Chanakya, the 'Yug Purush' and the Chanakya legend.

Please visit my previous blog: "The Genius of Chanakya, the Man of Destiny." to read about the life and times of this great man, this visionary, this 'Yug Purush'.

I am tempted to attempt a definition of the word 'Yug Purush'. The renowned American thinker, poet, author, historian, philosopher and leading transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau said, "A man is wise with the wisdom of his time only, and ignorant with its ignorance." This is true of people like us, because we are mere ordinary mortals, ordinary people. But, in every era/age (yuga), a handful of people appear amidst us once in a while, who prove to be an exception to this rule. At one level, these exceptional and extraordinary people are products of their time. But at another level they transcend their times. Their perceptions, their insights, their thoughts, their actions and their concerns are truly universal, in time and space; they are neither constrained by the circumstances of their birth nor are they limited by the ignorance of their time. They are truely incomparable. Chanakya (also known as Kautilya) is one such exceptional transcendental 'Yug Purush', who belongs to all 'Yugas'. In these times of turbulence and violence - the 'Kali Yuga' - his thinking, his teachings and his philosophy are even more relevant. I, therefore, take this as an opportunity to pay my humble tributes to this legendary polymath, this 'Yug Purush'.

Chanakya, the 'Yug Purush': Both Draupadi and Chanakya were from two different eras (yugas), yet they have left their footprints on the sands of time and their actions had far-reaching and epoch-making consequences. The events of the 'Ramayana' took place in the 'Treta Yuga', when the world was largely uncorrupted (the 'Treta Yuga' is preceded by the the 'Satya Yuga' - an age of perfect morality); while the events of the 'Mahabharata' happened much later, at the end of the 'Dvapara Yuga', the "Age of Two," when the world was far more grim and corrupt than it was during Lord Rama's time. The violent and tragic events at the end of the 'Mahabharata' mark the end of the 'Dvapara Yuga' and the beginning of the 'Kali Yuga', the worst age of the world. In some ways, the entire story of the 'Mahabharata' is an explanation of how our (current) world, the world of the 'Kali Yuga', came into being, and how things got to be as bad/difficult as they are. The 'Ramayana' has its share of suffering and even betrayal, but nothing to match the relentless hatred and vengeance of the 'Mahabharata'. The culmination of the 'Mahabharata' is the 'Battle of Kurukshetra' (Kurukshetra War) when two bands of brothers, the 'Pandavas' and the 'Kauravas', the sons of two brothers and thus cousins to one another, fight each other to death, brutally and cruelly, until the entire race is almost wiped out. The 'Mahabharata' itself ends with the death of Lord Krishna (according to the 'Puranas', this 'yuga' - 'Dvapara Yuga' - ended at the moment when Lord Krishna - an incarnation of Lord Vishnu - returned to his eternal abode of 'Vaikuntha'), and the subsequent end of his dynasty, and the ascent of the 'Pandava' brothers to heaven. It also marks the beginning of the age of 'Kali' ('Kali Yuga'), the fourth and the final age of mankind, where all the great values and noble ideas have crumbled, and mankind is heading towards the complete dissolution of righteous action, morality and virtue. It was this age that 'Chanakya' was a part of, and can be rightly referred to as a 'Yug Purush'. 'Kali Yuga' is associated with the apocalypse demon 'Kali', not be confused with the 'Goddess Kālī', as these are unrelated words in the Sanskrit language. The "Kali" of 'Kali Yuga' means, "strife, discord, quarrel, or contention." The 'Kali Yuga' is traditionally thought to last 4,32,000 Human years. According to Aryabhatta, the great mathematician-astronomer from the classical age, 'Kali Yuga' began in 3102 B.C., at the end of the 'Dvapara Yuga' that was marked by the disappearance of Lord Vishnu's Krishna Avatar. Aryabhatta's date is widely repeated in modern Hinduism. The beginning of the new 'Yuga' (era) is known as "Yugadi/Ugadi", and is celebrated every year on the first day (Paadyami) of the first month (Chaitramu) of the 12-month annual cycle. The "Ugadi" of 1999 commences the year 1921 of the 'Shalivahana' era (5101 'Kali Yuga', 1999 AD). The end of the 'Kali Yuga' is 426,899 years from 1921.

An overview of the 'Yugas': 1. 'Sat Yuga'/'Satya Yuga' ('Krita Yuga'): 1,728,000 Human years; 2. 'Treta Yuga': 1,296,000 Human years; 3. 'Dwapar Yuga': 864,000 Human years ; and 4. 'Kali Yuga': 432,000 Human years (5,110 years have passed; 426,890 years remain). 'Kali Yuga' started in 3102 B.C.; CE 2008 corresponds to 'Kali Yuga' year 5,110. Therefore, the wait for Lord Vishnu's tenth and final Maha Avatara (great incarnation) - "Kalki" - who will come to end the present age of darkness and destruction known as the 'Kali Yuga' - continues. The name "Kalki" is often a metaphor for eternity or time. I have noticed that Jesus Christ is depicted in many places dressed in white robes and riding a white horse... but I do not think that Christ was "Kalki." Similarly, I also rule out the possibility of Bhagavan Mahavira being "Kalki." According to Hindu cosmology, the world is created, destroyed and recreated every 4,320,000 years ('Maha Yuga'). The cycles are said to repeat like the seasons, waxing and waning within a greater time-cycle of the creation and destruction of the Universe. Like the Summer, Spring, Winter and Autumn, each 'yuga' involves stages or gradual changes which the Earth and the consciousness of mankind goes through as a whole. A complete 'yuga' cycle from a high 'Golden Age' of enlightenment to a 'Dark Age' and back again is said to be caused by the Solar system's motion around a central Sun.

