Chanakya Neeti. Chapter 1, Verse 9: On Discernment and Company
Chapter 1 · Verse 9
On Discernment and Company
धनिकः श्रोत्रियो राजा नदी वैद्यस्तु पञ्चमः । पञ्च यत्र न विद्यन्ते न तत्र दिवसं वसेत् ॥
dhanikaḥ śrotriyo rājā nadī vaidyastu pañcamaḥ | pañca yatra na vidyante na tatra divasaṃ vaset ||
❖ ❖ ❖
“A wealthy man, a Vedic scholar, a king, a river, and a physician. Where these five are absent, one should not stay even for a day.”
In Modern Life
A place worth living in needs: capital flow (wealthy people), knowledge (scholars), governance (administration), water (resources), and healthcare. Most modern cities reduce to this: a town without VCs, universities, working courts, infrastructure, and hospitals is not a future. Be deliberate about your geography.
