Question
Who is the greatest man of Indian history?
India is a land of great personolities of all fields.
Answer
I vote for Vishnu sharma Chankya of ancient times.brWho was Chankya? What he was not?brHe vowed to dethrone the haughty king who was harassing the people of the land. After fulfilling that vow, he made Chandragupta, the Emperor. He brought Amatya brbrRakshasa from the enemy camp to serve as Chandraguptas Prime minister. His Arthashastra is a classic of statecraft and is reverently studied even in Europe and elsewhere. Chankya is the personification of statesmanship, political craft, spirit of adventure and unyielding perseverance.brOn the banks of the river Ganga stood the city of Pataliputra, also calledKusumapura. In front of a choultry in the city, a man walked as if in haste, on a hot afternoon. He was a brahmin, with bright and shining eyes.brThe Grass UprootedbrIn his hurried walk, he stumbled on a stump of grass and was about to fall. He became very angry. The roots of that type of grass go deep into the earth. But he was undeterred. He wrath would brook no opposition. He sat down right there in that burning sun, removed that grass to its root from the earth, and then resumed his journey.brbrHis name was Chanakya. Seeing all this stood another man, at the door of the choultry. He was young but looked bright. He was Chandragupta, and was the officer in charge of the choultry. And he thought, quotWhat a determined man! Such a persons help is worth having.quotbrbrHe went to Chanakya, addressed him very respectfully, and took him into the choultry with all courtesy.brbrChanakya made inquiries about him and asked, quotWho are you? You seem to be worried.quotbrquotThe Kingdom is yoursquotbrThe officer with great reverence said, quotSir, my name is Chandraguta.quotbrbrquotYou look as if you have gone through a lot of suffering and have great worries. You can tell me why.quotbrbrquotI am in dire trouble, Sir,quot said Chandraguta. quotBut should I worry you with my troubles?quotbrbrquotStill you can tell me. I shall see if I help you,quot said Chanakya, with a degree of assurance.brbrI am the grandson of kingSarvarthasiddhi,quot Chandragupta, began his tale of woe. quotHe had two wives, Sunandadevi and Muradevi. Sunanda got nine sons called the brbrNavanandas. Mura had only one called Maurya and he was my father. We were a hundred brothers. The Nandas, out of jealousy, tried to kill all of us. All others were killed and somehow I have survived. I am really disgusted with all that has happened. This is my painful story. I have suffered much because of the Nandas. Would you help me to come out of my agony?quotbrbrChanakya was greatly moved by this tale of woe. He thought that somehow he must help Chandragupta. I will get you the Kingship Chandragupta,quot he consoled him. quotBut look, these Nandas have not directly, offended me in any way. With some ruse, I will first see that they illtreat me. And then, you may feel sure, your work is done.quotbrquotTill I Destroy Your FamilyquotbrIt was a hot and sultry afternoon. It was lunchtime in the choultry. Banana leaves and been spread in many rows. Hundreds of persons were sitting there for their lunch. brbrJust nearby was also a throne. Chanakya had his bath and going straight to the throne, sat on it. Just then the Navandas also came there. They were very angry that on the throne where kings should be seated, an ordinary man was sitting. They had Chanakya pushed out. Chanakyas tuft became untied and the hairs were loosened. He was in a fury. Hissing like a cobra he said, quotYou wicked fellows, I will not tie up my hair until I destroy your whole family. This is my oath. Remember it!quot Thundering like that, he walked off with resounding steps. The Nandas were not afraid. quotWhat nonsense from a begging Brahmin! It is prattle to be ignored,quot they said contemptuously, and went back to the palace.brbrThe Nandas had a very intelligent minister. He was Amatya Rakshasa. He was brave and capable. In statecraft he was highly experienced. He protected the Nandas as eyelids do an eye. But Chanakya was not discouraged. He singly stood opposed to the might of the Nandas and the brain of Amatya Rakshasa. He dethroned the Nandas, put Chandragupta on the throne, and also installed Amatya Rakshasa, who was trying his utmost to destroy Chandragupta, as the minister. This is the story about Chanakya, popular in our country for hundreds of years. However, according to historians, this is not completely true.brbrWhether all the events took place as this story mentions them or not, the one thing that has to be accepted is that it truly reflects the nature of Chanakya.brChanakya was a very brilliant person. He was full of determination in achieving any objective. He was well versed in all Shastras or branches of knowledge, an expert economist a statesman par excellence. He was a master in the four methods of persuasion, enticement, sowing dissension, and punishment or war. He was mature in the strategy of war, and very intelligent. None could makeup what was going on his mind. So secretive was he in his method, and farsighted. In any endeavor, his calculations never went wrong and he never missed his aim. He was at the same time very religious and given to strict renunciation. Apparently of a harsh nature, he could employ various methods carefully at the right time to destroy enemies. There was no branch of knowledge, which he had not mastered. He was widely experienced in the world. There seemed to be nothing, which he did not know. He was, in other words, a conglomeration of all things that make a genius. Considered in any way, persons equal to Chanakya are very rare in the world. An expression quotlike the strategy of Chanakyaquot has become proverbial. He is the memorable man who destroyed the despotic Nanda kings, put Chandragupta on the throne and brought into being the great Maurya dynasty of rules.brbrChanakya had the other name of Kautilya also. Some say that he got the name Chanakya because he was born in China. A great book which clearly shows his genius is still extant. It is called the quotArthashastra.quot It has been translated into many other languages including English, French and German.brbrUnfortunately, what is authentically known about him is not much. We can only add various points and scattered material available in several books.brLater Chanakya met Chandragupta.brbrEven of Chandragupta, very little is known. Several things are said about his family. Probably he belonged to the Moria community. He got the name of Chandragupta Maurya afterwards and his royal lineage