605. The Price of Procrastination

"You have completed your studies. Should you not be trying for a job?" Arunachalam asked his son Viswanathan.

"Don't you know that I have been trying?" shot back Viswanathan. 

"I wonder! After your examinations were over, I asked you to look for job advertisements in the newspapers and apply for jobs suitable for you. But you didn't."

"Dad! I can apply, only after the exam results are released."

"There are many advertisements that say that candidates awaiting results can also apply. I have shown such advertisements to you and asked you to apply for those jobs. But, you responded only to a couple of such ads."

"After the examination I wanted to relax for a few days!"

"Isn't getting a job an important step in your life? You could relax, after getting a job. Look at your friend Raghu. From the very next day of completing his examinations, he started sifting through 'situations vacant' pages of the daily newspapers and applying for each and every job, for which he was eligible to apply. Now he has been called for interview by a good company."

"Dad! Raghu is a book-worm. When he was studying in the college, he was immersed in text-books. Now, he immersed himself in newspaper ads. Even if he gets a job, he will keep reading the job ads in the newspapers, looking for more lucrative jobs. He will keep doing this, even after his retirement. I can't be like him."

"You don't have to be like him. You have relaxed enough, by being carefree for two months, after writing your examinations. You have been roaming about the city and sleeping till ten o' clock in the morning. Now, the exam results have come. You have also received your score card. If you are serious about getting a job, you should be spending some time every day, going through the job ads in the newspapers. But, I find that you have been reading only magazines filled with entertainment stuff. Instead, if you read journals that have content relating to general knowledge and aptitude development, it will be of some help in writing aptitude tests or facing interviews. But, the point is, you have not been going through job ads. If I go through the ads, select the ones suitable to you and ask you to apply, you don't apply to them!"

"Dad! I have been applying to all the ads you ask me to."

"No, you are not. If I show you ten ads, you apply for two or three, that too, only after repeated reminders from me. Sometimes, you say you forgot. By the time, you remember and set out to apply, the last date gets over. It has been five months since you completed your studies. Seven or eight of your classmates have landed a job already. The number could be more. After all, I don't know all of your classmates. You get up at ten in the morning. After that, you just while away the time, without doing anything worthwhile. You neglect to do the things you have to do, in time, and just say you forgot! I am worried how your future is going to be, if you  continue with your ways!"

Arunachalam spoke his mind, conveying his concern and sorrow.

"I will mend my ways, daddy. Hereafter, I will be earnest and brisk and do things promptly" said Viswanathan.

However, Viswanathan did not make any effort to change himself.

It has been eighteen months, since Viswanathan completed his studies. He had still not got a job.

Arunachalam stopped the practice of going through job ads and pointing out the relevant ones to his son, after getting fatigued and frustrated by the attitude of his son.

Viswanathan's friend Kumar told him, "A new industrial unit is coming up in the public sector. It is going to recruit a large number of people for various positions. The ad has come in today's paper. There is a good chance of our getting a job in this firm. It is a very good firm. The salary is good. The career prospects are also bright. If we get a job in this firm, we can settle down in our life. I am going to apply for this today. You may also apply."

"I will" said Viswanathan.

Viswanathan decided that immediately after going home, he would look for ad and apply.

When he reached home, his father was there. Since Viswanathan wanted to avoid any question from his father about the job he was applying for, he postponed looking for the ad. If his father came to know about the opportunity, he would pressurize him to apply immediately, making a lot of fuss, in the process.

Since the last date to apply was about fifteen days away, Viswanathan was complacent for the next couple of days, 

Some relatives visited his home and stayed for a couple of days. Viswanathan's attention was diverted. By the time the relatives departed, Viswanathan had forgotten about applying for the job.

He remembered the matter, after two days, but he didn't remember the date on which the ad for the job was published in the newspaper. He took out the papers for the last fifteen days and searched for the ad. He couldn't find it.

Kumar would be having the cutting of the ad. But he was not in town. 

