න කශ්චිත්කස්යචින්මිත්රං
Na Kashchit Kasyachin Mitram (None Is Born a Friend or Foe) in Sinhala · සිංහල
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Origin & Story
Chanakya Niti · Chanakya (Vishnugupta / Kautilya) · Ancient India (c. 4th–3rd century BCE)
Chanakya, the strategist who navigated the shifting alliances of kings and ministers, understood relationships as the product of conduct rather than fate. This verse distils that hard-earned insight: friend and foe are not born but made, fashioned by the dealings between people, which is why the wise watch their own behaviour as the true source of their bonds.
✦ As told in scripture
Statesmen have long cited this verse to explain how bitter rivals became firm allies overnight: since no enmity is fixed by nature, a change in conduct can turn a foe into a friend, and the wise diplomat works precisely upon this truth.
The Mantra
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න කශ්චිත්කස්යචින්මිත්රං න කශ්චිත්කස්යචිද්රිපුඃ. ව්යවහාරේණ මිත්රාණි ජායන්තේ රිපවස්තථා..
na kaścit kasyacin mitraṁ na kaścit kasyacid ripuḥ। vyavahāreṇa mitrāṇi jāyante ripavas tathā॥
Meaning:No one is by birth the friend of anyone, and no one is by birth the enemy of anyone; friends and enemies alike arise through conduct and dealings. Chanakya teaches that relationships are not fixed by fate but shaped by how people treat one another, so one's own behaviour creates one's friends and foes.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Na Kashchit Kasyachin Mitram (None Is Born a Friend or Foe)
Brings a clear-eyed, realistic understanding of friendship and enmity
Teaches that our own conduct shapes our relationships
Frees the mind from blaming fate for one's friends and foes
Encourages mindful, fair behaviour toward everyone
Helps dissolve fixed grudges by seeing relationships as changeable
A concise, memorable maxim for wise dealings with people
How to Chant Na Kashchit Kasyachin Mitram (None Is Born a Friend or Foe)
Recite the verse slowly and reflect that neither friendship nor enmity is fixed at birth — both grow out of how we behave toward others. Consider how your own conduct can turn strangers into allies. It is traditionally studied among Chanakya's teachings on human relationships and worldly dealings.
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Read the full Na Kashchit Kasyachin Mitram (None Is Born a Friend or Foe) with verse-by-verse meaning, or explore more sacred texts