165. Maheswaran's Concerns

"Sundar is leaving for London tomorrow. Shall we go to the airport to send him off?" Kavitha asked her husband Maheswaran.

"Why don't we accompany him to London, leave him at the hotel he is going to say and then return to India?" asked Maheswaran, sarcastically. 

"Is my younger brother going abroad not a significant event? Every one in our family is going to the airport to see him off."

"Till two years back, your brother was struggling to find a regular job. After he had got a job in this company, his status changed overnight. He has been showing off, like a pauper who stumbled on a treasure. Should I become a bearer of the palanquin he is traveling on? If you want, you can go to the airport. Don't drag me along."

'You can't stomach other people's success!' Kavitha murmured to herself. 

A few months back, Maheswaran avoided attending the sixtieth birthday celebration of his elder brother.

"Anyone who lives long enough will grow to the age of sixty. What is there to celebrate about it? Having worked in a government department, he earned well, augmented his income by taking bribes and accumulated a lot of money. He doesn't know what to do with all that money. So, he is squandering money to exhibit his wealth. I am not going to attend the function. You can attend along with our children" Maheswaran told Kavitha.

"What will I say, if your brother and other relatives ask me why you didn't come?"

"Tell them that I am laid up with fever, unable to get up from the bed."

Kavitha told every one, "He has high fever. He was unable to get up from the bed this morning. He is feeling chill and is lying on the bed, covering himself with a blanket."

Concerned about Maheswaran's health, his brother came to visit him the next day.

Maheswaran was sitting on the sofa, watching television.

"The fever subsided this morning. Just now, he got up from the bed and came to the hall" said Kavitha, by way of explaining Maheswaran not looking like a sick man.

When it came to becoming jealous, Maheswaran did not distinguish between his relatives and his wife's relatives. He hated every one who was successful in life. He was jealous of anyone who achieved something in life and who enjoyed or celebrated life. He had a similar attitude towards his office colleagues and friends.

After Mukundan, a close friend of Maheswaran, got a promotion, Maheswaran began to move away from him. Though Mukundan continued to move with Maheswaran in the same friendly way as he had always moved, Maheswaran did not reciprocate his affection. 

"He knows nothing about the work in our office. He would ask for my help and guidance, even for little tasks. Now, he has got a promotion and moved above me. How strange!" he told Kavitha, about Mukundan. 

Maheswaran looked dull and fatigued.

"Are you not well?" asked Kavitha.

"When I ponder over my life, I feel depressed. During the last ten years, many people in my circle have overtaken me and risen to higher levels. I don't understand why nothing good has been happening to me. I didn't get promotion in my office. I tried for a better job, but I didn't succeed. I find that several people like my brother, your brother and my friend Mukundan, who are much below me in intelligence, competence and capabilities have risen up to levels much higher than mine. I am unable to stomach this incongruity. Sometimes I wonder whether someone is conspiring against me" said Maheswaran, his voice showing his frustration and exasperation.

"Why do you think so? Many good things have happened to us also. Some of the things you had expected to happen might happen with some delay. Our children and I are happy about the life you have given us" said Kavitha, in an attempt to assuage his frustration.

After some hesitation, she added, "If you won't mistake me, shall I share my feelings with you?"

"Yes. I am eager to hear what you are going to say" said Maheswaran, with interest.  

"You said that you were unable to stomach the success of other people. Why should you think that way? If something good happens to another person, we don't have to feel happy about it. But, why should we feel sad or disappointed? You said that someone might be conspiring against us. Why should anyone do so? After all, we have no enemies. I have heard the principle that it is our thoughts that shape up our life. Perhaps your feeling jealous about other people's success is blocking your progress. I don't know whether I am right. But, please think about what I have said and come to your own conclusion" said Kavitha.

Thirukkural

Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 17
Bearing No Envy

Verse 165 (In Tamil)

azhukkARu udaiyArkku adhu sAlum onnAr
vazhukkAyum kEdInbadhu.

Meaning:

One who is afflicted by envy doesn't need enemies to cause him destruction. The envy itself will destroy him.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'nAn varavillai' by the same author)

Verse 166 (Soon)
Verse 164

679. Unsolicited Help

"I called you several times during the past two days. You didn't pick up my calls" Ramaswamy told his friend Madhavan, in a complaining tone, over the phone. 

