Chanakya’s Chant

Just finished reading the book “Chanakya’s Chant”, an amazing work of two beautifully penned parallel stories – One from the past about Chanakya and Chandragupta building India’s first biggest dynasty, the Mauryan Empire. The other from the future about a girl, Chandini Gupta, who rises from the slums to be the Prime Minister of India with the guidance of her political guru Mishra Ji.

It’s a work of fiction that portrays a striking resemblance between the reality of the past and the future. The world and its principles have always been the same with just changing contexts over time.

I totally recommend it to folks who love a pinch of history, a spoon of politics, and a tub of “lean back – woah!” moments.

Some of my favorite lines –

“Character is what you are. Reputation is what people think you are.”

“A battle is rarely about who’s right. It’s mostly about who’s left!”

“Wise ones think all they say, fools say all they think.”

“Why was India so easily excited by religion? Indians could tolerate poor sanitation, pathetic hospitals, lack of schools, potholed roads, erratic power, unhygienic water and subsistence living, but say something to offend one’s religion, you have an instant explosion.”

“Lord Rama renounced his kingdom and became the most powerful king in the land. Buddha renounced the world and the world fell at his feet. Please do not believe that renunciation is to forsake power. Rather, it’s the very means to power!”