Viswanathan concluded that he had not searched for the ad meticulously. He decided to search for the ad more thoroughly, the next day.

When he searched again the next day, he was able to find the ad.

Viswanathan felt relieved.

But when he read the ad, he saw a problem.

The application process was not simple. First, he had to request for the application form, by writing to the head office of the firm at Delhi, with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. After receiving the application form from the firm, he should fill it up and send it to the Delhi office, along with copies of his certificates and a postal order for ten rupees.

The last date for receipt of the applications was only five days away. It would take four days to receive the application form from Delhi, even if he were to send the request for the form that day. Even if he could post the completed application the same day he received the form, it would take at least two days for it to reach Delhi. There was a Sunday in between. Therefore, the completed application would reach Delhi, only after the last date.

After the bitter realization that it was impossible for him to apply for that job. he put the newspaper away, in disgust.

The feeling of regret that he could have applied for that job in time, if only he had been a little less lethargic, created a pain in his mind. 

Arunachalam, who had entered the house just then, saw his son going through several newspapers and felt, 'Not bad. At least now, he has become responsible.'

After three months, Kumar received an appointment order from the public sector firm.

"You are better than me, in all aspects. So, if you had applied for the job, you would have definitely got it. Why did you miss applying for the job?" asked Kumar.

Viswanathan cursed himself for losing a good opportunity, due to his lethargy and sluggishness.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 61

Not Being Sluggish

Verse 605 (in Tamil):
nedunIr maRavi madi thuyil nAngum
kedu nIrAr kAmak kalan.

Meaning:

Procrastination, neglect, sloth and slumber; these four are the ship that are lovingly boarded by people destined to lose.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'visvanAdhA vElai thEdu' by the same author.) 

Verse 606 (Soon)
Verse 604

604. Father's Ceremony

"It is common for people like me, who are born poor and deprived of education and who can't find means to earn money in an honest way, to indulge in theft, for survival. One should be lucky to carry on, without getting caught. But, I was caught and sentenced to two years' imprisonment. What crime did you committee?" Satya asked Manickam, his co-prisoner.

Manickam did not reply.

"People like him belong to a different category. He is not someone who would be involved in activities like picking pockets, house-breaking etc. He looks like a gentleman" said Sekar, another prisoner. 

Other prisoners laughed, enjoying Sekar's wry humour.

"Did you commit what is called a white collar crime?" asked another prisoner, who was a little educated.

Manickam quietly listened to the chat, keeping his chin down.

Manickam's mother who came to the prison to see him, cried, lamenting, "Why did you bring yourself to this state?"

After conversing with Manickam for a few minutes on some general topics, she said, "Your father's ceremony falls next week. After he had passed away, we have been performing his ceremony every year, following the traditional practice by engaging a purohit* and observing the formalities. We won't be able to perform the ceremony this year."

Manickam thought about his father. What a noble person was he! What great esteem had he commanded among the people of his village!

The goodwill earned by Manickam's father had been a great asset to Manickam. But Manickam did nothing to sustain it or even take advantage of it. For a long time after his father's death, Manickam did not take up any job, due to sheer lethargy. It was only after his family's financial situation became so bad that he had to go for a job and earn an income for survival that he began to look for a job. He was able to get only a job with a modest salary.

Finding that his salary was inadequate to meet the family's needs, Manickam, in a desperate moment, forged the signature of his proprietor and attempted to draw money from the bank. But he was caught, while trying to encash the cheque, arrested and slapped a prison sentence.

Listening to his mother's lament about their not being able to perform his father's annual ceremony, Manickam told himself, 'My inability to perform my father's annual ceremony is not a severe fault, compared to my betraying his legacy through my act of bringing disrepute to his name.

*purohit is a person well-versed in scriptures, who is engaged for performing religious ceremonies. 

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 61

Not Being Sluggish

Verse 604 (in Tamil):
kudi mdindhu kuRRam perugum madi madindhu
mAnDa ujnaRRilavarkku.

