488. When the Innocent Was Punished

An event that happened when Bhaskar was working as the Assistant Manager in a bank had a devastating effect on his career and life.

Since Murthy, the Manager of the branch, was on leave that day, Bhaskar was in-charge of the branch.

The firm Rohini Constructions had an account with the bank since long. Recently, a facility called Bank Guarantee was sanctioned to the firm with a limit of Rupees Ten Lakh. It was only on the basis of that guarantee that the firm could participate in the tenders floated by the Government, for various construction works.

The facility of the Bank Guarantee was sanctioned to the firm against the security of a property worth Rupees Twenty Lakh to be mortgaged to the bank.

The sanction letter had come from the Regional Office of the bank only two days back. Rohini Constructions had not yet executed the documents for availing of the facility. The firm had not submitted the documents of the property to be mortgaged to the bank, either.

Parthibhan, one of the two partners of Rohini Constructions came to the bank and requested for the issue of a bank guarantee for Rupees Ten Lakh, to enable the firm to participate in a government tender, that day being the last day to submit the quotation for the tender.

Bhaskar told him "You have not yet executed the documents for availing of the facility. You have not yet handed over the property documents, either. The Manager is on leave today. How can I issue the Bank Guarantee?"

"Should our business suffer because your Manager is on leave?" asked Parthibhan.

"That is not the issue. I mentioned it in passing. We cannot issue the guarantee, when you have not executed the documents and not given your property documents to us. We have to get your property documents scrutinized by our lawyer and only after he gives the clearance, we can create the mortgage and then issue the guarantee to you" said Bhaskar, firmly.

"Sir! We have been a long-standing customer of the bank. My brother, the other partner of the firm, is out of station. He will be back only after two days. All the documents have to be signed by both of us. Only my brother knows where the property documents have been kept. So, I am not able to produce the property documents to you now. We ought to apply for this tender today. Please help us" pleaded Parthibhan. 

"I will consult the Manager" said Bhaskar and called up Murthy at his home.

"Bhaskar! Rohini Constructions is a reliable customer. The firm has been having an account with us since long. We can get the documents signed by them later. You may issue the Bank Guarantee, as per their request. You have the power to sign the Bank Guarantee on behalf of the bank. I will get the documents from them soon" said Murthy.

"Sir! They have not yet given us the documents for the property to be mortgaged to us as the security" said Bhaskar.

"You said that Parthibhan told you that his brother would be back in two days. Everything will be regularized in two days' time. I will take care of everything. Don't worry" Murthy assured him.

Bhaskar issued the Bank Guarantee, by signing it on behalf of the bank..

Unexpectedly, internal auditors from the bank's Head Office came to the branch the next day, to conduct a surprise audit.

The auditors were sitting in the Branch Manager's cabin and scrutinizing the records.

In the afternoon, Murthy called Bhaskar over intercom and asked him to come to his cabin.

When Bhaskar entered Murthy's cabin, one of the auditors asked him, "Mr. Murthy! Did you issue this Bank Guarantee yesterday?" showing him the copy of Bank guarantee issued by him for Rohini Constructions.

"Yes" said Bhaskar, looking at Murthy. "The Manager was on leave yesterday."

"That is fine. But how did you issue the bank Guarantee, without getting the documents signed by the firm and without getting the property to be given as security mortgaged?"

Bhaskar looked at Murthy, wondering why he didn't say, 'I asked him to issue it.'

"I issued the Guarantee, because the Manager asked me to issue it" said Bhaskar, looking at Murthy. 

"Mr. Bhaskar! I asked you to issue the Guarantee, only after getting the documents signed and completing all the formalities!" said Murthy, looking at Bhaskar.

Bhaskar felt his body suddenly beginning to sweat. A wave of surprise, shock, panic and anger swept his body.

'How is he able to lie, looking at my face?' 

"Okay. You may go" the auditors dismissed him. 

The next day, immediately on coming to the office, Murthy called Bhaskar to his cabin.

"The auditors have magnified a small thing. They immediately informed the Head Office about this. The Head Office too has, unfortunately, taken a serious view of the matter. I am sorry, Bhaskar! I have received a fax message from the Head Office, suspending you" said Murthy, showing the fax message to Bhaskar.

Bhaskar looked at the fax message, with a feeling of incredulity and shock. 

"What is this, sir? I refused to issue the Bank Guarantee. I issued it only because you asked me to" 

Evan as Bhaskar was speaking, his voice became choked. He controlled his tears with a great effort.

