As long as your body is healthy and under control and death is

The words of Chanakya, the great Indian philosopher and strategist of the 4th century BCE, echo through time like a solemn bell of truth: “As long as your body is healthy and under control and death is distant, try to save your soul; when death is imminent what can you do?” This teaching, simple yet profound, reminds humankind of the most urgent and often forgotten task of life — the cultivation of the soul while the flame of vitality still burns within us. For Chanakya, who guided kings and shaped empires, wisdom was never meant to be stored in books alone; it was meant to govern life, especially in the face of mortality.

In this quote, the body represents the vessel — strong, obedient, and temporary. The soul, on the other hand, is eternal and the essence of our being. Chanakya’s wisdom teaches that while the body remains under control, when we still command our thoughts and actions, we must strive toward inner purification — toward virtue, truth, and self-realization. For when death draws near, when breath falters and strength fades, the time for action is over. One cannot plant seeds when the storm has already begun. Preparation for eternity must be done while the sun still shines.

Throughout history, those who understood this truth lived with an urgency not of fear, but of purpose. Socrates, when sentenced to death, did not tremble before the poison. He said he had long practiced dying — by freeing his soul from the chains of ignorance and desire. Like Chanakya, he knew that spiritual work must be done while life still allows it, for the moment of death only reveals what we have already become. In contrast, many have lived as if immortal, neglecting the soul until the final hour — only to discover that repentance is a weak flame against the wind of death.

The story of Ashoka the Great, emperor of India, offers a vivid mirror of Chanakya’s wisdom. Once a conqueror drenched in blood, Ashoka’s heart turned to stone after the massacre at Kalinga. In that moment of remorse, he awakened to the truth Chanakya spoke generations earlier — that no empire can be greater than the mastery of one’s own soul. He used the strength of his remaining years not to expand his territory, but to spread peace and dharma. Ashoka redeemed his life while breath remained; had he waited until the end, even an emperor’s repentance would have been in vain.

Chanakya’s words also speak to the illusion of time that plagues the modern world. Many say, “One day I will meditate, one day I will be kind, one day I will forgive.” But that “one day” never arrives, because death moves silently, unseen but always approaching. The wise man acts today, for he knows tomorrow may never grant him the same clarity or power. Health, strength, and consciousness are sacred gifts — temporary, fleeting, and meant for the labor of the soul. To waste them in idle pursuits is to trade eternity for dust.

This teaching is not a call to ascetic withdrawal, but to conscious living. When Chanakya says “save your soul,” he means to align your actions with truth, to conquer greed, anger, and pride — to live each day as if it were your last chance to polish the mirror of the spirit. A person who lives thus dies peacefully, for death cannot take what is already awakened within. But one who lives thoughtlessly will meet death as a stranger, bewildered and afraid.

The lesson is timeless: do not wait for the shadow to remind you of the light. Begin your inner work now — while your hands are steady, your mind is clear, and your breath is full. Speak truth when you can, forgive while it still matters, and seek meaning before it escapes you. When death finally arrives, it will not be a thief but a messenger — leading the prepared soul home.

Practical actions for the seeker: dedicate time each day for reflection; act with compassion even in small things; detach from needless desires; learn to be still. Keep your body disciplined and your mind awake, for these are the tools of salvation. Remember always — it is not death that steals life, but neglect of the soul while life still burns bright.