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.

Meaning of the quote

When you are born and when you die, you are alone. The good and bad things that happen to you in your life are because of your own actions and choices. And when your life ends, you face the consequences of your actions - whether that's going to a good place or a bad place - all on your own. No one can help you or make those choices for you. Your life and your decisions are yours alone.

About Chanakya

Chanakya was an ancient Indian polymath who was a teacher, author, strategist, philosopher, economist, jurist, and politician. He is credited as the author of the Arthashastra, an important text on political science and economics in ancient India. Chanakya assisted the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta in his rise to power and served as a chief advisor and Prime Minister to both Chandragupta and his son Bindusara.

More about the author

More quotes from Chanakya

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

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

The serpent, the king, the tiger, the stinging wasp, the small child, the dog owned by other people, and the fool: these seven ought not to be awakened from sleep.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

The biggest guru-mantra is: never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

The world’s biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

The earth is supported by the power of truth; it is the power of truth that makes the sun shine and the winds blow; indeed all things rest upon truth.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

Purity of speech, of the mind, of the senses, and of a compassionate heart are needed by one who desires to rise to the divine platform.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

A man is great by deeds, not by birth.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

The one excellent thing that can be learned from a lion is that whatever a man intends doing should be done by him with a whole-hearted and strenuous effort.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

There is poison in the fang of the serpent, in the mouth of the fly and in the sting of a scorpion; but the wicked man is saturated with it.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

It is better to die than to preserve this life by incurring disgrace. The loss of life causes but a moment’s grief, but disgrace brings grief every day of one’s life.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

Whores don’t live in company of poor men, citizens never support a weak company and birds don’t build nests on a tree that doesn’t bear fruits.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

Do not be very upright in your dealings for you would see by going to the forest that straight trees are cut down while crooked ones are left standing.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

If one has a good disposition, what other virtue is needed? If a man has fame, what is the value of other ornamentation?

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

He who lives in our mind is near though he may actually be far away; but he who is not in our heart is far though he may really be nearby.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions – Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

The life of an uneducated man is as useless as the tail of a dog which neither covers its rear end, nor protects it from the bites of insects.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

Test a servant while in the discharge of his duty, a relative in difficulty, a friend in adversity, and a wife in misfortune.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

Do not reveal what you have thought upon doing, but by wise council keep it secret being determined to carry it into execution.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

O wise man! Give your wealth only to the worthy and never to others. The water of the sea received by the clouds is always sweet.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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.

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher

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?

Chanakya

Ancient Indian statesman and philosopher