"Even if I had told the auditors that you acted as per my instruction, you would still have been held responsible for violating the bank's rules. They would have suspended both of us. Don't worry. I will get the documents signed by the partners and also get the property mortgaged, within a few days. Once this is done, the Head Office will revoke your suspension. Till that time, stay home, relaxed" said Murthy, with no regret or embarrassment.

'I have done no wrong and I am being punished. You are the culprit, but you have been allowed to go scot free' thought Bhaskar, feeling angry inside.

Gauging the thoughts running in Bhaskar's mind, Murthy said, "You will not be affected in any way by this suspension. Once the suspension is revoked, you can resume your duty. But, if I had been suspended, I wouldn't be allowed to continue as the Branch Manager, after my suspension is revoked. They would downgrade my position and transfer me to some remote branch. If someone falls from height, the impact will be more, won't it be?" trying to justify his action.

'You will fall from an even greater height. At that time, you will get hurt very severely. I will witness this some day!' thought Bhaskar.

As he had told Bhaskar, in the next few days, Murthy got the documents signed by both the partners of Rohini Constructions and also got the mortgage created on the property to be given as security by the firm. He informed this development to the Head Office.

After two weeks, the Head Office revoked Bhaskar's suspension, giving him a warning.

During this period, Murthy underwent a lot of mental agony from the humiliation suffered by him, the pain resulting from the apprehension that some people at his office and outside might have considered him guilty and the uneasiness created by the feeling that on that day, he should have stood his ground and refused to act as per Murthy's instruction over phone.

After resuming his duty on revocation of his suspension, Bhaskar began to look for another job.

After a few months, he got a job in a finance firm. It was no match to the job he had in the bank, but after the humiliation he had suffered in the bank, he didn't want to continue in his job. He quit the job in his bank and joined the finance firm.

Since he was working in the same town, which was small, he happened to meet Murthy a couple of times in public places. The very sight of Murthy would provoke an anger in Bhaskar. But suppressing his anger, Bhaskar would smile at Murthy, in a courteous way. Murthy would talk to him, as if nothing had happened between the two.

Some times, Murthy would brag to him about his achievements and recognitions. Bhaskar would listen to his vainglorious talk for a minute or two and move away, saying that he had other things to do.

After a few years, when Bhaskar happened to meet Murthy, Murthy told him proudly, "Bhaskar! Good news. I have got a promotion. I have been posted the Chief Manager of our Bombay branch."

"Congratulations" said Bhaskar, tersely.

'To me the only good news will be something bad happening to you. However, for the present, I will consider your leaving this place and being away from my sight a good news!' thought Bhaskar.

For the next two years, Bhaskar heard no news about Murthy. But the memory of the harm Murthy had done to him was haunting him frequently, rekindling his anger towards Murthy.

One day, Bhaskar happened to see a news item published in one of the inner pages of a newspaper, without much prominence. Intrigued by a name he found in that news story, Bhaskar read it with interest.

The news was about the Central Bureau of Investigation arresting a few bank officers for their complicity in the fraud committed by an industrialist by cheating some banks of hundreds of crores of rupees.

The list of bank officers arrested contained the name Murthy, the Chief Manager of the Bombay branch of the bank, Bhaskar had worked in.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 49
Knowing One's Strength

Verse 488 (in Tamil):

Ukkam udaiyAn odukkam poruthakar
thAkkaRkup pErum thakaiththu.

Meaning:

When you are harmed by your enemies, wait patiently. When the time comes, they will suffer the punishment.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'kAththirundhEn, kAththirundhEn' the same author.)

Verse 489 (Soon)
Verse 487

116. The Judgement

He had announced that he would deliver the judgement the next day. It was also notified on the notice board of the court.

He should decide who among the two parties to the dispute was entitled to get the property, having a value of ten crore rupees.

He had written a major part of his judgement. He had recorded the arguments of both the sides. He had to analyze the arguments of both the sides, decide the argument of which side had more weight and give the reasons for his decision.

He would have to write about twenty more pages.

Twenty!

That number took his mind on a different dimension.

Twenty lakh rupees!

That was the sum offered to him, if he would write the judgement in their favour!

One morning, when he was doing his morning walk, as per his routine, an elderly gentleman who walked along with him made this offer to him. When he angrily rejected the overture, the old man advised him that maintaining calmness would be good for him.

After that, through different sources, a message was passed on to him. If he wrote the judgement in favour of a particular side, he would be paid twenty lakh rupees. Details about how, when and through what means it would be paid to him, without the possibility of being detected by anyone, were revealed to him.