Meaning:

If a person yields to laziness and fails to put forth efforts, the reputation of his family will be destroyed and faults will increase.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'thadaippattup pOna sadangu' by the same author.) 

Verse 605
Verse 603

603. The Meaning of the Emperor's Words

"Your Majesty! You have  expanded your kingdom to a large extent, outperforming your ancestors. Your name will definitely be engraved in the annals of history" said Minister Mazhavaroyar.

"Minister! History is an ongoing phenomenon. Not only the past, but also the future, will be recorded in history" said King Suryakeerthi.

"Yes, Your Majesty. But, what about it?" 

"Nothing" said Suryakeerthi, staring at a remote spot on the ceiling. 

The Minister looked at the King with the mixed feelings of perplexity and concern.

The Minister observed that despite conquering several kingdoms and establishing himself as an Emperor, King Suryakeerthi, of late, appeared to be concerned about something. The King often revealed his concerns through cryptic remarks.

The Minister was unable to discern the reasons for the King's concerns. He was also reluctant to ask the King what he was concerned about. He hoped that someday, the King himself would share his concerns with him. 

But, that day never arrived. King Suryakeerthi passed away. 

"Your Majesty! Your late father conquered some countries and made them a part of our country. In the case of some other countries, he allowed the kings of those countries to continue to be the rulers, but made them our subjugates. They were required to pay a part of the tax money collected by them to us. They have been doing so. Your father would often visit those countries, meet the people and interact with them. Citizens of those countries loved your father so much that they did not consider him a conqueror, but a benign emperor, having power over their kings. It is my suggestion that like your father, you also visit those countries, meet the people and interact with them. Such visits will ensure that the bond your father ha established with those people remains intact" Mazhavaroyar told the new king Veeraman.

"I don't see any need for such visits, Minister. There are officials at local levels, looking after the administration and fulfilling the needs of people. That is enough" said Veeraman.

Mazhavaroyar thought that he would broach the subject again, after some time. But, when he did, Veeraman gave the same reply.

Veeraman chose to confine himself to the palace and enjoy life, by indulging in exotic food, drinks and the company of women.

"Your Majesty! Some of the kings in our empire have been creating trouble, by being defiant and defaulting on the payments to be made to us. There are also some disturbances in some regions within our country. If you visit those places once, meet the people, listen to their grievances and assure them that their grievances will be looked into, people will give up their protests. In the same way, if you visit the countries whose kings are creating problems and talk to the kings, they will become compliant" said Mazhavaroyar.

"If the king has to personally attend to everything, why do we have the officials? And why do I have you as the Minister?" asked Veeraman nonchalantly and retired to his chamber.

Mazhavaroyar realized that expecting Veeraman to safeguard the country would be foolish. 

'I should make all efforts I could, within my powers and strive to bring things under control. Otherwise, the empire created by Suryamurthy may perish even during the time of his son' thought the Minister.

He recalled the cryptic words of the late King, "Not only the past, but also the future will get recorded in history."

The meaning of the King's words began to unravel in the mind of Mazhavaroyar. Suryamurthy had made that statement, only because he had known about his son's lazy attitude and passive nature. That was why he was concerned.

Suryamurthy made that statement out of his concern that the empire created by him could wither away during the tenure of his son. That was the meaning of his remark that the future developments would also be a part of history. 

The Minister began to worry that Suryamurthy's fears could become true.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 61

Not Being Sluggish

Verse 603 (in Tamil):
madi madik kondu ozhugum pEdhai piRandha
kudi madiyum thanninum mundhu.

Meaning:

The fool who lives clutching the fatal indolence,

will see his family’s demise before his own.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'arasar En appadich chonnAr?' by the same author.) 

Verse 604
Verse 602

139. "I Wish Him Well"

"You gave a new lease of life to that urchin, who, orphaned by his parents, was roaming on the streets, by giving him a job and enabled him to earn a decent income and live a dignified life. For the past several years, he had been working for you with sincerity and dedication. Now, he has quit the job, without even telling you and started a business in competition with your business. Are you going to allow him to get away with this treachery?" burst out Sundari, giving vent to her anger and frustration.

