Once, a Chinese minister came to meet Chanakya, one of the Indian masters of statecraft, at his house in the evening, saying that he had heard of his greatness even in faraway China, and wanted an audience with him.
Chanakya was busy with matters pertaining to the administration of the Mauryan Kingdom, and politely requested his guest to wait for some time. After he had finished his work, he extinguished the lamp that he had been using for illumination, lighted another, and turned to his visitor with a smile, saying, “Now we can talk.”
The minister asked him, “Pardon my curiosity, Sir, but would you mind telling me why you blew out that lamp and lit another, just to talk to me?”
Chanakya replied “When you came, I was preoccupied with matters of the kingdom, and was using a lamp with oil supplied by the State. But now that I have finished my work and am attending to you in my personal capacity, it is only appropriate for me to use my own lamp and my own oil.”
Chanakya (4th century BCE) was an Indian teacher, philosopher, economist, jurist and royal advisor. He is traditionally identified as Kauṭilya, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise, the Arthashastra. As such, he is considered the pioneer of the field of political science and economics in India, and his work is thought of as an important precursor to classical economics. His works were lost near the end of the Gupta Empire and not rediscovered until the early twentieth century. Chanakya assisted the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta in his rise to power. He is widely credited for having played an important role in the establishment of the Maurya Empire. Chanakya served as the chief advisor to both emperors Chandragupta and his son Bindusara. The diplomatic enclave in New Delhi is named Chanakyapuri in honour of Chanakya.
Image: The Reserve Bank of India issued a coin of Rs. 5.00 denomination in February 2011, bearing the portrait of Chanakya, to mark 150 years of the country’s Income Tax Department. Courtesy: http://beekar-the-numismatist.blogspot.com/