeregularly

Don’t leave a hobbymidway. Give it time every day. Some people follow ahobby religiously during their childhood, but they do not continue it intoadulthood.Therearefewthingssadderthanthedeathofcreativity.

So follow your hobby and give it your best.Who knows, youmight justmakeafulfillingcareeroutofit!Andifnot,thenrememberthatlifewithoutahobby is dull and boring.Whenever you feel down and low, youwill alwayshaveyourhobbytogobackto.

17

PersonalFinances

THE GROWTH OF a person is measured in various ways—the education onereceives, the position one holds in his career, how well respected one is insociety,andmostimportantly,howmuchmoneyonehas.

We cannot call ourselves fully successful tillwe are able to createwealthandmanageourpersonalfinances.

TheArthashastra itselfcanbe translatedasabookonwealth, financeandeconomics. Artha (wealth) and shastra (scripture) stands for wealth ofknowledgeandknowledgeofwealth.

The6,000sutrasgivenintheArthashastraitselfrevealtousmanysecretsofgettingrich.ItisoneofIndia’sfinestcontributionstotheworld.Chanakyasays,

‘Easytolearnandunderstand,preciseindoctrine,senseandword,freefromprolixityoftext,thushasthiswork(Arthashastra)onthesciencebeen

composedbyKautilya.’(1.1.19)

Whenwe thinkof studying theArthashastra, the first thing that comes to ourmindis,‘Itisgoingtobeverydifficult’.Thisisnottrue.Chanakyahimselfhassaid in the above verse that it is easy to learn and understand and not at allconfusing.

But then, how do we explain our mental block? It is because theArthashastrahasnotbeenprojectedintherightmannertous.Also,wedonotlearnitundertheguidanceofaproperteacherwhohasstudiedandunderstoodit.

So,I’mtakingtheopportunitytosimplifytheArthashastraanditsfinancialmodelsinfoureasystepsforyoutopractiseatthepersonallevel.Heretheyare:

Wealthidentification

The first step is to identify where money will come from. If we observeourselves carefully,we shall find that each of us has a unique talent orGod-givengift throughwhichwecanbecomerich.Unfortunately,mostofusaren’tabletoidentifythatuniquenessinourselves.

Intoday’sdayandage,itisallaboutspecialization.Anexpertispaidmorethantheotherpeopleinthatfieldbecauseheisprivytotheknowledgethatmost

ofthemseek.So,tryandbecomeaspecialistinyourareaofinterest.Insteadofgoing after money, identify your inner wealth and money will automaticallyfollowyou.

Developyour innercapabilities,geteducatedandlearnfromotherexperts.Oneday,withoutyouevenbeingawareofit,opportunitieswillcomeknockingatyourdoor.

Wealthcreation

Justbecausewearegoodatsomethingdoesnotmeanwewillbecomerich.Onehastoworkhardtocreatewealth.

Keep your eyes and ears open for different possibilities. SwamiChinmayananda put it well, ‘When opportunity knocks at the door, either wehave gone outside, or are sleeping inside’. Be very alert and grab the chancebeforeothersdo.

Ifyoutrulyputinyourbest,otherswillinevitablythinkofyouasapersonwithqualityoutput.Youwillgetmoreandmoreoffers ifyouareknownasapersonwhodeliversresultsontime.

Wealthmanagement

Onceyoustartmakingmoney,donotgetexcited.Itisimportanttostartsavingrightaway.Thisiswherewealthmanagementcomesintothepicture.

Nowadays, one can take advice fromprofessionalwealthmanagers.Thereare various schemes where you can save and invest.Mutual funds, insuranceplans, shares of companies, investment in real estate—there is no dearth ofoptions.

Remember, the good daysmay not last forever. So it’s important to startsavingandinvestingforthebaddaysduringthegooddaysitself.Forinstance,many who win the lottery start spending excessively and instead of stayingwealthytheylandupbeingpooragain.

Wealthmanagementskillswillhelpyoustayrichforever.

Wealthdistribution

Savingandinvestingyourmoneydoesnotmeanyoushouldnotspendatall.Donotbecomeamiser.That isnot thepoint.Personal financehas tobemanagedwell. Then look at how you can give back to society and the not-so-fortunatepeople.

We are all products of society.Our parents, familymembers, society, the

government,allhavespenta lotonus.Theyeducateus,provideussafetyandsecurity,andenableustobecitizensofthisworld.Now,itistimewegivebacktothem.

There isaPersonalSocialResponsibility (PSR)eachoneofhas—tomakesurewe do not die as someonewhowas rich, but someonewhomadeothersrich.

Thewealthwegiveotherscomesbacktousinsomewayortheother.Anditstayswithuspermanently.

So use these principles from the Arthashastra and watch your personalfinancesgrowexponentially.

18

LifePlan

HUMANLIFEISagiftfromGod.Outofallthespeciesonearth,wearetheprivilegedones.Likeotherspecies,wecanthink,butwecanalsocreate,visualizeandmost

importantly,achievethehigheststateofconsciousness—self-realization.Butshouldwehaveaplaninlife,orjustgowiththeflow?Weneedtobalanceboth—planourlivesandletlifeflowthroughus.OurancientIndianVedicculturehadabroadvisionoflife.Rightfrombirth

todeath,itgaveusasystematicwaytoleadourlives.Chanakya, too, emphasizes the importance of planning one’s life in the

Arthashastra.Heurgesonetore-establishtheVediclifepatternbysaying,

‘ThelawlaiddownintheVediclore(tradition)isbeneficial,asitprescribestherespectivedutiesofthefourstagesoflife.’(1.3.4)

The Indian tradition derived its wisdom from experiments carried out acrossgenerationsandwasintendedtobenefitmankindatlarge.Thiswasdonesothatthe following generations would not make the same mistakes. And in theArthashatra, Chanakya has bifurcated life into four phases and given us cleardirectionstofollowineachphaseifwearetoliveafulfillinglife.

Whatarethosefourstagesoflife?ThelifeplangiveninIndiancultureisdividedintofourstages—astudent,a

householder,aretiredpersonandamonk.Letusassumethateachpersonlivesforahundredyears.Thefourstagescan

bedividedintoanaverageoftwenty-fiveyearseach.Nowletusseewhat isexpected tobedoneineachof thesefourstagesof

life:

Studentlife(Brahmacharya-ashram)

Thefirststageoflife,thisiswhenwegetreadytofacetheworld.Recognizinghowcrucialtheseformativeyearsare,ourancienteducationsystemfocusedongivingachildbothspiritualaswellasworldlyknowledge.

Our great teachers, including Chanakya, created a beautiful educationsystem,layingtheveryfoundationofwhatistodaythemodernsociety.

So it’s important that you get the best education possible. But pleaseremember, thebesteducationdoesnotmeanschoolswith flashy infrastructureandhighfees.Itisthequalityofteachersthat’smostimportant,fortheyaretheoneswhowillenableyoutoplanoutyourlife.

Householder’slife(Grihasta-ashram)

This is the second stage where one getsmarried and takes up various familyresponsibilities. Taking care of elders and the children in the family, earningmoney,managingfinancesanddoingajob—allhavetobedonesimultaneously.So it requiresa lotofenergyandcommitment tobesuccessfulat thisstageoflife.

Thekeytoasuccessfulmarriageisagoodlifepartner.Ifyourspouseisalsoagoodfriend,thenyourjourneyatthisstagewillbealotsmoother.

But remember, in this stage of life, youmust be ready to givemore thanyour100percent.Beacommittedpartner.Lookafteryourelders.Educateyourchildrenandpreparethemtostandstronginthefaceofchallenges.

Retired(Vanaprastha-ashram)

By the timeyouenter this stageof life,yourchildrenwillhavegrownupandprobablybemarried,shoulderingtheirownresponsibilities.Thisisthetimeyouare a bit relaxed. Your duty is just to watch them as they make their ownchoices,andspendsomegoodtimewithyourgrandchildren.

Pleaserememberthatyoushouldprovideguidanceonlywhenaskedfor it.Donottrytointerfereinothers’lives.Ithelpstobedetached.

Intheoldendays,manypeoplechosetoretreatintoaforestandspendtheirtimemeditating. Today, we have the choice to go away from our families tospiritualplacesandleadalifeofspirituality.

Monk(sannyasa--ashram)

This stage is also known as sannyasa or parivrajaka-ashram.When one entersthisstage,onecompletelycutsoffallworldlyties.Thereisnocontactevenwithfamilymembers.Oneissupposedtobecomeawanderingascetic.

Inmost religions of Indian origin, there is an allusion to this stage in onewayortheother.Onetakesonmonkhoodundertheguidanceofaguru.AnditssolepurposeistorealizeGod.

Wecanalsousethelaststageofourlifeforourspiritualdevelopment.Withnoregretsorunfulfilleddesires,onewaitsforagloriousexitfromthisworld.

TrytofollowStevenCovey’sadvice.Hesaid,‘Beginwiththeendinmind.’What this means is one should visualize oneself being taken away on theirfuneral.Atthemomentwhenyouvisualizethat,askyourself—lookingback,ifyoucouldchoose,whatkindoflifewouldyouhavewantedtolive?

Startlivingthatkindoflife.Rightnow.

19

BecomeanInstitution

CHANAKYA’SLIFEISaninspiration.He was able to make himself an institution. His journey from being an

individualtobecominganinstitutionisworthstudying.While we’re all in awe of him, each of us has the capabilities to be a

Chanakyainourrespectivefields.UponunderstandingChanakya, youwillwant to contribute to society in a

waythatthegenerationstocomewillrememberyourwork.Mostimportantly,hewrotetheArthashastra.

‘Thisscience(Arthashastra)hasbeencomposedbyhim,whoinresentmentquicklyregeneratedthescienceandtheweaponandtheearththatwas

underthecontrolofNandakings.’(15.1.73)

ThelastkingoftheNandadynasty,DhanaNandawasacorruptruler.ChanakyadefeatedanddethronedDhanaNandaandmadeChandraguptaMauryatheking.AndthenhewrotetheArthashastra.

Generationaftergeneration,hissecretsongoodgovernancehavebeenusedbyvariouskings.MillenniahavepassedandstillChanakyacontinuestoinspireus.

Whataretheteachingsfromhislifethatwillhelpusstartourjourneyfrombeinganindividualtoaninstitution?

Dosomethingextraordinary

Tothinksmallisacrime.DrA.P.J.AbdulKalamtoldustodreambigandaimfor the skies. The same was reflected in the life of Chanakya—an ordinaryteacherwhodidextraordinarywork.Chanakyahadtakenupachallengethatfewpeoplewouldeventhinkof.HechallengedtheNandakingofthemostpowerfuldynastyatthattime.Chanakyawasnotakinghimself,nordidhehaveanarmy.Buthetookupthetaskandachievedthegoalofdefeatinghim.

Next, he took up the challenge of defeating Alexander, another powerfulkingonhiswaytoconquertheworld.Withhisordinarystudentforce,ledbyavillage-dwellerChandragupta,hebroughttheGreekinvaderstotheirknees.

LetuslearnfromChanakya’sactions.Heshowsusthatinlifeoneshouldset

a high target and make the impossible possible. You cannot afford tounderestimateyourself.

Inculcateathirstforknowledge

The best way to create a legacy is to inculcate a thirst for knowledge. Teachpeoplewhatyou’velearntinlife.Passonyourexperience.Theywilltakeyourworkandvisionforward.Youwillleavetheworldoneday,butyourlife’sworkwillliveonthroughthesestudents.

LikeChanakya,ifyoucanbuildaneducationalinstitution,agurukul,itwillbeaphenomenalachievement.

Ifyoucannotbuildaneducational institutionyourself, teach inanexistingone.ChanakyataughtinTakshashilaUniversitybeforecreatingagurukulofhisown. Giving back to students what one has learned is a great way of takingknowledgeforward.

Createsystemsandprocesses

Chanakyabelievedintheimportanceofhavingefficientsystemsandprocessesin place. He created instruction manuals for leaders to follow. In theArthashastra, one can learn about the intricacies of how an ideal kingdom iscreatedandgoverned.

Greatthinkersdon’tcomeupwithideas,theycomeupwithrealisticideas.Andthentheyalsohelpbuildasysteminplacetoletthoseideasflourish.

Inyourlife,youmustaimtodothesame.Andthebestpartisthatyouhavetechnologyatyourdisposaltomakethishappen.

Writeabook

Thisisthebestwaytotellyourstorytoothers.If youhave thoughts like ‘Whowill readmybook?’ thenplease stop that

voiceinyourheadrightnow.Imagine, what if Chanakya had not written the Arthashastra? We would

havelostallhisknowledgetodoubt.Infact,Iwouldnothavebeenabletowritethisbookeither,hadIentertainedsuchdoubts.Soremember, therearereadersouttherewaitingtoreadyourstory.

My advice for beginners would be to maintain a daily journal. Jot downeverythingyoulearneachday.Thisisbestdoneatnightbeforegoingtosleep.

Trythisforamonthandyouwillseethatthereissomuchyouhavelearned.After a year you will find that your diary and its notes are your real assets.

Something no one can take away from you, for knowledge documented ispermanentknowledge.

Livetoinspire.

20

PersonalGuru

THECONCEPTOF apersonal coach is rather common in the fieldof sports.Anysuccessfulsportspersonknowstheimportanceofhis/herpersonalcoach.Ifyouhit thegym,apersonalcoachcanhelpaccelerateyourprogress.Hewillguideyouasperyourspecificrequirement.

In a similarmanner, there are coaches,mentors and guides in every otherfield.InIndia,suchteachers,expertsandguidesareknownasgurus.

There are business coaches, politicalmentors and technical consultants. InIndia,wealsohavespiritualgurus.

Whatistheroleofthesepeople?Tohelpandguideyouateverystep.IfChandraguptaMauryahadn’treceivedpersonalguidancefromChanakya,

hewouldnothavebecomeoneofthegreatestemperorsofIndia.So thequestion is, howdoyou findyour personal guru?Let us startwith

whatChanakyahadsaidaboutthesegurus,

‘Whenhe(prince)isreadyforit(knowledge),expertsshouldtrainhim.’(1.17.27)

Aking became a king because he adhered to the guidance of a guru himself.When a king’s own child was groomed to take over his throne, there wereexpertsappointedtotrainhiminthescienceofraja-niti.

Similarly,intoday’sworld,whenthechildisreadytostartlearning,parentstry to provide him with the best education, good school and even privatecoachingclassesifneedbe.

Also, when the child is interested in other fields like sports, foreignlanguages,arts,etc.,theyaresenttotherelevantinstitutions.

Whatevermaybe thecase,Chanakyasays that it iscrucial thatwehaveagoodguide/trainer/guruearlyon.Sohereiswhatwecando:

Makealist

While there is a particular field we have chosen for our career, we’re allsimultaneouslyinvolvedinvariousactivitiesthatarerelatedtootherfields.Thisisbecauseapartfromourjob,therearethingsofgenuineinterestthatweliketo

spend time doing and don’t mind putting effort into.Make a list of all theseinterests.

Soifyouareasoftwareengineerworkinginacompany,thatisyourareaofwork.Butapartfromthat,youmayalsobeinterestedinswimming,playingthepianoortrekking.

Now,youneedtothinkaboutbeinganachieverineveryfieldyougetinto.So, if you are starting your career as a software engineer, good.But don’t becontent with just that. Aim to become a project leader in your companywhoheadsvarioussoftwaredevelopmentprojects.

Andalongwiththis,whenyouplaythepiano,aimtobethebest.Orifyouareatrekker,aimtoclimbMountEverestoneday.

Findaguru

Now,aftermakingthelist,trytofindthegurusforeachfield.Howshouldyoudothat?First,thinkaboutwhatwouldberequiredofyoutoexcelineachfield.Whataretheskillsrequiredformetobecomeaprojectleader?Howisagoodpiano piece constructed? What are the basic requirements of a trekker whowishestoclimbMountEverest?Readabitonallthesetopics.

Thenresearchonpersonalgurusineachfield.Itmayseemdifficultinthebeginning,butkeeponsearching.Seekandyou

willfind.Whenthestudentisready,theguruarrives.

Attendacourse

Once you have found the right guru, attend the courses they conduct.A goodpiano player is likely to be a teacher as well. Take some lessons from them.Someone who has climbed Mount Everest would be happy to share hisexperiencewithothermountaineers.

Aprojectleaderinyourofficemaynotconductaformalcourseonprojectleadership.However,youcanrequestforapersonalsittingandguidance.Itcanbeduringnon-officehours.

When I wanted to study the Arthashastra, there was no formal courseavailableanywhere.IapproachedtheChinmayaInternationalFoundation,whereSwamiAdvayanandafoundapersonalteacherforme—DrGangadharanNair,agreat Sanskrit scholar, who taught me all the 6,000 sutras in the book. Oneteacher.Onestudent.Thecoursewascustomizedforme.

Seekandyouwillfindit.

Beintouch

Practisetheskillsyoulearnonadailybasis,whatevertheymaybe.Takeafewmeasurestoimproveyourproject.Practisethepianooften.GetyourselfreadytoclimbMountEverest.

Whatever be your progress, keep your guru informed. Only if you are inregulartouchwithyourguruwills/hebeabletoguideyoufurther.

Yourgurumayalsogiveyousomepersonalcontactstohelpyoureachyourgoalfaster.

Andonedayyouwillachieveexcellence.Whatnext?Become someone else’s guru.And share the knowledge you gained along

theway.It’syourturnnow.

21

PracticalPhilosophy

WHEN WE TALK about philosophy from a Western standpoint, it seems veryabstractandother-worldly.Butourancientteachersbelievedthatifphilosophyis not practical, then it is not real philosophy. Therefore, they designed theIndianphilosophyinamannerthatitcouldbeusedinone’sdailylifetoo,whichiswhatmakesita‘practicalphilosophy’.

Chanakyahadspokenofanvikshiki(philosophy)asthefoundationofagoodking.Theconceptofaphilosopher-king(raja-rishi)waswhathehadinmind.

However, it’snotonlyakingoraleaderwhomustbephilosophical.Eventhecommonmanshouldhavesomefoundationinphilosophy.

Another word used for philosophy in sanskrit is dharma, which alsotranslatestonaturallawsthatgovernanindividualandsociety.

The four purusharthas (aims of life) include dharma (philosophy), artha(aim/meaning),kama(desires)andmoksha(freedom).

In the next few chapters we will see how these four purusharthas can bepractisedinourpersonallivesonadailybasis.

Soletusbeginwithdharmainthischapter.Theword‘dharma’comesupover150timesintheArthashastra,suggesting

variousways inwhichwe can apply this philosophy in our lives.Ondharma,Chanakyasays,

‘Anvikshiki(practicalphilosophy)helpsusinvestigatebyreasoningthedifferencebetweendharma(spiritualgood)andadharma(evil)asperVedic

tradition.’(1.2.11)

Oneneedstofirstknowwhattheworddharmaexactlymeans.Ifnotunderstoodproperly,itbecomes‘dharma-sankat’,meaningmoraldilemma.

Tobeornottobe,thatisthequestion—amoraldilemmaraisedbyWilliamShakespeareinhisfamouswork,Hamlet.

ButChanakyaisveryclearasfarasdharmaisconcerned.Hesaysthatyoushoulduseanvikshiki(logicalthinking)topursuedharmainlife.Usereasoningand investigate the different aspects of a situation properly before taking adecision.

Here’showyoucanusedharmaorphilosophyinapracticalway:

Dogoodwork

Themost important endeavour of your life should be to do goodwork. Howshouldyougoabout it as an individual?Well, there aremany individuals andorganizations that do great social work. You could be part of the countlessNGOsthataredoingdharmicworkandcouldusemorevolunteers.

Notonlywillyoubecontributingtothegreatergoodofsociety,butyouwillalsostarttofeelgoodaboutyourselflessdeeds.

I have a friend who started one such organization that engages in socialservice.HisNGOiscalled‘YourTurnNow’.

Rememberallthetimessomeonedidsomethinggoodforyou.Nowtakethatgratitudeyou’re feelingandredirect itoutwardly.Goahead.Dosomethingforsomeone else today. Spread that seed of compassion and watch it grow andblossominfellowhumanbeings.

Nophilosophyintheworldiscompleteifitdoesnotservethegreatergoodofmankind.

Wheninconflict

There’sachancethatwhiledoinggoodworkyoumaybeconfrontedbymoralconflicts.Youmaystart towonderwhatanyof itmeans. If there’sanyhigherpurposeatall.Youmaystarttowonderaboutthemeaningofyourexistenceandstartquestioningtheconceptsof‘good’and‘bad’.

Chanakya has advised us to ‘think’ through the conflict first.What is themoralconflictallabout?Isitimaginaryorreal?Arethereproofsregardingthesame?Who ison thewrongsideandwho ison the right side? Is it spirituallygood?Doesitbringbenefittoanyone?Allthismustbeinvestigatedbymeansofreasoning.Itisalogical,step-by-stepprocess.

Now,justbecauseitisamoraldilemma,donotstopdoingthegoodwork.Ifyouwantmoreclarityontheissue,followthenextstep.

Takeadvice

Dharma sankat can be resolved through discussions with wise people. Youreldersandotherexperiencedfolkswillshowyoutheway.Therearepeoplewhohavewalkedthispathbeforeyou.Seekandtaketheiradvice.

The famous moral dilemma or dharma sankat comes in the midst of abattlefieldintheMahabharata.Arjuna,thebestwarrior,developedcoldfeetjustasthewarwasabouttobegin.Hewasnotsureaboutwhattodoandwhatnotto

do.Butrunningawaywasnotthesolution.Hehadtofaceit.Andthiswaspart

of the famous advice given by his friend and charioteer, LordKrishna, in theformoftheBhagwadGita.

And,havingclarityonwhatwasrightandwhatwaswrong,Arjunagotuptofight.WiththehelpofKrishna’sstrategies,hewonthewar,whichwasrightlycalled‘dharmayudh’(awarofrighteousness).

Once,aconfuseddiscipleaskedhisguru,‘Whatistobedonewhenyoudonotknowwhatisrightandwhatiswrong?’

Thegurusmiledashesaid,‘Followyourheart.’Theheart,yourinnervoice,alwaysknowsrightfromwrong.Listentothatvoice.

22

FulfilYourDesires

ITISNATURALtohavedesires.Butonemustn’tgetcarriedawaybythem.TheIndianculturedoesencouragefulfillingone’sdesiresbutalsoshowsus

howtofindabalanceindoingthesame.Muchofourdissatisfactionsarise fromunfulfilleddesires.Butneithercan

yousuppress,norwoulditpossibletofulfil,eachandeveryoneofthem.Sowhatisthesolution?Youmustfulfilyourdesiresinanethicalmanner.Onceweknowthemethod

of doing that, thenwe do not feel guilty of being in abundance and richness.We’reabletodetachourselvesfromourpleasures.Chanakyasuggeststhatyoustartsmall.

Hesays,

‘Heshouldenjoysensualpleasureswithoutcontraveninghisspiritualgoodandmaterialwell-being;heshouldnotdeprivehimselfofpleasures.’(1.7.3)

Here, the greatChanakya is guidingus on somethingvery important.He saysthatnooneshoulddeprivehimselforherselfofthepleasuresoflife.Butthereisawarning in there too.He shouldenjoy thesepleasureswithoutbeingatoddswithspiritualgoodandmaterialwell-being.Thiswouldinvolvefulfillingthesepleasuresinadharmicmanner,withhard-earnedmoney.

InthediscussionintheArthashastra,thereisadebateon‘dharma’,‘artha’and‘kama’ thathelpsshed lightonhowonemust fulfilpleasures.Theoverallconclusion is—kama (desires) shouldbebasedondharma (spiritualgood)andartha(materialwell-being).

Letusseehowwecanapplythisprincipleinourlives:

Earnwithintegrity

Thereisnothingwrongwithdesiringwealth,luxuryandacomfortablelifestyle.But what method you use to fulfil these desires is crucial. It has to be donethroughtherightmethodsofearning.

So earnwith integrity.Behonest about thewayyoumakeyourwealth. Ittakestimetocreateabigamountofwealththroughtherightmethods.Butitisworththeeffort.

Indian scriptures mention two paths towards success—shreyas (path ofgood)andpreyas(pathofpleasure).

Shreyasis therightpath,butalsoa longandhardone.In theinitialstagesyou may feel you are not moving close to your goal at all. But be patient,becauseonceyougetthere,thatsuccesswillbepermanent.

Thepathofpreyasisonethatisfullofshortcutsandrequireslesseffort.Inthebeginning,itmaygiveonetheillusionofsuccess.Butsincethispathisnotbasedonnaturalprinciples, failure isbound tohappen.Asamasteroncesaid,‘Thelongestroutetosuccessisashortcut.’

Spendwithcompassion

Don’tbeamiser.Bereadytospendwhatyouhaverightfullyearned.Chanakyaisnotsuggesting thatyoubecomeaspendthrift.Butnotspendingatall isalsonotgood.

Sospendwhat’sneededtofulfilallyourdesires.Spendonothersasyoudoon yourself. There is a famous instance of SwamiVivekanandameeting JohnRockefeller, one of the richest Americans in Chicago. Swami Vivekanandaadvised Rockefeller to give back his wealth to the society. He said, ‘Wealthshould be like breeze—it should come from one window and go out fromanother.’

Inspiredbythethoughtsofthesaint,Rockefellerwentontobecomeoneofthe greatest philanthropists of his generation. The Rockefeller Foundationcontinuestodogreatworktothisday.

Haveluxuries

To live in palaces and be surrounded by wealth is excellent. Prosperity isencouraged.Wealth even takes the formof a goddess in India—Lakshmi.Butthen,keepingthatwealthdivineisjustasimportant.

Chanakya talks about the concept of raja-rishi in theArthashastra.A raja(king)wholivesinthelapofluxury,butisalsoaphilosopher(rishi).KingJanakfromtheRamayana,thefatherofSita,wasonesuchraja-rishi.Despitelivingaluxuriouslife,hewasawiseandlearnedman.

Similarly, you can’t judge a person’swealth from howmuchmoney theyhave.A poor personmight bewealthier than you can imagine because of thesheeramountofwisdomhepossesses.

Chanakyasaysthatrichnesstakesanotherforminourlives—friends.Mitra(friend) is an important part of building a good and strong kingdom.And the

numberoftruefriendsbyyoursideisnothingbutareflectionofyourstrengthandnobility.

SwamiChinmayanandaput it inanicemanner.Hesaid, ‘It is friendswhomakeyourich,notmoney.’

Itwouldbearealachievementinyourlifeifyoucouldfulfilyourdesires,butalsomakealotoffriendsintheprocess.

23

UltimateHappiness

WHATDOESULTIMATEhappinessmean?Itisastatewherehappinessispermanent.Itisthefinalpurushartha(aimoflife)afterdharma,artha,kama—moksha.Interestingly, Chanakya does not talk about moksha or give it any direct

importancein theArthashastra. ItonlycomesupinChanakyaNiti,adifferentbookwrittenbyhim,forthecommonman.

AccordingtoChanakya,ifakingistoofocusedonmoksha,hewillnotbeable to fulfil his regular duties.Hemayget consumedby the highest spiritualactivityandmaylosefocusofwhatistobedoneinthisworld.

