Chanakya was one shrewd advisor, whose pearls of wisdom are relevant even today. Here are 11 precious lines from the Arthashastra, of which he was the author, that will help you excel in your work life.

This lesson not only applies to work life, but to life in general. We try to be friends with someone because we ‘want’ to share our interests with them, we ‘want’ to be in their group, we ‘want’ to make them like us. There is always a motive behind friendship because we are needy. Choose your company wisely.

Apart from roti, kapda aur makaan, ‘pleasing words’ are also a basic necessity. At first, if you can’t solve a problem by a stern instruction, try being soft. Chances are your work might get done easily. If not, you will have to twist someone around that little finger.