"I am sorry. I was unable to do the help you wanted from me. I was trying to arrange for the money you asked for. I thought I would call you after I got the money. I didn't pick up your calls, since I didn't want to disappoint you with negative information" said Madhavan.

"You have never failed me in the past. I was depending on you a lot" said Ramaswamy, with disappointment.

"I am unable to help you this time. I am sorry" said Madhavan and ended the telephone conversation. 

"He is your friend. He asked you for a loan for his business. You could have helped him" Madhavan's wife Parvathy told him.

"If I had money with me, I would have helped him."

"But, in the past, you have helped him, by arranging funds through some other friends."

"If it was possible, I would have arranged. This time, I couldn't do so. Sometimes, it happens like this!" said Madhavan, ending the topic.

"I will never forget the help you have extended to me" Manickam told Madhavan. 

"One should never borrow money from loan sharks. If one does, one will end up in a situation like this" said Madhavan. 

"You are right. I chose to borrow money from them for an urgent need. I was paying interest to them regularly. But, when I could not pay the interest for two months, due to a tight money situation, they began to apply the screws on me. I was terrorized to the extreme. I have heard that these people would even go to the extent of kidnapping the family members and threaten to harm them, if the dues are not paid within the deadline set by them. You and I have been rivals in the business. There have been occasions, when we have had bitter confrontations. But, you have kept every thing aside and come forward to help me, after coming to know of my situation through some source. By quickly arranging for the money and helping me, you have saved me from a desperate situation. I can never thank you adequately for your timely help. I will repay the money to you at the earliest" said Manickam, holding Madhavan's hands, with gratitude. 

"Well, don't borrow from another loan shark, in order to repay the money to me!" said Madhavan, smiling. "But, I do expect something in return from you."

"Tell me, Mr. Madhavan. I will do anything I can."

"A friend of mine asked me to lend him money for his business needs. I have always helped him in the past. But, this time, since I wanted to help you, I had to say no to him."

Manickam was waiting to hear what Madhavan was going to say.

"The reason I chose to help you, rather than help my friend was to use this opportunity to end the bitterness in our relationship. It is true that we are competitors in the business, but we don't have to feel inimical to each other. This is what I expect from you" said Madhavan. 

"If I am going to be inimical towards you, even after you have rendered such a great help to me, I won't be considered human at all. Though we are rivals in the business, let us be friends" said Manickam, extending his hand.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 68
The Method of Executing An Action

Verse 679 (in Tamil):
nattArkku nalla seyalin viraindhadhE
ottArai ottik koLal.

Meaning:

Befriending foes should be considered more pressing than doing good to friends.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'kEtkAmalE seydha udhavi' by the same author.) 

Verse 680 (Soon)
Verse 678

678. A Transfer to Kolkatta

"Sir! I have only two years to retire from service. You are transferring me to Kolkatta now!" said Ramakrishnan, dismay

"Yes, Mr. Ramakrishnan. Our Kolkatta branch needs the services of a senior person like you" said Managing Director Dayalan. 

"My daughter is studying in the college. My son is in the school final year. I won't be able to take my family to Kolkatta."

"Why don't you enjoy two years of 'bachelor life' in your old age? We will be providing you accommodation free of cost, in the guest room inside the office premises. You will also get an extra allowance. So, the additional expenditure you will be incurring by living in Kolkatta will be compensated."

"Every one will be faced withe question what to do after retirement. But, even several years before my retirement, I had decided what I was going to do after retirement!" Ramakrishnan told his friend Raghavan.  

"What did you decide you were going to do?" asked Raghavan.

"I decided that I would become a spiritual speaker.  

"I know that you have a deep interest in religion and spirituality. I also know that even from your younger age, you have been acquiring knowledge on this field, by reading books on religion and spirituality. But, can you become a spiritual speaker, by using the knowledge you have gained from books?"