However,thisdoesnotmeanChanakyaiscompletelydismissiveofmoksha.He believes that if one performs his duty as expected, moksha will be anautomaticby-product.Alifewell-livedwillinevitablyleadyoutomoksha.

Chanakyasays,

‘Heshoulddevotehimselfequallytothethreegoalsoflifewhichareboundupwitheachother.Foranyof(thethreeviz.)spiritualgood,materialwell-beingandsensualpleasures,ifexcessivelyindulgedin,doesharmtoitselfas

wellastotheothertwo.’(1.7.4-5)

So for a personwho is in a responsible position in life, it’s advisable that heshouldfocusonlyonthethreeprimarygoalsofdharma,arthaandkama.Atthesame time, therehas tobe abalancebetween the three aims.Because, as saidabove,thethreeareinterconnected.Theyaredependentoneachother.

So remember, if you are a householder, doing your duties itself is a pathleadingtomoksha.Sowaswiththeking—havingtakencareofthekingdomanditsadministrationnaturallyledhimtomoksha.

Now, incontrast,ChanakyaNitihasanother thought for thecommonmanonthematter:

‘Renounceonepersonforthesakeofthefamily,afamilyforthesakeofthevillage;thevillageforthesakeofyourcountryandeventhe[kingdomof]

earthforone’sownsake.’

AsimilarthoughtemergesintheMahabharatatoo.

Ittalksabouthoweveryindividualhasahigherpurposeinlife.Andthattoattendtothishigherpurpose,heshouldbeabletogiveuptheminorchallenges.

Afamilyismadeupofindividuals.Andthefamilyisalwaysmoreimportantthan the individuals in it.Thegame isbigger than theplayer.So,at times, theindividualshavetosacrificetheirpersonalhappinessforthegreatergoodofthefamily.

Similarly,avillageismadeupofmanyfamilies.SoaccordingtoChanakya,when it comes to the greater good of a village, a family should not be givenpriority.

Applythesamelogictoacountry.But finally, there is something even above a country—your spiritual call.

Thishighercallingisforyourultimatespiritualpurposeofmoksha.Whensuchacallcomes,you’llneedtogobeyondallworldlydutiesandresponsibilities.

Sohereishowweshouldprepareforthehighestspiritualcalling:

Performyourworldlydutiesfirst

Oneshouldnotusespiritual lifeasanescape fromworldlyduties.Thosewhorunawayfromresponsibilitiescanneversucceedinspirituality.Toputitsimply,thespiritualworldisnotfortheescapists.

Indeed, the spiritual path is for thosewho are resilient and unwavering intheirdedicationtogettingbetterwitheachpassingmoment.Sotoenterspirituallife,youmustfulfilyourdailydutiesandworldlydutiesfirst.

Knowthattheworldisnotenough

Evenifyouaresuccessfulinthisworld,rememberthatitisnotenough.Thereisalwayssomethingmorethatcanbeachieved.Theworldisalwaysmakingyouanewoffer.Areyoulistening?

So, even if you are the richest or themost powerful person in theworld,therearecertainlimitationsthatwouldapplytoyou,justastheywouldapplytoany other human being. Remind yourself time and again that there is anotherworld that you will have to eventually move towards—the spiritual world.Prepareyourself.

Taketheleapoffaith

There comes a time in life when you have to give up everything you haveachieved.

Itwillbeforcefullytakenawayfromyou.So,itisbettertogiveitupwith

grace,ratherthanstruggleatthispoint.Whensuchatimecomes,onemaywonder,‘Whowilltakecareofmeinthe

unknown spiritualworld?’Youwill, at that time, take a leap of faith.Realizethatfinally,Godtakescareofeverything.

Whenyoutakethatultimatecall,youbeginthefinallegofyourjourney—ajourneytodiscoveryourself.

PROFESSIONALLIFE

24

GoingtotheWorkplace

THE CHAPTERS IN the previous section focused on how to apply Chanakya’steachingsinone’spersonallife.

Here, from this chapter onwards, we will learn how to apply Chanakya’steachingsinourprofessionallife.

Remember, we’re now moving from the ‘individual’ level to ‘groupdynamics’.

Part of this will obviously teach you how to deal with others as well.Becauseyoursuccessattheworkplaceisinterlinkedwiththesuccessofothersatyourworkplace.Thisisamajorshiftinthinkingthatyouneedtopartakeof—from‘I’to‘we’.

So,letusbegin.Mostofusworktomakemoney.Thereisnothingwronginthat.Butwhatis

yourpurposeatyourworkplace?DoyoufeelinspiredwhenyouwakeupeveryMondaymorning?Doyou say, ‘Yes, I am looking forward to going to officetoday!’

If yes, then know that this excitement will ensure you have a great lifeahead.

Chanakyasays,

‘Oneshouldawakenandponderoverworktobedone…heshouldsitinconsultationwithcouncillorsanddespatchsecretagents…andthenhe

shouldproceedtotheassemblyhall…’(1.19.21-24)

Thisishowadayshouldbegin.Chanakya has paved the way to prepare you for the day ahead. One

shouldn’tjustgetupandrushtowork.Themorning offers us awindow to accomplish tasks in amanner that no

other time of the day does. So, do the most important things in the morningitself.

Thefirststepistoplanyourday.Assoonasyouwakeup,afteryourprayers,ponderovertheworktobedone

duringtheday.Itisnotpossibletoalwayscompleteeverythinginthemorning.Thereare thingsstill leftundonefromthepreviousday,aswellasnewthings

thathavetobeworkedontoday.Solearntoprioritize.Chanakyasays that thekinghas to sit inconsultationwithhiscouncillors.

Thekinghadtheprivilegeofhavingonhiscallagroupofexpertswhowouldreporttohimearlyinthemorning.Thiswassothatbeforethedaybegan,hewaswell-informedaboutthehappeningsaroundhiskingdom.

Hecouldalsosendsecretspiestogatherinformationinthemorningsothathewouldgetthenecessaryinputsforhisrequiredworkduringtheday.

Sohowdoweapplythisinourdailywork?Here’show:

Beinformed

Itisveryimportanttobeawareofwhatishappeningaroundyou.Thebestwayforyoutostayuptodateonthelatestnewsisthenewspaper.Sowhenyouenteryourworkplace,youcanconfidentlyparticipateingroupdiscussionsandsoundwell-informed.

Delegate

When you havemultiple things to be done, the first and foremost thing is todecidewhoisgoingtodowhat.Youdon’tneedtoaccomplishallofyourtasks.Somecanbetakencareofbyjuniorsaswell.

Let’sassumeyouneedan input froma junior foraboardmeetingyouaregoingtohaveatnoon.Assoonasyoustartyourwork,callinasubordinateanddelegate that work to him. Do this before 10 a.m. so he has enough time toresearchandfindthoseinputs.Makesuretolethimknowhedidwell.

Finally,thekeytoasuccessfuldayisnottopacktoomanyactivitiesinoneday.Remembertokeepanhourfree.Unexpectedthingsmaycomeupandyoustillwanttobeinapositiontoaccommodatetheminyourdailyschedule.

Mostimportantly,ifthereissomeunfinishedworkdespiteyourbestefforts,rememberthatthereisatomorrow.Becauseit’sessentialthatyoustartyourdayjustasyouendit—withasmile.

25

SilentTime

WORKPLACES TEND TO be noisy because regardless of how professional peopleare,officesareinevitablyfullofactivity,withmeetingsandendlessdiscussionshappeningeveninopenspaces.

Inthemidstofthischaos,howdoweremainproductiveandefficient?Theonlywayoutistofindyourownspacesomewhereinthemiddleofthis.

Andbyspace,Imeanquiettime.Silenceistheonlythingthatallowsustocontemplate,whilealsohelpingus

rejuvenate ourselves in the process. Sitting quietly and mulling over thingsshouldn’tbeconfusedwithlaziness;thisisthemostproductivehourofourday.

Think about it. If you continuously keep cutting the tree, when will yousharpenthesaw?Thesemomentsofreflectionwithoneselfarenodifferentfromfindingtimeto‘sharpenthesaw’untiloneisactiveagaintodealwiththenewchallengesoflife.

Butwhatwouldbetheappropriateamountofsilenttimeattheworkplace?Theansweris,asmuchaspossible.However,youcannotgoaboutturning

youroffice intoameditationcentre!Youhaveduties toperformafterall.Andspiritualityshouldnotbeanexcuseforlaziness.

Onedayapersonreturnedtoworkafterattendingamonth-longmeditationcamp.Hetoldhisfriend,‘Iamgoingtomeditatenowintheotherroom,pleasetakecareofwork.’Thefriendagreedandtriedtosupporthiminitially.

Butitsoonbecameaproblem.Hewasnotabletocompletehisownwork,letalonekeepupwiththis‘meditating’friend’swork.

Onedaythispersonaskedhisownguruforasolution.Thegurusaidtohim,‘Goandtellyourfriend,youmeditateandIwilldoyourwork.Butmakesureyoursalaryisalsogiventome.’

It’simportanttorememberthatthesilenttimebeingreferredtoiskeepinginmindChanakya’s teachings. It is like rechargingyourmind, so thatafterwardsyoufeelreadyforyournextinningsandcangoatitwithfullforce.

Chanakyasaid,

‘Inconformitywiththeplace,timeandworktobedone,heshoulddeliberatewithoneortwo[persons],oralonebyhimself.’(1.15.41)

Here,Chanakyatellsusabouttherelationbetweenbeingwithoneselfandbeingmoreproductive.Intheabovesutraherevealsthekeytoproductivethinking—silence.

Hesaysthatfirstly,oneshouldcomeupwiththerightplaceandrighttimeforthinking,aswellastheworkoneneedstodo.Andthenoneshoulddeliberate(thinkthrough)overallaspectsoftheissuesinfrontofthem,fromallangles.

Soletusseehowwecanusethistimespentondeliberationtoourbenefitatourworkplace:

Identifyyourwork

Weoftendon’tevenknowwhatwe’reexpectedtodotofulfilourrolesatwork.And instead of addressing this crucial problem we continue to perform taskswithoutanyguidingclarity.

Stop.Thinkclearlyforamoment.Thismomentmustprecedeanyactivity.Because nomatter how fast you run, directionwill always bemore importantthan speed. It is better to be headed in the right direction than go to fast butnowhere.

Soifyouaren’tsureofwhat isexpected, it’sbestyoustopanddeliberate.For example, if you have been assigned a project, ask yourself—why has theprojectbeengiventome?Whatistheendresultexpected?Isthereanyoneelseinvolvedintheproject?Whatarethedeadlines?

PeterDrucker,thefamousmanagementguru,said,‘Intoday’sworld,workisnotgiven,itistobedetermined.’

Seekhelp

Oncethetaskisclear,startplanningitscompletionindetail.Chanakyaadvisesthatwemustgooverourplanswithanexpertortwo.This

way, any doubts that remain even after asking your boss will be eliminatedthroughyourdiscussionwithafriendoranotherseniorperson.

However, brainstorming only offers claritywhen limited to a few people.Toomanyandthat’llonlyleadtomoreconfusion.

Goalone

Inthelongrun,itisimportanttodevelopthehabitofthinkingallbyoneself.Insuchmomentsofsolitude,youwillsoonrealizesomethingamazing—whenyoudevelopthehabitofclearthinking,youautomaticallydevelopintuitivethinking.

Intuitivethinkingisthehighestformofproductivity.Itallowsyoutoforesee

thefuture.Peter Drucker doesn’t seem to have said this. One of his articles is titled

‘The Future That HasAlreadyHappened’ and the other thing he said is ‘Wecannotpredictthefuturebutwecaninventit.’

Peter Drucker had once said, ‘To see the future, that has happened.’ Attimes, what we think will happen in the future has already happened. Forexample,we think our childrenwill become smart in the future. But they arealreadysmartnow.

26

EyeonAccounts

IFYOU’REABLEtocontrolyourfinances,thenyou’reautomaticallyincontrolofeverything.

Youmaynotagreewiththisbutit’strue.Letmeexplain.Successful people invariably keep a track of their finances, because they

understandthevalueofthemoneytheyhaveearnedthroughhardwork.Oneoftheimportanttoolsoffinanceistheaccountingsystem.Accountingisaprocessofrecordingallthefinancialtransactionsthathave

happened,especiallyhelpfulwhenrunningalargeorganization.Thisway,whenwereviewanyaccountstatement,wehaveacomprehensivetoolatourdisposaltotakethekeydecisionsandcatchanydiscrepancy.

Chanakyawasanextremelycleverperson.Heknewthatkeepinganeyeontheaccountsofakingdomwasoneofthemostimportantrolesofaleader.

Therefore,hesuggestedkeepingatrackofaccountsonadailybasis,

‘Duringthefirsteighthpartoftheday,heshouldlistentomeasurestakenfordefenceandaccountsofincomeandexpenditure.’(1.19.9)

Asthedaybeganforaking,itwassuggestedthathebevigilantofthetwomostimportantaspectsofhiskingdom—thedefenceandthefinances.

ChanakyamentionsthattheDanda(army)andKosha(treasury)arethetwomostimportantpillarsofakingdom.Havingadailyreviewofthetwohelpsyoustayinpower.

Now, themost importantword is ‘listen’.Listen to themeasures taken fordefenceandaccounts.Whomdidhewantthekingtolistento?

Obviously,thekingwasnotgoingtotakecareofthedefenceandaccountsall by himself. There were heads of both the departments who would bereportingtotheking.TheyweretheSenapati(headofthearmy)andtheKosha-adhyaksha(Financehead).

These twopeoplewerenotordinary.Theywerehighlyqualifiedandwell-read,andalsoveryworldly-wise.Afterall,theywereamongthebestbrainsandadvisorstothekingitself.

Compare themto themodern-daynationalsecurityadvisorandthefinanceminister.Thesepeoplegive inputs to thepresident and theprimeminister and

help them take important national-level decisions. Such decisions not onlyimpacttheentirenationbuttheireffectsstayforgenerationstocome.

So how do we follow this advice on keeping an eye on accounts in ourworkplaces?

Accountsisforall

It is amyth that accounts are onlymeant for the accounts department. Theseaccountsshouldbereviewedbytheleadersandeveryotheremployeeconnectedwith the organization. Apart from external bodies of governance like tax andregulatorybodies,theseaccountscanbeaccessedbyeveryemployeetoo.

We live in a world of transparency. All accounts are available as publicdocuments.Soremember,accountsareforall,includingyouandme.

Trackonadailybasis

Whetheratapersonaloraprofessionallevel,makesureyoukeepatrackofyouraccounts in termsof incomeandexpenditure.Aleaderhas tokeepawatchontheincomingandoutgoing.

Today there are management accounting systems available, speciallydesignedtobelesstime-consumingandofferinganoverallviewofwhereyourcompanyisatfinancially.Aquick,one-minuteglanceiswhataleaderneedstogetanideaofhisfinancialstatusonadailybasis.

Thiscanbefollowedbydiscussionsonhowtoimprovethefinancialhealthandthemeasuresthatneedtobetakentodoso.Itcouldbeaboostinsalesoranincreaseincashfloworevenincreasingtheamountthecompanyischoosingtoinvest.

Areyouprofitable?

Have you ever asked this question to yourself—am I a cost or a profit to theorganization?Whensomeonejoinsacompany,heisgivenanappointmentletterwithasalarytermedascosttocompany(CTC).

But it is the responsibility of each person to make himself or herselfprofitableforthecompany.Forexample,ifyouaregettingasalaryofsay,onelakhamonth,andyouareabletodriveprofitsofsay,one-and-a-halflakh,thenyouareanasset.

Itdoesnotmatterifyouareinsalesornot.Eachpersonshouldcontributeinsuchawaythatitaddstotheprofitofthecompany.EvenapersonfromtheHRdepartment or production can think financially, track their accounts andmake

themselvesandtheirdepartmentprofitable.SwamiChinmayanandaputitwellinthepledgehewantedhisfollowersto

take.Hesaid,‘Givingmorethanwhatwetake,andproducingmorethanwhatweconsume.’

Thisisthehighestlevelofproductivity.

27

MeetingPeople

HUMANBEINGSCANNOTliveorgrowinisolation.Asaspecies,wearedependentoneachotherandaresociallybound.Thisisthereasonwhythosewhoarelesssocial,inotherwords‘introverts’,

areperceivedasselfishoreven‘weird’.Similarly, even atworkplaces, our ability to interactwithothers, getwork

done,leadpeopleintherightdirection,alldeterminethesuccesswewillenjoyinourcareers.

Groupdiscussions arepart of the interviewingprocess formost jobs thesedays. Why? The objective is simple—to find out the efficacy of theinterviewee’scommunicationaswellastheirinterpersonalskills.

Chanakya believed that regardless of where you stand on yourcommunicativeskills,oneofthebestwaystoensurethatyou’redoingitrightistomeet people.Regular interactionwith successful peoplewill help you keepthingsinperspective.Atthesametime,keepingyourselfaccessibletothosewhoseekyouraidwillshapeyououttobeanacceptedleader.

Hesays,

‘Arrivingintheassemblyhall,heshouldallowunrestrictedentrancetothosewishingtoseehiminconnectionwiththeiraffairs.’(1.19.26)

The raj darbar (assembly hall)was the placewhere the kingmetwith others.And Chanakya suggested that the king give unrestricted access to those whowishedtoseehim.

Thereweretwokindsofassemblyhalls—‘DiwaneAam’(assemblyhallforeveryone)andDiwaneKhaas(assemblyhallforspecialones).

Thefirsthallwaswherethekingmetthecommonmanonadailybasis.Chanakya insists that being directly in touch with people is an important

aspect of leadership.And the king is bound to be approached by peoplewithdifferent objectives. But regardless ofwhat theywant, the kingmust have anopen-doorpolicyandalwayshearthemout,beitopinions,complaintsorsimplya favour. And whatever the nature of their request, the king must take quickdecisionsandmoveforward.Heshouldnotkeepanydecisionspending.

Thesecondhallwaswherethekingmettheadvisorsandexperts,againona

dailybasis.Thisinvolvedmeetingwithwisepeople,whoprovidedcounselandhelpedthekingsolveproblems.

So theking’sdaily schedulewas filledwithvariousmeetings, inputs fromwhichwereasourceofhiswisdomandhelpedensurethathestayedvigilant.

Sohowshouldwegoaboutholdingmeetingsandofwhatkinds?

Formalmeetings

Theorganization that youwork for surelyholdsmany formalmeetings.Makesure you attend all of them.Andwalk in prepared for yourmeetings. If yourpresence is expected, do not take it casually, go well armed with all theinformationrequiredofyou.Alwaysremember,it’sbettertobeover-prepared.

Regardless ofwhether you aremaking a presentation, listen to others andtake notes. Every meeting has the potential to open up your mind to variouspossibilities.Soconsideritasalearningopportunity.

Mypersonalapproachtowardseachmeetingistoassumeit’saclass,andthepresenterisateacherwhowillteachmesomethingnew.Trythis.

Informalmeetings

Meetings need not always be formal in nature. Some happen in the canteenduringlunch,oroveracupofcoffeeinaconferenceroom.Itcouldevenhappenasyouarewalkingpastyourcolleague’sdesk.

These informal chats are also essential. So keep your ears and eyes openevenduringthesecasualinteractionswithpeople.

OneimportantsuggestionI’dliketomake—donotengageingossip.Donotbe the kind of person who is interested in the personal lives of others. Be apersonwhoisgenuinelyconcernedforothersandsimplywishestokeephimselfupdatedonaregularbasis.

Meetingsledbyyou

Therewillbea time inyour lifewhenyou’llbe theonecalling the shots. It’scrucial that as a leader, you call your own meetings. They could be reviewmeetings,orbrainstormingsessions,oreventsofcelebration.

Be a good organizer and make sure to make everyone feel included.Encourage everyone to participate. Engage with everyone, and listen to allviewpoints.Sometimesthebestbreakthroughideascomefromthelastperson,inthemostunexpectedmanner.

A study of successful companies brought out surprising results—that the

companies in which the senior management makes efforts to meet every lastpersonintheorganizationandcommunicatewiththemaremorerespectedthantheonesthatdon’t.

28

ManagersAreImportant

‘IAMAself-madeperson.’Therecannotbeamorearrogantandselfishstatementthanthis.Peoplewho say this do not value the contribution of others.A number of

peoplehelpusbecomesuccessful.Some help us indirectly. Our parents, our teachers, our friends and

workplace colleagues, all contribute to make us successful, but indirectly.Sometimestheybecomeahurdletoourprogress.Butbyandlargetheyarethereasonwhywestandonourfeetandbecomesuccessfulinlife.Thesepeoplearethestrongfoundationofourlives.

Asuccessfulpersonwasonceasked,‘Whatisthesecretofsuccess?’He answered, ‘Success comes due to three factors—hardwork, teamwork

andGod’sgrace.’Now look at each of them separately.Yes, no one can become successful

withoutputtinginhardwork.Thatisthestartingpoint.Onehastoupliftoneselfandtakethefirststep.

But as the work grows, you will have to build a team. Then your teammemberswill takeup the taskalongwithyou,and it is the team’sefforts thatwilltakeyouahead.

Butarehardworkand teamworkenough?No. It isGod’sgrace that takesyoutothefinishline.

Chanakya, too, believes that the efforts of others are required for one tosucceed.

Evenakingcouldnotsucceedwithoutgoodministers.Chanakyasays,

‘Rulershipcanbesuccessfullycarriedout(only)withthehelpofassociates.Onewheelalonedoesnotturn.Therefore,heshouldappointministersand

listentotheiropinion.’(1.7.9)

Therelationbetweenakingandhisministerwaslikethatbetweentheseaandwaves.Bothweredependentoneachother,influencedby,andinfluencing,eachother.

Chanakyasaysthatoneshouldhavemanyassociatessothattheworkcanbecarriedoutsuccessfully.Theyareanextensionofyou.Ifyoudonothaveone,

startappointingthem.I have personally seen company owners who do not trust anyone at all.

Whenitcomestotheirbusiness,theyrestrictallcontroltothemselves.Eveniftheyhaveamanager,itisonlyasaformality.Theydonotallowthe

managertothink,innovateorcontribute.Suchbusinessleadersliketohaveyes-menaroundthemandfollowthe‘noquestionsasked’policy.

Itmakesforpoorleadershipskills.Chanakya advises that the ministers should be contributors, and the king

shouldlistentothem.So, how do you get work done in your workplace with reference to

Chanakya’sadvice?

Rightpersonfortherightjob

Whenyouappointsomeone,youneedtoaskyourselfafewimportantquestions.IsthepersonwhomIamappointingfitforthejob?Doess/hehavetherequiredskillsetandexperience?Ishetherightpersontobedelegatedthiswork?

Ifthepersonhasnoexperience,youwillhavetotrainhim.Ishetrainable?Look at the natural strengths of the person and based on that, make the

personapartofyourproject.

Paywell

Paythepersonwell.Payashighasyoucanafford.Today,humancapitalisthebest investment you canmake. Invest in your people. Train them andmentorthem,andtheybecomeyourbiggestassets(capital).

A leader who commanded a large police force once said, ‘I take care ofthem, and they take care ofmywork.’ So once you take care of the financialconcernsofyourteammembers,theywillbementallyfreetoperform.Theywillbeabletofocusmoreonthejob.

Motivatethem

Paymentisnottheonlythingthatkeepsapersongoing.Keepmotivatingyourmanagers.Empowerthem.Letthemtakedecisions.Allowthemtofail.Allthisispartofgrowth.

No one becomes an expert on day one. It is years of trial and error thatfinally help you arrive at a pointwhere you understandwhatworks andwhatdoesnot.Itisyourdutytotrainyourmanagersandsubordinatesandgivethemthebenefitofyourexperiencetoo.

Give thempep talks, take themout foradinnerorapicnic. Involve them,educate them. Sometimes the best motivation could be even a pat on theshoulder,athank-you,orevenasorry.

Givecredit

Finally,donotforgetthis—givethemcreditforyoursuccess.Itissaidthatyouwillbehappyifyouworkhardandsucceed,regardlessof

whotakesthecredit.Our formerpresident,DrA.P.J.AbdulKalam,wasknownfor thisquality.

Whenanyofhisprojectssucceeded,hegavethecredittohisteammembersandprojectmanagers.Whenhefailed,hetookfullresponsibilityforthefailure.

Whenwe practise this, we develop another quality of leadership, the onewhichisthemostimportant—humility.

Humilityiswhatdrawseveryonetowardsyou.Whenyouhavehumilityandasenseofgratitude,everythingfalls inplace

foryoutosucceed.

29

CreatingYourWorkplace

Itisfun.Itiscreative.Itisfulfilling.

I’m talkingabout thespaceyouwork in!Haveyouevergotanopportunity tocreate your ownworkplace?Whether it’s a factory, or an office or even yourowndesk,itisimportanttocreateyourownworkplace.

It is amisconception thatyourcompanyowneror thearchitect creates theworkplaceforyou.Eveniftheyhavesetitupinthepast,itisyourresponsibilitytocustomizeitandmakeityourown.Afterall,yourworkspaceandthewayyoumanageitreflectsyourcharacter.

Therearetwotypesofworkplacesthatcanbecreated—oneiscalledgreen-fieldprojectandtheother,brown-fieldproject.Thegreen-fieldinvolvesstartingfromscratch.Soyouhavethefreedomtouseyourimaginationandcreativitytodesignthespaceasyouwant.

However, in the brown-field project, yourworkplace already exists and isalready operational on your arrival. What you can do in this case though isupgradethatspace,changeitinwaysandmakeitunique.

WhatadvicedidChanakyagivetocreateanewplace?

‘Onasiterecommendedbyexpertsinbuilding,heshouldcausetheroyalresidencetobebuilt,witharampart,amoatandgatesandprovidedwith

manyhalls.’(1.19.1)

Imagine a situation where you have been appointed to set-up a company’sworkspacefromscratch.Alargepieceoflandisgiventoyouandyouhavetocreateeverything.Andyouhavefullfreedomtodoitthewayyouwant.

Here,Chanakyasays that suchaplaceshouldbe recommendedbyexpertswhohavetechnicalknowledgeaboutbuildingandconstruction.Therearemanyexpertswhoplaydifferentrolesinthiscase.Theenvironmentalistswhowilltellyouiftheplaceisideallylocatedintermsofweatherandletyouknowwaysoflesseninganydamagingimpacttheconstructionmighthaveonthesurroundingareas. Similarly, the architect, the vastu pundits, etc. will consult you on the

variousthingsyouneedtokeepinmindbeforeyougoaheadwiththeproject.And then you start looking at what is required as per your work and

responsibilities. So, in this case the king is building a fort. He has to thinkthroughonaspectslikesecurity,residences,hallsandotherimportantfeaturesofthefort.

Similarly,wetooneedtocreateourworkplaceswithcarefulplanning.Theinfrastructureyoucreateforyourworkplacehastobeaninspiringone.

Remember,most of us spendmore time inouroffices than inourhomes.So,suchaplacewhereyouspendmostofyourtimeshouldhaveapositiveimpactonyourmind.

So how should you go about it?Here are some tips based onChanakya’steachings:

Beginsmall

I am not suggesting that everyone gets the opportunity to build a massivearchitecturalstructure.Butyoumusttrytomakewhateverisgiventoyoumorebeautiful.

