Know why CECAs are so slippery and conniving? Because even their 'great' thinkers have been spewing such dubious wisdom thousands of years ago!

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Chanakya (ISO: Cāṇakya, चाणक्य, pronunciation<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chanakya.ogg" title="File:Chanakya.ogg">ⓘ</a>), according to legendary narratives<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-Trautman_1971_semi-legendary-3"><span>[</span>a<span>]</span></a> preserved in various traditions dating from the 4th to 11th century CE, was a Brahmin who assisted the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta in his rise to power and the establishment of the Maurya Empire. According to these narratives, Chanakya served as the chief adviser and prime minister to both emperors Chandragupta Maurya and his son Bindusara.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-4"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a>

Conventionally, Chanakya was identified with Kauṭilya and synonymously Vishnugupta, the author of the ancient Indian politico-economic treatise Arthashastra.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-Mabbett-5"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a> Arthashastra is now thought with high probability to have been composed by multiple authors during the early centuries of the common era—several centuries after the Mauryan period—the backdated identification with Chanakya to have served to add prestige to the work.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTEOlivelle2013Introduction-6"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-7"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-date_authorship-8"><span>[</span>b<span>]</span></a>

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Dhana Nanda's empire, c. 323 BCE
There is no documented historical information about Chanakya: narratives about him come from legendary accounts.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-Trautman_1971_semi-legendary-3"><span>[</span>a<span>]</span></a> Thomas Trautmann identifies four distinct accounts of the ancient Chanakya-Chandragupta katha (legend):<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-Namita2008-9"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a>

• Buddhist version: Mahavamsa (5th-6th cent. CE) and its commentary Vamsatthappakasini (Pali language)
• Jain version: Parishishtaparvan (12th cent. CE) by Hemachandra, based on 1st-8th century sources
• Kashmiri version: Kathasaritsagara (11th cent. CE) by Somadeva, Brihat-Katha-Manjari by Ksemendra
• Vishakhadatta's version: Mudrarakshasa (4th-8th cent. CE) , a Sanskrit play by Vishakhadatta; largely fictional<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197143-10"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a>

In all the four versions, Chanakya feels insulted by the Nanda king, and vows to destroy him. After dethroning the Nanda, he installs Chandragupta as the new king.

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Source​

The legend of Chanakya and Chandragupta is detailed in the Pali-language Buddhist chronicles of Sri Lanka. It is not mentioned in Dipavamsa, the oldest of these chronicles.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197111-11"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a> The earliest Buddhist source to mention the legend is Mahavamsa, which is generally dated between fifth and sixth centuries CE. Vamsatthappakasini (also known as Mahvamsa Tika), a commentary on Mahavamsa, provides some more details about the legend. Its author is unknown, and it is dated variously from sixth century CE to 13th century CE.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197116-12"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a> Some other texts provide additional details about the legend; for example, the Maha-Bodhi-Vamsa and the Atthakatha give the names of the nine Nanda kings said to have preceded Chandragupta.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197111-11"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197118-13"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a>

Narrative​

According to the Buddhist legend, the Nanda emperors who preceded Chandragupta were robbers-turned-rulers.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197111-11"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a> Chanakya (IAST: Cāṇakka in Mahavamsa) was a Brahmin from Takkāsila (Takshashila). He was well-versed in three Vedas and politics. He was born with canine teeth, which were believed to be a mark of royalty. His mother feared that he would neglect her after becoming an emperor.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197112-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a> To pacify her, Chanakya broke his teeth.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197113-14"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a>

Chanakya had an ugly appearance, accentuated by his broken teeth and crooked feet. One day, the Emperor Dhana Nanda organized an alms-giving ceremony for Brahmins. Chanakya went to Pupphapura (Pushpapura) to attend this ceremony. Disgusted by his appearance, the emperor ordered him to be thrown out of the assembly. Chanakya broke his sacred thread in anger, and cursed the emperor. The emperor ordered his arrest, but Chanakya escaped in the disguise of an Ājīvika. He befriended Dhananada's son Pabbata, and instigated him to seize the throne. With help of a signet ring given by the prince, Chanakya fled the palace through a secret door.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197113-14"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a>

