Kah Kalah Kani Mitrani (Questions for Constant Self-Reflection)
कः कालः कानि मित्राणि
Also known as: kah kalah kani mitrani · kah kalah kani mitrani ko deshah kau vyayagamau · kashchaham ka cha me shaktir iti chintyam muhur muhuh · chanakya six questions verse · questions for self reflection chanakya
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✦ Meaning
This famous verse from Chanakya Niti lists six searching questions one should ask oneself again and again: about the time, one's friends, one's place, one's income and expenses, one's own identity, and one's true strength. It is a timeless framework for self-reflection and situational awareness, helping a person act wisely by always knowing exactly where they stand.
Origin & Story
Chanakya Niti · Chanakya (Vishnugupta / Kautilya) · Ancient India (c. 4th–3rd century BCE)
Chanakya, the master strategist, knew that sound action begins with an honest reading of one's own situation. In this verse he compresses that discipline into six questions — about time, friends, place, finances, self and strength — to be revisited again and again, giving the seeker a portable method for the self-awareness on which all wise conduct depends.
✦ As told in scripture
Strategists and seekers alike have treasured this verse as a mirror of the mind, for the one who truly asks these six questions again and again is rarely caught unprepared, always knowing the hour, the company, the place, the means and the measure of their own power.
The Mantra
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कः कालः कानि मित्राणि को देशः कौ व्ययागमौ। कश्चाहं का च मे शक्तिरिति चिन्त्यं मुहुर्मुहुः॥
kaḥ kālaḥ kāni mitrāṇi ko deśaḥ kau vyayāgamau। kaś cāhaṁ kā ca me śaktir iti cintyaṁ muhur muhuḥ॥
Meaning:What is the time? Who are my friends? What is the place I am in? What are my expenses and my income? Who am I, and what is my real strength? — these questions one should ponder again and again. Chanakya offers a checklist for constant self-awareness, by which a wise person keeps a clear grasp of circumstances, resources and capacity.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Kah Kalah Kani Mitrani (Questions for Constant Self-Reflection)
Provides a clear framework for regular self-reflection
Builds situational awareness about time, place and people
Encourages honest assessment of one's income, expenses and means
Promotes self-knowledge — who one is and what one's strength is
Helps in planning, decision-making and prudent conduct
A concise, memorable verse for daily introspection
How to Chant Kah Kalah Kani Mitrani (Questions for Constant Self-Reflection)
Recite the verse slowly and pause on each question in turn — the time, your friends, your place, your income and expenses, your own self, and your strength. Use it as a checklist for honest self-review again and again, as the verse itself advises. It is traditionally studied among Chanakya's teachings on prudence and self-awareness.