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Swans live wherever there is water, and leave the place where water dries up; let not a man act so - and comes and goes as he pleases.
Chanakya
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote advises against being aimless or inconsistent in one's commitments and presence.

Chanakya illustrates the importance of stability and loyalty in one's actions and relationships. Unlike swans that leave drying water, humans should strive to be more consistent and dependable rather than freely abandoning commitments and connections for convenience. Commitment and responsibility are essential in maintaining trust and relationships.

Themes

CommitmentStabilityLoyaltyRelationshipsConsistency

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about the importance of loyalty in friendships.

More from Chanakya

Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.
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Let not a single day pass without your learning a verse, half a verse, or a fourth of it, or even one letter of it; nor without attending to charity, study and other pious activity.
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The life of an uneducated man is as useless as the tail of a dog which neither covers its rear end, nor protects it from the bites of insects.
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The serpent, the king, the tiger, the stinging wasp, the small child, the dog owned by other people, and the fool: these seven ought not to be awakened from sleep.
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Whoever imposes severe punishment becomes repulsive to the people; while he who awards mild punishment becomes contemptible. But whoever imposes punishment as deserved becomes respectable.
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One whose knowledge is confined to books and whose wealth is in the possession of others, can use neither his knowledge nor wealth when the need for them arises.
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