Chanakya escaped to the Vinjha forest. There, he made 800 million gold coins (kahapanas), using a secret technique that allowed him to turn 1 coin into 8 coins. After hiding this money, he started searching for a person worthy of replacing Dhana Nanda.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197113-14"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a> One day, he saw a group of children playing: the young Chandragupta (called Chandagutta in Mahavamsa) played the role of an emperor, while other boys pretended to be vassals, ministers, or robbers. The "robbers" were brought before Chandragupta, who ordered their limbs to be cut off, but then miraculously re-attached them. Chandragupta had been born in a royal family, but was brought up by a hunter after his father was killed by an usurper, and the devatas caused his mother to abandon him. Astonished by the boy's miraculous powers, Chanakya paid 1000 gold coins to his foster-father, and took Chandragupta away, promising to teach him a trade.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197114-15"><span>[</span>13<span>]</span></a>

Chanakya had two potential successors to Dhana Nanda: Pabbata and Chandragupta. He gave each of them an amulet to be worn around the neck with a woolen thread. One day, he decided to test them. While Chandragupta was asleep, he asked Pabbata to remove Chandragupta's woolen thread without breaking it and without waking up Chandragupta. Pabbata failed to accomplish this task. Some time later, when Pabbata was sleeping, Chanakya challenged Chandragupta to complete the same task. Chandragupta retrieved the woolen thread by cutting off Pabbata's head. For the next seven years, Chanakya trained Chandragupta for imperial duties. When Chandragupta became an adult, Chanakya dug up his hidden treasure of gold coins, and assembled an army.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197114-15"><span>[</span>13<span>]</span></a>

The army of Chanadragupta and Chanakya invaded Dhana Nanda's empire, but disbanded after facing a severe defeat. While wandering in disguise, the two men once listened to the conversation between a woman and her son. The child had eaten the middle of a cake, and thrown away the edges. The woman scolded him, saying that he was eating food like Chandragupta, who attacked the central part of the empire instead of conquering the border villages first. Chanakya and Chandragupta realized their mistake. They assembled a new army, and started conquering the border villages. Gradually, they advanced to the empire's capital Pataliputra (Pāṭaliputta in Mahavamsa), where they killed the Emperor Dhana Nanda. Chanakya ordered a fisherman to find the place where Dhana Nanda had hidden his treasure. As soon as the fishermen informed Chanakya about its location, Chanakya had him killed. Chanakya anointed Chandragupta as the new emperor, and tasked a man named Paṇiyatappa with eliminating rebels and robbers from the empire.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197115-16"><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a>

Chanakya started mixing small doses of poison in the new emperor's food to make him immune to poisoning attempts by the enemies. Chandragupta, who was not aware of this, once shared the food with his pregnant empress Durdhara, who was seven days away from delivery. Chanakya arrived just as the empress ate the poisoned morsel. Realizing that she was going to die, Chanakya decided to save the unborn child. He cut off the empress's head and cut open her belly with a sword to take out the foetus. Over the next seven days, he placed the foetus in the belly of a goat freshly killed each day. After seven days, Chandragupta's son was "born". He was named Bindusara because his body was spotted with drops (bindu) of goat's blood.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197115-16"><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a>

The earliest Buddhist legends do not mention Chanakya in their description of the Mauryan dynasty after this point.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197114-15"><span>[</span>13<span>]</span></a> Dhammapala's commentary on Theragatha, however, mentions a legend about Chanakya and a Brahmin named Subandhu. According to this account, Chanakya was afraid that the wise Subandhu would surpass him at Chandragupta's court. So, he got Chandragupta to imprison Subandhu, whose son Tekicchakani escaped and became a Buddhist monk.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTETrautmann197128-17"><span>[</span>15<span>]</span></a> The 16th-century Tibetan Buddhist author Taranatha mentions Chanakya as one of Bindusara's "great lords". According to him, Chanakya destroyed the nobles and kings of 16 towns and made Bindusara the master of all the territory between the eastern and the western seas (Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal).<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-FOOTNOTEUpinder_Singh2016331-18"><span>[</span>16<span>]</span></a>

Gee ain't that surprising