Chanakya

“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.”

“A man is great by deeds, not by birth.”

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

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

“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.”

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

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

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

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

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

“A man is born alone and dies alone; and he experiences the good and bad consequences of his karma alone.”

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

“Once you start working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.”

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

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

“The world's biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman.”

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

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