Letusassumeyouhavebeenappointedtoanewoffice.Thedayyoujoin,youwill be given a desk and area towork in. That itself is the right place tobeginwith.

Observe the space to see how the previous person working in that spacemaintained it.Now,checkout theprovisionsalreadyavailable.Keep thegooduseful things, and then change the remaining for the better.Your desk can bealteredasperyourrequirementandcomfort.Whereareyougoingtokeepyourlaptop,papers,etc.?Isthereapin-upboardforpinningupquotesandreminders?

Takethesethingsintoconsiderationandaccordinglygetsomestationeryforyourdesk.Alsokeepflowersonyourdesk,orhangabeautifulpaintingaroundtogiveitanaestheticfeel.Thesearesmallthingsthatwillgoalongway.

Bigopportunity

Astimeprogresses,biggeropportunitieswillcomeyourway.Suddenlyoneday,youmaybe called by themanagement and told to head a department or eventakechargeofacompletelynewoffice.Here,yougetthechancetochangenotjustyourdesk,buttheworkplaceofyourwholeteam.

Thisisthetimeto,asChanakyasays,getholdoftheexperts.Listentothemcarefully.Butremember,youwillalsohavetolistdownyourownexpectationsandshare thesamewith theexperts.Only thenwillyougetbetter inputs from

them.Adesignercanworkonadesignonlyifheknowsexactlywhathisclientwants.

Involveotherteammembers

Irememberacompanywhereapersongotpromotedtoheadadepartment.Hewasgiven thefreedomtodesign thewholedepartment.He immediatelycalledhis juniors and asked for their inputs and had these very inputs incorporated.Thiswasaverygoodmoveonhispartasitsenttherightmessagetotheteammembers—thattheycount.

Thus, tomake theworkplaceproductive,make sureyou take into accounteachteammember’sopinion.

Leavesuchamarkonyourworkplacethatthepeoplewhofollowyourstepsshouldfeelproudthattheyarefollowingalegend.

30

TrainingPeople

LIFEISNOTHINGbutaquestforknowledge.Firstwelearnfromothers.Thenweimpartthatknowledgetoothers.

Look at our life itself—in the first stage of our lifewe are trained by ourparentsandteachers.Then,wepractisewhatwelearnedfromthemthroughoutourlives.Andthenfinally,towardsthelatterstageofourlife,westarttrainingothers, be it in our personal life (teaching our children and grandchildren) orprofessionallife(teachingoursubordinatesatwork).

Thisishowexperienceandknowledgeflowsonfromonegenerationtothenext.

In an address to the Indian civil servants, PrimeMinister NarendraModimentioned about ‘institutional memory’ being documented. He said that eachcivil servant is a leader. They have done transformational work in their ownpostings. Now, before they retire, they should pass on their wisdom andexperiencetoothers.

This is the kind of training required for an individual, a company and anationtogrow.

Chanakyaalsoemphasizedthiskindofapproachwhenhesaid,

‘He(king)shouldstrivetogivetrainingtotheprince.’(5.6.39)

Excellenceisimpossiblewithouttraining.Chanakya insists that theking (leader)has tomake sure theprince (future

leader)istrained.Thekeywordhere is ‘strive’.Whathemeans is thatonehas togooutof

one’swayandputinthatextraefforttotrainothers.Trainingshouldnotbeconsideredapart-timeactivity.Itispartofanyone’s

mainjob,foritistheveryfoundationofsuccess.Lookatanyfield—sports,arts,business,literature—allsuccessfulpeoplein

any field were trained by experts. So, if you want productive people in youroffices,makesureyougivetheutmostimportancetotraining.

Hereishowyougoaboutit:

Createatrainingculture

Mostorganizationshaveadepartmentdedicatedtotraining.Butsomehow,itisnot given its due worth. In multinational companies, it is usually the HumanResources (HR) department that takes the responsibility of organizing andconducting training programmes. They generally design the programme, plantraining schedules, keep everyone in the loop and carry out the trainingprogramme.Thisisfine.

But Chanakya offers a better insight with inputs that would enhance thetrainingprogrammesinyourcompany.Hesays that thekingshould‘strive’ togive training.Asa leader,areyougivingtopmost importanceto training?Youmust do so, because your attitude towards training will reflect in yourinteractionsalltooclearly.Onlywhenyoutakethemseriouslyyourselfwillthetraining programmes be treated seriously by others. Otherwise, they will turnintojustanotherpicnicorbreaksponsoredbythecompany.

Beatraineryourself

Now, this is thekey.Aleadershouldnot just tellothers toconductandattendtrainingprogrammes;heshouldbecomeatrainer.Thisdoesnotmeanthatallthetrainingprogrammes shouldbe conductedby the leaderhimself. Itmeans thattheleadershouldatleastgetinvolvedinadeeper,morehands-onmannerthanjustsanctioningabudget.

Youcanshowyourinvolvementbyprovidingsomekeyinputsindesigningthe training programmes. At least dedicate one week a year to conducting atraining programme yourself. Share your vision during one of those sessions.Inspirethosearoundyou.Tellthemwhatyouhavedone,andwhatthecompanyisplanningtodo.

Thissendsastrongmessagetoeveryoneinthecompany.Leadbyexample.

Trainthetrainers

Sometimesthesheernumberofemployeesinthecompanymakesitimpossibleforaleadertomeeteveryoneindividually.Sohowdoesonereachouttoeverylast person in the organization?And this ismore complicated by the fact thatofficesthesedaysarespreadacrosscitiesandevencountries.

Itispossible.Totacklethischallengeallyouneedtodoistrainothersunderyou. Impartyourvisionand leadershipskillsontoothers.Asa leaderyouwillthuscreatemoreleaders.

It is farmore efficient if ten others are collectively sayingwhat you havebeen trying toconveyallbyyourself.Thisalsoperpetuatesyour legacy.Sure,

othersmayhavedifferentstylesofsayingthesamething.Butremember,onceyou’vesharedyourvisionwiththem,you’vecompletedhalfyourmission.

Makeitalearningorganization

Encourageeachpersontobeateacherinhisownway.Evenanofficeboycanbecomeagood teacher, for it ishewhowill train thenextofficeboy.Agoodadministrator should ‘strive’ to create good administrators out of the futuregenerations.

Itisneveraboutthebudgetorfinancesavailablefortraining.Itisfinallyallaboutyourattitudetowardstraining,andtheimportancegiventoit.Whenyoushowemployeesthattheytoocanimparttheknowledgetheyhavegainedalongtheway,youempowerthemtobecomeindependentthinkers.

But startwith yourself.When are you conducting the first training for thejuniorsinyourteam?

Lettheteacherinyouspeak.

31

TwoKeystoSuccess

THISCHAPTERTALKSaboutthetwokeystosuccess—thetreasuryandthearmy.Growthisanaturalprocess.Butitcanalsobestrategicallyplanned.Just look at a forest and a farm.Both arepart ofnature.Theyare equally

subject to natural laws. But the difference is that a forest grows of its ownaccord,whileafarmisdesignedbyhumans.

Inboththecases,plantsandtreesgrowinthem.But thefarmyieldscropsbecausethefarmerdoesalotofplanning,ploughs,plantstherightseed,watersitregularlyandpatientlywaitsforhiseffortstobearfruition.

In the similar way, our professional life too has twomethods in which itgrows.Oneinvolvesnointervention,andtheotherinvolvescarefulplanningtosteeritintherightdirection.

Somepeoplegrowintheircareersjustbyworkinginonecompanyalltheirlives.Theygetpromotedsimplybecauseoftheirseniorityintheorganization.Insuchacase,allittakesisforaseniorpersontoleavetheorganization,andthispersoneffortlesslyreplaceshimorher.Insuchacase,littleornoimportanceisplaced on performance evaluation. This kind of career growth is clearly not astrategicone.

Buttherearepeoplewho,muchlikefarmers,thinkthroughandchalkoutacareerpath.Theypursuecoursesthathelpthemacquiretheskillsetsuitablefortheir career. They consult others and then slowly and surely move in thatdirection,towardsaplannedroutetosuccess.

WeallknowChanakyatobea‘kingmaker’.Hebelievedthatthepositionofaleaderdidnotjust‘happen’.Thereisanentirethoughtprocessinvolved—theselectionoftherightperson,thetraininggiven,theregularchecksandfinallyaguide todirect the leadership—amentor to the leader,whowill behelp in allsituationsandchallengestheleaderfaces.

So,whatisthekeytosuccessfulleadership?Chanakyasays,

‘Thekingbringsunderhisswayhisownpartyaswellasthepartyoftheenemies,bythe(useofthe)treasuryandthearmy.’(1.4.2)

Thetwokeystosuccessisrightuseofthe‘treasury’andthe‘army’.

Here, Chanakya explains that the leader should bring under his influence,powerorcommand,hisownpeopleandalsooftheenemies,bytherightuseofthe treasury and the army. Thismeans he will be in total control of his ownpeople(citizens)andalsoincontrolofhisenemies.

Thesearetheeternalprinciplesof leadership.Treasurystandsforfinances.And the army isn’t just the armed forces, rather, itmeans the strength of themasses.

Let us have a close look at how we can use Chanakya’s mantra in ourcorporateworld:

TheFinanceandHR

Everygoodleaderknowsthatthesuccessofhisbusinesslargelydependsontwopeople—thefinanceheadandtheHRhead.ThefinanceheadwouldtypicallybetheCFO(ChiefFinancialOfficer)whiletheHumanResources(HR)headwouldfocusontheissuesfacedbytheemployeesofthecompany.

Planningaproject

Chanakya’s principle can be applied to assignments we take up in ourworkplaces. While planning a project, think of these two areas—what is thefinanceinvolved(treasury)andwhoarethepeopleinvolved(army).

Onceyouhaveaclearunderstandingofwhat itwillcostyouandwhoaretherightpeople for theproject,yourplan isbound tosucceed.Becausereally,thesearethetwomainconcerns.

So for example, say you are organizing a picnic for the company, or amarketing campaign. Just check up on these two things. Draw a budget, andmake sure the right person is in charge of thewhole activity.With these twomajorthingssortedout,everythingwillfallinplace.

Nextleader

Whenyouwant togrow inyourcareer, remember this lesson fromChanakya.Asyougetpromoted,youneedtofindasuitablepersonwhowill takecareofyourcurrentresponsibilities.

As I climbup the ladder,whichofmy colleaguesdeserves to takeupmycurrentrole?Whileyoumayhavemanyoptions,Chanakya’steachinghelpsyouarriveataconclusion.

Yournext leader shouldbe theonewhocanunderstand finance (treasury)and also has goodpeople skills (army).You should promote such a person to

takeupyourpositionandprovidethemtherequiredtraining.Keep learningandgrowing in the fieldof financeandpeople-management

skills.Thisisalifelongprocessforyourcareergrowth.

32

Decision-making

THERIGHTDECISIONattherighttimecanchangeourdestinyforever.Decisions,bigandsmall,canhavelasting,irreversibleimpactonourlives,

careers, and even relationships. The courseswe choose in college, the jobwechoose, the person we decide to spend the rest of our life with—all thesedecisionswillremainwithusforever.

Decision-making isa skill,aknack,anart.Thegoodnews is thatonecanbecomebetterandbetterintakingtherightdecisions.

Your life’s success and failure both depend a lot on your efficiency inmakingdecisions.

One day a successful business leader was asked, ‘What is the secret ofsuccess?’Hesaid,‘Takingtherightdecisions.’Hewasaskedagain,‘Howdoesonetaketherightdecisions?’Patcamethereply,‘Bytakingwrongdecisions.’

Chanakya had trained people not only to take decisions but take themquickly.

Hesaid,

‘Heshouldhear(atonce)everyurgentmatter,(and)notputitoff.An(affair)postponedbecomesdifficulttosettleorevenimpossibletosettle.’

(1.19.30)

Therefore,thissutratalksaboutvariousfactorsthatgointothedecision-makingprocess.

Wheneverapersonapproachestheleaderwithanyurgentmatter,theleadershouldnotpostponeit.Incasethedecisionormatterispostponed,itmaylater

becomeimpossibletomanage.Forexample,ifthepersoncomestowarnhimofafire,andtheleaderdoes

notpayheedtotheperson,thesituationwilldefinitelybecomeworse.Let us look in detail atwhatChanakya has suggestedwe dowhile taking

decisions:

Hear

This is the defining quality of a great leader—the ability to listen. People arealways talking and as they speak, they articulate their opinions, suggestions,remarks,amongotherthings.Alotofthepersonreflectsinthewordshechoosestoutter.Butarewelistening?Mostlynot.Thispartlyhassomethingtodowiththe fact that we don’t receive formal training in listening properly. This isn’texactlyconsidereda‘skill’tobetaught.Butyoumusttakeitintoaccountveryseriously.

It is not necessary that everything people say is right. Nevertheless, it isimportant to listen to themandgather information touse foryourowncriticalthinking (anvikshiki). This method has been given its due importance in thetraining of the prince in the very first chapter of the Arthashastra, named‘Anvikshiki’, where Chanakya teaches the leaders to think logically and takeimportantdecisions.

Equalimportance

Donottakeanythingforgranted.Everymatter,regardlessofitsurgency,hastobeheardpatiently.Foraleader,nomatterislessimportantthantheother.

So,sometimesyoumaycomeacrossamatterthatdoesn’tconcernyouatallbutisofutmosturgencytosomeoneelse.Youmustgivethispersonachancetovoice his or her thoughts. Listen even if you don’t have solutions to offerbecausesometimesthebestsolutionmaylieintheveryactoflendinganeartotheperson.

Please note that at such times people might articulate themselves in anabstractmanner, theymaynotnecessarilysaywhat theymean.Whenapersonsays, ‘I am tired,’ he doesn’t justmean tired at a physical level.He could bementallyexhaustedtoo.Therecouldbeother,biggerreasonswhyheistired.Itcouldbealongdayatoffice,oralongjourney,orfatiguethathashappenedduetosomesportsactivity.Trytounderstandthecruxofthematter.

Don’tpostpone

Havinglistenedtotheperson’sproblem,youhavetotakethenextstep.Andit’scrucialthatyourespond,notreact.

What ifyoujustkeepquietanddonothing?Well, thenthematterremainspending and it’s exactlywhat Chanakya advises against. Also, themore suchsmalldecisionspileup,themoreimpossibleitbecomestoclearthemuplater.

Soremembertocompleteyourworkonadailybasis.Donotkeepdecisionspending, unless they require any inputs fromothers. Even in that case, take adecisionassoonasyougettheinputyouseek.

Onceyouareinfullcontrolofyourself,youwillachievethehighestlevelofproductivityatyourworkplace.

33

RoleClarity

WHATAMIdoing?WhyamIdoingthis?Whatisthepurposeofmywork?These aren’t ordinary questions, for the answers to these can redefine our

perceptionoftheself,canchangetheverycourseofourlives.In the corporate world, most of us hesitate to ask our superiors these

questions. We usually just get to our work without much thought. Whateverproject ishanded tous,wegoaheadanddo it.Butdespiteaccomplishingourtasks,theendofeachdaybringswithitasenseofdejection….onethathauntsustillthenextday.

Butwait,itgetsmoreinteresting.Themoreefficientandproductiveyouare,themoreworktheypileonyou.

Chanakyamentioned in theArthashastra that if we want to succeed as aleader,wemustfirstseekclarityinourroles.Hesaid,

‘Fromthecapacityfordoingworkistheabilityofthepersonjudged.Andinaccordancewiththeability,bysuitablydistributingrankamong

ministersandassigningplace,timeandworktothem,heshouldappointalltheministers.’(1.8.28-29)

Toputitsimply,don’tbeconfused.Anddonotconfuseothers.Asaleader,itisimportanttohaveandgive‘roleclarity’toothers.So,when

delegatingworktoothers,pauseforamomentandconsiderwhatChanakyasays—are you delegating work according to the capacity of the person? Are yougivingitattherightplaceandtime?Shouldyouevenbedelegatingthiswork?

Herearesomesimplestepstomakesureyou’refollowingtheseprecepts:

Whatisthework

While delegating the work, be clear about what the work entails in the firstplace. Answer the question, ‘What is the work to be done?’ Once you knowexactlywhatneedstobedone,youcansharethatclaritywithothersaroundyou.Thiswillonlyhelpensurethattheworkiscompletedefficientlyandwithoutanyconfusion.

Andthisappliestosmalltasksaswell.Whatistheobjectivetobeachieved?Whowillbeimpacted?Whatistheoverallpurpose?Isittobedoneatall?

Whoistheperson

Neverdelegateataskonanimpulse.Youneedtofirstthinkoftherightpersonfor the job. Is there someone inyour teamwhocando it?Does s/hehave theabilitytodeliverwhat’srequiredanddoitwithinthedeadline?Ifthereisnooneintheteam,thenperhapsyoushouldevenconsiderhiringsomeonetodoit.

Attimeswhiledelegatingitbecomesimportanttoconsideroutsourcingthework toanexternalagency.Becauseeven if itcostsyouabit, itwillbe time-effective.

Empowertheperson

Onceyouhavedecidedwhotherightpersonisforthejob,youmustempowerthemso theycanperformwell. Ifneedbe, train thepersonandgiveguidancefromtimetotime.

Whiledoingallthis,remembernottomicro-manage.Youneedtotrustthemtodo theworkproperly.Yes,your job is tomonitor, reviewandsupervise thework. But do just that. Only empowered people feel responsible. Take awaytheirempowermentandyoumightbelookingatshoddyresults.

ThechairmanofEStars,RajeshDoshi,oncesaidaboutmanagingmultipleprojects, ‘I think through the whole project in my head first, select the rightperson next, give the vision and role clarity.And then sit back andwatch thewholethinggrow.’

34

WalkAround

THEREISAstoryaboutaJapanesecompany.Onedaythechairmanofthiscompanywassittinginhisoffice.Theyowned

a manufacturing plant and he wanted some details about it from one of thedepartmentheadsthere.

He called his office, but it was answered by another person. The personinformedthechairman,‘Theplantheadisonthefloorwithhisworkers.’

Thechairmansaid,‘Tellhimtocallbackwhenheisdonewithhiswork.’Ittookabouttwohoursforthedepartment’sheadtoreturnthechairman’scall.

Nowimaginethissituation,butinthecontextofanIndiancompany.Inmostof the companies in India, when the chairman calls, the department’s head isexpected to take the call immediately. If not, then he’s expected to call backrightawayoncehe’sbeeninformedofthechairman’scall.

This is the difference in our working cultures. The Japanese know thatspending time on the floor with workers is most important for the plant orfactory’smanager.While sitting in the office is considered normal for a plantmanagerinIndia.

Also, beingmade to wait for two hours would be treated with respect inJapan,astheplantmanagerisshowingdedicationtowardshiswork.

So,themessageisthatevenifyouhaveanoffice,itisimportanttonotjustsitatyourtableordesk,butwalkaroundandtakealookatwhathappensonthefloor.Thishelpsyoustayintouchwiththegroundrealitiesofyourworkplace.

Chanakyahadgivenasimilaradvicetothekingtoo:

‘Duringtheseventhpartoftheday,heshouldreviewelephants,horses,chariotsandtroops.’(1.19.15)

Usually, ourmental imageof akingworking involveshim sittingon a throneandgivingorders.ButChanakya’sdailyplanforthekinginvolvedhimspendingamajorpartofhistimeworkingoutsidehisassemblyhall.

Thekingwas suggested towalk around for anhour and a half everyday.Armybeingamajorcomponentofaking’sstrength,hewastoldtoreviewtheconditionofhiselephants,horses,chariotsandtroops.Thisensuredthathedidnottakethingslightlyasfarashistroopswereconcerned.

Inthestructuraldesignofakingdom,thearmywasplacedontheoutskirts.Some troopsmightbeclose to theking,butmajorly theywereaway from themainpalace,guardingtheborders.

Soakingwassupposedtophysicallygoandkeepatabonhisentirearmy,includingtheanimalsalso.

What does it indicate to us? Itmeans thatwe should not be sitting at the‘palace’(inourcase,ourofficedesks),butinsteadtakearealitycheckonadailybasis.

There are many benefits we will derive if we take a walk around ourworkplacesonaregularbasis.Hereareafew:

Itisanexercise

It is very boring and monotonous to just sit at one place and work on thecomputerallday.It’sactuallynotgoodforyourbodyormind.Soashortwalkaroundyourofficefromtimetotimewillmakeyoufeelbetter.Itwillgiveyouthemuch-neededbreakfrommonotony,andwillalsohelpthebloodcirculationinyourbody.

After all,walking around is an exercise in itself. It is suggested that afterevery one-and-a-half hours, one should take a walking break. Even a fewstretching exercises are recommended.Yoga teachers even suggest some easydeepbreathingexercisesthatonecanpractiseatwork.

Trust,but…

It is good to trust your colleagues.But it is not good to trust them toomuch.Manypeoplewhositinofficesfeelthatoncetheworkisdelegated,theirworkisover.Theycantrusttheirsubordinatestofinishthejob.

But remember, that is a wrong mindset. Trust your people, but notcompletely. There are various examples where people’s trust has been totallybroken by the ones they trusted themost.A quickwalk aroundwill help youkeepacheckonwhatyoursubordinatesaredoingandmightevenrevealsomeusefulinformation.

Surprisechecks

During thedailywalk,doa surprisecheckonyour teammembers. Just checkwhattheyaredoingontheircomputers.Observethepaperslyingaroundontheirtables.Askthemafewquestionsattheirdesks.

Thiswillkeepthemalert.Beingsupervisedisanessentialpartofnottaking

yourjobforgranted.Also,bywalkingaroundyoucansolvemanyproblems.Justgoingto their

workareasandhavingasmalldiscussionwiththemwillprovidetheinputsyouneedtofindtheareasofyourworkthatneedimprovement.

Sowalkarounddailyandseeyourselfgrowinyourprofessionallife.

35

HabitofDocumentation

READINGBUILDSTHEcharacterofaman.Writingcompletesit.Thissumsuptheknowledgeandexperienceofapersoninfullmeasure.In

life,ifwefollowthisprinciplewecanworkwonders.Whenweread,we’resoakingintheknowledgeofanotherperson.Ithelpsto

learn from their experiences. While a well-read person has learnt a lot fromothers,healsohasalotofhisownpersonalexperiences.Suchapersonshouldpenhisorherexperiencesdown.

Suchalifedocumentedinanymannercaninspiregenerationstocome.Apart fromrecordingourexperiences,writinghelpsusfind theunderlying

coherenceinourthoughts.Therefore, to become successful in life it is essential to start documenting

andkeepingrecordsofallthatonedoes.Chanakyawasonesuchgreatperson.HereadeverythingthatthepreviousteachersoftheArthashastrawroteand

equippedhimselfwellwithknowledgeof thepast.Buthedidnot stop at thatalone.Armedwithallthatwisdom,hebuiltanempireundertherulershipofhisablestudentChandraguptaMaurya.

Now, after creating the golden era of India, during those days, ChanakyawrotehisownArthashastra—adocumentationofhislifelongexperiences.

Imagine, what if Chanakya was only well read, but did not write theArthashastra?Then all hiswisdomwouldhavebeen lost forever. Iwouldnothavewrittenthisbook.Youwouldneverhavereadit.

We should all be grateful to Chanakya. I personally cannot thank himenough for writing his wonderful thesis of Arthashastra—a book that hasbecomeasourceofinspirationforleadersineveryfieldfromacrosstheglobe.

Chanakyahimselfsaysaboutreadingandwriting,

‘Thissingletreatiseonthescienceofpolitics(Kautilya’sArthashastra)hasbeenpreparedmostlybybringingtogethertheteachingsofasmany

treatisesonthescienceofpolitics(previousArthashastras)ashavebeencomposedbyancientteachersfortheacquisitionandprotectionofthe

earth.’(1.1.1)

This is the opening verse of the Arthashastra. Chanakya shares the wholebackgroundbehindhowhewrotehisownArthashastra.

He says he prepared thiswork based on a study of teachings by previousscholars.Andhisobjectiveofwritingthisistoprotecttheearth.How?Insimpleterms,bylearninghowtoruleakingdomeffectively.

Here’swhatwecanlearnfromChanakyaonthismatter:

Dailyhabit

Writingshouldbecomeadailyhabit.Whenwethinkoftheword‘writing’,thefirstimagesthatcometomindare

thoseofhugebooksandreports.Oneshouldnotthinklikethat.Writingdoesn’thavetobeaherculeantask.Youcanstartinasmallway,likemakingato-dolistonadailybasisorkeepingadairy.

Unfortunately, the only training in writing given to us in our currenteducationsystemistoprepareforexams.Butweneedtodevelopitfurther.Weshouldstartwritingasano-brainactivity,anactivity thatdoesnot require toomuchmentaleffortonourpart.Forexample,ifapersondriveshiscareverydayto office on the same route, after a point it becomes an effortless no-brainactivity.

Attheworkplace

Mostofficesdonottrainpeopleinthehabitofwritinganddocumentationatanindividual level.Try thehabitofwritinganddocument theworkdoneatyouroffice.

Forexample,whenyougoforameeting,carryapenandpad.Makedetailednotes.Whenyoudothatyourmindcapturesmoreandyouaremoreattentive.Sobytheendofthemeeting,youhaveall thepointsthathavebeenaddressedonpaper.Youhaveareadylistoftasksthatneedtobeperformedbyyou.

Evenwhenyouarethinkingaboutyourwork,thinkonpaper.Writedownasyouideate.Ithelpstodevelopandexpandthoseideasfurther.

Refineit

Your first notes may not be perfect. Usually, they aren’t. If they have to bepresentedtosomeone,youwillhavetorefine themfurther.Eveninschoolwehadaroughnotebookandthenthefinalnotebook,remember?

Similarly,whenyouwrite, try and refine yourwriting even further.Thereare various tips available on the Internet on how to write better. Take the

initiativetolookthoseup.Takeafewcoursesonhowtodocumentyourofficework.Itwillhelpinthelongrun.

Leavealegacy

Thehabitofdocumentationisaboutleavingalegacybehind.Yournotes,booksandresearchpapersbecomereferencepointsforothers.

Donotthinkaboutwhoyouraudienceiswhenyousitdowntowrite.Youwillonedaybesurprisedwhensomeonesomewherewillpickupanideafromyourbookandtakeitforward.

Afterall,thisishowhistoryiscreated.

36

YourContacts

‘YOURCONTACTSBECOMEyourcontracts.’This was said by a sales manager who was addressing a group of new

recruitsinacompany.Hewasstatinganeternal truthwhichcannotonlyhelpachievesuccess in

sales, but also in life itself. In short, your relationships with others help yousucceedinyourprofessionallife.

The human mind is a strange thing. If it wants to do something it willaccomplishthetask,comewhatmay.Therefore,hereliesthetrickforsuccess—first build your relations.Work will get done automatically. Chanakya was amasterstrategistinthismatter.

Relationshipsweretoppriorityforhim.Thisistheadvicehegives,

‘Heshouldestablishcontactswithforestchieftains,frontierchiefsandchiefofficialsinthecitiesandthecountryside.’(1.16.7)

Oneshouldbuildcontactseverywhere.Whenakingisrunningakingdom,hehastodealwiththecommonmanas

well as other leaders like himself. This is where Chanakya’s advice is to betaken.