When he pointed out to them that even if he were to give the judgement in favour of one particular side, the other side would go for appeal, they bluntly told him not to bother about such questions. 'When we could take care of the judgement at the lower level, don't we know how to take care of the judgement at the higher level?' they asked him rhetorically.

All these years, he had never swerved from his strict adherence to neutrality. He had been highly respected for his integrity. Even those above him, who had no compunction about compromising their honesty, looked at him with respect.

'Why do I feel tempted? Why is my mind wavering in a way it has never done all these years?'

Is the thought of living a comfortable life after retirement, using the unexpected bonanza just before retirement, luring him?

He was not sure. But, for the first time, he felt a wavering feeling in his mind. That is why, contrary to his practice of making his judgement ready two days before it was to be delivered, he had been dragging the writing of his judgement till the last moment.

He came to a decision.

He had been honest all along. Why shouldn't he compromise his honesty just once, for the sake of money?

He sat down and completed writing his judgement. 

He had a habit of writing the judgement by his own hand, reading it in the court and then get it typed. He had been following this practice with a meticulous concern for secrecy that even his typist shouldn't know about the judgement, before it was delivered in the court.

He woke up suddenly in the middle of the night. His head was aching. He took a pill and went back to bed again. But the headache persisted. He was unable to sleep. The intensity of the headache kept increasing.

He remembered an incident from the past.

About thirty years back, he had a sudden attack of migraine. The ache would strike him suddenly and last for several hours. It would be like someone boring his head with a drilling machine.

He suffered from this ache for several years. He tried various treatments. But there was no relief from the pain.

Once he had been to the temple of his family deity. He appealed to  the deity, posing the question, 'I have been living an honest life, without committing even a tiny wrong. Why do you punish me like this?'

In a few months, the occurrence of migraine gradually got reduced and then stopped completely. His wife said that it was the Sidhdha medicine he had been taking that had cured him. But, he believed that it was his appeal to his family deity that produced the effect.

When he thought of the past, he wondered whether the migraine was returning to him.

He suffered for a long time, unable to bear the ache.

'Oh, God! Why are you punishing me like this?' he cried silently.

He recalled the appeal he had made to his family deity many years back, when he was suffering from a severe attack of migraine.

'At that time, I asked my deity why He was punishing me when I had not committed any wrong. Can I make the same appeal now?'

He sensed a clarity appearing in his mind, even amidst the intensity of the headache.

He got up from his bed and took out the sheets of paper on which he had written his judgement.

He tore down the last twenty pages of the judgement and rewrote them on new sheets of paper. His hands moved swiftly, as if empowered by a force from inside.

After completing the judgement, he kept it at a safe place and went back to bed.

The ache had still not subsided. Perhaps, it would, after he had read out the judgement in the court.

Thirukkural

Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 12
Neutrality

Verse 116 (In Tamil)

keduval yAn enbadhu aRiga than nenjam
naduvorI alla seyin.

Meaning:

One should know that if he goes against his conscience and swerves from the path of neutrality, he will face ruin.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'mARRi ezhudhiya thIrppu' by the same author)

Verse 117 (Soon)
Verse 115

487. An Opportunity Lost

When I joined the well-known public sector firm that had branches all over the country as a Junior Administrative Officer, I didn't expect that there would be such a big domination by the Employees' Union in the day to day functioning of the firm.

Taking advantage of the weak top management of the firm which lacked the courage and competence to deal with the aggressive Employees' Union, the white collar employees called 'office assistants' were creating a lot of problems to the Branch Managers and other officers.

Mr. Shanmugam, the Manager of the branch to which I was posted, was a soft person. Chandru, employed as an office assistant in that branch, was an office bearer of the Employees' Union. Using his position as a weapon, he was keeping the office assistants under control, while also displaying arrogance and defiance towards the officers, often using intemperate language while interacting with them and treating them with contempt.

Not a day passed without Chandru going to Shanmugam's cabin, raising some issue or other and making some demands.

Seeing Chandru enter his cabin, Shanmugam would become nervous and his face would turn pale.

Shanmugam would patiently listen to Chandru and nod his head and say, "I will talk to the Head Office about this."

Once I asked him, "Sir! Why are we being so indulgent towards Chandru? If we firmly say 'No' to his demands, what can he do?"

"You are new to this organization. You don't know anything. You just do your job" he told me, with irritation.

I understood that he was directing his anger, which he shouldn't show to Chandru, at me and kept quiet.

Maybe because I was new to the organization, Chandru was friendly towards me. Though I was angry with him for causing disruptions to the smooth functioning of the office, I reciprocated his friendship, without showing my feelings of displeasure to him.