"I can't. To become a spiritual speaker, one should undergo intensive training under a scholar in the field. During the period I was employed, I could not find the time to undergo such training. While the whole day was spent in the office, after coming home in the evening, I had domestic affairs to attend to. When I was pondering over how I was going to find the time to acquire the training, I was offered such an opportunity by my company!"

"What was that opportunity?"

"Two years before my retirement, my company transferred me to Kolkatta. Initially, I thought the transfer was a problem, since I could not take my family with me to Kolkatta at that time, due to constraints imposed by my children's education. But, subsequently, I found a way to use the transfer as an opportunity" said Ramakrishnan.

"How?" asked Raghavan.

"I came to know that a renowned spiritual speaker, who was residing in Chennai for long, had moved to Kolkatta and taken up residence there. I found out his address and met him. He agreed to give me training in giving spiritual discourses. He said that I could go to his house, whenever I had time and learn things from him. If I had been transferred to a place near Chennai, I would have come home to Chennai during the weekends, for being with my family. Kolkatta being very far from Chennai, I couldn't come to Chennai often. I made use of the weekends for getting trained by him. Now, after my retirement, I have come back to Chennai. With the training acquired by me, I am ready to give spiritual discourses immediately and start my journey as a spiritual speaker" said Ramakrishnan, feeling excited. 

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 68
The Method of Executing An Action

Verse 678 (in Tamil):
vinaiyAn vinaiyAkkik kOdal nanaigavuL
yAnaiyAl yAnai Yaththu aRRu.

Meaning:

Making use of one undertaking as the means of accomplishing another is like using one elephant to catch another.

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

Verse 679
Verse 677

677. A New Member in the Team

"We will be the first one in India to manufacture this product" said Project Manager Aravind, with pride.

Managing Director Kumar smiled gently. 

"It is our Managing Director who has taken a bold decision to manufacture this product, for the first time in our country. He has appointed Aravind as the Project Manager. But, this man talks as if he is the one who has planned and initiated this project!" Accounts Manager Shanmugam whispered into the ears of Administration Manager Sakthivel, sitting next to him in the meeting.

"Well. Our Managing Director has appointed Aravind as the Project Manager, only because he has executed a few projects successfully. It is only natural that he feels proud" said Sakthivel. 

"At present, there are eight members in this Project Implementation Group. I have included one more member in this group. He will join our company tomorrow. He will work together with Aravind. He will participate in the future meetings of this committee" said Kumar.

Kumar's announcement caught every one by surprise. Aravind's face expression indicated that he was not only surprised, but also shocked.

"The project has been completed successfully. The trial production has come out satisfactorily. The next step is to start commercial production. My greetings and heartfelt congratulations to all the members of the Project Implementation Committee, who had worked hard with dedication and co-ordination" said Kumar.

All the members acknowledged his appreciation with joy.

Aravind entered Kumar's cabin, after tapping the door and getting his permission.

"Come in, Aravind. I should specially appreciate you, for your role in the successful completion of the project. When every one was present, I didn't want to mention your name and personally appreciate you" said Kumar.

"Thank you, sir" said Aravind. After a pause, he said, "I have a grievance, though!"

"I know what it is. After making you the Project Manager, I asked you to work along with another person. You couldn't have been happy about it!"

"Why did you do it, sir?" asked Aravind, but hastened to add. "I have no complaints about Sundar. He is very knowledgeable and well experienced. Working with him was a pleasant and useful experience. His contribution to the project is substantial. But, in my opinion, you could have completed this project, by having either of us manage it. Pardon me, if I am wrong."

"Just now, you mentioned that Sundar's contribution to the project was substantial. Both of you have contributed a lot to the project. Can you say that if only one of you had managed the project, the project would have been implemented so successfully?" asked Kumar. 

"You may have a point there, sir. But, I have a question. You didn't tell us anything about Sundar's background. You also enjoined us that we shouldn't ask Sundar anything about his background. Why, sir? Now that the project has been completed, can you tell me what his background is? How did he come to possess so much knowledge about the product we are manufacturing in this project?

"Aravind. I have often heard you mentioning proudly that we are the first in the country to manufacture this product. I have never disputed your claim, but your claim is not entirely true. Before us, some other people had tried to manufacture this project."

