Thread by @SanjeevSanskrit

#ChanakyaNeeti
प्रणम्य शिरसा विष्णुं त्रैलोक्याधिपतिं प्रभुम् ।
नानाशास्त्रोद्धृतं वक्ष्ये राजनीतिसमुच्चयम् ॥ ०१-०१
I bow my head to Prabhu(All Powerful) Vishnu(who is everywhere) who rules 3 Loka(Prithvi, Antariksh, Dyu)

I will explain all about Raajneeti based on many Shaastra

Note: original name of Chanakya Neeti was Rajneeti Samucchaya (all about Rajneeti)

Also note that Rajneeti is not just politics. Rajneeti has a goal of establishing rule of Dharma. That is why study of Rajneeti begins with Pranam to the Raja of all - Prabhu

अधीत्येदं यथाशास्त्रं नरो जानाति सत्तमः ।
धर्मोपदेशविख्यातं कार्याकार्यं शुभाशुभम् ॥ ०१-०२
By studying this Shaastra properly, sattvik people will learn Dharma as per established scriptures. They will know what should be done, what should not be done, what is good, what is bad

Note the word सत्तमः. As per Mahabharat Anushasan Parva 49.10, one who protects even an enemy in crisis if he surrenders and seeks refuge is सत्तमः sattamah person

(Caveat: Rajneeti Shaastra teaches how to identify such genuine refugees and not be fooled by Muhammad Ghoris)

तदहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि लोकानां हितकाम्यया ।
येन विज्ञानमात्रेण सर्वज्ञात्वं प्रपद्यते ॥ ०१-०३
Hence, with a goal of well-being of everyone, I will properly explain the wisdom whose understanding will propel anyone towards achieving Sarvajna (Eeshwar who knows everything)

मूर्खशिष्योपदेशेन दुष्टस्त्रीभरणेन च ।
दुःखितैः सम्प्रयोगेण पण्डितोऽप्यवसीदति ॥ ०१-०४
These three bring misery to even a Pandit (intelligent person/ scholar of high character):
- trying to teach a foolish student
- supporting a wicked woman
- having company of perennially unlucky

You cannot pacify a fool through reason and wisdom. Offering milk to snake only enhances their venom (Panchatantra 1.420)

दुष्टा भार्या शठं मित्रं भृत्यश्चोत्तरदायकः ।
ससर्पे च गृहे वासो मृत्युरेव न संशयः ॥ ०१-०५
1. Wicked wife
2. Untrustworthy friend
3. Servant who responds rudely
These are like living in home of snakes. Tragic death is certain.

(Can you relate with what we face in Hindusthan?)

आपदर्थे धनं रक्षेद्दारान् रक्षेद्धनैरपि ।
आत्मानं सततं रक्षेद्दारैरपि धनैरपि ॥ ०१-०६
For crisis times, protection of wealth is crucial.
Protection of wife is even more crucial.
But constantly protect Aatmaa so that you are capable of protecting wealth and wife in time of crisis

Comment: Since we have sidelined our Adhyatmik foundations that strengthen and protect our Aatmaa, we find ourselves weak to protect our wealth and womenfolk in crisis situations

आपदर्थे धनं रक्षेच्छ्रीमतां कुत आपदः ।
कदाचिच्चलते लक्ष्मीः सञ्चितोऽपि विनश्यति ॥ ०१-०७
A - Save wealth for crisis times.
B - How can affluent face crisis?
A - Wealth is fickle. Maybe it goes away
B - In that case, even saved wealth can go away

यस्मिन्देशे न सम्मानो न वृत्तिर्न च बान्धवाः ।
न च विद्यागमोऽप्यस्ति वासं तत्र न कारयेत् ॥ ०१-०८
Leave that place where you get neither respect, nor income, nor friends, nor education.

धनिकः श्रोत्रियो राजा नदी वैद्यस्तु पञ्चमः ।
पञ्च यत्र न विद्यन्ते न तत्र दिवसं वसेत् ॥ ०१-०९
Do not spend even a day at a place where any of these 5 are not present:
1 Affluent people
2 Vedic scholars
3 King
4 Source of water
5. Medical facilities

लोकयात्रा भयं लज्जा दाक्षिण्यं त्यागशीलता ।
पञ्च यत्र न विद्यन्ते न कुर्यात्तत्र संस्थितिम् ॥ ०१-१०
Do not stay where any of these 5 are not present:
1 Ease of business/ employment
2 Fear of law
3 Shame against being unethical
4 Wisdom
5 Sacrifice to help others

जानीयात्प्रेषणे भृत्यान्बान्धवान् व्यसनागमे ।
मित्रं चापत्तिकालेषु भार्यां च विभवक्षये ॥ ०१-११
Servant is understood only when work is given.
Family is understood when bad times come.
Friends are understood when crisis happens.
Wife is understood when wealth goes away.

Goswami Tulisdas also writes:
धीरज धरम मित्र अरु नारी
आपतकाल परखिए चारी
Only in time of crisis one can assess the value of patience, dharma, friend, and wife

आतुरे व्यसने प्राप्ते दुर्भिक्षे शत्रुसङ्कटे ।
राजद्वारे श्मशाने च यस्तिष्ठति स बान्धवः ॥ ०१-१२
He alone is friend who stands with you during illness, bad times, threat of enemy, in court, or at cremation ground

यो ध्रुवाणि परित्यज्य अध्रुवं परिषेवते ।
ध्रुवाणि तस्य नश्यन्ति चाध्रुवं नष्टमेव हि ॥ ०१-१३
One who ignores the certain things in pursuit of uncertain faces double loss. His certain things get destroyed. And uncertain things are prone to destruction in any case

वरयेत्कुलजां प्राज्ञो विरूपामपि कन्यकाम् ।
रूपशीलां न नीचस्य विवाहः सदृशे कुले ॥ ०१-१४
Marry a woman who comes from a family of good people, even if she is not beautiful. And never marry the most beautiful women if she hails from a family whose value system don't align with yours

नदीनां शस्त्रपाणीनांनखीनां श‍ृङ्गिणां तथा ।
विश्वासो नैव कर्तव्यः स्त्रीषु राजकुलेषु च ॥ ०१-१५
Never blindly trust flow of rivers, those carrying weapons, carnivorous animals, those with horns, unrelated women (honey trap cases) and politicians.

विषादप्यमृतं ग्राह्यममेध्यादपि काञ्चनम् ।
अमित्रादपि सद्वृत्तं बालादपि सुभाषितम् ॥ ०१-१६
Accept Amrita even if sourced from poison.
Accept gold even if kept in a dirty vessel.
Accept good practices even from those who are not friends.
Accept good teachings from even children.

स्त्रीणां द्विगुण आहारो लज्जा चापि चतुर्गुणा ।
साहसं षड्गुणं चैव कामश्चाष्टगुणः स्मृतः ॥ ०१-१७
In women,
diet is double (due to child)
dignity is four times
valour is six times
desires are eight times

(Note: I didn't understand meaning nor could relate with any other Shaastra)

This marks the end of Chapter 1 of Chanakya Neeti. There are several variations of each shloka indicating that these may have been sourced from Janashruti. Hence some verses (or their parts) may make lot of sense, and others may not.