Chanakya Neeti. Chapter 1, Verse 6: On Discernment and Company
Chapter 1 · Verse 6
On Discernment and Company
आपदर्थे धनं रक्षेद्दारान् रक्षेद्धनैरपि । आत्मानं सततं रक्षेद्दारैरपि धनैरपि ॥
āpadarthe dhanaṃ rakṣeddārān rakṣeddhanairapi | ātmānaṃ satataṃ rakṣeddārairapi dhanairapi ||
❖ ❖ ❖
“In times of trouble, protect your wealth; with wealth, protect your wife; but always, by wealth and wife both, protect your own self.”
In Modern Life
Build reserves before you need them. Emergency fund, network, optionality. Use those reserves to protect what matters most to you. But never sacrifice yourself for either money or relationships, because both can be rebuilt only by a person who is still standing. Self preservation is not selfishness; it is the precondition for everything else.