"Yes, sir. Many people have tried, but no one has succeeded" said Aravind. 

"When people take up a task to perform, they have the intention to complete the task. We also started with such an intention. But, only after successfully completing the task, we are able to claim that we have done it. Though many people had taken up this project in the past, about five years back, one person made strenuous efforts and came close to the stage of implementing it. But, due to some problems encountered by him towards the end, he could not complete the project. I thought I could make use of the experience of that person" said Kumar.

"You mean..."

"Your guess is correct. Sundar was that person. Since you have experience in implementing a few projects, you have mastered the skills of implementing a project. Since Sundar made efforts to implement this project, I thought his experience would complement your skills and brought him in our team" said Kumar.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 68
The Method of Executing An Action

Verse 677 (in Tamil):
seyvinai seyvAn seyan muRai avvinai
uL aRivAn uLLam koLal..

Meaning:  

One who sets out to do a task should learn the method of doing it and seek the counsel of one who is experienced in doing the task.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'kuzhuvil oru pudhiya uRuppinar' by the same author.) 

Verse 678
Verse 676

676. "Before we start"

"You have chosen this small place in another state to set up the factory, for the reason that the raw material source is near this place. It is more than a month since we both arrived at this godforsaken place. You have been going out, now and then. Sometimes, you bring some people here and discuss with them for a long time. But, till now, you have not even got a building plan for the factory prepared. I don't understand what you have been doing" Chandran told his friend Ganesan. 

"Before setting up a factory, there is a lot of preparatory work to be done" said Ganesan. 

"Why did you bring me with you, then? You could have asked me to come here, after doing the preparatory work!"

Ganesan threw a reproachful look at his friend and said, "My dear friend! I want you to be my partner, in this project. A partner should be on the scene, from the very beginning!"

"But, I have not yet consented to be a partner. I know nothing about this business. I am willing to invest money, based on your faith in the project. But I have to get the money to invest from my father. I can't answer the questions he will be posing to me. I asked you to talk to my father about the project and convince him. But, you didn't do so. Instead, you have brought me here. Of course, you have been spending money for my travel and stay. But, I am sitting idle, which is tiresome" said Chandran. 

"Don't worry. Hereafter, you will also have work to do. Till now, I was engaged in technical aspects of the project. Since I didn't know to what extent you will understand the technical aspects of the project, I didn't involve you" clarified Ganesan. 

"You would have studied the technical aspects of the project, before deciding to set up the factory!"

"Yes, of course. I did a detailed study, consulted experts, prepared a project report, got it vetted by the bank and got a loan sanctioned for the project too. I have selected the site for the factory and initiated steps for procuring the land."

"So, what are the factors you have been studying now?"

"Before we start implementing the project, we should decide things like how we are going to implement the project, what part can be done by us directly and what part can be got done through contractors, whether there will be any resistance from the local people for the factory coming up here, strategies for carrying out various tasks ranging from digging a well, to laying electric cables over a distance, identifying different ways of doing things, the benefits and the problems each way of doing would throw up etc" explained Ganesan.  

"Are these things not considered even before preparing the project report? Should we do this exercise once again, before we start the work?"

"If this project were being implemented by a large organization, it would have made a thorough study of all these factors. But, this is a small firm having you and I as partners. We didn't prepare the project report, by engaging experienced consultants, which would have involved huge expenditure. So, it is better to have a thorough check of all the factors, before we set out to buy the land and construct the factory building. Have we not witnessed some projects launched by big companies running into problems during implementation?" 

"In case we find that there are some insurmountable problems in implementing the project, what should we do?"

"In such a scenario, we have to treat the money spent till now as a loss and abandon the project!" said Ganesan, laughing.

"Oh! That was the reason..."

"...I didn't speak to your father about the investment. I wanted you to bring in your capital, only after I got confirmation that the project could be implemented successfully. If the project were to be abandoned, I would bear the loss of the money spent till now" said Ganesh and added, "Fortunately, my study indicates that such a scenario is not likely to develop."

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 68
The Method of Executing An Action

Verse 676 (in Tamil):
mudivum idaiyURum muRRi Angu eydhum
padu payanum pArththuch cheyal.