WhatkindofcontactsdidChanakyasuggestthekingshouldmake?Forestchief:Akingmighthavebeenall-powerfulsittinginhispalace.But

intheforest,theforestchiefwastheleaderofthetribalpeoplewholivedthere.Ifthekingfailedtobuildarelationshipwiththeforestchief,hemightnotevenhavegotanentryintotheforest.Hispowerthenwouldbeofnousethere.

Frontier chiefs: There were many villages bordering the country. Thefrontier chiefs of theseborders held crucial information about activities acrosstheborder.Sothekingwouldhavebeensmarttobuildrelationshipswiththem,astheirknowledgecouldhelphimdefeattheenemyacrosstheborder.

Chief officials in cities: They were powerful people. They controlled theeconomy of the city. These chief officialswere like the IAS officerswho arecollectorsandcommissionersofvariousdepartments.Theydidn’tjustworkfortheking,butwerealsotheoneswhocarriedoutalltheprojectsfortheleader.So

havingagoodrapportwiththemallowedthekingtohavemorecontroloverhiskingdom,evenatalocallevel.

Chiefofficialsincountryside:Likethechiefofficialsinthecities,therewerepowerfulgovernmentofficialsinruralareastoo.Theyhadadeepunderstandingofwhatwentoninthevillages.Soagain,itwasratherwiseifthekingwasongoodtermswithsuchofficials.

Now,howdoweapplytheadvicementionedabovetoourworkplaces?

Contactsinyouroffice

First and foremost, you should develop contactswithin yourworkplace itself.Youwill have to interactwith your colleagues on a regular basis to get yourwork done. So a healthy relationship with coworkers is something Chanakyawouldencourage.

Butdonotmaketherelationsatyourworkplaceonlytransactional.Haveamorehuman-centricapproach.Wish themon theirbirthdays,senda thank-younote.Drop in or invite them for a cup of coffee or a lunch. If possible, try ahomevisittoo.Theywillbepleasantlysurprised.

Contactsinassociations

Eachofusworksnotjustinacompanyoranorganization.Weactuallyworkinan industry.Forexample, ifyouwork inaschoolasa teacher,you’renot justpartoftheschoolbutalsotheeducationsystemasawhole.

Similarly,eachworkplace ispartofabiggeruniverse.Therefore, thereareassociations where such professionals come together. Say the Printers’Association of India, the Publishers’ Association, School Principals’Associations, Marketing and Branding Associations, etc. All these platformsexposetheseprofessionalstotheuniverseofthosewhoaredoingthesamejobas them, only elsewhere.And this serves to open theirminds and helps themlearnfromeachother.

These are larger communities. Try and go for their meetings. Become amember. Attend training programmes and conferences. You will developcontacts in your professional fieldwhich could prove to be very useful in thelongrun.

Contactswithclients

Many people think customer care is only related to the sales or marketingdepartments.Asanorganization,onehastobeawarethateachoneofusisnow

partofthelargerindustry.Weearntherespectofourclientsbythewaywetreatthemduringaswellas

afterbusinesshours.Again, remembernot tomake itonlywork-related.Buildrelationships.

Other thanthis, therearesmall thingsyoucandotostartmakingcontacts.Join a like-mindedWhatsApp group. Don’t just send forward messages; callthem.Meetthemoneononeorduringgroupmeetings.Joinyourschoolalumnigroup.Thereare friendsyouwill reconnectwith.Don’t justsitathome.Walkintoyournext-doorneighbour’shouseandsaya‘hello’.

AsSwamiChinmayanandaputitwell,‘Tohavefriends,beafriendlypersonfirst.’

37

Contracts

IN THE PREVIOUS chapterswe understood the importance ofwriting and takingnotes. We learned how documentation helps us save our experience andknowledgeandpassitontothefuturegenerations.

In this chapter, we take a look at documentation again, but in a differentaspect.Specifically,writingandsigningcontracts.

Contracts are present in prettymuch every aspect of life today.Whenwejoin a company, we sign a contract. When we buy a house, rent a property,employsomeone,haveavendoragreement,all theseactionsare legallyboundbycontracts.

Sowhatexactlyisacontract?Itisalegalagreementbetweentwopeople,orparties,wherecertaintermsandconditionsagreeduponareputdownonpaper,signedby theparties involved, alongwithwitnesses, and is considered legallybinding.Anydeviationsfromsuchacontractcanbechallengedincourt.

Centuriesago,Chanakya,muchaheadofhistime,gaveusguidanceonhowtodrawupacontract.Hesays,

‘Oneshouldmakeadeal,withone’sownpeopleorwithstrangers,inthepresenceofawitness,inanopenmanner,properlydeclaringitwithrespect

toplace,time,quantityandquality.’(3.12.53)

Chanakyaismeticulousinhisapproachtomakingacontract.He includes the various aspects one must take into consideration while

makingadeal.Hesuggeststhatadealshouldbemadewithclearunderstanding,regardlessofwhetheritiswithone’sownrelativeorfriend,oratotalstranger.

Whatyouhaveagreeduponhas toputdowninwriting.Also,hesaysyoumust do this in front ofwitnesses. Thisway neither parties involved can turnbackonwhat they agreedupon in the long run.Thedealmustbemade in anopenmannerinordertomaintaincompletetransparency.

Bothparties should clearlydecide andagreeon thedeliverables,whatevertheymay be. Each party should be clear onwhat theymust give and take toavoid confusion and misunderstanding in future. This is called service-levelagreements.

Sowhat are the suggestions given byChanakya thatwe can apply in our

dailylives?

Haveclarityfirst

When you are about to take up some work, be clear on what your roles andresponsibilitiesare.Ifyouarejoiningacompany,beclearonwhat’sexpectedofyou, as well as what your expectations are. Suppose you are appointed as amangerofadivision,discussindetailwhatareyourjobprofileentails.

Evenifyouarejoiningacompanyownedbyafamilymember,donottakeitforgranted.Haveanelaboratediscussiononyourroleinthecompanytoavoidconfusioninfuture.

Agreeonpaper

Goontothenextlevel.Whatyouhavediscussedandagreedupon,putitdownonpaper.

Don’t make a contract first and then discuss. It should be the other wayround. Discuss first and then make a contract. I am not suggesting that allagreementshavetobepreparedlegally.Noteverycontractrequiresaalawyertodraftit.Ifit’sabigcompanycontract,thenyes,itrequiresalegalpersontodraftit.Butforsmallthingsjustmakeafewnotesandcometoanagreement.Makesurebothofyoureaditcarefully.Ifthereisanycounterview,discussanddebateit.

Focusonthework

Now,oncethatisdone,forgetthecontract.Justkeepitinafilesafelyforfuturereference.Youcan also scan a copyandmail it toyourself as a soft copy forrecord-keeping.

Nowthatthecontractissigned,focusonthedeliverables.Focusontheworkand its completion.The real success isnot just in signing theperfect contract,butinachievingthetargets.

Finally,theroleofacontractistoprovideclarity.

Onadailybasis

Makeitadailyhabittoputthingsonrecord.Practiseitinyourworkplace.Ifyouspeak tosomeoneandagreeondoingsomework, justput itonpaperor inanemail. This way everyone’s clear on what is to be expected. Now don’t justdevelop this habit of recording the agreement, but also remember that giving

qualityoutputisyourtoppriority.It isalwaysbetter tounder-promiseandover-deliver.So try tosurpass the

expectationsyousetoragreedupon.Gothatextramile.It iswhatwillsetyouapartfromtherest.

38

Work-relatedTravel

YOURWORKMAYnotinvolvetravelling.Butmostofyouwillhavetocommutetoworkonadailybasis.Forpeopleincertaindepartmentslikesalesandmarketing,travelispartof

theirjob.Infact,ifasalespersonissittinginhisorheroffice,s/heisconsideredunproductive.Soforsuchpeopletravellingisverymuchrequired.

ButhereIamspecificallytalkingaboutpeoplewhoneedtoplantheirtravelas faraswork isconcerned.Even ifyours isadesk jobatoneoffice location,youneedtoplanyourcommutetowork.

Infact,anybusinesstravelingeneralhastobeplannedcarefully.Chanakyagivesatipforthesame,

‘Heshouldstartaftermakingproperarrangementsforvehicles,draughtanimalsandretinueofservants.’(1.16.5)

Planningiskeytosuccess.‘Themorewesweatduringpeacetime,thelesswebleedduringwartime’,goesthefamousarmysaying.

Chanakya was a meticulous planner himself and believed in being over-prepared.Headvised theking tomakeproperarrangementsofvehiclesbeforetravelling.Becausevehicleshave tobe in agoodconditionandwell-equippedfor the complete journey, it is crucial that the king have his vehicle properlycheckedforalongjourney.

Now Chanakya also takes into consideration the group of attendants orservants requiredaspartof the support system in theking’s convoy.With theseasons and unpredictable terrain of the journey,Chanakya takes into account

everythingthatwoulddeterminethejourneyasuccess.LetusseehowthesetraveltipsbyChanakyacanbeappliedinourtime:

Planbeforeyoustart

Mostofustraveltoourworkplacesonadailybasis.Ifyouplanyourto-and-frotravelcarefully,youwillhaveaveryproductivetime,bothatofficeandalsoathome.

Supposealadyhastoreachherofficeby9a.m.Shewillhavetomanagetheearlymorninghouseholdworkandthengettoworkontimeaswell.Insuchacase,carefulplanningon thepreviousday itselfhelps.Shecanbeprepared inadvanceandhermorningwillbesmoothsailing.

Sowith a little bit of time-management skills, she can leave stress-free tocatchherbusortrain.

Planyourtravel

It is normal to reachoffice latebecauseof traffic jams.But this can easilybeavoidedwithsomeplanninginadvance.Onecannotavoidtrafficonroads,butonecanavoidtraffichoursaltogether.Thepatternofpeakhours isnothardtoguessatall.Theyaregenerallyduringthemorningandeveninghoursbeforetheofficestartsandaftertheworkdayends.

If you know the pattern, then plan accordingly. Avoid roads that usuallysufferfromtrafficjams;instead,lookforalternativeroutes.Youcanalsoleavealittle early. If you have your own car, useGoogleMaps to avoid routeswithtrafficjams.

Iknowof a ladywho reachesherofficehalf anhour early andcompletesmostofherimportanttasksbeforeothersarrive.Sheissoefficientthatshehasanarrangementwithherboss to leavehalf anhour early to avoid theeveningtraffichourstoo!

Outstationtravel

Thiscanalsobemadeeasy.Trytoplanallyouroutstationtravelafewdaysorpreferably,weeksinadvance.Checkwhatisthepurposeofthemeetingandwhoelseisrequiredfromyourteamforthemeeting.Informandtakeanappointmentinadvancewiththeotherpersonwhomyouaremeeting.Thenbookyourtickets,accommodation,etc.

Ifyou’retravellingtoanewcity,havealocalguideordriverwhowillhelpyoureachthevenueofthemeetingbeforetime,someonewhoknowstheroads

andthetrafficpatternswell.Finally,apartfromwork,makesureyouhavesomesparetimetogotosome

importanttouristdestinations,doalittlebitofshoppingforyourself,friendsandfamily.

Mostimportantly,trythelocalcuisine.Everyplacehassomethinguniquetooffer.

Uponreturning,you’llhavesomanystories toshare.Youwillcomebackricherandhappier.

Andthatiswhattravelshoulddo.

39

FromYearlyPlanningtoaDailyReview

SETAGOAL.Thengoaheadandachieveit.This is not an impulsive statement. It is actually a serious exercise. It is a

commitment.AndChanakyawouldbringinstrategytoachieveit.Manydonotknowhow to set agoal.They leadmonotonous, purposeless

lives.Therefore,tochangeyourlifeyouneedtofirstsetagoal.Therearemanygoal-settingexercisesandworkshopsbeingconductedbytrainers.

Even companies and organizations have goal-setting activities these days.Theseinvolveseriousdiscussionswiththechairman,seniormanagementandtheexecutionteam.

Oncethegoalisset,thenextstepistobuildastrategyaroundit.Andthenitsexecution.

But the key to success is not just setting the goal andworking on it. Themostimportantpartistoreviewitonaregularbasis.

Thereisanage-oldformulausedbyChanakyaonyearlyplanninganddailyreview. It is a wonderful model being implemented by some of the greatestorganizationstoday.However,manyofthemarenotawarethatthisisastrategydevelopedbyChanakyacenturiesago.

Let us look at what Chanakya would say as far as financial goals areconcerned.Hesaid,

‘Heshouldchecktheaccountsforeachday;groupoffivedays(weekly),fortnight;month,fourmonthsandayear.’(2.7.30)

Thekingwas supposed tobe constantly alert.Hehad tokeepa checkonanydevelopmentsinhiskingdomonaregularbasis.TheabovesutrabyChanakyaisgiving the king a direction as to how he needs to go about reviewing theaccounts.

Atimelyandperiodicreviewwillalwaysbehelpful.The thing is, once we start implementing our plan we inevitably face

problemsoneafteranother.Sowhentheleadertakestheinitiativetoreviewit,the people in his team stay alert, leaving themno room to give an excuse forunaccomplishedgoalsattheendoftheyear.

Letusseehowtoplanourworkusingthisframework:

Setagoal

Asmentionedearlier,itisimportanttosetagoal.Thatisthefirststep.Soifyouare a principal of a school, look at the academic calendar and syllabus. Theportions to be covered, the number of lectures to be taken, etc. have to beplanned.Also, involve theother teachers.After all, it is the teacherswhowillhavetotakethoselectures.

Whiledoingthis,alsotakealookattheholidays,theexamstobeheldandthegovernmentpolicies.Ithelpstohaveapracticalapproachinplanning.

Haveateam

Onecan’tworkandcompletetasksinisolation.Therehastobeateamthatwillworktogethertowardsthegoalset.Buttheleaderhastoempowertheteamtogoaheadandachievethesetgoal.

The leader cannot just sit in his office and review the progress. It isimportant to have your feet on the ground. So being in touch with the teammembersandtheirrealconcernsisessential.Youarewhereyouarebecauseoftheteamthatbacksyouup.Sosupport themwhentheyneedit.Theymaynotalwaysask.Butthat’s thepointofagreat leader.Heknowsexactlywhenhe’sneeded.

Reviewdaily

Takeregularstockoftheprogressofthework.Thedailybasisreviewformulaworkseventoday.

Theprincipalcantakethedailyattendancerecords,checkwhattheteachershavetaughtthewholeday,monitortheactivitiesoftheday,takeawalkroundthe school or college campus for a surprise check.These are among the daily

reviewsthatcanhappen.Andfinally,at theendoftheyear,whenthestudentshavebeentaughtthe

fullsyllabusandtheyhavepassedtheirexamssuccessfully,it’stimetorejoice!Similarly,when your company achieves all the goals it set for itself, then theonlythingleftforyoutodoistocelebrateit.

Celebratethesuccesswitheveryone.Itisduetotheeffortofoneandallthatthegoalswereachieved.

And remember, as a leader, give full credit to your teammembers for thesuccess.

40

HappinessofOthers

WHATWASCHANAKYA’Svisionofanidealleader?Akingwhoalways thinksof thewelfareofhispeople.That’shispriority,

comewhatmay.AndChanakyabelievedthatonemusthonethiskindofattitudein oneself. It is a leader with such an attitude that naturally draws theunwaveringsupportofthosearoundhim.

Alwaysremindyourselfofwhatyourendgoalis—thehappinessofothers.Thisoutlookwillputyouon thepath tobeagreat leaderoneday. Itdoesnotmatterifyouarealeaderofathousandemployeesorjustoneperson.Itdoesnotmatterevenifyoudonothaveasinglepersonreportingtoyou.Ifyouworkwellandseektofulfilthedreamsofothersasmuchasyourown,youwilleventuallyhavealoyalfollowing.Sostartpreparingfortheleadershiprolerightnow.

LetusseewhatsecretsChanakyarevealsaboutwhatittakestobealeader.This is themost famoussutra fromtheArthashastra, theultimatemessage

onleadership.Ifoneunderstandsthissutraandimbibesit,thepersonisboundtobecomeatoweringpersonality.

Chanakyasays,

‘Inthehappinessofthesubjectsliesthebenefitofthekingandinwhatisbeneficialtothesubjectsishisownbenefit.’(1.19.34)

Consider this situation—a girl is about to bemarried.What do you think herfatherwouldbe focusedon,on thedayofherwedding?Hewillobviouslybecompletelyfocusedonmakingsurethatthemarriageandallitsarrangementsareinplace.

Now,duringlunchtimedoeshethinkofeatinghimself?No.Hewillwant theguests tobe fedproperly.And in their happinesshe

willfindhishappiness.Similarly,theleaderhastothinklikeaparent,andthinkofhissubordinates

andjuniorsashischildren.Thisway,whateverhedoeswillbefortheirbenefit.Andwhatcanonedotomakesuretheirjuniorsandsubordinatesarehappy?Howcanyoubecomeagoodleaderatyourworkplace?

Makealist

Itisimportanttoknowyoursubordinatesandjuniors.Somepeoplejustfocusontheworkathand,andgivelittleornoimportancetothepeoplewhoworkunderthem. Make a list and study the requirements of each person. It can be oneperson working under you, or you could be leading a thousand people in anorganization.

Understand theirneedsandwhatwouldactuallymake themhappyoreasetheirburdeninsomeway.Makealistofthatalso.Forexample,thesalariestobe given on time, good infrastructure, support of systems, etc. If any of thesethingsaremissing,youmustensureitgetsfixedrightaway.

Appreciatethem

Appreciationisahumanneed.Therearetimeswhenpeople,andthehardworkthey put in, go totally unnoticed. Therefore, it is important to build a systemwhere each person’s contribution is recognized by others. This is one of thehealthiest practices to follow, one that the best companies across the globeincorporateintheiroffices.

Createarewards-and-awardsprogrammeinyourcompany.Introducea‘bestemployeeoftheyear’award.Thiswillboosttheirmorale.Itwillmakethemfeelneeded.

Even on a daily basis, make sure you appreciate your employees’ goodwork.Give themapaton theback.Takesomeoneout for lunch.Giveasmallgift.Thesesmallgesturesmattermorethanyouknow.

Thinkforthem

Oftentimesemployees themselvesdonotknowwhat it is that theyneed.Theymaythinkthatasecureandpermanentjobwitharegularsalaryisenough.Thatisamyth.

You need to look beyond what they demand. Think about their future.Insurance, traininganddevelopment,education,asponsored trip—theseareallconcerns thatwill eventually cross any employee’smind. It’s just amatter ofwhen. So stay ahead by addressing such concerns in advance. This will onlymakeyouamorerespectedleader.

Ihavepersonallyknownownersofcompanieswhoevengetinvolvedintheplanningof their employees’ children’sweddings. In that sense, they considerthechildrenoftheiremployeestheirown.

Inthismanner,theleaderbecomesaparentforeveryoneassociatedwiththecompany.

Foragoodleaderdoesn’tjustbuildbusinesses,hebuildsfamilies.

41

OnceaWeek

WEEKEND.What comes to yourmindwhenyou read thatword?Reprieve?Finally, a

breakfromthetoilsoftheweek?It’s true thatour lives revolvearound theweekend.Andwhynot? It’s the

onlytimewegettoproperlyrejuvenateourselves.Tobeproductiveatworkandinlife,itisimportanttocompartmentalizeourweeksthataredottedwiththeseshort,two-daybreaks.

Butit’simportanttoplanthistimeofyourweeksoyoucanmakethemostofit.

This time of theweekmust totally be for review and introspection of theworkdoneandtheworktobedone.

So think about the day’s activities, plan, make a roadmap, mark outcorrectionsandgatherinformationamongothers.

The best day to do this kind of a once-a-week review of one’s activitiescouldbeaSaturdayoraSunday.

Why Saturday or Sunday? This is because there is less distraction andworkloadonthesedaysascomparedtoanyotherdayoftheweek.

Whyisthisweeklytimewithyourselfnecessary?BecauseChanakyasays,

‘Theaffairsofakingareofthreekinds—directlyperceived,unperceivedandinferred.’(1.9.4)

Whatisthemainactivityofaleader—itistothink!If you want to be a leader at your workplace, you’ll need to spend a

considerableamountoftimedeliberatingonwhatyourteamneeds,theconcernsthatneedtobeaddressed,etc.

Sohowisonesupposedtothink?Chanakyahasgivenusrelevantguidancein theverseabove.Hesaysakingwillgather information from three sources.Andbasedonthesethreesourceshewillthenanalysetheinformationandtakecriticaldecisions.

‘Whatisseenby(theking)himselfisdirectlyperceived.Whatiscommunicatedbyothersisunperceived.Forminganideaofwhathasnot

beendonefromwhatisdoneinrespectofundertakingsisinferred.’(1.9.5-7)

Here,Chanakyaisagaintellingusindetailwhathemeansbydirectlyperceived,unperceived and inferred. Seen directly, reported by others and making anassumption—thesearethusthethreeactivitiesoftheleader.

Butwithsomuchinformationfloatingaround, itbecomesdifficult toevensitdown,thinkandanalyse.Therefore,onceaweek,itisimportanttotakeouttimejusttodothisandnothingelse.

Sohowdowestartonthis?

Fixaweeklytimewithyourself

Takeoutaboutonetotwohoursonceinaweektojustbewithyourselfanddoanactivitythatrequiresyoutouseyourmentalfacultiesrigorously.Makesureyouhavenodistractionsduringthattime.SaturdayorSundayissuggested,butsomearecomfortableonaFridayevening,andsomeonMondaymornings.

Also, some are comfortable taking time out at work, while some wouldprefertobeathome.Somemayevenliketositinaparkanddoit.Letitbeatyourcomfortandconvenience.Thisisthemostimportanttimewithoneself.

Listdown

Trytohavethedatareadywhenyouaredoingthisweeklyexercise.Don’tjustthink,putitonpapertoo.Docarryanotebookoralaptopforthisactivity.Youcanuseyourmobilephonetoo.

Make a list of things you are currently doing—your various tasks, role atworkand inpersonal life,goals tobeachieved.This list-preparation itself isamajortask.Butit’scrucialbecauseitoffersclarity.Onceyouknoweverythingyouhaveonyourplate, it’ll be easier foryou to tackleyourproblemsonebyone.

Lookbackandplanahead

Onceyoutakestockofallworkyouhaveaheadofyou,itcanbeaneye-openingmoment.A friend ofminewho did this exercise saidwithwonder, ‘I did notknowthatIamhandlinghundredsofminorandmajorprojects.’SoI’dliketoletyouknowinadvancethatthatlistwillbearevelationforsure.

Now segregate the things on that list, based on what needs to be started,what’sinprogressandwhathasalreadybeencompletedorisnear-completion.

Now lookatyourcalendarand fixadayand time for theseactivities.Forexample,scheduleaninterviewofanewcandidateonWednesdayat3p.m.orameetingwithyoursalesteamonMonday,12noon.

Onadailybasis

SostartyourMondaymorningsbylookingatthelistofthingsyouplanneddoandstayfocusedonit.Asyoukeepcrossingthingsoffthatlist,youwillfeelthesatisfactionthatyouseek.Makeadailyhabitofreviewingyourplan.

Thus, once you start diligently reviewing your tasks and doing thingsaccordingtoplan,youwillbeabletotakeupanynewworksentyourwayanddosowithconfidence!

And remember, it is not about the amount ofwork you have in hand thatshouldmatter,buthowyouplanandhandleit.

42

AppointingManagers

THERE ARE TWO stages in our careers—first, we get appointed; second, weappointothers.

Inthebeginningofourcareers,wearejudgedbyothers.Wehavetojoinacompanyandworkhardtoproveourselves.Later,whenwebecomegoodatourjobs,wegetapromotion.Westartclimbingupthecorporateladder.

Thesecondstageofourcareerisdrasticallydifferentfromthefirst,becauseasopposed toearlierwhenyouhad toget thingsdoneyourself,now,youwillhavethepowertogetitdonebyothers.

When a good salesman gets promoted, he ensures that the sales targetscontinuetobeachievedbyhisteammembers.However,thisiswheremostfirst-timemanagersusuallyfail.

Aclearsignofgrowthinyourcareerwouldbewhenthenatureofyourworkchanges over time. So as you grow andwork towards your higher goal, evenyourwork gets redefined.As the famous saying goes, ‘If you continue doingwhat you are doing, you will continue getting what you are getting.’ Sostagnationistheenemy.Youmustkeepevolving.

Therefore, Chanakya has given a roadmap for this. Start looking out forpeoplewhocan joinyour teamandgetworkdone foryou.Start planning therolesofyourteammembers.Lookoutforyournumbertwo,someonewhocanreplaceyouwhenyouhavemovedup.

Theskilltojudgepeopleandappointtherightpersonfortherightjobholdsthekeytoyourowngrowth.

In the Arthashastra, Chanakya even refers to other great teachers whileappointingministersforkings.

Hereisasutra,

‘Heshouldmakehisfellow-studentshisministers,theirintegrityandcapabilitybeingknowntohim,’saysBharadvaja.‘For,theyenjoyhis

confidence.’(1.8.1)

There are various methods suggested in the Arthashastra as to how a kingshould appoint his ministers. One of the suggestions as given above is byBharadvaja(associatedwithDrona,thecelebratedteacheroftheKuruprinces).

Just as the king had to appoint ministers, you too will one day have toappointmanagers.

Bharadvajasuggestedthatone’sclassmatesandchildhoodfriendswouldbeperfectcandidatesformanagers.Thereasonisclearandsimple.We’veknownthemwell over the years and thereforewe can trust them.Their integrity andyourconfidencegohandinhand,afterall.

Butjustbeingafriendisnotenough.Here,Bharadvajahaspointedoutthatthecandidate’scapability isalsoan importantyardstick.Howmuchworks/hecanhandleisalsoanimportantquestiontoaskbeforeappointingsomeone.

So,herearepracticaltipstoappointyournumbertwo:

Lookoutonadailybasis

Thetruthisthatyouwillneverfindyournumbertwo.Youwon’tfindyourexactreplacement.Itisnotlikebuyinggroceriesacrossthecounterinastore.Wearedealingwithhumanbeingsandeveryhumanbeingisdifferent.Thedynamicsofeachpersonalityisdifferent.

Soonadailybasis,observethepeoplearoundyou.Lookoutforthatsparkin the people around you. The way they handle their work; the way theycommunicate with others; their equation with the rest of the team; theirbehaviourandotherqualities.

Interviewthemwithothers

Youmayfindthataparticularpersonisasgoodamanagerasyouare.Butthefact is thatyouareonly lookingat it fromyourpointofview.When the timefinallycomestoappointtheperson,takeaformalinterview,regardlessofhowhighlyyouthinkofthem.

Thegoldenrule,though,isnevertaketheinterviewalone.Havingmultipleperspectives in such a case is of utmost importance. This is the reason whythere’softenapanelofexpertsatinterviews.

Eachpersonintheinterviewpanelwillbeavalue-additionfromadifferentstandpoint.Forexample,whenIASofficersareinterviewed, therearedifferentpeople on the interview board, who ask different types of questions to gaugetheircompetencyonmultiplelevels.Thishelpsdiversifythequalityofthesetofquestionsintheinterview.

