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Next Steps

Sometimes, I read random pages from my open-source copy of the Arthashastra that I have on my Kindle. It is a fun exercise to map some of his directives to the modern world and see if any of it still makes sense

A PRINCE, though put to troubles and employed in an unequal task, shall yet faithfully follow his father unless that task costs his life, enrages the people, or causes any other serious calamities. If he is employed in a good or meritorious work, he shall try to win the good graces of the superintendent of that work, carry the work to a profitable end beyond expectation, and present his father with the proportional profit derived from that work as well as with the excessive profit due to his skill. If the king is not still pleased with him and shows undue partiality to another prince and other wives, he may request the king to permit him for a forest-life.

Making some liberal interpretations here but imagine this text were to be applied to the scion of  a powerful politician or a rich and influential businessman. The situation is that the son (or daughter in this day and age) has been assigned work that they are lack the skills and qualifications to do. But this is their way to prove they have what it takes. Kautilya advocates that they do their best at said job and get favorable reviews from their supervisor - exceed the high bar for performance. The father (we should include mother in the spirit of being fair and equal) should be presented with evidence of their success hence the sharing of profits (maybe a bonus and raise in our day). 

After all of this has been done and the all-powerful parent is not impressed and unwilling to give this person a fair shake then they can ask to be relieved from their post and go live their own life. The forest-life seems to imply a promise not to be meddlesome, be detached and remove from the business of kingdom. It seems like sensible advice even today. The person has done their part, received unbiased third party validation of their good work, and even shared hard evidence of it. If that is not enough to move the needle, maybe its best to put time and distance between them and the parent. The forest-life does sound like the right next step under the circumstances.



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