The office functioned till five o' clock in the evening. All the office assistants would leave the office sharply at 5 p.m. We, the officers would stay late, till we completed the day's work. It would be usually 8 p.m. by the time we completed the work.

"If the office assistants did at least fifty percent of the work they are expected to, we wouldn't have to work such long hours. All the employees are capable of working well. It is Chandru, who is spoiling them" Shanmugam would often lament.

It was five o' clock in the evening. The office assistants were beginning to leave. Meenakshi, the typist was typing an important letter to be sent to the Head Office.

Chandru came to Meenakshi's seat and yelled "Why are you working after the office hours?" He then pulled out the letter from the typewriter.

Shanmugam came to the spot, rushing from his cabin and spoke to Chandru, in a pleading voice, "Mr. Chandru! This is an important letter. It has to be posted at the R.M.S.* at the railway station tonight. It will take only five minutes for her to type this letter. Please allow her to complete typing that letter."

Ignoring Shanmugam's words, Chandru told the typist, "Why are you still here? Leave for home immediately."

He then turned to Shanmugam and told him in a commanding voice, "Mr. Shanmugam! The management has stopped paying overtime wages to the employees. Therefore, none of us will work even for a minute after the office hours are over" and left.

Every one at the office looked at Shanmugam with pity. Shanmugam retuned to his cabin, feeling humiliated.

An officer who knew typing typed that letter and the letter was sent.

Many years had passed.

Shnmugam retired from the job. I got a couple of promotions and became the Manager of a branch.

With a view to curbing the power and dominance of the Employees' Union, the management promoted many assistants as officers. The number of office assistants was progressively reduced through promotions and through stopping the recruitment of office assistants. Computerization came in handy in getting the number of assistants reduced,

Several office-bearers of the Employees' Union, realizing that their power and dominance were getting reduced, made use of the opportunities for promotion and became officers. Chandru was one among them.

Realizing that after becoming an officer, he didn't have the protection of the Union, Chandru's attitude towards work underwent a change. He focused on working hard and doing his job efficiently.

At one time, he was working as officer in the branch of which I was the Manager.

Chandru, an officer at the first level, attended the interview for promotion to the second level. He told me that he performed well in the interview and that he was confident that he would be selected.

As apart of the policy of transparency followed by our firm, there was a rule in our firm that the appraisal report of an employee by his superior officer should be shown to the employee, before it was sent to the Head Office. Chandru was thus aware that my appraisal report about him was positive. His optimism was justified on that count also.

However, Chandru didn't get the promotion. It was a big disappointment to him.

"Don't lose heart. Such disappointments happen to many people in organizations. You will definitely get the promotion next year" I consoled Chandru.

After a few weeks, I happened to meet Shanmugam in a marriage. After talking about several things, the topic turned to Chandru.

"I heard that Chandru is working in your branch" said Shanmugam.

"Yes, sir. But, he is completely transformed now. He works very hard and he is also efficient. All of us thought that he would get the promotion, but he didn't. He is much disappointed" I  said.

"Naturally!" said Shanmugam, with a smirk on his face.

I looked at him, with a sudden feeling of suspicion that surfaced in my mind.

"The promotion list was finalized by the General Manager, wasn't it?" he asked me, as if he didn't know the procedure being followed in our firm!

"Yes, sir."

"Your General Manager had worked under me!" said Shanmugam, smiling. 

Realizing Shanmugam's role in the denial of promotion to Chandru, I told him, "Chandru was a deserving candidate. He should have got the promotion."

"He will get it next year. It is just a matter of waiting for one year!" said Shanmugam, his smile still lingering.

Suddenly, the smile on his face vanished and his face muscles hardened. 

"You remember the incident of his stopping the typist from typing an important letter, in spite of my pleading with him? The humiliation I had felt on that day is still haunting me" he said, with bitterness.

When I looked at his face, I was reminded of a bright sky suddenly becoming gloomy, due to the fast movement of dark clouds over it.

*R.M.S. - Railway Mail Service

Thirukkural

Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 49
Knowing One's Strength

Verse 484 (in Tamil):

poLLena AngE puRam vErAr kAlam pArththu
uL vErppar oLLiyavar.

Meaning:

The wise, when offended, will not show their anger instantly;

they will keep their anger contained within them, biding their time.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'kidaikkAmal pOna padhavi uyarvu' the same author.)

Verse 488
Verse 486

1125. Five Questions

"They will ask the husband questions about his wife's likes and dislikes, with the wife not being present. Then, they will check with his wife whether what her husband had said was correct. They will award a score based on the correctness of the answers. They call this a game!" said Selvakumar, disapprovingly.