Sabhapathy did not say anything.

"For his act of ungratefulness, I want him to..."

"Don't curse him" interrupted Sabhapathy. "May he be happy!" 

"We should at least condemn a person who betrayed us, in strong words. That will give us some satisfaction!" said Sundari.

"The hallmark of a good person is not to use words intending harm to others" said Sabhapathy.

"What do you mean? We may decide not to punish a person who has wronged us. But should we not give vent to our anger? That's what will make us feel better."

"It is a wrong approach."

"What you say is strange. Some people will use abusive words against a person who has wronged them. Dignified people won't use abusive language. But they will curse the traitor, saying things like, 'he will pay the price for this,' 'he will be punished by God for what he did to me' etc. It is natural for people to react this way."

"Using harsh words amounts to punishing ourselves."

"How can it be?"

"In our mythology, there are stories of sages who attained extraordinary powers through long years of penance. But if they cursed someone, their powers would get diminished. This is what we see in several mythological stories. Now, what is cursing? Cursing is using words intending harm to others. Doesn't the sages' suffering loss of power, when they cursed other people, indicate that this resulted from their lack of discipline and propriety? Is this not a punishment the sages inflicted on themselves, by slipping on their discipline and code of propriety?"

Sundari did not answer her husband.

After a few months, there was news of a person running a chit fund having absconded with the money deposited by the subscribers to various chit fund schemes. Sundari had subscribed to a scheme promoted by him and deposited fifty thousand rupees over a period. When she heard the news, she was shocked. The grief resulting from losing a large amount of money made her feel angry towards the person who had cheated her. She began to curse him with the words, "May he suffer from...." But immediately, she changed her thought and murmured "I wish him well."

Thirukkural

Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 14
Possession of Propriety 

Verse 139 (In Tamil)

ozhukkam udaiyavarkku ollAvE thIya
vazhukkiyum vAyAl solal.

Meaning:

Those who practice propriety will not utter harmful words even inadvertently. 

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'sIttuppaNam' by the same author.)

Verse 140 (Soon)
Verse 138

602. Nandan's Plans

"What did our MD say?" Sukumar asked General Manager Prabhu, who had just been to the Managing Director's cabin.

Prabhu was designated General Manager of the small firm because of his seniority. But he was nearly at the same level as were the other employees of the firm.

"Everyday he comes out with some new plans. I don't know how he expects them to be implemented. Listening to him, my head reels!" said Prabhu.

"He expects you to carry out his plans, doesn't he?"

"He doesn't say so. I think he wants to share his ideas with someone and makes use of me as a receptacle for his thoughts. But, I am worried."

"Why?"

"I don't have the expertise or competence to carry out his ideas. If he thinks that I am not good enough to bring his ideas into fruition, he may replace me!"

"It won't happen. You have been working in this firm from the time of his father. If you feel insecure, what will be the state of people like me?"

"His father was an achiever. He quit a well-paying job and started this firm. He faced several challenges and obstacles. But he overcame all the obstacles through his dedication, hard work and perseverance and made his firm to grow to the present level. Since the business had been firmly grounded by him, our firm has been functioning smoothly like a lubricated machine. Our business runs almost on auto pilot. Even if we don't do anything, the business will keep running. We just need to execute the orders we keep receiving. And cash will keep flowing in. But, our MD seems to think that he has to make his own contribution to the business."

"If my father had left me a business like this, I would be sitting pretty, collecting the cash that keeps coming and enjoying my life" said Sukumar, with a sigh.

"Mr. Prabhu! I have been talking to you about my ideas for making our business grow further. What do you think of them?" asked Managing Director Nandan.

"Sir, your ideas are amazing. But, I am not sure whether we have the setup to carry out those ideas" said Prabhu. After some hesitation, he added, "Are we not doing well, already?"