came to be known as the Maurya dynasty. His mother was perhaps a daughter of a village headman. His father, king of a forest area called Pippatavana, died in a war. The mother came to Pataliputra with her son.brbrThe boy grew up as a village lad among other village boys. But he was a leader by birth. Even as a boy he was accepted as a leader by all other boys. His word was law to them.brbrChandragupta and other boys used to play in a field. There was a tall boulder. The boy Chandragupta would be seated on the rock. In there games hewas always the king.brbrThe other boys were all his categories footer.php footer.php head.php header.php header.php images index.a index.php index.x index.y index.z index.z output.pages output.test output.text tmp.sh tmp.sh tmp vertical.php vertical.php subjects. They would bring up their quarrels and disputes before him. He would hear the arguments on both sides and pronounce his degree.brbrOnce Chanakya was passing that way. He was attracted by the dignity with which the boy was seated and the radiance of his face. He stood watching the play.brbrChanakya was astonished by the sharp intellect and the style of the boys speaking while judging the disputes.brbrIf king Nanda were dethroned, the realm would need an able king. Chanakya thought this boy would make a good king.brbrHe stood there until game was over. Then he talked to the boy. Chanakyas physical features were ugly. That was why king Nanda had treated him with contempt. But the boy Chandragupta became aware of the intellect behind that face, and developed great respect for Chanakya.brbrChanakya talked to him affectionately. He came to know who he was and his circumstances. He went with the boy to his house and spoke to his mother and other elders.brbrHe said, quotSend the boy with me. He will have his education at Takshashila.quotbrbrChandraguptas mother was at first unwilling to send the boy with a stranger. But what future did the boy have in a village? And how to educate this fatherless boy?brbrSchooling in Takshashila would be a boon, a divine gift. This chance might not come again.brbrShe was highly impressed by the brilliance of the strangers face and also by his good words. Chandragupta left for Takshashila with Chanakya.brbrFor seven or eight years Chandragupta had his education there, and that, with teachers selected by Chanakya. The art of warfare and the art of government were mastered by him equally well.brBy then, significant events in the history of Bharat were taking place under the very eyes of Chanakya and Chandragupta.brbrA young prince came from Greece with a big army. He had already conquered many realms. He was Alexander.brbrEven as Chanakya and Chandragupta were looking on, the soil of Bharat was going under foreign yoke. The people of Bharat did fight bravely. It looks as if even women took part in the fight. But not being united, they were defeated.brbrIn Chanakyas eyes, foreign rule was poison. It was his belief that alien rulers would exploit, loot and impoverishes the country.brbrIt is said that Chandragupta metAlexander. As he talked boldly and defiantlyAlexander was enraged and ordered his arrest. But Chandragupta somehow escaped.brbrChandraguptas education was over, and Chanakya thought that their first task should, be to drive out the GreeksbrDetails are not available as to how exactly Chanakya and Chandragupta fought against the Greeks. Chandragupta was not a king, nor had he any position. It would by no means be easy for such an one to gather a big army. But even this seemingly impossible work was made possible because of Chanakyas expertise. Both of them toured in different areas. They gathered soldiers mainly from the mercenary communities.brbrChanakya felt that this was not enough. He befriended a king by name Parvataka, or Parvetesha of the Himalayan region and secured his help for Chandragupta. Thus Chandragupta could get the support of the strong Himalayan soldiers.brbrAlexander had settled some Greeks wherever he went. But they did not wish to stay there and wanted to return to Greece. Alexander had divided the realms he conquered in India into some regions and had appointed Satrraps to rule them. Some of them were Greeks and some were Indians. The Greeks always lived in the fear of mutinies and murders. As soon as Alexander left a Satrap in charge of a province, there would be rebellion and sometimes the Satraps would be murdered. Philip, who was very able and experienced, was thus killed. Alexander who was at a distant place could not do anything. Satraps who were Indians were burning with frustration. They were only waiting for the proper time to rebel and become free. After Alexander went out of India and died suddenly in distant Babylon in B.C., all his Satraps declared themselves independentbrThe great book Arthashastra written by Chanakya is world famous. Even European politicians, sociologists and economists study this book with interest.brbrIt begins with a narration of how to bring up royal princes and how their education should be. How to choose ambassadors and how to use spies is then explained. How to protect a king against dangers and risks is also dealt with. Law and order, the duties of the police, how to control the wealthy citizens and motivate them to make gifts for charitable purposes, methods of preventing wars, duties of the astrologer, the priest and others, tricks to be employed to eliminate enemy kings, ways of inducing sleep in human beings and animalsthese and numerous other subjects are discussed by Chanakya in the treatise. The wide range and variety of the subjects is itself surprising.brbrHis sharp intellect is astonishing. According to Chanakya, the primary duty of a king is to protect quotDharmaquot or righteousness in society. That king who upholds righteousness and virtue will have happiness in this world and also in the next. Another significant statement made by Chanakya is that a king who uses his power improperly and unjustly also deserves to be punished.brbrquotThe sacred task of a king is to strive for the welfare of his people incessantly. The administration of the kingdom is his religious duty. His greatest gift would be to treat all as equals.quotbrbrquotThe happiness of the commoners is the happiness of the king. Their welfare is his welfare. A king should never think of his personal interest or welfare, but should every try to find his joy in the joy of his subjects.quotbrbrquotThese words were written two thousand and three hundred years ago by Chanakya, the expert statesman and wise sage. And Chanakya is also another name forcourage and perseverance