Meaning:  

An act is to be performed after considering the means to be adopted, the obstacles to be encountered, and the gain expected on completion of the act.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'thozhilaith thuvangip pAr' by the same author.) 

Verse 677
Verse 675

675. A Turning Point

"Have you lost your mind? You say you are going to start a political party!" exclaimed Sumathy, in a tone of astonishment. 

"The country needs political parties too. All these years, I have been carrying  on business activities. I have earned a fairly good amount of money. We have been leading a comfortable life. My business establishments are running well and generating income for us, even without the need for any active involvement by me. I don't even visit the offices of my business establishments frequently. I want to do something for this society. If I start a political party, formulate good policies and action plans for the welfare of our country and its people and propagate them, will it not be good for the country?" asked her husband Gowrishankar.

"You are already sounding like a politician giving a speech in a public meeting! Politics has evolved into a profession for gaining power and using that power to accumulate wealth. What good can you do, by jumping into the fray?"

"What you say is generally true. Politics has been increasingly associated with power and money. I am planning to launch a political party only to change this scenario and make use of politics to deliver good things to people."

"I don't know. Use your judgement and decide" said Sumathi.

"It has been about eight months since you announced your decision to start a political party. During this period, you invited various kinds of people to our house and had elaborate discussions with them. You have been spending a lot of money - I don't know for what purpose. Now, you say you are going to launch a television channel. Have you changed your plan?"

Gowrishankar smiled, without giving her an answer.

"It is good that you have dropped your idea of starting a political party. Launching a television channel could be a good decision. You know how to run a business, after all" said Sumathy.

Gowrishankar remained silent. 

"Have you changed your mind again? You have gone back to your idea of launching a political party!" asked Sumathy

"Did I ever say that I had given up the idea of starting a political party?" countered Gowrishakar.

"For the past several months, you were having discussions with various people. I thought that after those discussions you have decided against launching a political party. You also told me that you had applied for starting a television channel!"

"Yes. Now, I have got the approval from the government for my television channel. I am launching my channel on 1st of May. The same day, I am launching my political party from Trichy. The launch event will be telecast live in my television channel. That will bring publicity for the launch of my political party. My TV channel will also become popular, by telecasting the launch of my party."

"I don't understand your plan at all!"

"Before taking up a task, we need to make preparations to ensure that the task is performed in an effective way. First of all, we should consider the resources for doing a task. In this case, money is the major resource needed. For the past eight months, I have been building up a fund for launching the political party, by setting aside a fixed sum of money every month from the profits of my businesses .

"Secondly, the means of doing the task and the tools we are going to employ have to be got ready. This being an information era, I thought having a television channel of my own for telecasting news and information about my party would be valuable. We can not only propagate our policies and plans, but also reply to criticism by other parties through our channel. That is why I applied for permission to launch a television channel and got it too. 

"In addition to the electronic media, the social media have also gained importance. In fact, social media platforms are essential for us to quickly reach a large number of people and communicate our ideas to them. I have engaged a number of people who have the skills and experience to launch youtube channels for posting videos in support of my party. 

"Thirdly, my launching the party on 1st May, celebrated as workers' day, will give a chance to some leaders to berate me, by saying that being a businessman, I am anti-labour. I plan to telecast a news story in my television channel explaining what excellent benefits the employees working in my companies have been getting. That way, I can turn a propaganda launched against me in my favour. It will also create a positive image about my political party. Only on these considerations, I am launching my party on 1st May. "

"But, why are you launching your party from Trichy. You hail from Madurai. You could have chosen Madurai, to launch your party!" asked Sumathy. 

 "I could have. But Trichy has a significance. Many political parties consider Trichy to be a sentimentally favourable place. Many a political leader has used the term 'Turning Point,' while organizing an event at Trichy. I will take advantage of that sentiment and launch my party as a 'Turning Point' in the state's politics" said Gowrishankar. 

"I have seen you make meticulous plans while starting a new business. But, it is amazing that you have followed a similar approach, for launching a political party also" said Sumathy, looking at her husband with admiration and pride.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 68
The Method of Executing An Action

Verse 675 (in Tamil):
poruL karuvi kAlam vinai idanodu aindhum
iruL thIra eNNich cheyal.

