Arthashastra (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. The Startegy of SuccessBy Kautilya
Length20h 5m
About this audiobook
The Arthashastra is one of the most formidable treatises on statecraft, economics, law, diplomacy, and war to survive from the ancient world. Composed in a terse, systematic Sanskrit prose suited to instruction and administration, it presents the kingdom as an intricate organism sustained by revenue, intelligence, discipline, and calculated policy. Its literary context lies among the shastra traditions of normative knowledge, yet its realism often distinguishes it from more idealizing texts, offering a pragmatic vision of power in early Indian political thought. Kautilya, also known as Chanakya or Vishnugupta, is traditionally identified as the strategist and minister who aided Chandragupta Maurya in founding the Mauryan Empire. Whether read as the work of a single historical mastermind or as a layered compilation associated with his school, the text reflects intimate familiarity with governance, bureaucracy, espionage, military organization, and the vulnerabilities of rulers. Its unsentimental analysis suggests an author deeply concerned with political stability and imperial consolidation. This book is essential for readers interested in political philosophy, ancient history, economics, or comparative theories of power. It rewards careful study, not as a simple manual of cynicism, but as a profound meditation on order, authority, and the burdens of rule.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenrePolitics and Government
Length20 hrs 5 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateNov 26, 2021
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Manifesto of the Communist Party (Annotated)
14Book VII, "The End of the Six-Fold Policy"
2Introduction
15Book VIII, "Concerning Vices and Calamities"
3Synopsis
16Book IX, "The Work of an Invader"
4Historical Context
17Book X, "Relating to War"
5Author Biography
18Book XI, "The Conduct of Corporations"
Show all chaptersShow less
6Arthashastra
19Book XII, "Concerning a Powerful Enemy"
7Book I, "Concerning Discipline"
20Book XIII, "Strategic Means to Capture a Fortress"
8Book II, "The Duties of Government Superintendents" (pt. 1)
21Book XIV, "Secret Means"
9Book II, "The Duties of Government Superintendents" (pt. 2)
22Book XV, "The Plan of a Treatise"
10Book III, "Concerning Law"
23Analysis
11Book IV, "The Removal of Thorns"
24Reflection
12Book V, "The Conduct of Courtiers"
25Memorable Quotes
13Book VI, "The Source of Sovereign States"
The Gulag Archipelago Volume 3Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn21h 56m$46 · $0.00
MotherlandJulia Ioffe17h 52m$40 · $0.00
I've Been to the MountaintopMartin Luther King48m5.0 (1)$11 · $0.00
HostageEli Sharabi5h 25m5.0 (1)$24 · $0.00
Pardon of Innocencethe Author, Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn (Ret.)6h 23m$23
KrantikariSanjeev Sanyal11h 44m$16 · $0.00
Unbroken Bonds of BattleJohnny Joey Jones8h 31m$8 · $0.00
On Democracies and Death CultsDouglas Murray10h 38m$29 · $0.00
Legally YoursManasi Chaudhari8h 52m$29 · $0.00
Balcony Over Jerusalem: A Middle East Memoir - Israel, Palestine and BeyondJohn Lyons12h 37m$33 · $0.00
RiggedMollie Hemingway12h 48m$23 · $0.00
The Thomas Sowell ReaderThomas Sowell14h 51m$25
SledgehammerDavid Friedman8h 21m$26 · $0.00
So You Want to Talk about RaceIjeoma Oluo7h 41m$17
Citizenship in a Republic (Annotated)Theodore Roosevelt2h 44m$2 · $0.00
No EscapeNury Turkel9h 30m$28 · $0.00
In Defense of the Second AmendmentLarry Correia6h 50m$17
Always FaithfulThomas Schueman, Zainullah Zaki12h 12m$29 · $0.00
UnthinkableJamie Raskin15h 8m$8 · $0.00
The ManbookNick Freitas5h 43m$24 · $0.00
You may also like
The PrinceNiccolò Machiavelli4h 56m$4 · $0.00
The PrinceNiccolò Machiavelli3h 24m$3 · $0.00
Battle Of Oudenaarde, 1708, In The War Of The Spanish SuccessionAndré Geraque Kiffer1h 57m$5 · $0.00
History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King of Spain, Vols. 1 and 2William Hickling Prescott30h 1m$1 · $0.00
The Abbeys of Great BritainH. Claiborne Dixon5h 37m$2 · $0.00
The Industrial Arts in SpainJuan F. Riaño8h$2 · $0.00
Manual of Ship Subsidies. An Historical Summary of the Systems of All NationsEdwin M. Bacon2h 47m$1 · $0.00
The History of King George the ThirdHorace Walpole51h 26m$1 · $0.00
The Art of WarSun Tzu2h 7m$15
Cambridge and Its CollegesA. Hamilton Thompson4h 30m$2 · $0.00
How to Visit the English CathedralsEsther Singleton10h 26m$2 · $0.00
Bell's Cathedrals: Southwark CathedralGeorge Worley1h 44m$1 · $0.00
The Life and Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius (Annotated)George Lang, Marcus Aurelius7h 5m$2 · $0.00
Canada: Its Postage Stamps and Postal StationeryClifton A. Howes13h 19m$2 · $0.00
Horses Past and PresentWalter Sir Gilbey1h 43m$2 · $0.00
MantegnaN. D'Anvers35m$2 · $0.00
Dutch and Flemish FurnitureEsther Singleton11h 4m$1 · $0.00
South Africa Act, 1909The Parliament of the United Kingdom2h 5m$2 · $0.00
Rousseau and RevolutionWill Durant, Ariel Durant57h 17m$30
The Rise and Decline of the Roman Empire (Annotated)John Bagnell Bury72h 59m$3 · $0.00