"On both counts, you are right. It is true that we have been doing well. My father had built up the business and taken it to such a level that I can just sit tight and watch the business run on its own. But, should we not emulate our parents? I think it is not enough, if we just enjoy what they have left for us. So, I have been thinking of ways to expand our business and sharing my ideas with you."

Prabhu kept quiet, not being sure how to respond to this.

"But, as you rightly said, we don't have the setup to carry out my ideas. We cannot execute my plans with the setup we have. So, I have decided to create a new setup. As the first step, I am going to  appoint a Project Manager."

Prabhu was waiting with bated breath to listen to what the Managing Director was going to say further.

"But the new setup should not disturb the existing setup. So, I propose to create a new division headed by the Project Manager I will be appointing. We will construct a new building adjacent to the existing building. The new division will function from there. That way, the new division will not have any link with the existing division being managed by you. But, I need to make some changes in your division too."

Prabhu began to worry how the changes proposed by the Managing Director would affect him.

"Though you have been designated General Manager, you don't even have a cabin. So, I will create a cabin for you. I will also delegate specific powers to you, to enable you to function independently to carry out your responsibilities. You can suggest creating positions under you that could function as responsibility centres. What do you say?"

"Your vision to take this firm created by your father to higher levels is laudable, sir" said Prabhu.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 61

Not Being Sluggish

Verse 602 (in Tamil):
madiyai madiyA ozhugal kudiyaik
kudiyAga vENdubhavar.

Meaning:

Those who you wish to make their clan reputed will kill laziness.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'nandhanin thittangaL' by the same author.) 

Verse 603
Verse 601

601. Library Assistant

"The groom's family has been a wealthy family, since several generations. The family has tremendous goodwill in the village. If you ask anyone in the village about the family, they will say, 'you can't see such nice people anywhere.' We should be lucky to give our daughter in marriage to a boy from that family" said Ayyaswamy.

"Oh, good! What is the groom doing?" asked his wife Lakshmi. 

"The boy is educated. But he is not working. His parents are no more. He has a lot of properties. So, he has been looking after his properties, by residing in the village" replied Ayyaswamy.

He then turned to his daughter Thangam and asked her, "What is your opinion about this match?"

Thangam said, "You know what is good for me, dad."

Three months passed since Thangam married Dhandapani and came to live in his house in the village. She observed that her husband was mostly staying at home.

Thangam asked Dhandapani, "Should you not be going to our fields and supervising the farming operations going on there?"

"There is no need. I have leased out my lands. The tenants will carry out the operations and give us our share in the harvest. Our job is to just to receive the paddy and store it in the bins. In fact, I won't be bringing home our entire share of the paddy. I will bring only the quantity needed by us for our food. The tenant will sell the remaining quantity to paddy merchants and give me the sale proceeds in cash" said Dhandapani, proudly.

'It is like someone peeling the banana and feeding it into your month, saving you even the little labour of peeling!' thought Thangam.

"We own a rice mill. You don't go there either" remarked Thangam.

"We have appointed a person to manage the rice mill. He meets me every evening, gives me the day's account and hands over the amount earned that day. Have you not seen him visiting our house every day?"

"Has this been the practice since your grandfather's time?"

"My grandfather was looking after the lands, but there was no rice mill during his time. My father was not interested in farming activities. So, he leased out the lands. He started the rice mill and looked after that business. Since the rice mill business had stabilized during my father's time, I entrusted running the rice mill to a manager" said Dhandapani, feeling proud about his ingenuity.

"Are you going to start any other business?" asked Thangam.

"No. But, why are you asking this question?"

"Your grandfather was looking after the lands. Your father started a rice mill and was looking after it. But you have not been looking after either. That is why I wondered whether you had a plan to start some other business."

"I have been looking after you. Is it not sufficient?" asked Dhandapani, jocularly. 

After a few days, Thangam told Dhandapani, "You know there is a free library in our village."