Appoint,trainandwatch

Appointing a manager is not enough. This is only the beginning. There are

severalstepsbeforetheappointedmanagerbecomesproductiveforyouandtheorganization.

The next step is training them. The person might come from a totallydifferent background. You will have to introduce him into the culture andworkingstyleofyourorganization.It takestime.Sogivethepersonhisorherspace.Trainthem,mentorthemandgivethemthecomfortthatonlycomeswithfamiliarity.

Givethemafewmonthstosettledownandafteraboutsixmonthsyouwillfindthepersonbloomintoareallyproductiveperson.

Nowheisreadytobeyournumbertwo—yourrealmanager.

43

PersonalIncome

SALARYANDINCOMEareveryimportantinourprofessionallives.Even if we are working for free and have no expectations of being

monetarily compensated, this should be discussed andmade clear at the verybeginningitself.

Therearevariousreasonsforwhichpeoplejoinaprofession.Somejointogatherexperienceintheinitialstagesoftheircareer;somejoin

forgrowthandhigher income; some justwish tokeep themselvesbusy.Someevencontinue toworkpost-retirement inorder topasson theirexperienceandwisdomtoothers.

Whateverbethereason,thefinancialparthastobeclear.Chanakyaalwayslendsfinancialclaritybeforestartinganywork.Even if you have a start-up business and do not have anything to pay

yourselfintheearlierstages,makesureyourhardworkisaccountedfor.Iaskedthefounderofastart-upcompanyabouthowhemanageshimself.

Hesaid,‘Iknowmycompanycannotpaymeatthisstage.Ihavetopaymyemployees first.But Ihavemadeaprovisional salary formyself. It isa figureput on my accounts. The day the company makes money, I will pick up thesalaryforallthemonthsIhaveworkedhard.’Nowthatiswhatfinancialclarityisallabout.

Heisworkingformoney,butsincethereisnomoneyinthecompanyatthemoment,hewillpickituplater.

Anothercase:Apersonhasretiredfromaseniorgovernmentpositionandhasnofinancial

liabilities.Hischildrenaresettledinlife.Hehasdecentinvestmentstotakecareofhimselfandhiswifetilldeath.Heworksnowjusttokeephimselfbusy.

Whilejoiningacompany’sboardofadvisors,hisfinancialdealwasclear.‘Iwillnotworkformoney,payasperyourbudgetfortheworkIdo.ButwheneverI travel Ikeepaprovisionformeandmywife.Our travelexpensesshouldbepaidforbythecompany.’

Nowheandhiswifetravelacrosstheglobe.Thus,oneneedstosortouttheincomeattheveryoutsetofone’swork.Chanakyahasaclearideaabouthowmuchtopayhispeople:

‘Allundertakingsaredependentonthetreasury.Therefore,heshouldlookintothetreasuryfirst.’(2.8.1)

Before you start any activity, do a financial calculation. This is a must.Chanakyamakesitthenumberonepriority.

Thereare somesteps thatonecan follow tohaveclarityon financials andincome:

Discussfinancesopenly

It is always a challenge to discuss money matters. But in professional life,remember,nothingisfree.Therearenofreelunches.Therefore,discussfinancesopenlywithyourseniors.

Evenifyouwanttogiveyourservicesfreeofcost,letthatbeyourchoice.There aremany social and spiritual organizationswhere there are peoplewhoworkforfree.Butthesameorganizationshavepaidemployeesaswell.Beclearwhich side you want to be associated with. This will help avoid a lot ofconfusioninthelongrun.

There is a non-government organization,where theCEO isworking for asocialcause.Heisfromaveryrichfamilyandloveshiswork.HejusttakesRe.1ashismonthly salary.Buthemakes sure that all theexpenses related tohisworkaretakencareofbytheorganization.

Investwisely

Savingandinvestmentarekeytofinancialsuccess.Onehas to learn theartofinvestingwisely.Evenifyouareearningasalary,makesureyouhaveaplanforsavingandinvestment.

Investinadiversifiedmanner.Fixeddeposits,mutualfundsandotherformsofsavingswillhelpyoubefinanciallyfreeinthefuture.

Thegolden ruleof investment is thatyoumustbeable to sustainyourselffinancially forminimum sixmonthswithout an income. If yes, thenyouhavetakenthefirststeptowardsfinancialfreedominyourlife.Makesureyoukeepgoingonthispath.

Letmoneyworkforyou

Intheearlierstages,youworkformoney.Later,letmoneyworkforyou.Thisisthewaytoplan.

Yourpersonalincomeshouldnotbedependentonanyorganization.Infact,

youshouldcontributetotheincomeofyourcompany.Thereare twokindsofpeople in thisworld.First,whorunbehindmoney.

Bethesecondkind,theoneswhomoneyisrunningafter.Letusallbecomethesecondkind.

44

MakingProfits

INONE’SPROFESSIONALlife,financialprofitisanimportantindicatorofsuccess.Ofcourse,makingmoneyby justaboutanymethodisnotacceptable.The

moneyhastobelegallyandethicallyearned.Butit’salsoimportanttoremindyourselfthatjustbeingmorallyuprightand

honestisnotenough.Asaleaderandgoodadministrator,onehastomakesurethatonestaysontherighteouspathandatthesametimebringsinprofits.Thiscombinationiswhatweshouldallaimfor.

ChanakyahadgivensimilaradviceintheArthashastrawhenhesaid,

‘Thewiseadministratorshouldfixtherevenueandshowandincreaseinincomeanddecreaseinexpenditureandshouldremedytheoppositeof

these.’(2.6.28)

Anadministratorofacompanyistheonewhorunstheshowonadailybasis.Toensurefinancialprofitabilityisoneofhiskeyresponsibilities.

So,Chanakyasays,theadministratorshouldfirstfixtherevenue.Meaning,heshouldfixatargetforhisdivision.Thiswillgivehimanexactgoal,apurposetogo ahead and achieve.Wehave seen in theprevious chapters howa leadersetsayearlytargetandreviewsitregularlytoachieveit.Thisisnodifferent.

Next, the administrator should show an increase in income. Meaning, heshould try and exceed the expectations of his superiors. So he needs to try toachievemorethanthetargethesetforhimself.Notjust that, thetargethesetsshouldalwaysexceedprevioustargets.

Decreasingrevenueiscompletelycounter-productive.Thatisnotsuccessatall. Infact, it’s theoppositeofsuccess,regardlessofhowhighthisrevenueis.Oneshouldbeabletoshowgrowthonaconsistentbasis.Youcan’toutshineoneyearandthendipintheother.

Nextistodecreaseexpenditure.Thisisquintessentialtoanygoodbusiness.Thecostof runningacompanyhas tobecutdown from time to time.Takealookatyourbalancesheetandchecktheareasthatdrawmaximumexpenditure.Try to identify parts of it that could absorb cost reduction and implement thesame.

So carrying out both the tasks hand in hand—increase in income and

reduction in expenditure—are the two key aspects any good manager has tofocuson.

Ifthereverseofthishappens,thenitwillinevitablyleadtofailure.Decreaseinincomeandincreaseinexpenditureisasurepathtodisaster.

Here’swhatyoucandotogetthebalanceright:

Checkthebalancesheet

Balancesheetisagreatindicatorofanorganization’sfinancialhealth.Theseareaudited statements and contain the macro and micro picture of how theorganization is doing. It is usually prepared by professionals like charteredaccountants.

Ifyouareabeginneratreadingbalancesheets,thenitisadvisablethatyouseekprofessionalhelp.Thereisalottolearnifoneistounderstandthefinancialintricaciesofacompany.Theessenceofabalancesheet isPAT i.e.NetProfitAfterTaxes.Thisisthebottomline.

Workonincome

Look at the revenue sources of the organization. Depending on the type oforganization,revenuescouldcomefrommultiplesources.If it isagovernmentorganization, the revenue could come from taxes or it could even be self-generating income sources. Most private companies are dependent on theircustomers and clients for income sources. Educational and charitableorganizationsgettheirrevenuesfromdonationsandgrants.

So prepare a plan to increase the sources of income.Make sure there aremoreclientstoyourlistofexistingcustomers.Ifyouhavetencustomers,makesureyouaddmorecustomersandmakeitfifteen,ortwenty.Thatshouldbeyourimmediate goal.Or offer new products and services to your clients.Diversifyintonewmarkets.Newideasalwayshelp.Keeplookingfornewopportunities.

Workonreduction

Thenextaspecttostudyingthebalancesheetofyourcompanyistostudyhowmuch is being spent under each department. There you will gain a similarinsight. Some expenses are necessary, while some are not. For example, ingovernment even though defence and security, like police , are never revenuesources,theyarequintessentialforthesafetyandsecurityofthepeople.Sothosearethingsthatcan’tbecompromisedoninanymanner.

However, there aremany things that are necessary but can be outsourced.

Forexample,thehousekeepingpersondoesn’thavetobeonthepayrollorbeapermanentemployeeofthecompany.Thatcostcanbereducedinasubstantialway.Haveacontractwithafacility-managementcompany,andtheywillensureagoodpriceaswellasthesamequalityofserviceyou’reusedto.

Whenyoupractisethesethings,you’reboundtoseethenetprofitgrow.Ifyousuccessfullypullthisoff,thenasanadministratoryouarealreadyin

highdemandinthejobmarket.

45

BoardofExperts

YOUAREAreflectionofthepeopleyouchoosetosurroundyourselfwith.Therefore, it is essential that you choose these people carefully, that they

forma teamof expertswhocangiveyou the rightguidanceevery stepof theway.

There are many methods through which you can surround yourself withexperts.Onewouldbetoapproachthem,andtheninvitethemtobepartofyourboard of advisors or experts. Even the government hasmade it mandatory tohaveindependentdirectorsontheboardofcompanies.

Chanakya hadmany such organizational designsmade, throughwhich theleadercangetexpertadviceonhowacompanyfunctions.

Thekinghadacouncilofministerstoadvisehim.TherajguruandchaplinwereamongthedifferentmentorsChanakyasuggestedthekingshouldhaveasadvisors.Throughthemhewouldbuildhisplansandstrategies.

All thekingsback in thedayhad such aboardof experts to advise them.Akbar had a panel called the navratnas (nine gems) who were experts fromvariousfields.ChatrapatiShivajiofMaharashtrahadeightexpertsonhis teamcalledashta-pradhan.

Many large organizations, in the government and private sectors, havecommitteesthatplaythisrole.

In the chapter Appointment of Councillors (book 1, chapter 9) of theArthashastra,Chanakyagivesasymbolicinterpretationofhowakingbecomessuccessfulbecauseofaboardofexpertsguidinghim.

Chanakyasays,

‘Kshatriyapower,madetoprosperbytheBrahmin(chaplain),sanctifiedbyspellsintheformofthecouncilofministers,(and)possessedofarmsintheformofcompliancewiththescience(ofpolitics),triumphs,remainingever

unconquered.’(1.9.11)

This is a powerful statementmade on the basis of Indian culture. TheHindutraditionhasasystemofritualswhichChanakyaisusingasananalogyheretomakehispoint.Kshatriyaistherulerclass.TheleadersaremadetoprosperbytheBrahmins,asitistheBrahminswhoaretheteachers.

The king was made successful by his teacher. The raja and the gurucombination is amodel thathasbeen followedsinceancient India—ChanakyaandChandragupta,ShivajiandRamdas,amongothers.

Thenextsetofexpertswasthecouncilofministers.Thekingwasadvisedbythemonmattersofnationalimportance.AkbarandBirbal,KrishnadevarayaandTenalirama—thesearefamousexamplesaswell.Theexpertswouldalwaysgivestrategicinputsonanymatterrelatedtosecurity,etc.Andtheydidthisincompliancewiththescienceofpolitics(asgiveninthescriptures).Thekingsofancient Indiawould refer to theDharmashastra and theArthashastra tomakesurethattheywereontherightpath.

Thus,thecombinationofinputsfromthesethreesources—gurus,ministersand scriptures—ensured that thekingwas successful forever,which is anotherwayofsayingthatheremainedunconquered.

Letusfollowthesestepstoappointourveryownboardofexperts:

Findtheexperts

Onemayfeelthatexpertsarenotavailable.Orthattheirconsultationfeesmightbeveryhigh.Thiscouldn’tbefarfromthetruth.Buttheyarealwaysavailableandmostofthemwouldbehappytoprovidetheirexpertiseatanominalrateorevenfreeofcharge.

Taketheinitiativetoreachouttopeople.Theycouldberetireesfromalargeorganization and now sitting idle at home. They could be found in variousuniversities.Professorsareafterallexpertsoftheirownfieldsandhavealotofknowledgeandwisdom.

Drink thenectarofwisdomfromtheseexperts.Justmakeawishand theywillcometoyou.Theyarereadytogive,andyoushouldbereadytoaccept.

Offeraformalposition

Itisnotenoughtoknowthemandapproachthem.Offerthemaformalpositioninyourcompany.LikethekingsofancientIndiagavethemsomestatusintheircourt, you should also offer them a good position in your board of experts.Formallyinvitethemtoyourboardmeetingsandaskfortheirinputs.

Eventhoughmostofthemwillnotexpectmoney,dopaythemwhateveryoucan.Treatthemoneygiventothemasgurudakshina.

Respectandhonouriswhat theseexpertsrequirefromyou.Theywill takecareoftherest.Andtoaddtoit,theywillalsobringtheircontactstohelpyou.

Beyondboardmeetings

Now, do not make it so formal that you lose your personal touch with theseexperts. Develop your relationship with them, like a guru and a shishya. Bechildlikeinfrontofthem.Bereadytolearnfromthemateverystep.

Servethem,lookafterthemandtakecareofthem.Dothatonadailybasis.It is said inour culture that thosewho serveand listen to their elderswill

neverfaceanyproblemsinlife.This type of attitude is called vriddha-sanyogah, which means being in

constanttouchwithyourelders.It’satime-testedandsureroutetoeternalsuccess.

46

RetirementPlan

WHICHISTHEdayyoubegintoplanforyourretirement?Isitonthelastdayofyouroffice?No.Thedayyoujointheofficeiswhenyoushouldstartplanningforyourlast

daythere.Whenapersonisborn,thereisonethingthatiscertain—death.Similarly, our professional lives will also end one day. Nothing is

permanent,includingourjobs.Everythingwillonedaycometoahalt.Butmostpeopledon’tplantheirretirementinaproactivemanner,especially

duringtheearlystagesoftheircareers.Everyonejustgoeswiththeflow,tillonedayithitsthemthattheirworklivesareover.

Manyfindithardtohandle.Workingbecomesahabitthattheycan’tshakeoff.Soasuddenbreakbringstheirlivestoahalt.

It’s worse for a government employee at a senior post. Because s/he hasbeenworking continuously for almost thirty to fortyyears.Thenoneday s/heloseshisorherpower,identityandself-esteem.S/hedoesnotknowwhattodonext.

Andtheplanningisessentialnotonlyatapersonallevel,butalsoonthepartoftheorganization.Ifthepersonleavesandthereisnoappropriatereplacementforhimorher,thentheworkisboundtosufferinamajorway.

Sowhatisthesolution?Chanakyahasauniquewayoflookingatthings.Thesolutionforhavinga

legacyistotrainpeoplefromtheyoungergeneration.Thosewhocanbeleadersinthelongrun.

Hesays,

‘He(king)shouldstrivetogivetrainingtotheprince.’(5.6.39)

Thekingshouldbeabletoseelongterm.Aswehadseenearlier,afterGrihasta-ashram(anactivelife)everyperson,accordingtotheVedicIndianculture,hastoplanforVanaprastha(aretiredlife).Andtheirplanshouldbeonethatmakesitasmoothtransition.

So,twothingshavetobedoneduringtheworkingphaseofyourlife.First,getreadytoretireassoonaspossible.Second,trainthenextgenerationtotake

yourplaceandposition.Soherearesometipstoplanyourexitstrategyfromyourcareer.

Thinkofdeath

Onadailybasis,thinkofdeathforafewminutes.Now,thismayseemstrange,andsometimesfrighteningtoo.Butthiswillgiveyouadifferentperspectiveonlifeitself.Itwillbedifficultinthebeginningbutitwillgiveyoutheconfidencetoacceptdeathaspartoflife.

So,whenyoulookatyourowndeskeveryday,thinkforafewminutesontheselines—whatifIamnotthere;will theworkstillgoon?WhowilldotheworkwhenIamnotaround?CanIbereplacedbysomeonebetterthanme?

Trainothers

Yourexperienceshouldnotgotowasteatall.Andtheanswertothequestionsaskedabovewillmakeyoustrivetotraintheyoungpeopleinyourorganization.Createmoreleaders.Arealleaderisonewhocreatesleaders.

Also, learnto trustyour juniors toworkanddobetter thanyourself.Manypeoplearenotcomfortablewiththeideaofimpartingalltheirknowledgetotheirsubordinates,becausetheyfeelliketheyarecreatingcompetitorsforthemselves.

Also, thisquestion isgenerallyasked—what if I train themand they leavethecompany?Theanswer to thequestion isanotherstrangequestion—what ifyoudon’ttrainthemandtheystay?Soit’sbetterifyoutrainthem.

Behappyaboutyourretirement

Someoneaskedaspiritualmaster,‘Ifdeathcomestoyou,whatwouldyousay?’He said in excitement, ‘I would tell him, why are you so late? I have beenwaitingforsuchalongtimetomeetyou.Comeon.Let’sgo.’

Inthesameway,youshouldlookforwardtoyourlastdayatwork.Itshouldnotbethesaddestdayofyourlife.Onthecontrary,itshouldbethe

happiest day of your life.After all, you have done your best and you’re nowleavingalegacybehind.

Andmost importantly,youstillhave lotsof timeandenergy left todo thebestthing—spendqualitytimewithyourfamilyandfriends.

Goaheadandretirewithgrace.Thenextchapterofyourlifeisjustwaitingtostart.

FAMILYLIFE

47

DutiesofaHouseholder

SOFAR,WEhave learnedhowtoapplyChanakya’swisdominourpersonalandprofessionallives,inPartOneandPartTwo,respectively.

Nowwecometothethirdpart—applyingChanakya’swisdominfamilylife.Ourlivesareincompletewithoutourfamilies.EspeciallyinIndia,wherethe

culture itself promotes a strong bond within the family, placing the highestimportance to sticking to one’s roots. Our joint family system, our largeextendedfamilyofgrandparents,unclesandaunts,cousinsareallacrucialpartofoursociety.

So,successinpersonalandprofessionallifedoesnotautomaticallytranslateto being a successful person. To be called a ‘totally’ successful person alsorequires one to be a successful family person, the third and most importantdimension.

So,letusbeginthissectionwithalookatthedutiesofahouseholder.Thedutiesofahouseholder,orGrihastha,havealreadybeendefinedinthe

Vedas. The Vedas are the oldest books available to mankind. Our culture isdefinedbythesetextstoagreatdegree.

Chanakya also takes his inspiration of setting up an ideal kingdom andsocietybasedontheVedicsystemintheArthashastra.

Hesays,

‘Thedutiesofahouseholderare:earninghislivinginaccordancewithhisownspecialduty;marryingintothefamiliesofthesamecaste,butnotofthesamegotra;approachingthewifeduringthe(right)time;worshipofgods,Manesandguests;makinggiftstodependentsandeatingwhatisleft

over(aftertheothershaveeaten).’(1.3.9)

Wewillbe lookingateachof theseaspects/dutiesofa familypersonover thenextfewchapters.Notethatthedutiesarerelevanttobothwomenandmen.Itisimportant to understand that a family will not be complete without thecompatibilityofboththehusbandandthewife.Sofinallyitisthemutualrespectbetweenthemthatwillmakeforasuccessfulfamily.

Letuslookintothefirstaspect:

‘Dutiesofahouseholderare:earninginaccordancewithhisownspecialduty.’(1.3.9)

Thefirstandforemostdutyofahouseholderistoearnalivingforhisfamily.This is a very practical advice given byChanakya.Earning the bread and

butter forone’s familymembers isessential.Thechildren, theeldersand, inalargersense,thesocietydependsontheearningmembers.

‘Dhanyo Grihasta-ashram,’ say our Indian scriptures. It means ‘great andblessedisthelifeofahouseholder’.Itisduetothemthatthesocietycansustain,maintainandprosper.

Buthowmustahouseholderearninaccordancewithhisownspecialduty?ThewordusedinSanskritisswa-dharma.Swa—self,dharma—natural.So,oneshouldearnthroughameanswhichisnaturaltoaperson.

Letusunderstandthisbetter:

Ournaturaltalent

Each person is blessedwith a unique talent.Once you findwhat your uniquequalityis,yourwholelifewillchange.Thistalentwillcomenaturallytoyou.Itmight be your natural tendency to be an artist or a sportsperson or even abusinessperson. Earn your living through that. Don’t follow other people’sfootsteps.Paveyourownway.

Ourproblemisthatwetryandearnalivingwithoutmuchthoughtaboutthemeansbywhichwe’redoingso.So,attheendofthejourney,evenifwehavemademoney,we findourselvesdevoidofhappiness.So findwhatmakesyouhappy.

Oureducationsystem

Itisunfortunatethatourcurrenteducationsystemdoesnotallowustoexploreour natural talent. We did not create an education system; instead, we havecreatedanexaminationsystem.

Ourancienteducationsystemwasdesignedtofirstexploreyourtalentsandfindwhatyouaregoodat.Andthenslowlytrainyouandhelpyoumakeacareeroutofit.Thiskindofsystemalsomadeapersonfeelworthy.Trytofindawaytorevisitthatoldmodel.

Findyourswa-dharma

So,howdoyoufindyourswa-dharma?Observeyourselfonadailybasis.What

makesyouhappy?Theremustbesomeactivitywhichdoesnotfrustrateyouatall.Whenyoudothat,youfeelliketimeisflyingaway.

It could be related to the arts, science or even sports.Once youknow, goafterthispassion,andtryandmakeacareeroutofit.

Soalongwithearningmoneyforyourfamily,youwillfindtruehappinesseveninyourprofession.

48

Marriage—aChoice

MARRIAGEISAveryimportantaspectofone’sfamilylife.Whatisamarriage?It’saquestionthatrequiresmoreintrospectionthanone

might presume. Most of us consider it a social relationship which has to befulfilled.Andwhenwe get intowedlockwithout clarity,we get frustrated forlife.

Understandthatmarriageisnotjustasocialobligation,butadivinedutytobe fulfilled. Know this fully well before you get married. Marrying out ofpressure will only take you away from the path to lifelong happiness.Sometimes,it isbetternottomarryandbehappy,thantogetmarriedandfeelfrustratedthroughoutlife.

There are happily unmarried people too in this world, just as there arehappilymarriedpeople.Remember,thekeywordis‘happy’.Happinessiswhatyoushouldseekinyourlife,marriedornot.

But ifyoudodecidetogetmarried, thenthenextstepis tofindasuitablespouse.

There is a saying that goes, ‘Themarriage partner you choosewill defineyourlifeinasignificantway.Yourlifelonghappinesswoulddependonthatonedecision.’

TherearemanytraditionalsystemsinIndiatofindacompatiblelifepartner.Chanakyamentionsonesuchmethodasthedutyofahouseholder,

‘Thedutiesofahouseholderare:marryingintofamiliesofthesamecaste,butnotofthesamegotra.’(1.3.9)

The ancient caste system of India was its strength. But unfortunately, in ourgenerationithasbecomeoneofitsweaknesses.

Thinkofacasteasacommunityoflike-mindedpeople.Theyhavethesametraditionalpractices,rituals,foodhabits,socialevents,etc.Now,whenyougetmarriedtoapersonfromasimilarcommunity,thenitisveryeasytoadjustforbothpartiesinvolved.

Therearemanyinstanceswhereevenlovemarriageshavefailed.Oftentimesthereasonforthishasbeenthataftergettingmarried,bothpartnersrealizedthattheycouldnotadjustthemselvestothefamiliesoftheirspouse.

I am not against love marriage, but I like to take these differences intoconsideration to have a holistic view of this institution. Take everything intoaccount,sothatyoucananticipatethechangesyou’llneedtoadjustto,inordertobecomeanidealcouple.

Sohowshouldyouchooseyourpartner ina traditionalandnon-traditionalmanner?Here’show:

Arrangedmarriage

Be it arranged or love marriage, Chanakya has said that one should not getmarriedintoone’sowngotra,inotherwords,thefamilylineage.Sobasicallythechildrenoftwobrothersshouldnotgetmarriedtoeachother.Orchildrenfromsibling sisters should notmarry each other. It has beenmedically proven thatchildrenbornfromsuchmarriagesfacevariousmentaldisorders.

MarriagesamongcousinsisanacceptednorminvariouscommunitiesacrossIndia. But remember, the partners have to be from a different gotra, anotherbloodline.

Another traditional practice to find the compatibility amongwould-be lifepartnersistomatchtheirhoroscopes.Thisuniquemethodalsohelpsdeterminethe‘psychological’compatibility.

Arrangedlovemarriage

Everygenerationhasitsowntimelesstalesofsuccessfullovemarriages.Iftwopeopleareinlovewitheachother,theyshouldgetmarried.Butwhat about theparents?That too in a societywheregoingagainst the

wishesofone’sparentsisconsideredadeadlysin?Simpleansweris,get theminvolvedinyourmarriage.Letthem‘arrange’yourlovemarriage.

Itmaytakesometimetoconvincethem,buthavepatience.It’llbeworthit.Lettheparentsofbothpartnersmeetandunderstandeachother.Letthemarrive

atthebeautyofyourunionontheirown.Thenthejourneywillbesmooth.

Itstillrequireseffort

Marriagemaybemade inheavenbutweneed tomake itworkonearth.Be itarranged or love marriage, there is a lot of effort to be put into it. It is acontinuous process of discovering each other, even as you discover yourself.Learn to respect the differences and different views of your partner. It onlyenrichesyourbond.

Awisemanwas asked, ‘Sir,what do you suggest, a lovemarriage or anarrangedmarriage?’Withasmilehesaid,‘Isuggestasuccessfulmarriage.’

49

SexinMarriage

SEXISAveryimportantpartofmarriedlife.Untilrecently,discussingsexwasconsideredatabooinoursociety.DuetothevastandfreelyavailableinformationontheInternetandmedia,

peoplearefarmoreopentodiscussingthistopic.In fact, to a large extent, it is still considered degrading and immoral to

discussthisopenly,butmanyarewarminguptotheidea.But it’s time to face the reality.Manymarriagesendbecauseof the issues

thattakeplaceinsidethebedroom.Insteadofhidingthefacts,letusdiscussthisinamaturemannerandfindsolutions.

Haveyouheardabouttheconceptof‘maritalrape’?Itisquiteshocking,butit is a very real part ofmarried life that is nowgetting exposed in a bigway.Rapeisthemostbrutalformofviolation;itleavesalifelongscaronthemindofthevictim.Now,imagine,whatifthisisdonebyone’sownhusbandonadailybasis?

