QuoteProject
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
ShareWTF𝕏

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.
ChanakyaRead
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.
ChanakyaRead
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.
ChanakyaRead
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.
ChanakyaRead
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.
ChanakyaRead
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.
ChanakyaRead

Similar quotes

Within my body are all the sacred places of the world, and the most profound pilgrimage I can ever make is within my own body.
SarahaRead
The religious persecution of the ages has been done under what was claimed to be the command of God.
Susan B. AnthonyRead
Humanity’s greatest advances are not in its discoveries – but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity. Whether through democracy, strong public education, quality health care, or broad economic opportunity – reducing inequity is the highest human achievement.
Bill GatesRead
The woods of Arcady are dead, And over is their antique joy; Of old the world on dreaming fed Gray Truth is now her painted toy.
William Butler YeatsRead
A man who piously shuts himself up to meditate upon the sin of wickedness and to keep it fresh in his mind joins a brotherhood of awful examples.
Ambrose BierceRead
Irony ruined everything Even the best exploitation movies were never meant to be `so bad they were good`. They were not made for the intelligentsia. They were made to be violent for real, or to be sexy for real. But now everybody has irony. Even horror films now are ironic. Everybody's in on the joke now. Everybody's hip. Nobody takes anything at face value anymore.
John WatersRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.