"Yes. An old lady has been running it. I have visited the library. But I don't have interest in reading books. So, I have not been using the library. The lady has been running it very well. I have often wondered how she has collected so many books and why she has been lending books to people free of cost, spending her own time and money in doing the service. I salute her for doing this service at this age, exerting herself physically."

"Yes. Running the library has been a difficult task for her. When I was talking to her, she said that it would be helpful if someone assisted her in running the library. I intend to go to the library every day and help her in her task" said Thangam.

"What is the need for you to do this? We are not in need of money. She won't be able to offer you a good salary, either" said Dhandapani, surprised by Thangam's idea.

"I won't be working for a salary. I just want to volunteer my services."

"Why? Sitting at home is boring to you! If you feel bored, you can borrow books from the library and read. You can even buy books and read."

After hesitating for a moment, Thangam said, "Our family has a good reputation among the people in this village. Your grandfather kept himself busy by looking after agriculture. Your father started a rice mill and kept himself busy by running it. But, you are not engaged in either activity. If we live an idle life, without engaging ourselves in any activity, the esteem and goodwill we have among the people will get eroded gradually.  Only if we are involved in some activity, will people respect us. Till the time you take up a job or some activity, I propose to engage myself in such activities, to save our respect and esteem from getting faded."

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 61

Not Being Sluggish

Verse 601(in Tamil):
kudiyennum kunRA viLakkam madiyennum
mAsUra mAyndhu kedum.

Meaning:

The inextinguishable flame of distinguished ancestry will be put out,

if the filth of sloth starts blocking it

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'nUlaga udhaviyALar' by the same author.) 

Verse 602
Verse 600

600. Trees Grown By the Father.

"You are twenty five years old. But you have still not got yourself a job!" said Thilakam.

"I have been trying" said her son Natarajan.

"I doubt it. I am not not well-educated. Still, I look for job advertisements in the newspapers and suggest the suitable ones to you. But, you apply only for a few of the opportunities I bring to your notice."

"Only I can decide what kind of a job will suit me. I can't apply for all the jobs advertised in the papers and picked by you as suitable to me."

"Why can't you seek the help of influential people known to us for getting a job through their contacts? I referred you to some people. But, you didn't approach them."

"I cannot meet everyone you want me to and beg for his charity" said Natarajan, showing his irritation. He added, "Are we struggling for survival? Are we not living comfortably?"

"We are surviving, alright. But, we can't continue like this, forever. After you get married and your family expands, won't you need a steady income to run your family? Your father died when you were a boy, leaving the responsibility of bringing you up, to me entirely. You will never understand how much I struggled single-handedly, to bring you up.. But, you have the habit of taking things easy. You didn't concentrate on your studies. I saved money for your college education, by being prudent in spending and cutting down many of my needs. But you were not interested in joining a college. You were happy to stop your studies at the school level. Now, you are not making any effort to take up employment. When I think of your future, I am worried. But you don't have even an iota of concern about your future" lashed out Thilakam, pouring out her feelings of anger and frustration.

Upset by his mother's words, Natarajan walked out of the house.

When Thilakam was engaged in nurturing the plants in the garden at her home, Sivakami, a neighbour came there.

"Did your son get a job?" Sivakami asked Thilakam.

"Not yet. He is still searching for a job" replied Thilakam.

Looking at the plants in the garden, Sivakami pointed to one tree and remarked, "This tree has grown up so tall!"

"All these plants were nurtured by my husband. Now they have grown into tall tress" said Thilakam, feeling both proud and nostalgic.

Seeing her son Natarajan step into the house, 'What is the difference between these plants and my son?' wondered Sivakami.

Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 60

Possessing Zeal

Verse 600 (in Tamil):

uram oruvarkku uLLa veRukkai ahdhu illAr
maram makkaLAdhalE vERu.

Meaning:

Abundant zeal is one's strength. People, devoid of this are trees in the form of human beings. 

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'appA vaLarththa marangaL' by the same author.) 

Verse 601
Verse 599