Modern interpretations of the "Kalki" prophecy (Wikipedia): Many modern writers have attempted to link figures from comparatively recent history to "Kalki." Given the traditional account of the 'Kali Yuga' lasting 432,000 years and having began in 3102 BCE, it makes these claims disputed. Some scholars such as Sri Yukteswar Giri and David Frawley have claimed that there are intermediate cycles within the 432,000 year cycle.

• Pandit Ved Prakash Upadhyay has argued in his book "Kalki Autar aur Muhammad Sahib," that Prophet Muhammad completed all the prophecies of the "Kalki" avatar. The book "Muhammad in the Hindu Scriptures," claims to be based on research from all the Vedas, the Puranas and the Upanishads to claim that Prophet Muhammad was the last and final messenger.
  
• The Ismaili Khojas, a Shia muslim group from Gujarat and Sindh and followers of the Aga khan, believe in the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu. According to their tradition, Imam Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad was "Kalki."
  
• Some adherents of the Bahá'í Faith have interpreted the prophecies of Kalki's arrival as being references to the arrival of their messenger Bahá'u'lláh, this has played a major role in the growth of the Bahá'í Faith in India.
  
• In his book, "The Aquarian Message," Samael Aun Weor claims to be the "Kalki" Avatar.
  
• In their books, "The Avatar of What Is," by Carolyn Lee and "Holy Madness," by Georg Feuerstein, they identify claims that Adi Da was the "Kalki" Avatar.

While many Hindus reject the idea of 'avatars' outside of the traditional Hindu faith, some Hindus with an universalist outlook view the central figures of various non-Hindu religions as 'avatars'. Some of these religious figures include:

• Jesus whose teachings inspired Christianity. See also Incarnation (Christianity).
  
• Zoroaster (Zarathustra) the Prophet of Zoroastrianism.

The Chanakya Legend: There are several legends associated with this great political and military genius. Over time myth has mingled with reality and often overtaken it; the current environment of despair feeds the legend. Perhaps the lack or the absence of inspirational and towering personalities (in the mould of Chanakya) and an abundance of 'little Einsteins' continue to feed the legend.

Thomas R. Trautmann has listed down the following elements as common to the different forms of the Chanakya legend:

• Chanakya was born with a complete set of teeth, a sign that he would become a King, this was considered inappropriate for a Brahmin like Chanakya. Chānakya's teeth were therefore broken, and it was prophesied that he will rule through another.
  
• The Nanda King (Dhana Nanda) threw Chānakya out of his Court, prompting Chānakya to swear revenge.
  
• Chānakya searched for one worthy man or disciple for him to rule through. Chānakya encountered a young Chandragupta Maurya who was a born leader and displayed character, courage and leadership qualities right from his childhood.
  
• Chānakya's initial attempt to overthrow the Nanda King failed, thereafter he came across a mother rebuking her child for burning himself by eating from the middle of a bun or a bowl of porridge rather than from the cooler edge. This incident served as an eye-opener for Chānakya and he realized his initial strategic error and, instead of attacking at the heart of the Nanda territory, slowly chiped away at its edges.
  
• Chānakya discontinued his alliance with the Himalayan King Parvatka due to the latter's obstinacy and non-adherence to the principles of the treaty as agreed between them.
  
• Chānakya enlisted the services of a fanatical weaver to rid the kingdom of rebels.
  
• Chānakya used to add small quantities of poison in the food eaten by Chandragupta Maurya, now the Emperor, in order to make him immune. Unaware of this, Chandragupta feeds some of his food to his Queen, who was then in her ninth month of pregnancy. Not used to eating poisoned food, the Queen died. In order to save the unborn baby - the heir to the throne, Chānakya cut open the belly of the dead Queen and took out the baby and called/named him 'Bindusāra' because he was touched by a 'drop' ('bindu' in Sanskrit) of the poisoned blood - on his head.
  
• Chānakya's political rivalry with Subandhu (a Minister under the then Emperor Bindusāra) led to his (Chanakya's) death.
• Legend has it that once the Mauryan forces were hiding in a cave. There was no food and the soldiers were starving. They could not come out of the cave either, as there was a threat to their lives. One day, Chanakya saw an ant carrying a grain of rice, whereas, there was no sign of food or grain anywhere. Moreover, the grain of rice was cooked. Chanakya ordered the soldiers to search everywhere (for the source of the grain of rice) and they found that their enemies had been dining under the cave - somewhat similar to that of a ground floor. As soon as they discovered this, they escaped and thus were saved.
  
• According to a Kashmiri version of his legend, once when a thorn had pricked Chānakya on the foot, he uprooted the tree and poured buttermilk in the roots.
  

Here is the link that leads to "Chanakya Neetishashtra:" http://www.scribd.com/doc/6910747/Chanakya-Neetishashtra

Chanakya's teachings and philosophy are very profound yet so simple. The hallmark of great science is indeed simplicity. Equations like E = mc2 or F = ma are path-breaking, simply because they are so simple. Similarly, the greatest of philosophies or knowledge or teachings are rooted in simplicity.

Note: Information gathered and photographs - courtesy Wikipedia.

Photographs: (in clockwise order)

1) A picture depicting Chanakya writing the "Chanakya Niti."

2) A Copper engraving of "Kalki" - from the late 18th century.

3) A stone plaque depicting "Kalki" - from the 18th century.