Chanakya Niti on Friendship
Chanakya judges friendship by a single test: what a person does when you are in trouble. The Chanakya Niti warns that flatterers who praise you to your face and ruin your work behind your back are pots of poison topped with milk. It counsels discretion even with good friends, for a friend turned angry may expose every secret. And it reminds us that the true friend — like the true kinsman — is the one who stands beside you in illness, in famine, in danger, at the king's door and at the cremation ground. These verses teach how to test, keep and treasure real friends.
ఆతురే వ్యసనే ప్రాప్తే దుర్భిక్షే శత్రుసంకటే। రాజద్వారే శ్మశానే చ యస్తిష్ఠతి స బాన్ధవః॥
आतुरे व्यसने प्राप्ते दुर्भिक्षे शत्रुसंकटे। राजद्वारे श्मशाने च यस्तिष्ठति स बान्धवः॥
— Chanakya Niti 1.12
He who stands by you in illness, in misfortune, in famine, in danger from enemies, at the king's door and at the cremation ground — he alone is your true kinsman and friend.
💡 Count your real friends by who shows up in your worst moments, not your best ones.
పరోక్షే కార్యహన్తారం ప్రత్యక్షే ప్రియవాదినమ్। వర్జయేత్తాదృశం మిత్రం విషకుమ్భం పయోముఖమ్॥
परोक्षे कार्यहन्तारं प्रत्यक्षे प्रियवादिनम्। वर्जयेत्तादृशं मित्रं विषकुम्भं पयोमुखम्॥
— Chanakya Niti 2.5
Shun the friend who speaks sweetly to your face but destroys your work behind your back — he is a pot of poison with milk on its surface.
💡 Judge people by their actions in your absence, not their words in your presence.
న విశ్వసేత్కుమిత్రే చ మిత్రే చాపి న విశ్వసేత్। కదాచిత్కుపితం మిత్రం సర్వం గుహ్యం ప్రకాశయేత్॥
न विश्वसेत्कुमित्रे च मित्रे चापि न विश्वसेत्। कदाचित्कुपितं मित्रं सर्वं गुह्यं प्रकाशयेत्॥
— Chanakya Niti 2.6
Never trust a false friend, and do not trust even a good friend completely — for a friend grown angry one day may lay bare all your secrets.
💡 Share your deepest secrets sparingly — relationships can change, but spoken information lasts forever.
జానీయాత్ప్రేషణే భృత్యాన్ బాన్ధవాన్ వ్యసనాగమే। మిత్రం చాపత్తికాలేషు భార్యాం చ విభవక్షయే॥
जानीयात्प्रेषणे भृत्यान् बान्धवान् व्यसनागमे। मित्रं चापत्तिकालेषु भार्यां च विभवक्षये॥
— Chanakya Niti 1.11
A servant is known when sent on an errand, relatives in adversity, a friend in times of calamity, and a spouse when fortune fades.
💡 Adversity is life's laboratory — it reveals who everyone around you really is.
శైలే శైలే న మాణిక్యం మౌక్తికం న గజే గజే। సాధవో న హి సర్వత్ర చన్దనం న వనే వనే॥
शैले शैले न माणिक्यं मौक्तिकं न गजे गजे। साधवो न हि सर्वत्र चन्दनं न वने वने॥
Rubies are not found in every mountain, nor pearls in every elephant; noble souls are not found everywhere, nor sandalwood in every forest.
💡 A genuine friend is a rare treasure — when you find one, invest in that friendship for life.
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