Chanakya

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

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

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

“A good wife is one who serves her husband in the morning like a mother does, loves him in the day like a sister does and pleases him like a prostitute in the night.”

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

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

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

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

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

“There is no austerity equal to a balanced mind, and there is no happiness equal to contentment; there is no disease like covetousness, and no virtue like mercy.”

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

“The world's biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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