Manywomenarenowtakingthismattertocourt.Butthesolutionisnotjustlegal.Ithastodowithprovidingsexeducationtomarriedcouples.It’sbettertostartbefore theygetmarried.The first thingneeded inamarriage, ifone is tofindhappinessataphysicallevel,ismutualrespect.

Therefore,Chanakyasays,

‘Thedutiesofahouseholderare:approachingthewifeduringthe(right)time.’(1.3.9)

The best part of Chanakya’s teachings is that he has openly discussed everytopic under the sun. He educates both the husband and the wife about thephysicalaspectofmarriedlife.

TherearemanyscholarlyreferencesthattheKamasutraofVatsyayanawasalsowrittenbyChanakyaunderadifferentname.There,hegivesdetailsaboutthebestwaytwopartnerscanhavesex,basedonmutualrespect.

ItissuggestedthatonereadtheoriginalSanskritversionoftheKamasutrawithascholarlyapproach.Sadly,thecurrentperceptionabouttheKamasutraisthatitisjustaboutvariousphysicalposturesduringsex.Thatisjustonepartofit.

TheKamasutra insistsonmentalcompatibilityoverphysicalcompatibility.Hygiene, timing and the stress on celebrating each other gives it an aspect ofdivinity. That is why it is respected across the globe in the intellectualcommunity.ItisoneofIndia’suniquecontributionstoworldliteraturewhenitcomestoarelationshipbetweentwopeople.

So, as we see in the above sutra, Chanakya says it is the duty of thehouseholdertoapproachhiswifeattherighttime.

Letusunderstandthisalittlebetter:

Righttime

Humanbeingsaredifferentfromanimalsbecausethereisanimportantaspectofmoralityconnected tosex.Animalshavesexasan impulse.Theydonot thinktoomuchaboutit.Butnaturehasitsownmethodtocontrolthem,astheyhavematingseasons.

But forhumanbeings there isnoparticularmatingseasonor time.Soonehas todecidewhat theright timeandplace is.Sex isaprivatematterbetweentwopartners,soonlywhentheybotharereadyshouldtheycometogether.Butwhen the woman goes through her monthly period, it is to be avoided formedicalandhygienereasons.Righttimealsoreferstothetimewhenthebodyismostfertile.

Children

Remember, the objective of sex inmarriage is not just pleasure alone. It is tohavechildrentoo.Marriageisabouttakingone’sfamilylineageforward.

Therearemanymethods inour Indianscriptureswhichshowthatyoucanactuallyhave thekindofchildrenyouwant.Byplanningcorrectly inadvance,childrencanbeachoice,notanaccident.Therightsoulcanbeinvitedtocomeintothemother’swomb.Childrenbornfromsuchforesightedcouplesprovetobechildprodigies,extremelybrilliantandspiritualinnature.

Discussopenly

Themostimportantwaytohaveahealthysexlifeistodiscussitopenly.Thereshouldbenobarriersbetweenahusbandandwife.Expressyourfeelingstoyourpartner. If you are notmentally and physically ready for sex, tell them.Yourpartnershouldrespectyourboundaries.

Ontheotherhand,whenyouwanttohaveit,expressthattoo.Afterall,itisnot just a physical need, but an emotional one too. Your honesty andmutual

respectwillonlybringyouclosertogether.

50

HouseBecomesaTemple

AWOMANMAKESahouseahome.Afamilymakesahouseatemple.A temple, church,mosque or a gurudwara—they’re all places ofworship,

placeswhereyourememberGod.Whenyouentersuchaplaceofworship,yourmindbecomescalmandquiet.

Ahouseholder iscalledaGrihasta-ashraminSanskrit. ‘Grih’ ishome,and‘ashram’ is a spiritual place. Therefore, in the Hindu tradition, the home isequatedtoaspiritualretreat.

What isyour first emotionwhenyou thinkaboutyourhome?Doyou feeltenseorisitaplaceyoulookforwardtogoingto?

Iftheverythoughtofhomecomfortsyou,thenyou’vemanagedtocapturethe essence of the term Grihasta-ashram. If not, then Chanakya has somepricelessadviceonthematter.

Hesays,

‘Thedutiesofahouseholderare:worshipofgods,Manesandguests.’(1.3.9)

There is a traditional house-warming ceremony in India called Grihapravesh,which isperformedon the firstdayofmoving into thehouse.This involvesapoojaperformedbyapanditandhelpscleansethehouse.

Thepanditestablishesaplaceofworshipinasmallspaceinsidethehouseand this iswhere a temple is then set up.This iswhere every familymemberpraysonadailybasis.Notmanyareawarethatthefirstgodtobeworshippedinahouseisthefiregod,‘Agni’.

TheRigVeda,thefirstamongthefourVedasandtheearliestdocumentofhuman history, starts withworshipping the fire god. This rule is followed tilldate.Duringthehouse-warmingceremony,fireisworshippedthroughtheyagnaritual.Fromthenonwards,residentsofthehouseareexpectedtolightalampinfrontofthehometempleeveryday.

And, as suggested by Chanakya in the above sutra, it is one’s duty toworshipthegods,Manesandguestsonadailybasis.

Howshouldwerememberthemeveryday?

Yourfaith

InGodwetrust.ItisourunwaveringfaithinGodthathelpsussailthroughthechallengesoflifeeffortlessly.Therefore,worshippingGodisahealthypractice.Wemightdosojustatthebeginningofourday,butthetruthisthatthatfeelingofdivinitystayswithusthroughouttheday.

Eachperson in the familymayhave his or her personal deity of liking. Itdoes not matter what form of God it is. But you must begin each day withworshippingthem.

Yourfamily

Next is theworshipof theManes.Theyareourancestors,our forefathers.Weareareflectionofourpast.Wearebecausetheywere.Onecannottakeallcreditforwhatonedoes.Aquicklookatanyfamilywillshowyouthatithasitsownuniquetraditionor‘parampara’.

I may remember my father, my grandfather and maybe a couple ofgenerationsbeforethat.Butisitpossibletorememberourfamiliesbeyondthat?

Our rishis were so intelligent that they made something called the gotrasystem.Itallowseverypersontotracehisancestry.Thesedaysit’squitepopulartolookforone’slineageorfamilytree.Manycallit‘findingyourroots’.Butourtraditionhasaninbuiltsystemthatdoesn’tletusforgetthem.

Yourguests

Lastbutnot the least,worshipyourguests. InSanskrit,aguest iscalledatithi.‘Tithi’meansdateandtime,‘a’meanswithout.

Ourtraditionthusgivestheguestcompletefreedomtocometoourhouseatanygivenpointoftime.

The famousmantra fromTaittiriyaUpanishad says, ‘AtithiDevoBhava’,meaning,consideryourguestsasgods.TheGovernmentofIndiaalsousedthismantra for its tourism promotion campaign during the branding activity of‘IncredibleIndia’acrosstheglobe.

Whenyoufollowall thesethreepracticesonadailybasis,yourhousewillbecomeablessedplace.Itwillhaveadifferentvibrationaltogether.Onewillnotonlyfeelsafeandsecurehere,butalsowantedandimportant.

Mayeachhousebecomesuchanashram.Letourancestorsbeproudofus.Letthemfeelhappythatwehavenotonlykeptthetraditionalive,buttaken

itforwardwithprideandafeelingofgratitude.

51

TakingCareofFamilyMembers

YOUR FAMILYCOMPLETES you.Nomatterwhat you achieve in life andhow faryou travel, it is your family that you will always find comfort in, that you’llalwayswanttoreturnto.

Luckyarethosewhohaveafamilyandarebroughtupwithloveandcare.Havingparents,siblings,relativesisindeedagreatblessing.Therearesomanyorphansintheworldwhodonotenjoysuchafortune.

Of course, every familyhas its own set of differences and shareof fights.Butthat’sthethingaboutafamily—itstaystogether.Thatisitsbiggeststrength.Andfamiliesareecosystemsthathelpusstaygrounded.Youmaybe themostsuccessful person in theworld, but youwill still be a sonor daughter toyourparents.Youwillstillhaveshowthemthesamerespectaswasalwaysexpectedofyou.

Andtheloveyourfamilyshowersyouwithisunconditional.Beitsuccessorfailure,familiesaregreatequalizers.

Therefore,itistheresponsibilityofeachfamilymembertotakecareoftheothers.

TheloveandconcernforfamilymembersisexpressedbyChanakyainthefollowingsutra:

‘Thedutiesofahouseholderare:makinggiftstodependentsandeatingwhatisleftover(aftertheothershaveeaten).’(1.3.9)

Chanakyasaysthatinafamilytherecouldbeearningmembersandnon-earningmembers.Thoseearningshouldtakecareoftherest.

Usually the dependents are the elders, whose working life is over, orchildren,whohavenotyetstartedearning.Therecouldalsobethosewhohavesomephysicaldisabilityorotherproblems.

By gifts Chanakya simply means, give them enough to take care ofthemselves.

Andyoushouldbehappytotakecareofyourdependents,insteadoftreatingitlikeaburden.

AnotherpointChanakyamakesisaboutfoodhabits.Eatonlyafterfeedingothersandonlythatwhichisleftover.Prioritizeyourfamily.

Usually it is said that thewomen of the house should follow the threeLswithregardstoeating—last,leastandleftover.

ButChanakya advises every householder, including themalemembers, tofollowthesehabits.

Letuslookathowweshouldpractisetheminourdailylives:

Whenyoureachhome

Wheneveryoureachhomeafteralongdayofwork,justspendsometimewithyourfamily.Evenifyouaretired.Thesemomentsyouspendwithyourchildren,yourspouseandyourelderswillbemomentsthatwillbecherishedbyallofyouforaslongasyoulive.

Shareyourfinances

Ifyouaretheearningmemberofthefamily,makesureyoushareyourmoneywithothers.Remember,youneverearnforyourself,youearnforyour family.Givesomepocketmoneytoyourchildren,siblingsandagedpeople.Andalwaysgivealittlemorethanwhattheyneed.Theywillforeverbegrateful.

Animportanttipforthehusbandwhosewifeisnotanearningmember—donotthinkthatjustbecauseshestaysathometotakecareofthekidsinsteadofgoingouttoworklikeyou,sheisnotdoinganything.That’sfarfromthetruth.Infact,herjobisprobablyharderthanyourstobeginwith.Shetakescareofthefamily,looksafterthechildrenandfeedsyouall.Thatisaworthycontribution.Sogivehermoneytoo.Andgiveenoughthatshedoesnothavetothinktwicebeforespendingonherself.

Foodathome

You are lucky if you get to eat food every day. Every meal you have issomethingtobegratefulfor.Therearemillionsofpeopleacrosstheglobewhodonot get two squaremeals a day. If your refrigerator is full and you do nothavetoworryaboutyournextmeal,thankGodforthatprivilege.

Sowhenyoucomehome,makesureeveryone, including theservants,hashadtheirfood.Onlythenfeedyourself.

Regardlessofwhetheryouare richorpoor,youmustsharewhatever foodyouhavewithothersaroundyou.

Apoorhard-workingmanoncetoldhiswife,‘Onedaywewillberich.’Thewife looked into his eyes and said, ‘We are already rich,we have each other.Onedaywewillhavemoneytoo.’

Ifyouarelovedbyfriendsandfamily,thenasfarasI’mconcerned,you’retherichestpersonalive.

52

EducatingChildren

IT IS SAID thatwhenChanakyawas looking for an idealdisciple to replace theunjustkingDhanaNanda,hefoundChandraguptaMauryainavillage.

Chandragupta came from a poor background and hadn’t received anyeducation. Chanakya identified the leadership qualities in him and wanted toeducateandtrainhimfurther.So,hewenttoChandragupta’smotherandaskedforherpermissiontosendhimforhighereducation.

Chandragupta’smother,apoorwomanherself,didnotknowwhattodoandsosheaskedherbrother.TheuncleinturnsawafinancialopportunityandaskedChanakya to pay a high sum to take away the young boy. In reality he wassellingtheboy.

With no other option in sight,Chanakya paid him and tookChandraguptaaway for higher education. Later, he groomed him to become the king andsamrat of Bharat. It is said that after defeating Dhana Nanda, whenChandraguptawascrowedtheking,thefirstdecisionChanakyatookwastocallthemotheranduncle.

Theorderwasgiventoputtheuncletodeath.Thiswasashockingdecisionfor everyone, including the grown-up Chandragupta. When asked why,Chanakyasaid,

‘Forme, the greatest crime is a child denied the opportunity to study.Letthisbeanexamplesetforothers,thatnooneshouldeverdothat.’

Therefore,theprimedutyofafamilypersonistomakesurethathischildrengettheeducationtheysodeserve.

Chanakyasays,

‘Thewisepersonshouldgroomtheirchildrencarefullytomakethempersonsofhighqualitiesandseethememployedinproductivework.Onlythepersonsoflearningandqualitiesfindrespectinthesociety.’(Chanakya

Niti[CN],2.10)

ThisstoryfromthelifeofChanakya,alongwiththeversefromChanakyaNiti,sends one important message to all family members—educate your childrenwithoutcompromise.

And consider what kind of grooming and upbringing they should get

carefully. Care is feeling that children understand easily. So with love andconcern,bringupyourkids.

Theparentswhoeducatetheirchildrenarecalledwise.Whathappenswhenyou educate your children? They become persons of high quality. Educatedpersons are respected in theworld. If you compare an educated person and awealthyperson,thehighlyeducatedpersonismorerespected.Thebestistobeawealthy person who is highly educated. Strive to become a parent whoinculcatesthesequalitiesinhischildren.

Educationanddegreesalonearenotenough.Makesureyourchildrenearnaliving.So,employtheminproductivework.Thatdoesnotmeanjustgivethemajob andmake them employed. Itmeans they should have a purposeful living.Such children with high values and moral character will only find respect insociety.

Whatarethestepsyoushouldtaketoeducateyourchildren?

Findtherightschoolandteacher

Education is the very foundation of life. But you should carefully choose therightschoolalongwiththerightteacherforyourchildren.

Just pause a bit and think. They don’t need to go to the most expensiveschool.Today,ithasbecomeastatussymbolforparentstogoforinternationalboardswithoutmuchthought.Ifyoucanaffordit,goahead.Butunfortunately,many of these institutions have turned education into a business. So it goeswithout saying that you should choose the school basedon its attention to thequalityofeducationaswellascompetencyofitsteachingstaff.

Youmonitordaily

Manythinkthatoncethey’veadmittedtheirchildtoagoodschoolandpaidthefees,theirjob’sdone.Thedutyofparentsdoesnotendhere.Infact,ithasonlyjust begun. The three important pillars that will help the child develop itscharacterareparents,theschoolandthepeergroup.

Andyouasaparentmusthaveaneyeonallthesethreeaspects.Youmustmakesurethey’renotbeingdeprivedonanyfront.Withoutthis,yourparentingwillbeincomplete.Usuallymothersareexpectedtobemorehands-onwiththeirchildrenbutfathersshouldfeelequallyresponsibletodothesame.

Remember,yourchildwillnotalwaysbeabletoidentifywhat’slacking,letalone articulate it. So you must at all times be sensitive to their educational,physicalaswellasemotionalneeds.

53

FamilyPrayer

AFAMILYTHATpraystogether,staystogether.This phrase exists in every culture across the world in some way or the

other.It’s truethat ifwemakethisadailypractice, itwillstrengthenthebondthatexistsamongthemembersofourfamily.

Unfortunately, evenings are no longer family time at home. They havebecomeTVtime.Withmoderntechnologyenteringpersonalspace,everyoneisbusyusingtheirgadgets.

Now,technologyisnotbadatall.Afterall,ithasallowedustoconnecttofriendsandfamilymembersacrosstheglobe.Thereishardlyanycostinvolvedtoo.

But remember, ithasanother side to it.Eitheryoucanuse itor it canuseyou.Therefore,someself-regulationisessential.

So what is the solution to all this? Should we not watch TV or surf theInternet during evening hours? No, that is not what is to be done. After all,technologyisanintegralpartofourlives.

Thesolutiontotheproblemistotallydifferent.Thewaytoconnectwithfamilymembersisthroughacommonprayertime.Chanakyasuggestshavingastudyandprayertime.Thiscanbepractisedas

anindividualaswellaswithone’sfamily.

‘Amanmustreadandstudyashloka(Sanskritcouplet)everyday.Ifitisnotpossible,readhalfofit,orapartofitoratleastaword.Neverletanydaygowithoutsomestudyofawrittenword.Oneshouldmakeone’sday

fruitfulbydoinggoodworkandstudy.’(CN2.13)

Everyperson in the family should study the scriptureson a dailybasis.AsimplesuggestionChanakyagivesistoatleaststudyashlokaeveryday.Therearemanyscriptures like theRamayana,BhagwadGita,SrimadBhagavatamorotherregionalorreligiousbooks.

Studyoneverseaday.Simpleenough?Andmakeitahabit.Chanakyawasalsoveryperceptive.Hecould foreseehow,eventually, the

future generations might face time constraints. Hence, he includes timemanagement in this study-and-prayer time.Studyingoneshlokahardly takesa

fewminutes.Ifyoucannotdothatorstruggletounderstanditcompletely,thenreadatleasthalfoftheshloka.Ifnotthat,thenasmallpartofit.Orevenjustawordofit.Butdothat.

Comewhatmay,makeanefforttostudyalittleeachday.Notasingledayshouldpasswithoutstudyingthescriptures.Makeeachdayafruitfulone.

Sohowdoesonepractisethisatthefamilylevelonaregularbasis?

Startwithyourself

What you want others to follow, you must first practise yourself. Take upreadinganyscriptureyou like.Everyevening, sitnear theplaceofworship inyourhouseandprayforafewminutes.Followingthis,readafewpagesofthescripture of your choice. If not, at least read one shloka, as suggested byChanakya. Then try to understand itsmeaning and deeper significance. Thinkand reflect over it. Do this regularly and after a while youwill feel an innerchangecomeabout.

Involvethefamilymembers

When you pray like this for the first time, other family members will bewatchingyou.Theymayfinditsurprising,becausethey’veneverseenthissideofyourpersonalitybefore.

Now,slowlyinvolvetheminyourprayerandstudies.Donotforceanyone.Letthemjoinyouoftheirownaccord.Butbeconsistentinyourpractice.Aftersometime,someoneisboundtojoinyouinyournoblespiritualquest.

Makeitahabit

Whenafewfamilymembersstartdoitconsistently,itsendsastrongmessagetotheremainingones.Eventhosewhodonotfeellikedoingitwilleventuallyjoinyou.

Suchahabitorritualishealthyforyourfamily.Thistimespenttogetherwillputyouonaspiritualjourneywithyourlovedones.Andonlygoodcancomeofthis.

54

FamilyFriends

WEALLHAVEfriends.Friendswemakeinschool,incollege,atwork.Andthentherearethefamilyfriends.

Familyfriendsholdaspecialplaceinourlives,asit’sthecomingtogetheroftwofamilies.

Sayyouhaveanofficecolleaguewhoisnowyourpersonalfriend.Onedayyoudecidetoinvitehimhomefordinner.Hemaygethisfamilyalong.Soonhiswife and your wife become friends. Your children play together and becomefriendstoo.

Thisisverycommonandtherehavebeenmanyinstanceswheresuchfamilyfriendships bloom into relationships in future. Evenmarriagesmay take placebetweenthemembersofsuchfamilyfriends.

Chanakyaappreciatedthisbutalsogaveusastrictwarningaboutwhatkindoffamilyfriendsoneshouldhave.Hesaid,

‘Onewhobefriendsapersonofbadcharacter,apersonofbadintentions,apersonwhoisasinnerorapersonwholivesatanevilplace;getsdestroyed

inquicktime.’(CN2.19)

Hiswarning?Keepadistance.Think hard before you befriend anyone. One should be friendly with

everyone,butchoosingclosefriendsshouldbedonewithcaution.What kindof friends shouldbe avoided?Thosewith bad character.These

arethepeoplewhoindulgeinvicesandimmoralactivities.Nextonthelisttobeavoided are those with bad intentions—the people who will befriend you forpersonalgain.Onemayrealizethisalltoolate,whenheavylossisalreadyuponthem.

Trust.Don’tover-trust.Avoidsinnersandthosewholiveinplacesthatareinfamousforcriminalactivity.

Why?Becausebadcompanyisenoughtodestroyeverythingyouhavebuilt.So you have to be extremely careful about the kind of people you bring

home.Thinkalongtheselineswhenallowingsomeoneintoyourfamily:

Startwithyourself

Take stockofyourown friends.Theycouldbe schoolfriendsorwork friends.Some friendsaremadeduringa journeyor somesocial interaction.Witheachperson,takeyourtimeandunderstandtheirbackgrounds.

Theideaisnottobeparanoidandassumethateverypersonisbad.Buttakeprecautionsbeforeyourfriendshipgrowsdeeper.Themoreonespendstimewithanewperson,themoreyouunderstandhimorherbetter.

So observe the person’s behaviour, the way they talk to/treat others, etc.Peoplegiveawaymorethantheythinkthroughtheiractions.

Whenyouseegoodnessinsomeone,workhardatnurturingyourfriendshipwiththem.Similarly, ifyoufindthatsomeonemightposea threat,slowlyexitthatrelationship.

Lookoutforothers

Keepaneyeoutonbehalfofyourfamilyaswell.Somemembersinthefamily,likechildren,aren’tagoodjudgeofcharacter.Weshouldbetheirguidingforce.Butthishastobehandledinasubtlemanner.

Ifyouhavea teenagedaughteror sonandyou realize that theyare inbadcompany,whatdoyoudo?Youcan’tshoutatthem;it’llonlydrivethemawayfromyou.Youwill have to patientlymake them realize the evil intentions ofthosepeople.Slowlyandsteadily,you’llhavetomakesuretheygetawayfromsuchdangerousfriendships.

Goodcompanyisgood

Whileyoumustdistanceyourselffrombadcompany,youmustalsospendtimedevelopinggoodfriends.

‘Ku-sangh’ is bad company, ‘sat-sangh’ is good.Adi Shankaracharya, thegreat Indianphilosopher,placeda lotof importanceonsat-sangh.Hesaid thatsuch noble company takes a person higher and higher in thoughts as well asactions,finallyhelpinghimattainmokshaorself-realization.

Human beings require company.We’re naturally social beings.We’re notmeanttobeonourown.Besides,beingalonercouldleadtopsychologicalandsocialproblems.

So keep the company of the good, avoid the evildoers and be ready todevelopnewfriendships.

Even when it comes to running a kingdom, Chanakya says that the king

needs a good set of mitras (friends) to help him follow through, for it thesemitrasthatwillbebyhissidethroughgoodandbadtimes.

Andremember,goodtimesshowyouwhoyourfriendsare.Badtimesrevealwhoyourtruefriendsare.

55

SingleChild

TIMESARECHANGINGandsoareparentsandtheirparentingstyle.From joint families, we are now turning into nuclear families. Andmany

couplesarenowdecidingtohavejustonechild.What is the reason for this? Well, financial constraints, time constraints,

unaffordable housing, etc. All these practical reasons are now pushing newparentstolimitthemselvestobeingafamilyofthree.

Andthoughtechnologyhasmadeitrathereasyforparentstokeepintouchwiththeirchildren,nomatterwhichcorneroftheworldthey’rein,it’sstillhardtobetheparentsofasinglechild.Becauseallyourhopesanddreamsarecentredonthisonechild,andhenceyouexpectalotmore.

WhatisChanakya’stakeonparentingonechild?Hesaid,

‘Iftheonlysoncomesasascholar-gentleman,thefamilyislitupwithjoy,justlikerisingofthesinglemoonspreadslightintodarkness.’(CN3.16)

It does notmatter if you have ten children or just one child. Parenting is notaboutnumbers,itisabouthelpingyourchildreachitsfullpotential.

And this applies not only to a son, but is just as relevant to a daughter,despitewhat Chanakyamentions. Today there is no difference between a sonandadaughter.Both are equal. In fact, inmanycasesdaughters arepreferredoverboys.Forinstance,somecommunitiesinIndia,liketheNaircommunityinKerala,followamatriarchalsystem,wheretheladyistheheadofthefamily.Sogirlsaregivenpreferenceoverboys.

So,letuslookatwhatmeasuresparentswhohaveasinglechildneedtotaketoraisetheirchildinthebestpossiblemanner:

Donotdifferentiate

Youcouldhaveasinglechildoutofchoiceorbecauseofcompulsion.Choice,becauseyouwanttogivethebesttoonechild.Compulsion,becauseoffinancialconstraints.Sometimes,peopleareunabletohaveasecondchildforbiologicalreasons.

The first thingyouneed todo isaccept thechildasagift fromGod.And

never discriminate based on their gender. Do not compare them with otherchildren on beauty, colour or even intelligence. Nothing is worth comparingyourkidtoanother.Youmustaccepthimorherastheyare.

Values

Whatmakesamanagentleman?Hisvalues.Thewaysomeonetreatsotherssaysalotabouttheircharacter.

So,asaparent,itisimportanttobringupyourchildwithsuchvalues.Instilkindness in thembybeingkindtowards them.Teachthemthevalueof things.Donotjustbuythemsomething.Teachthemhowtoearnit.Oneoftherisksofbeingasinglechildisthatit’seasytofeelpamperedandloseperspectiveofthevalueofthings.That’sbecausetheparentsonlyhavethatonechildandwanttofulfilallitsneeds.Soasaparenttoasinglechild,youmustalsoearntoexerciseself-discipline,soasnottogetcarriedawaywithpamperingyourchild.

Sociallife

Asinglechildisboundtomissoutonthespecialandconstantbondofsiblings.Andbeingbythemselvesmightalsoleadthemtobecomelonersofsorts.Soitiscrucialthatthefamilycreatesaninteractiveatmospherewheres/hedoesnotfeelhesitanttoapproachhisorherparents,anddoesn’tforamomentfeelthelackofcompany.

Thesocial lifeofasinglechilddefinitelyneedssomeattentionandcarefulplanning.Parents,grandparents,unclesandauntsareimportantforsuchachild.Youalsoneedtomakesurethattheyspendalotoftimewithotherchildrenintheirschool,cousinsinthefamilyandfriendsstayingaround.

Remember, nomatterhowyour child turnsout, youneed todoyourpart.Let themknowhowmuchyou love themand that you’reproudof themeachday.Dothisandtheywillfindnoreasontoletyoudown.

56

SecretofGoodParenting

PARENTINGISANartandascience,becauseitinvolvesthepsychologicaltrainingofachild.

That’swhatparents and teachersdo—they’re trainingachild’smind.Andthis is all the more reason why the field of parenting is a hot topic forresearchers.Countless books have beenwritten on the topic of parenting, andseveralseminarsandworkshopsconducted.

While we are all part of themodern, globalizedworld, canwe still learnaboutparentingfromourancientIndianwisdom?

Yes.Andinthismatter,Chanakyaisamasterofchildpsychology.Hismethodofraisingachildistime-testedandrelevanttoeverygeneration.

‘Forthefirstfiveyears,loveyourchildunconditionally,forthenexttenyears,disciplinehim.Fromthesixteenthyearonwards,treathimasa

friend.’(3.18)

Nootherpersoncouldhavesummedupparentinginsuchabeautifulandeasy-to-understand manner. In two lines, Chanakya gives us a frame that parents,especiallynewparents,canworkwith.

