Chanakya ( iast: cāṇakya, pronunciation (help·info); 375–283 bce) was an ancient indian polymath who was active as a teacher, author, strategist, philosopher, economist, jurist, and royal advisor. he is traditionally identified as kauṭilya or vishnugupta, who authored the ancient indian political treatise, the arthashastra, [3] a text dated to roughly between the fourth century bce and the third century ce.