Once, a Chinese minister came to meet Chanakya, one of the Indian masters of statecraft, at his house in the evening, saying that he had heard of his greatness even in faraway China, and wanted an audience with him.
Chanakya was busy with matters pertaining to the administration of the Mauryan Kingdom, and politely requested his guest to wait for some time.
After he had finished his work, he extinguished the lamp that he had been using for illumination, lighted another, and turned to his visitor with a smile, saying, “Now we can talk.”
The minister asked him, “Pardon my curiosity, Sir, but would you mind telling me why you blew out that lamp and lit another, just to talk to me?”
Chanakya replied “When you came, I was preoccupied with matters of the kingdom, and was using a lamp with oil supplied by the State.
But now that I have finished my work and am attending to you in my personal capacity, it is only appropriate for me to use my own lamp and my own oil.”