Tillfiveyears

Whenchildrenareborn,theyrequirealotofloveandcare.Eventhemistakesofachildbringjoybecauseachilddoesn’teverintendtomakethem.Everychildis a representationofGod.The sparkofdivinitycanbe found ineverythingachild does—theway it plays around, theway it struggleswith its newworld,howit’sconstantlytryingtomakesenseofthings.

So, while raising your child, for the first five years you must give itunconditionalloveandcare.Donotexpectthechildtounderstandthewaysoftheworld.Instead,youneedtounderstandthewaysofthechild.

The instruction given is to love the child ‘unconditionally’.Whatever thechilddoes,acceptitasitis.Evenifthechildbreaksthemostpreciousobjectinthehouseorhitsbackatyou,loveitunconditionally.Acceptitwithjoy.Thereisnothingyoucanachievebybeatingthechildinordertodisciplinehim.

Theworstchildabusecaseshappeninthisagegroup.So,familymembers

have to deal with the children in a sensitive manner. Remember, childrenbroughtupwithloveandcarewillalwaysfeelneededandwantedwherevertheygo.

Forthenexttenyears

Thesecondstageofparentingisforthenexttenyears—fromagessixtofifteen.Thisisthetimetodisciplinethem.

Now,thelogicofthechildhasdeveloped.Itcanthinkindependently.Itnowhas a capacity for reasoning and wants to enquire more. There are variousfamousbookslikethe‘TellMeWhy?’seriesforchildren,ifyou’dliketoreadmoreonthistopic.So,asyouarefeedingthemwithinformation,makesuretheyalsogetusedtoawordcalled‘No’.

Disciplining the child is a very important point of parenting. SwamiChinmayananda put it nicely, ‘For the healthy development of a child, yourequiretheloveofthemotherandthedisciplineofthefather.’

Ifachildisnotcorrectedatthisphaseoflife,thenitisattheriskofpickingupbadbehaviourthat’llbeevenhardertocorrectlaterinlife.Remember,inthisphaseoflifethechildisgrowingphysicallyandmentallyatsuperspeed.Speed,ifnotdirectedproperly,cancauseaccidents.

Now,discipliningdoesnotmeanbeatingachild.Youcandisciplinethematamentallevel.Createahealthyfearinthemindofthechildthatpreventsitfromtakingthingsforgranted.

Aftersixteenyears

Whenthechildbecomesayoungadult,yourparentingroleisover.We forget thatparenting is a role, andnotone’s identity.Thechildgrows

outofitschildhood,butparentsnevergrowoutofparenting.Remember,wearebringinguphumanbeings.Theywillbeontheirownone

day.Infact, that is thewholepoint—toraisestrong,independentchildrenwhoarecomfortableleavingyouonedayandcanbuildtheirownlives.Theendoftheir dependency will be a success on your part. So from the sixteenth yearonwards,startconsideringthemasyourfriends.

Nowtheyareonequaltermswithyou.Bothofyoushouldbeabletodiscussanytopicwithease.Andyou’llfindthatyoucanactuallylearnalotfromthem.

KahlilGibranputitwellinhisbook,TheProphet:

Yourchildrenarenotyourchildren.TheyarethesonsanddaughtersofLife’slongingforitself.

TheyarethesonsanddaughtersofLife’slongingforitself.Theycomethroughyoubutnotfromyou,Andthoughtheyarewithyou,yettheybelongnottoyou.

57

Women’sRights

THEWORD‘RIGHTS’isusuallyunderstoodasalegalterm.And when it comes to ‘women’s rights’, the discourse includes women’s

equality,women’sliberationandgenderneutralityaroundtheworld.But let us lookat this froma totallydifferent angle. In Indian culture, the

world‘right’isconnectedtotheword‘duty’.So,oneperson’sdutyisanotherperson’sright.Andsomeone’srightisthe

dutyofanotherperson.So,ifonefulfilshisduty,therightofanotherpersonisautomaticallytakencareof.Ifeachpersonfulfilshisorherresponsibility,thenthereisnoneedtodemandrights.

Letmeexplainwithafewexamples.Itisthedutyofparentstolookaftertheirkids,takecareofthemandeducate

them.Itistherightofachildtobetakencareofandtoreceivepropereducation.Now,iftheparent’sdutyistobringupthechildandeducatehimproperly,thechildneednotdemandhis‘righttoeducation’.Itisalreadyprovidedfor.

Similarly,itisthedutyoftheyounggenerationtotakecareoftheeldersintheir house.And it is the right of the elders to be taken care of by the younggeneration in their old age. So, if the young generation performs its dutyproperly,therightsoftheeldersareautomaticallytakencareof.

Itisveryinterestingtoseetheconnectionbetween‘duty’and‘rights’.Now,inthischapter,letusunderstandwhataretherightsofwomeninthe

family,Toputitanotherway,whatisthedutyofthementowardsthewomeninthefamily?

Chanakyasays,

‘Maintenanceandornamentsconstitutewomen’sproperty.’(3.2.14)

Awomanhastherightoverhermaintenanceandornaments.It is interesting that this is mentioned in the Arthashastra because it is

relevanteventodayacrosstheglobe.Eveninthecaseofdivorce,theconceptofalimony is given a legal status. Alimony is the spousal maintenance, a legalobligationonapersontoprovidefinancialsupporttohisspousebeforeoraftermaritalseparationordivorce.

Itisnotjustalegalbutalsothemoralresponsibilityofmalemembersofthefamily to givemaintenancemoney to thewomen in the house.Chanakya hadevensuggestedthatthekingshouldpaythequeenandhismothermaintenancecharges.

Whenitcomestoornaments,theyhavetobegiventothewomenwithoutadoubt.Afterall,theylovejewellery.

Howdowepractisethisinourfamilies?

Womenandmoney

Irrespectiveofthewomanbeinganearningmemberofthefamilyornot,shehasarighttohermaintenance.Shemaynotdemandit,butthemaleshavetopayforit.Afterall,whateveryougive toawoman,shewillonlymultiplyandgive itbacktoyou.

Once there was a working couple. The wife was earning more than thehusband. But every month the husband used to give her pocket money. Shewouldsayjokingly,‘Mymoneyismymoney.Hismoneyisalsomine.’

There is a very important connection between women and money. Theyunderstanditbetterthanmen.Inourtradition,wehavegivenwealthaformofGoddessLaxmi.

Theshoppinghabit

There is another dimension about money and women. Money is used forshopping.Butnotethatawomenwillnotjustshopforherself,shewillalsoshopand buy goods for the whole family. She thinks holistically. She will buygroceries andmakeameal for everyone.Shewill buycurtains anddecorativeitemsandconvertyourhouseintoahome.

Soshopping isnotaself-centredactivity forawoman.Allowher toshop.She alsoknows something interesting—how to save.Even thepoorestwomanwill save forher familyandchildren.While she spends, shealsoknowswhen

andwheretostop.Understandingofeconomicsisanaturalgiftforher.

Theloveforornaments

Womenhaveanaturalaffinityforbeauty.Aestheticsandappreciationofart isinnatetothem.Therefore,theloveforornamentsispartofalady’spersonality.

She uses ornaments to wear and display her personality. But it is alsosomethingshewillletgoofifasituationdemandsit.Awomanwillselloffhermostfavouriteornamentwhenaneedorcrisisarises.

Sogive the freedom to the ladies of the house to decidewhat is good forthem.

Once we have understood this as being our duty towards them, we haveunderstoodIndiancultureintherightmanner.

58

RespectintheFamily

ITISNOTenoughtoexistinafamily.Oneneedstocontributetoit.Everypersongoesthroughthreestagesinlife—dependent,independentand

interdependent. In the first stage,which iswhenwe’rechildren,weare totallydependentonourfamiliesforourverysurvival.

Then comes the stage of independence.This iswhen the child becomes ateenagerorayoungadult.Atthispointitwantsnothingmorethantobefree.Itwantstomoveoutandmakeamarkforitself.

The final stage is that of interdependence. In this stage the person getsmarriedand settlesdownandbecomesaparent.Theperson feels that all theyneedistheirfamily.Andtheyrealizethevalueoftheirgrandparentsbecauseitisthemwho’ll help raise the child. Grandparents are instrumental in passing onfamily values. When we reach this stage we understand that grandparents,parentsandchildrenallneedeachother,andareinterdependent.

Thosewho understand this principlewill always find away to harmonizewitheverybodyandwillberespectedbyeverymemberoftheirfamily.

Chanakyahadsaid that ifan individualdoesnothaveapurposein life,hewillneverberespected.

Hesaid,

‘Apersonwhohasnofaith,nowealth,noloveandnosalvationgoesontakingbirthanddyingwithoutanypurpose.’(CN3.20)

So,thesecrettoearntherespectofyourfamilyistocontributeinsomewayortheother.

HowdoweuseChanakya’sadvicefromtheaboveverse?Here’show:

Faithinfamilytradition

Everyfamilyhasatradition,aparampara.Therearesomeunwrittenruleswithinthe family which are practised by everymember. For example, we touch ourelders’feettoshowthemrespect,aswellastaketheirblessings.

You should be actively involved in the activities in your family. Poojas,weddingsofrelatives,birthdays,house-warmingceremoniesareallpartofeveryfamilyandyoushouldalwaysbepresentatsuchoccasions.

Youmayinitiallynotunderstandthegravityoftheselittleactions,butdoitanyway.Youwillslowlygaintherespectofnotjustyourfamilymembersbutofyourcommunitytoo.

Contributefinancially

Financesplayahugeroleineveryfamily.Youmustcontributefinanciallyasperyour capacity, more so when you are part of a joint family. Taking care ofhousehold expenses like food and grocery, electricity, etc. will never gounappreciated.Makesureyoudoyourbitasanearningmember.

Itisnotnecessarythatyouhavetogivealargesumofmoneytoproveyourimportance in the family.Even small gesturesmatter. In theRamayana,whilebuildingthebridgetoLanka,thesquirrelsandthemonkeystookarockeachtohelpbuildthebridge.Itwastheirwayofexpressingtheirlove.Similarly,yourlovetoowillshinethroughinthesimplestofgestures.

Showapurpose

There are somemembers of the familywhomay not be as productive as theothers. Usually, some members like the old people, the unmarried dependentrelatives,orthenon-earningmemberstendtofeellessconfidentbecausethey’renotcontributingmonetarily.Buttheyneedn’tfeelinferioraboutthemselves.

Such people too are capable of contributing in a significantmanner.Theyjustneedtocreateapurposeforthemselvesandtheirfamily.Theycouldspendmoretimewithchildren,helpthemwiththeirstudiesandpassonvaluestothemthrough storytelling. They can take care of the household chores or run othererrands.Pointbeingthateachandeverypersoniscapableofmakingthemselvesusefulathome.

Andinthismanner,wheneachpersondoeshisorherbit,thereisasenseofmutualrespectinthefamily.

59

CommonProperty

WITHIN A FAMILY there are two kinds of properties—individual property andcommonproperty.

Whatisindividualproperty?Ahousethatyoubought,yourowninvestmentsin bonds, shares,etc. These are your personal assets.No other person can layclaimonthemandyouhavethefinalsayonmattersrelatedtothem.

What is common property? Something that belongs to allmembers of thefamily.Itcouldbeanancestralhome,a templein thevillagethatwasbuiltbyyour forefathers, or a piece of uncultivated land. These are family assets anddecisionsregardingthesearemadebyconsultingallthemembersofthefamily.

In this chapter,we are going to discusswhat is to be donewith commonproperty.

Awisepersononce said, ‘Buildyour individualpropertyandprotectyourcommonproperty.’

But sometimes people do the reverse. They never build any individualpropertywith theirownhardworkandefforts.Rather, they think thecommonpropertyistheirindividualpropertyandfightoverit.

Thisspellsdisasterforthewholefamily.Noonewantstomakesomethingoftheirown.Insteadofcontributingsomethingtothenewgeneration,theyfeedoffoftheold,eventuallydestroyingitintheprocess.

SoChanakya decided to enlighten us on the subject and help us never goastray.Hesays,

‘Bymutualagreement,onemaygetthingsdoneasdesired,(and)shouldavoidwhatisundesirable.’(3.8.18)

Themain ingredient in any good relationship ismutual agreement. The sameappliestofamilymembers.

First of all, there has to be mutual respect among all the members. Adifferenceofopinionneednotcorrodeone’srespectfortheother.Theheadofthefamilyhastotakeeveryone’sinterestsintoaccount;thisishisorherroleasaleader.

So,ifthereisadiscussionaboutcommonproperty,thesearethestepstobefollowed:

Callameeting

Inmattersrelatedtothecommonpropertyofyourfamily,nevertakedecisionsalone,evenifyoucan.It’ssimplynotyourplacetodoso.

So,ifyou’reconsideringsellingoffyourancestralproperty,youmustcallafamily meeting. Regardless of whether the property has been neglected orremains unused for decades or is in some remote village. You must takeeveryone’s opinion into account and arrive at a consensus before taking anydecisions.

Wedon’t realize thisbutwe’re sometimes literallyone impulsivedecisionawayfromruiningarelationship.SoChanakya’sadviceistoalwaysactwiththefamily,andnotonbehalfofthem.

Listentoall

Itisnotnecessarythateveryonewillsharethesamepointofviewoneverything,least of all where the common property is concerned. Some may have anemotional attachment to the place as it belongs to their ancestors, and wouldthinkofitastheironlyremainingconnectiontothepast.Whileothersmaylookatfromapracticalangleandonlyseethefinancialgainstobemade.

Somemightevenwant toredeveloptheproperty intoaresort tomaximizetheir revenueandhavea steady inflowofmoney.Whateverbe their thoughts,we need to hear them out. Everyonemust be allowed a chance to voice theiropiniononthematterbeforeyouarriveataninformedandunanimousdecision.

Consultthewise

Finally, revere your elders, for their wisdom is something that can only beearnedwith time.Their inputs are critical in thismatter, because they did themost to contribute to the family. The younger generation will offer oneperspective while the older one would offer a completely different one.Whatever itmaybe, listening toboth sideswillhelpyouhaveawell-roundedapproach to the matter. Your decision could be totally different fromwhat itactuallystartedoutas.So,beopentoout-of-the-boxsolutionsinsuchmatters.

Therewas once a common family property thatwas lying idle for a longtime. None of the relatives had any emotional connection to the ancestralproperty andmutually decided to sell it. Therewas no dispute or fight. Theyevensignedalegalagreement.

But then somethingstrangehappened.Whenoneof thechildren from that

family went there for the first time, she was emotionally touched by theproperty.Thefatherofthegirlfinallyboughtthepropertyhimself.

All the relatives were also happy. Instead of selling it to an outsider, theproperty remained within the family. Plus, the ownership was also clearlydefined.

Intermsofcommonproperty,thissituationisawin-win.

60

IrresponsibletoResponsible

FAMILYLIFEHASitsownupsanddown.Itisliketravellinginavalley.Whenyouaretravelling,theroadsgoupand

downandthereareunexpectedturns.So,too,isthecasewithfamilies.Therearehappymomentsandsadmoments.Therearemomentswhenwe

feeltotallyfrustratedandaskourselves,‘WhydidIevergetmarried?Itwassonicetobesingleandallalone.’

But the grass will always be greener on the other side of the fence. Theunmarriedfeelthatitisbettertogetmarried.Theyfeeltheabsenceofthatonepersonwhowillalwaystakecareofthem,orwhotheycancountonatalltimes.So, in reality, it’llalwaysbeamixedbagofemotions.Good timesalongwiththebad.Butweoften start envying theother sidewhenwe feel theweightofresponsibilitiesonourshoulders.

When family responsibility becomes difficult to handle, and the husbandespecially feels dejected, he may experience a strong urge to run away fromhome. It is easy to run away from one’s responsibilities. But that is not asolution.Whateverbetheproblem,onehastofaceit.

Chanakyabelievedthatanyonewhoabandonstheirfamilyanddoesn’tfulfilhisdutiestowardshisfamilyshouldbepunished.

IntheArthashastra,suchirresponsiblebehaviourisconsideredacrime.In the ‘Dharmasthiya’, which deals with the subject of law in the

Arthashastra,thisisthepunishmentsuggestedforsucharunaway,irresponsibleperson:

‘Asbetweenafatherandson,husbandandwife,brotherandsister,maternaluncleandnephew,orteacherandpupil,fortheoneabandoningtheotherandgoingaway,thefineforviolenceshallbethepunishment.’

(3.20.18)

Everyrelationshipcomeswithitssetofresponsibilities.Butsomerelationshipsare tobehonourednomatterwhat.And insuchrelationships,onecannot takethe other person for granted or run awaywhen the time comes to fulfil one’sduties,nomatterhowhardthatmaybe.

Thereareexamplesofsuchrelationships thatChanakyagives in theabove

sutra.Betweenafatherandason—thisisonewherethereisalwaysagenerationgap.Thefathermayassumethatthesonisnotmatureenough.Andhisattitudemaytranslateintothesonfeelingthathisfatherdoesnottrusthimatall.

Betweenahusbandandawife—differencesofopinionisinevitableinsuchanequation.Twoindividualsareboundtothinkdifferentlyandsometimestheymight inadvertently end up adding different dimensions to the same problem.Couplethiswithalackofmutualrespect,andyou’relookingatahugefight.

Brotherandsister,oritcanbebetweentwobrothers,ortwosisters—siblingshavetheirshareofheatedmoments.Butitshouldnotresultinsiblingrivalry.

Maternaluncleandnephew—this isanother importantrelationinafamily.Thebrotherofyourmother,yourmaternaluncle,isasgoodasyourownfather.The way you have a responsibility towards your father, you have a similarresponsibilitytowardsyourmother’sfamilytoo.

Teacherandpupil—thestudenthasalifelongdutytowardshis teacherandhisgurukul.Obeyinghisinstructionsandfollowinginhisfootstepsisthehighestresponsibilityforapupil.

So,whatdoesonedoduringfrustratingmomentsintheirrelationships?

Takeabreak

Itiseasytorunaway.Itiseasytosay‘Itisnotmyproblem’.Itiseasytofeelthatifyou’renotaround,someoneelsewilltakecareofthem.ButitisnotapartofourIndianculturetobeselfish.

Iftherehasbeenafight,thatisfine.Justrelax.Reflectoverit.Takeabreak.Donottakeanydecisionsinanger.Sometimesthebestdecisionisnottotakeadecision.Allowsometimetopassbeforeyourespondtothesituation.

Solutionswillemerge

Therewasapersonwho,inmidstofthemostdifficultsituations,alwayskepthiscool. Someone asked him, ‘How come you remain so calm and quiet all thetime?’With a smile he said, ‘When the problem comes tome face-to-face, Imentally tell the problem to come the next day. I like to go to sleepwithoutthinkingoftheproblem.’

Hecontinued,‘Nextmorningthesolutioncomestomewithouteffort.Idonotknowhow,butithasalwaysworked.’

Similarly,when it boils down to a tense situation in your families, do notreact.Wait.Letsometimepass.Andthenrespond.

And,asthepersonsaid,thesolutionwillcomeonitsown.

61

CharityBeginsatHome

CHARITYBEGINSAThome.There is a practice in Indian culture called ‘danam’, meaning giving to

charity. It is a quality that every person should develop, according to LordKrishnaintheBhagwadGita(chapter16,verse1).

We have always been told to share our wealth. Nothing belongs to youalone, be itmoney, food or knowledge.Give it and itwill come back to youtenfold.

Thewealthypeoplewhoarerespectedbyeveryonearenotthosewhosimplymakemoney,butthosewhosharetheirwealthandknowledgewithothers.

So,whenistherighttimetogive?Righthereandrightnow!Thatdoesnotmeanoneshouldgiveimpulsively.Youneedtothinkthrough

andgive. Is it for aworthycause? Is it for the rightperson?One isbetteroffgivingaftertakingthesethingsintoaccount.

Chanakya says that you should not delay toomuch in giving, because theharshtruthisthatyouneverknowwhendeathwillcomeforyou.

‘Whilethebodyishealthyandworkworthyanddeathisaway,onemustdocharityandgooddeeds.Whendeathcomestherewillbenotimelefttodo

anything.’(CN4.4)

Oneneednotwaituntiloldagetogivetocharity.Oneshoulddevelopthehabitof giving in one’s youth itself. When your body is healthy and you get anopportunitytocontributeyourstrength,physicalandmental, toaworthycause—give.

Itisnotnecessarythatyouneedtoonlydedicateyourselftoaselflesscause.Sometimes, it’s important to be generous to oneself. After all, you are yourbiggestcause.Becausewhendeathcomestotakeyou,youwon’thaveanymoretimelefttogive.Andasyouknow,deathwilltakeawayeverythingyoucreatedinthislifetime.Exceptforyourmeritoriousdeeds,everythingelsedieswithyou.

Givesmallandbig

Howmuch should you give? That is for you to decide. It can be as per yourcapacity and inclination. If you can’t afford big, then give small. If you can

affordbig,thensurelygivebig.Butgive.Thebestway to teachchildren thevalueof charity is to leadbyexample.

Wheneveryougive,makesuretheyarearound.So,forinstance,whenyoutakethe child to a temple or a church, and you find the donation box, instead ofputtinginmoneyyourself,askyourchildtoputthemoneyinthebox.

In this simplemanner, you introduce the child to the act of giving. Thenduring theirbirthdays,makesure thatpartof theallowancebeingspenton thepartygoestocharity.Iknowofachildwhodevelopedthehabitofgivingfoodtoorphansonhisbirthday.Shesaid,‘Icanfeedmyfriendsanytimeoftheyear.But at least during birthdays let me share happiness with the less-fortunatechildren.’

Planacharity

Thereisanothermethodofgiving.Youcanplanyourcharity.Youcanraiseafund that encouragespeople todonate a smallpercentageof their earnings forcharity,say10percent,andthengiveawaythemoneyforsomesocialcauses.

Afamilyoncemadeaseparateaccountjustforcharity.Eachfamilymembercontributed to it. They first created the fund, and thenwere on a lookout forworthycausestodonatethemoney.Butthentheyranintoafinancialcrisisanddid not have enoughmoney to pay themonth’s bills.Nomoney, save for thecharityfund.

They decided to borrow money from that fund temporarily.When thingscamebacktonormal,theyputbackthemoneytheyhadborrowedintothefund.Theladyofthehousesaid,‘ThatwasGod’smoneythathelpedusinthetimeofcrisis.Nowwehavetogiveitbacktohim.’

Theotherside

There is a notion that charity is only for the poor and needy sections of thesociety.Ofcoursetheyshouldbehelped.Butthatdoesnotmeanothersdonotrequireourfinancialhelp.

Therearemanyworthycausesontheothersideofsociety.Artists,scientists,sportspersons—they all require some form of financial support or assistance,dependingontheireconomicbackgrounds.

Apoorchildmayrequiremoneyforhishealthcareandeducation;ascientistmayrequiremoneyforhisnextresearch;anartistmayneedmoneytobuythethings he needs to help create art; a sportsmanmay need sponsorship to buysafetygearthatareessentialforhimtopractisehissport.Ifencouraged,eachof

thesepeoplearecapableofachievingtheirdreams.Alltheyneedisalittlepush.

62

BooksatHome

HOWMANYBOOKSdoyouhaveathome?Nowthatisadirectquestionfromthisbestsellingauthor.Youmay find this abit strange that this chapter comesunder the ‘family’

section,butitisveryrelevanthere.DoyouknowthatIhaveover5,000booksathome,andthenumberisonlygrowing.

Youmaythinkthatthereisalotofspaceinmyhouseandtherefore,Icanaffordtokeepthesebooks.Butit isnotaquestionofspace.It isaquestionofloveforbooksandloveforknowledge.Eventhough,bythegraceofGod,Ihavea decently big housewhere I canmanage to keep somany books, every fewyearsmy house gets overloadedwith books and I have to eithermake a newshelforshiftthemsomewhereelse.

Theideaisthatasanationwedonotdedicateagoodamountofspaceforbooksinourhomes.Howmanyofusplanforalibraryinourhouseswhenwebuy them?We plan for a kitchen, hall and bedroom.But how about a study-room?

Ihavetravelledacrosstheglobeandfoundthatinsomecountriesitispartoftheirculture tohavea libraryathome.Wehave tobuildsuchaculture inourcountry—aplaceespeciallyforbooks.

Itismyparentswhodevelopedthehabitinourfamilytoreadandhavelotsof books around.Mywife and I continue that tradition. Interestingly,withoutmuch effort, even our children have developed a love for books. So readingbookshasbecomeafamilytradition.

ItisnotthatIbecameanauthorfirstandthenstartedcollectingbooks.Itistheotherwayaround.IbecameanauthorbecauseIlovedcollectingandreadingbooks.

Sowelcometothefieldofknowledge.Chanakyasaid,

‘KnowledgeislikeaholyKamadhenucow.Itbearsfruitinallseasons.Inforeignlandsitprotectsandrewards.Thatiswhyitisconsideredinbuilt

secrettreasure.’(CN4.5)

Kamadhenu isacowmentioned in the Indianscriptures. It isbelieved tohave

given endless streams ofmilk and fulfilled everyone’s wishes. So is the casewithinvestinginknowledge.Itgivesusendlessreturns.

Thereisafamoussaying—giveamanafish,hewilleatforonetime.Teachhimhowtofish,andhewilleatfortherestofhislife.Therefore,theaimistobuildafamilythatissoknowledgeablethatnocrisiscanstopit.

Shareandexchange

Every person in the family has different sets of experiences and isknowledgeable on different subjects. We may be working in differentprofessions,andhencewouldhaveknowhowindifferentfields.Evensomeoneat home, like a homemaker,would have knowledge of how to cook food andmanagethewholefamily.

Whatever it is, share your knowledge and experience with others in yourfamily.Amothercanteachherkidshowtocook.Gonearethedayswhenonlythegirlsandladieswouldcook.Aboyisexpectedtoknowhowtocook.Hecanthensurviveinanypartoftheworld.

Ifthefatherworksinanofficeorfactory,hecansharehisworkexperiencewithothers.Itisnotrighttothinkthatsuchknowledgeisonlyhelpfulinone’sprofessionalmatters.Othersinthefamilycanalsolearnalotfromit.

Yourunderstanding

Everypersonhasadifferentunderstandingofwhats/hedoes.Communicatethesame toothers.Forexample, takeupasmall funproject inyour familywhereyouexchangebookreviews.Iftherearefourmembers,leteachofthemreadandstudyadifferent topicorabook.Leteachpersonmakeapresentationof their‘bookreview’infrontoftheothers.

You can share your understanding from the book and its topics. It willbroadenyourunderstandingoftheotherpersonfromyourfamilyandviceversa.

Loveandwisdom

Loveandknowledgegohand-in-handinafamily.Onedevelopswiththeother.ItissaidthatthereusedtobeaSufisaintwhoreadbookstoeveryoneinthe

family.Someneighboursalsostartedcoming to listen tohimduring thebook-reading time.Oneday,hehadasore throatandcouldnot readout loud to theothers. His wife took the book and started reading. Her understanding of thesubjectsurprisedeverybody.Theysaidhiswifewaswiserthanhim.

So, you never know whom you are influencing when you gather and

distributeyourwealthofknowledge.

