Kautilya has two famous works to his credit—the elaborate Kautilya’s Arthashastra with 5363 verses and Chankaya Niti, a key to Arthashastra with just 330 one-line verses. Various verses in both the books deal with the principles of creation and management of wealth.
Kautilya says that money is not wealth. It is just a tool. Wealth is ever present in the universe. Like energy, wealth is constant; it only changes its names and forms. The secret of wealth creation is to understand the movement of wealth from one person to another, from one nation to another, from one generation to another. Wealth is not only what is ‘with’ you but also what is ‘in’ you
Arthashastra says that the qualities of a person, character, and knowledge are prime requirements of wealth—creation.
It is largely misunderstood that wealth is what is around you. Your car, your house and other materials of display do not constitute the real wealth. In fact, they are by-products of your inner wealth.
“Be ever active in the management of the economy because the root of wealth is economic activity; inactivity brings material distress. Without an active policy, both current prosperity and future gains are destroyed.”
The inner wealth of knowledge, experience, and wisdom are your true wealth. Without them, you cannot create external wealth. Only continuous empowerment with knowledge helps wealth to flow to you. “A knowledgeable man can create wealth anywhere anytime.” According to Arthashastra (1.19.35,36): “Be ever active in the management of the economy because the root of wealth is economic activity; inactivity brings material distress. Without an active policy, both current prosperity and future gains are destroyed.”
Kautilya says that activity is the root of wealth. An organsation without active strategies, constant information flows, and regular reports cannot sustain itself. A lazy organisation will plunge into distress. Wealth creation is impossible without an active policy. Without an active economic and financial policy, the present hard-earned wealth will be destroyed and there will be no hope for future profits.
Targets, deadlines, and a focused approach are just pointers to keep employees on their toes.
A good profitable organisation requires continuous activity, without which wealth will never be attracted towards it.
Even individuals who are lazy will not be able to create wealth.
Dr Radhakrishnan Pillai is an Indian management thinker, author, and Founder of Atma Darshan and Chanakya Aanvikshiki. Dr Pillai has extensively researched Kautilya’s Arthashastra, the 3rd century BC treatise and incorporated it into modern management.
