Chanakya Neeti. Chapter 1, Verse 1: On Discernment and Company
Chapter 1 · Verse 1
On Discernment and Company
प्रणम्य शिरसा विष्णुं त्रैलोक्याधिपतिं प्रभुम् । नानाशास्त्रोद्धृतं वक्ष्ये राजनीतिसमुच्चयम् ॥
praṇamya śirasā viṣṇuṃ trailokyādhipatiṃ prabhum | nānāśāstroddhṛtaṃ vakṣye rājanītisamuccayam ||
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“Having bowed my head to Vishnu, the lord of the three worlds, I shall set forth a compendium of rajaniti. Practical wisdom for governance. Drawn from many treatises.”
In Modern Life
Every serious work begins by naming what it stands on. Chanakya does not claim he invented this wisdom. He says he gathered it. Whether you are launching a company, writing a paper, or giving a talk, lead with lineage. The audience trusts a builder who knows their tradition; arrogance about novelty signals weakness.