63

ManagingYourServants

YOURSERVANTSAREthepillarsofyourhousehold.Ask anyonewhoworks.Without the support of the domestic help, people

wouldnotbeabletoworkpeacefullyandproductivelyatofficeorevenathome.Today, the word servant itself has been replaced with the more positive-

sounding ‘help’. It is now being considered as a very dignified job. Andrightfullyso.Weneedtorespectthemforwhattheydo,forwithoutthem,workinourownhouseholdswouldcometoastandstill.

Butitisalsoimportanttomaintaindiscipline,becausesometimestheytendtotakeyouforgranted.

Studies haveproven that paying employees a high salary is not enough toensureproductivity.

SoChanakyaknowsthemethodtomakethehelpersathomeproductive.Hesays,

‘Awageisforworkdone,notforwhatisnotdone.’(3.14.8)

Payyourservantswell.Butpaythemonlyfortheworktheyhavedone.Iftheydo not work, do not pay them. Now, this may come across as a very strictstatement.Buttheideaisnottobecruel;itistosendamessagethatworkistoberespected.Andalsothemoneyyougiveistoberespected.

So,howdoesonebalancedisciplineandlovewithservants?Hereareafewstepswecanfollow:

Definethework

Ourequationwithourhousehelpisasimplegive-and-takeone.Theyoffertheirservices and we pay them for it. Workers are usually classified as unskilled,semi-skilled, skilledandhighlyskilled,asper industrystandards.So ideally,aworkershouldbepaidaspertheskillshehas.

So,make sureyouclarify exactlywhatwork is tobedoneandareon thesamepageasyourdomestichelponthismatter.Isthehelpertrainedandcomeswithpreviousexperience?Ifrequired,doareferencecheckonthepersonandhisorherpreviousbackground.

Amutual agreementof the tasks tobe fulfilled is agoodwayof avoiding

futureproblems.

Agreeonthewage

Mostlytheworkersofthiscategorystartwithadailywageagreement.Thedailywages depend on various factors—the kind ofwork, the city or villagewheretheyareworking,theskills,theexperience,theratesprevalentinthemarket,etc.Someassociations andgovernment bodies evendefine aminimumdailywagestructure.

Ifrequired,alsolookintothelegalaspectofthis.Becausethelawmakesitmandatoryforustomakesurethepeoplewhoworkforusarerightlypaid.Theirsafetyisalsoourresponsibility.

Duringtheagreementitisalsoimportanttodefinewhatyouwill‘not’payfor.Thishelpsavoidunrealisticexpectationsaltogether.

Watchandbehuman

Youcan’talwaysgobytherulebook.Afterapersonhasstartedworkingforyou,watch the person carefully. In the initial stages, you will have to train andsupport him.Do thatwith human concern.Your servants are not your slaves.Theyarealsohumanbeings,andrequiresometimetoadjusttoyou,justasyoudotoadjusttothem.

Watchtheirsincerityatwork.Trustthemenoughtofulfiltheirduty.Respectthemenoughandtheywillworksincerelyforyou.

Ifapersonworksforyouoveralongperiod,thenyouhavetobecomemoreflexible.Give themregularsalaries, leavesandevenothersupport.Therehavebeenmanycaseswheretheservanthassomuchdevotiontowardsthefamilythattheybecomefamilymembers.

Infact, thechildreninsuchhouseholdsdon’ttreatthemasservants,butasunclesandaunts.

Andwhy shouldn’t they?After all, they aremore than servants. They arepeopleyoucanrelyon.

64

CompanyoftheNoble

THISWORLDISfullofchallenges.Every person has his or her own challenges.The student’s challenge is to

passtheexams;thebusinessman’schallengeistosecurehimselffinancially,thepolitician’schallengeistorunanation.

So too when you get married. As a spouse you face a different set ofchallenges.

Butafterhavingfacedallthechallengesoftheworld,youonlylookforwardtocominghomeifitisaplacethatofferssomerelief.Ifnot,thenyourhouseisalsoalivinghell.

Therearesomepeoplewhostaybacklateatofficejusttospendlesstimeathome.Or theymay leaveofficebut insteadofgoinghomeand spending timewith their family, they purposefully go to a different place and delay goinghome.Forsuchpeople,evenaweekendisexhausting.

Why does this happen? It is because there is no peace at home. On thecontrary, they feel disturbedwhen they are at home.Andhence, they’d ratherspendtimeoutside.

Chanakya knew that few things are bound to make any person happy athome.

Hepointedout,

‘Inthisworld,thehellofmiseries,onlythreethingsprovidesomecoolrelief,goodoffspring,adevotedwifeandthecompanyofthenoblepeople.’

(CN4.10)

Theworld is full ofmiseries. The sheer struggle a person faces is enough tomentallyburnhimout.So, theremustbesomerelief thatawaitshimwhenhecomeshome.Chanakyasaysthatgoodchildren,agoodwifeandthecompanyofnoblepeople,thesethreeareallthesavioursweneed.

Whenapersoncomeshometiredandlooksforwardtomeetinghisfamily,he is already a happy man. Being greeted by a welcoming wife and smilingchildrenmakeshisday’s stress and tensionvanish.The same is applicable fortheworkingwomantoday.Whenshecomeshomeandherhusbandandchildrenwelcomeher,shefeelsrelieved.

Thereisonemorewayofalwayskeepingyourselfandyourfamilyhappy—thecompanyof thenoble.This iscalled ‘sat-sangh’ inSanskrit. ‘Sat’ isnobleand‘sangh’iscompany.

When you have noble people coming to your house regularly, your housedrawsgoodenergyfromthem.

Howdowehavesuchpeoplevisitingyouandmakingyourplaceahappyhome?

Theteachers

Therearemanyteachersinourlife.Theycouldbeourschoolteachers,spiritualteachersor evenourelderly relatives.Try to spend some timewith themonadailybasis.Theirnoblethoughtswillchangeyourlife.Suchpeopleprovideuswithasenseofdirectioninourlife,evenduringtheworstoftimes.

As you go to meet them, make sure you invite them to your place too.Organizea lunchordinner.Makesureallyour familymembers listen to theirwordsofwisdom. Ifpossible,gather thepeoplearoundandask them tospeakabouttheirlifeexperiences.Theycangiveyoualotofinsightabouthowtoleadanoblelifeyourself.

TuesdayswithMorrie

Have you heard about this famous book named Tuesdays with Morrie? Thisbook is not to be missed. Written by an American writer, Mitch Albom, itnarratestheauthor’sstoryofgoingtomeethisoldteacher.Hefindsoutthattheteacher,Morrie Schwartz, is dying. And he decides to go every Tuesday andlistentohisteacher.

He goes for fourteenTuesdays and records all the conversations.And theteacher gives him his life’s greatest lessons before passing away. The bookcapturesallthemessages,whicheveryonecanpractiseinlife.

Doyouhaveateacher,aMorrie,inyourlife?Thendonotwaitforhimorhertoreachtheirdeathbedtogetallthewisdom.Doitrightnow.

Aweeklyschedule

Make appointments with noble people. You can plan a weekly schedule withthem.Takeyour family along.There aremanyplaceswhere suchpeoplegivespiritualdiscoursesandsharetheirnobleideas.

They can be found everywhere, in temples, mosques, churches and otherspiritualplaces.Theyarepresentintheashramsallaround.Findaplacecloseby

andvisit.There are some clubs likeRotary andLionsClubs that also help usreachsuchpeoplewhoaredoingnobleworkforsociety.

When we associate ourselves with such people and become part of theirlives,thennotjustus,evenourfamilybenefits.

The journeystartswithmeetinganobleperson,andendswithmaking thewholefamilynobleandhappy.

65

FamilyTrips

LIFEHASBECOMEhectic.Afamilyhardlygetsanytimetospendwitheachother.Lifewasalotmoreeasygoingbeforetechnologytookoverfamilies.Butif

the parents are busy working, the children are busy with school, andgrandparentsarebusywiththeirpriorities,whatisthebestwaytoconnectwitheachother?Afamilytrip!It’stheperfectbreakfromone’sregularroutinelife,pluseveryoneenjoyssuchanouting.Themostexcitedlotarethechildren.

Now,thefamilytripsmaynotbejustforfunandfrolic.Theycanbeagoodwaytoeducateyourchildrenbeyondtheschoolbooks.

Chanakya has clearly said that parents should instruct children on values,‘Thereforeheshouldinstructhiminwhatconducesspiritualandmaterialgood.’(1.17.33)Thesuggestiongivenhere is thatasparents,weneed togiveourchildren twotypesof instructions—what is spirituallygoodandwhat ismateriallygood. Inotherwords,weneedtoteachthemspiritualvaluesandmoralvalues.Andalso,at the same time, we need to teach them the importance of being materiallysuccessful.

You could useChanakya’s advice during your next family trip and here’show:PlanningafamilytripItissomuchfunwhenyouplanafamilytriptogether.Makeitagroupactivitywithyourfamilymembers.Askthemwhichplacesthey’dliketogoto.Letthemdo some research on the Internet. Find some good locations, book tickets andhotels.Shopforthetrip.Allthisisfun.

Doingthistogetherhelpsstrengthenthebondbetweenyouandyourfamily.

Timewithkids

During the trip, spend some time with kids. You can tell them about yourexperiences in life. Share stories of your childhood. Also tell them theimportanceoftheplacesyouarevisiting.

One thing to remember—do not be a miser during the whole trip. Youshould allocate a budget for the trip. It is not suggested that you indulge andoverspend.Sometimescost-cuttinginsomemattersdestroysthefunofthetrip.

Makeaproject

After you come back home, do not think the trip is over.Give the children achancetorecollectthewholetrip.Askthemtowritedownwhattheylearntfromthetrip.Thisway,eventhoughthetripwillbeover,thethingstheylearnonthetripwill remain for life.Also show them an account of themoney you spentduring the trip.This is thebestwayof teaching themabout finances.Hereonout,theywillbelookingforwardtothenexttrip.

AstheChinesesayinggoes,‘Apersonlearnsmorefromaday’stravel,thanfromreadingahundredbooks.’

66

Chanakya’sSevenPillarsofaFamily

EVERYFAMILYSTRUCTURE(forexample,ajointfamily,anuclearfamily)isbasedoncertainprinciples.

In India, a joint family is aknownstructure.While in theWest, anuclearfamilyorsingleparentfamilyisquitenormal.

Chanakya was a great strategist who believed in going about thingsmethodically. He has suggested a great structure to follow that’ll help youstrengthenyourfamily.

ThereisafamoussaptangamodelofChanakya,whichwasusedbyvariouskingsforrunningtheirkingdomseffectively.

Wecanusethissaptangamodelforcreatingagoodfamilystructuretoo.So,letusfirstunderstandwhatthissaptangamodelgivenbyChanakyaisall

about.Hesaid,

‘Swami,Amatya,Janapad,Durg,Kosha,Dand,Mitra—itiPrakritraya.’(6.1.1)

‘Theking,theminister,thecitizens,thefortifiedcity,thetreasury,thearmyandtheallies—thesearetheconstituentelementsofthestate.’

Chanakya says that there are seven things that go intomaking of a goodkingdom.Thekinghas toensure thatall theseseven thingsare inplace.Thenthekingdomwillbeanexampleoftheperfectkingdom.

So what are these seven essential components of a kingdom? The kinghimself, along with efficient ministers, good citizens, living in a goodinfrastructure (like a fortified city), along with good finances, protected from

enemiesbyanarmy,andsupportedbygoodallies.Chanakya says iti prakriti (the nature) of the kingdom is based on these

sevenparts.Thesamemodelcanbeusedtocreatetheperfectfamily.Here’saninterpretationoftheabovesutrathatyoucanuse:

Swami—Theheadofthefamily

Theheadof the family isavery importantperson.He takes full responsibilityforthefamily.Usuallythisperson’smainjobistokeepthefamilytogether.Aschildrenwemaynotunderstandthesacrificestheheadmakestorunthefamily.Eventhefinancialneedsaretakencareofbythishead.

Amatya—Thelifepartner

Thisisthespouse.Withoutthespousethefamilycannotfunction.Thespouseisas importantas theheadof thefamilybecause theircontribution issignificant.The familyknows that thewholemaintenanceandsustenance isdependentonthespouse.Amatyaisthesecond-in-chargeofthefamily.WithouttheAmatya,theswamiisincomplete.

Janapad—Thechildren

There could be a husband and a wife. But the family will feel incompletewithoutchildren.Theybringjoyintothehousehold.Theyaretheveryheartandessence of a family. There are many couples who adopt children when theycannotconceive.Becausechildrenteachusunconditionallove.Theyaremirrorstooursoul.

Durg—Thehouse

Thefamilyrequiressheltertolive.LikeIsaidearlier,itisafamilythatturnsahouseintoahome.

In the beginning we can have a small house. But, as the family keepsgrowing,wemayrequireabiggerhouse.Itisalwaysbettertoownahousethanrentit.Afterall,thishouseisnotjustatemporaryplacetostay;thisiswhereoursoulslongtocome.

Kosha—Thefinance

Money is required to run the house.Without the right finances in place, it isimpossibletopaybills,buygroceriesandmaintainahousehold,letalonebringupchildren.Aslongasthefinancesaresortedout,thereispeaceinthehouse.Ifnot,fightsarerathercommon.So,financialstabilityisaveryimportantaspectofmakingahappyfamily.

Danda—Yoursupportsystem/relatives

Our relatives are our biggest support system. They fulfil our emotionalrequirements too.Ourcousins,unclesandaunts,grandparents, in-laws,are theveryreasonwecallourselvesafamily.Theyalsocometoourrescuenowandthen.

Mitra—Thefriends

Yourfriendsbecomepartofyourfamily.Eventhoughtheymaynotberelatedtoyou, theyare connected toyouat adeeper level. Inmanycases friends aregrowevencloser than the family.Yourneighbours could fall in this category,becauseoftheirconstantpresenceandsupport.

Evenifoneofthesevenpillarsismissing,there’sboundtobestraininsuchafamily.Whenallthesevenareinplace,weknowthatnopowerintheworldcanbreakthisfamily.

67

FamilySuccession

YOUHAVEDONEyourbit.Asafamilyperson,yourdutieshavebeenfulfilled.Yourchildrenaregrown

upandnowyouarehappilylivingaretiredlife.You’reprobablyagrandparenttoo.

Now,thereisonelastdutyinyourlifethatyouneedtofulfil—itconcernsyourfamilysuccession.Whowillbetheheadofyourfamilyafteryou?Supposeyouhavealargebusiness,whichofthefamilymemberswillyouchooseasyourheir?

Thegeneralassumptionisthattheeldestsonwilltakeovertheheadshipofthefamilyandwillheadthefamilybusinesstoo.

However,Chanakyadisagrees.Ifthesoniscapable,thenthisoptionworks.Butwhatifhedoesnotshowthecapability?

Chanakyawarns,

‘Heshouldnotinstallonthethroneanonlyson,ifundisciplined.’(1.17.51)

Thinkof thesituationgivenabove.Thekinghasanonlyson.He isobviouslybound to be attached to his son. But then the son is totally undisciplined.Chanakyaadvisesthekingagainstmakingsuchasonhissuccessor.

Love for your children can make you blind to their faults. And it mayhappenthatyouwillmakeachildyoursuccessorregardlessofwhethers/hewilljusticetothepositionornot.

The classic example is of theMahabharata.Dhritarashta, the king and thefatheroftheKauravas,fellintothesametrap.Hewasalreadyphysicallyblind,but his love for his sons made him intellectually blind too. His sense ofjudgementwasflawed.

Duryodhana,hiscruelson,wasgiventhepower.InspiteofwisepeoplelikeBhishmaandVidurawarningDhritarashta,hedidnotlisten.

Andwhatwastheendresult?TheMahabharatawartookplace.Thewholefamilygotdestroyedandfinallyallthesonswerekilled.

So learn fromhistory.Follow theadviceofChanakyaas faras successionplanningisconcerned:

Benefitofall

Donotlookatseniorityastheonlycriterionofcapability.Rama,theeldestsonofDasharatha, the king ofAyodhya,was very capable.But it’s not necessarythateveryelderchildislikeRama.Sometimestheyoungestchildmaybemorecapable. So keep a keen eye on your children to see who has got leadershipqualitiesinthem.

Chanakya gives a tip on how to identify a leader among your children.‘Thosewho see the benefit of all.’Meaning, the childwho is thinking of thewelfareofhispeopleistherightleaderforyourfamily.Yoursuccessorshouldhave a large heart and broad shoulders—a large heart to accommodate themistakes of other family members, and a broad shoulder to take theresponsibilitiesthatcomeswithleadership.

Itcanbeagirl

Why is it that only the son canbe the successor?That is not fair.Therehavebeen many instances in the past where when kings were looking for theirsuccessor,theydidnotfindtheirsonssuitable.They,inturn,madethecapablewomenintheirfamilythenextleaders.Travancorekingdom,nowpartofKeralastate,hasvariousexamplesoffemalerulers.ThequeenofJhansiandAhilyabaiHolkar from Indore are other examples. They were highly successful andrespectedleaders.

Girlsshouldbegiventhesamefreedomasboys.Theyarenaturallygoodatmultitasking, which is an essential quality for leadership. And the ability tomanageworkandfamilyissomethingthatcomesnaturallytothem.

Thinklongterm

Lord Krishna says in theMahabharata, ‘While taking a decision today, thinkwhathistorywilltalkaboutyou.’Weneedtoweightheimpactofourdecisionsonourfuture.Whenwedothinkofthelongterm,westartlookingatourfamilyfromatotallydifferentlight.

Some decisions are tough in the initial stage. Also, others may notunderstand your logic behind those decisions. But if you have done all yourcalculations right, then go ahead and follow your gut to choose the next bigleader.Donothesitate.

WhilechoosingtheheirtotheMagadhakingdom,Chanakyacarefullychoseaboyfromapoorfamily,ChandraguptaMaurya.Notmanyagreedwithhimat

thetimewhenhestartedtotrainChandragupta.ButChanakyahadalreadyseenthesparkofleadershipintheboy.

Today,ChandraguptaMauryaislistedamongthegreatestkingsofIndia,allovertheworld.

68

PrivateSpace

AFAMILYISagroup.Butthatgroupcomprisesasetofindividualswhohavetheirownindependentinterests.

Letusnot forgetone important aspectof life—even thoughweneed eachotherinourlives,wealsoneedourownprivatespace.

Offering some their silent time and space is anotherwayof showingyourrespecttothem.

Torespectoneanother’sindividuality,wemustalsonevercomparepeoplewitheachother.Theveryfactthatoneisanindividualimpliesthattheyareborn‘unique’.Whenwecompareourchildwithanother, indirectlywe’resendingamessagetoourchildthattheyarenotasgoodastheother.

So,ifyourchildisnotdoingwellinstudies,donotcomparehimorherwithotherswhoareexcellinginstudies.Yes,youcouldhelpyourchildimproveandgetbettergrades.Butconstantlypressurehimandyouwillendupdentinghisself-confidenceforsure.Instead,tryandfindoutwhatyourchildisgoodatandlet him immersehimself in those creativepursuits.So,withoutmutual respectforeveryindividualmemberofyourfamily,lifewillbecomealivinghell.

Chanakyagoestotheextentofsayingthatyoushouldquitsuchafamilyandgoaway.Hesaid,

‘Amanmustquitareligionthatdoesnotpreachloveandkindness.Similarlyoneshouldleaveateacherwhohasnoknowledgetoimpart,a

personwhohasashorttemperandrelativeswhohavenolovetogive.’(CN4.16)

According to Chanakya, these are things you should quit—a religion or aphilosophy that does not preach love, kindness and mutual respect; a teacherwhohasnoknowledge;ashort-temperedperson.

Andasforfamily,quitthoserelativeswhodonotloveyou.The suggestion is a positive one. It’s better to be surrounded by relatives

who love you.And the bestway to encourage this sort of harmony is to giveeveryonethespacetheydeserve.

Howdoesonedevelopthat?

Donotdisturb

Therearepeoplewhokeepdisturbingotherscontinuously.Theytalktoyouevenif you seem disinterested. Such a person is bound to be disliked. So eachmemberof thefamilyshouldknowwhenanothermemberhasmentallyputonthe‘Donotdisturb’sign.Thereisawisesaying,‘Donotgiveadviceuntilitisaskedfor,otherwisetherewillbenovaluefortheadvicegiven.’Onlyreachoutwhenneeded.

Listen

Weshoulddevelopthehabitoflisteningtoourfamilymembers.Listeningisnotjust hearing. It is hearing plus thinking.When people talk, it is not necessarytheymeanwhat theysay.So, try toreadbetween the lines.Apersonmayjusthavehadaverybaddayandthereforemaybeexpressinghisorheranger.So,donotgetupsetiftheyareharshtowardsyou.Itmaynotbedirectedatyouatall.

Be patientwith them.By allowing them to express their feelings, you arelettingthemknowthatyouunderstandtheirsituationandwillbethereforthemwhenevertheyneedyou.

Letgo

Often we are over-protective of our children and younger family membersbecausewe love them somuch. It’s okay to be concerned about them.That’shealthy and compassionate behaviour.But ifwe startworrying about themallthetime,wewillenduppushingthemawayandcreateanegativeatmosphereathome.Ifyou’reworriedthey’llfail,letthem.Letthemlearnontheirown.Afterall,everyonehastheirownlife’slessonstolearn.Itisalwaysbettertoletgoofourchildrenwhentheyareready.Remember,youcannotteachthemeverything.Theyhavetolearnsomethingsontheirownandfromotherstoo.

Peoplearelikebutterflies.Ifyouchasethem,theywillflyaway.Ifyoujustallowthemtobefree,theywillcomeandsitnexttoyou.

Remember,trueloveisalwayswithoutattachment.

69

FeelingofGratitude

‘THANKYOU.’Itisasimpleyetpowerfulphraseifutteredgenuinely.Inlifeonewillhavemanyupsanddowns,highsandlows.Butifonelearns

tobegrateful,thenonewillalwaysfindhappiness.Whatisthebestwaytodevelopafeelingofgratitude?Thesimpleansweris

prayer.Prayerdoesn’tmeanbeggingGodforsomething.It isawayofexpressing

thankfulness toGodat everypointof life.Whendowepray toGod?Only indistress?No.Oneshouldprayingoodtimesandbad,inthebeginningandalsoattheend.

Chanakya,oneofthemostintelligentstrategists,alsobelievedinthepowerofprayers.Heknewthereisanintelligencehigherthanhumanintelligence.So,when you invoke the lord, you automatically get blessed with the power andwisdomneededtodoanyimportantworkinlife.

Therefore, while starting to write his greatest book, theArthashastra, thefirst and the foremost thing Chanakya did was to pray and invoke the greatteachers.

ThefirstopeninglineoftheArthashastraofChanakyastartswithaprayer,

‘OmNamahSukraBrihaspati-abyam.’‘Om.SalutationstoSukraandBrihaspati.’

‘Om’ is not just a word or a sound. It holds within the knowledge of theuniverse.Omhasover a hundredmeanings.Oneof them is awelcome to thegods.Therefore,westartallprayerswithOm.

SukraandBrihaspatiwereancientacharyasinthefieldofpoliticalscience.Thesetwogreatmastershadwrittentheirownarthashastras(books)onpoliticsandraja-niti.Chanakyahimself,asastudent,hadstudiedtheworkofthesetwowise men. While writing his Arthashastra, Chanakya remembered them andotherteacherswhoguidedhimalongtheway.Heprayedtothem,expressinghisgratitude,andonlythendidhestartpenningdownhisthoughts.

Usually,whenwewriteabookoranarticle—oranythingforthatmatter—manyofusdonotacknowledgethepreviouswriterswhomayhaveinspiredus.

This is not good. Give credit to those who rightfully deserve it. Chanakyateaches us this essential value we must all have—to express our gratitudetowardsthosewhoinspiredusandwerepartofourjourneyinsomeway.

So what can we all do on a daily basis to develop this healthy attitude?Here’swhat:

Yourfamily

Nofamilyisperfect.Everyfamilyhasitsownsetofstrengthsandweaknesses.Butinsteadoflookingatwhatismissinginyourfamily,youshouldbefocusingonwhat you have.A quick comparisonwith others and youwill realize howblessedyouare,comparedtoalotofpeopleoutthere.So,countyourblessings.Once,whenapersonwascomplainingabouthisoldshoes,hesawamanwhohad no legs.He immediately started thankingGod, for at least he had legs towearshoes,unliketheotherunfortunateman.

Youmayevenhavefights inyourfamily.Whodoesn’t?Butremember,atleastyouhaveafamilytofightwith.Thereareorphansouttherewhocravefornothingbuttheaffectionofafamily.Youmaysometimeshavebittermomentswithyourspouse,butatleastyouaremarried.Therearemanywhowanttogetmarried,butremainsinglethroughouttheirlives.Youmaynotagreewithyourparents’ideology,butyouatleasthaveparentsandyouarenotanorphan.

A lotofpeople realize the importanceof familywhen they’regone.Don’twaitforthattohappentoyou.Begratefuleachday.

Thankyou

Getupeverymorningandsay‘thankyou’toGod.Walkaroundandtakeintheunmistakablebeautyofnatureand thank theCreatorwhoisasbeautifulashiscreation.Whenyousitdownforameal,prayandsay thankyou to thepersonwhocookedyouthatmealandalsotothefarmerwhotoiledinthesunforthistobepossible.Bydoingso,youwillfindthatyourfoodistastier.

To make this a habit, try a small exercise daily. As you wake up in themorning,justsituponyourbedandstartcountingtenthingsfromthepreviousdaythathadapositiveimpactonyourlife.Forinstance,sayyougotyoursalary,oryouhadaschoolfrienddropbyforavisit,oryoureadagoodbook.Justcountuptotenthingsandyouwillfeelgoodattheverybeginningofthedayitself.

When you start doing this every morning, you will automatically startlookingoutforpositivethingsduringthedayandmakingamentallistofthem.This will fill your heart with wonder and grace and this is when you will

effortlesslyexudeapositiveenergy.

Writeabook

AsIwritethelastpagesofthisbook,myfinaltipforyoutohaveafulfillinglifeisthis—writeabook.

‘Me?’‘WhatwillIwrite?’‘Idon’tknowhowtowrite.’‘Willanyonereadmybook?’

Don’tworryaboutallthat.Inlife,everypersonhastheiruniqueexperiences.If you do not pen them down, theywill be lost forever. If Chanakya had notwritten the Arthashastra and Chanakya Niti, his knowledge would not havereachedus.

Similarly,whenyouwriteyourbook,itisanexpressionoffulfillment.Itisyourwayofacknowledgingalifewelllivedandcomingtotermswiththegoodaswellasthebad.Itisyoupassingonyourinvaluablemessagetoothers.Itisyousaying‘thankyou’.

Ifyoueverfoundoutthatyourgrandfatherhadwrittenabook,wouldn’tyouwanttogetaholdofacopyrightawayandreaditcovertocover?

Inthesameway,ifyouwriteone,onedayyourgrandchildrenwillreadyourbook.Youwillleaveasourcewithwhichtheywillenrichtheirlifeforever.Andtheytoowillfinallysaythosewordstoyou,wordsthatyouareprobablysayinginyourmindrightnow—thankyou.

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