Meaning:  

Do an act after a due consideration of the following five factors, viz., resources, means, time, deed (the task) and place.

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

Verse 676
Verse 674

674. An Unfinished Job

When the request came to Kumaran Industries from one of its longstanding customers, Kumaran, the proprietor of Kumaran Industries, agreed to consider it.

Kumaran Industries was manufacturing a chemical product. It was manufactured in commercial grade.

Shanmugam had been buying the chemical from Kumaran Industries and using it as a raw material to manufacture another product. 

Shanmugam told Kumaran that he proposed to make another product using the chemical made by Kumaran Industries but that the material was needed in laboratory grade, slightly different from the chemical grade material Kumaran Industries was now making. 

Shanmugam requested Kumaran to manufacture and supply the laboratory grade material also in addition to the commercial grade material Kumaran Industries had already been making and supplying.

Manufacturing and supplying laboratory grade material to Shanmugam would generate additional revenue to Kumaran Industries. The new product could also be supplied to other potential users of the product. 

However, manufacturing laboratory grade material required procuring and installing additional equipment. License from the government was also to be obtained. 

Kumaran informed Shanmugam that he had initiated steps to set up a plant for making the laboratory grade material and that he would be able to begin supply within a few months. 

Shanmugam told Kumaran that for the time being, he was buying the material from some other firm and that once Kumaran Industries was ready to begin the supply, he would buy it from them.

Kumaran began to take steps for setting up the new plant.

There was a delay in getting the license from the government. The manager of Kumaran Industries told Kumaran that if he, as the proprietor, met the government officials, the process could be speeded up. 

Kumaran met the government official concerned and requested him to expedite the process of giving the license. But, he didn't get any positive reply from the official.

Kumaran realized that there was some problem at the higher levels of the government. He thought that he would be able to resolve the issue, by meeting some officials at the higher levels of the government and complying with their requirements. 

But, due to some hesitation to meet higher level government officials and procrastination, Kumaran kept postponing his intended visit to the government offices.

"You have been our customer for the past several years. But, you tell me all of a sudden that you won't buy from us any longer. It is shocking!" said Kumaran. 

"It is not a sudden decision from my side. I had told you six months before that in addition to the commercial grade material, I also needed the laboratory grade material. Though I needed the laboratory grade material even at that time, I told you that I would be buying it from another supplier but would switch over to you, once you started manufacturing the product. But, you have not been able to get even the license till now!" said Shanmugam.

"We have been making efforts, sir. There has been a delay from the government side" said Kumaran, apologetically.

"I made some discrete inquieries through my contacts in the government. They say that you have not shown any interest in getting the license. It appears to me that you have dropped the idea of setting up a plant for making the laboratory grade."

"No, sir! We are still working on it."

"Sorry, Mr. Kumaran. It would be advantageous to me to buy both grades of the material from one source. There is a person who manufactures bot the grades. He is Damodaran, who worked as a chemist in your firm. I have to consider what is good for my business. So, I have decided to buy both the grades from him. My best wishes."

Shanmugam ended the telephonic conversation.

Damodaran!

Kumaran felt a stream of hot vapours rising up inside his body. 

Damodaran, who was working as a chemist in his firm, tried to sell the formula of his firm to a rival firm. The proprietor of the rival firm called up Kumaran and exposed Damodaran's treachery. Kumaran dismissed Damodaran immediately.

Several people including the manager of his firm urged Kumaran to file a police complaint against Damodaran. But Kumaran thought that dismissal from the job was an adequate punishment for Damodaran.

Kumaran realized that his failure to act against the person who betrayed him and his failure to vigorously pursue the project to set up a new plant had together struck him hard.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 68
The Method of Executing An Action

Verse 674 (in Tamil):
vinai pagai enRu iraNdin echcham ninaiyum kAl
thI echcham pOlath theRum.

Meaning:  

An unfinished work and an enemy left unfinished both have the potential to flare up like an unextinguished fire.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'thotta kuRai vitta kuRai' by the same author.) 

Verse 675
Verse 673