[IAC#RG] Demonetisation - alleged Quote from Chanakya's Artha Shastra

To:

Rear Admiral (Retd.) Mahendra Taneja

Sir,

You have sent the following message to IAC mailing list, which is in moderation queue and fwd'ed to me for approval by another moderator.

When Mamata Bannerjee, Shiv Sena leaders, Kejriwal and other people are protesting against Demonetisation move of the PM, I am reminded of a famous quote by Chanakya( Kautilya ) in his Artha Shastra.

"Learn that when thieves, dacoits, traitors in the country become restless, shouting and trying to create anarchy; then believe that the King is ruling well"

Since our learned and scholarly list moderator is unable to locate the source of this famous quotation (which is also doing rounds of social media for past 6 days) in the nowadays "standard" reference of R. Shyamasastry's Arthashastra, perhaps there is some mistranslation in your version, and you can assist us by locating its source from which you were reminded.

You are doubtless aware that the real Artha Shastra of Chanakya is "lost" for centuries now and only available to certain Pandits of Kashi, and what was allegedly "rediscovered" in 1907 (coincidentally by the very same Shyamasastry) is a poor forgery.

sincerely

Sarbajit Roy