"What is wrong about this game? A husband gets many opportunities to learn about his wife's interests, tastes, preferences, likes and dislikes. But most of the husbands won't observe things about their wives closely and won't remember what little they might have observed. A wife pulling up her husband saying, 'how many times I have told you that I don't like this!' is a common occurrence in many families" said Kuzhali.

"I can't speak for all men. But I am not like that" said Selvakumar, in protest.

"Oh, is it so? Why don't we verify your claim? We both are visiting my friend Rama this Sunday. At that time, we will have a contest. I will write five questions about my likes and interests and answers to them on a sheet of paper and hand over the sheet to Rama. She will pose those questions to you. Let me see how many of them you are able to answer correctly!" said Kuzhali.

"Selva! Are you ready?" asked Rama.

"Yes, I am" said Selvakumar.

"First question. What was Kuzhali's favourite subject in the college?'

"Tamil."

"Second question. Which subject did she dislike the most?"

"Mathematics."

"Who is her favourite film music composer?"

"M.S. Viswanathan."

"Her favourite author?"

"Indira Parthasarathy."

"Last question. What is Kuzhali's goal in life?"

"She doesn't have any goal in life. She believes in enjoying life without straining herself much. But, if I have to mention a goal, it is to keep her mother happy, for the rest of her life."

"Congrats, Selva. You have scored five out of five" said Rama.

Kuzhali, who was listening to Selvakumar's answers, sitting in the next room, came out of the room in quick steps, saying, "My goodness! How did you answer all the questions correctly? I have never told you any of these things" in amazement.

"What if you have not told me any of these things? I have learnt these by observing you and from your conversations, Let me explain how I answered each of the five questions. I could easily gauge that you were interested in Tamil literature. Therefore, I guessed that Tamil should have been your favourite subject in the college. You told me that you wanted to choose Chemistry as the subject in your Bachelor's degree, but you were offered only Mathematics. Yet, you studied hard and scored well In mathematics, you told me. So, I guessed that you disliked Mathematics but that you studied hard and earned a good score in Mathematics. Whenever I came to your house, I saw you listening to old film songs, mostly composed by M.S. Viswanathan. I have also heard you humming the songs of M.S. Viwanathan. I have observed that among the books you borrowed from the library, Indira Parthasarathy's novels were more in number."

"You have observed me so closely, as if spying on me. I think I should be cautious while dealing with you! But, how did you find out that my goal was to keep my mother happy, even while saying that I am a person who takes life easy? I was quite sure that you won't be able to answer the question about my goal!" said Kuzhali.

"This was the easiest of the five questions! People have a habit of talking more about their goal. You often talk about taking good care of your mother till the end. You even sought your mother's concurrence before accepting my love!" said Selvakumar, laughing. 

Rama turned to her husband and said, " If you had taken a test like this, you wouldn't have scored even twenty percent!"

"He is a lover now. If he takes a test like this sometime after the marriage, his score will come down. After all, it is the nature of a husband to forget things about his wife!"

"There is no chance of such a thing happening with me. Where is the question of my forgetting anything about her, when I don't remember anything about her?" said Selvakumar.

"You won't remember things about her! What do you mean?" asked Rama.

"I just understand her. That's all" said Selvakumar, looking at Kuzhali's face.

Kuzhali's face was overflowing with happiness and pride.

Thirukkural
Section 3

Love

Chapter 113
In Praise of Love

Verse 1125 (in Tamil):
uLLuvan man yAn maRappin maRappu aRiyEn
oL amark kaNNAL guNam.

Meaning:

I do not think of the attributes of the girl with bright battling eyes. When I cannot forget them, how can I think of them?

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

Verse 1126 (Soon)
Verse 1124

486. The Reluctant Emperor

"Your Majesty! Our country has been an independent country for several decades. Till now, no other country had conquered us in a war. From the time of your father, no other country had even dared to fight a war with us. But Sundaravarma, who has recently been crowned the king of Makara country has sent us a message demanding that we pay him a ransom every year, if we want to remain an independent country. He is threatening us that if we don't agree to the ransom demand, he will invade our country" said Parantaka, the Minister.

"What is your advice?" King Veerasimha asked the Minister.

"Your Majesty! Your ancestors had never compromised on their self-respect and pride. We should get ready for the war."

Veerasimhan reflected for a while and then said, "Minister! Send a reply to Sundaravarma that we want to be friendly with Makara country but that since our financial position is weak now, we are not in a position to pay ransom to them."

"Pardon me, Your Majesty! This gives an impression of our making a humble submission to the enemy" said Parantaka, shocked.

"If the enemy looks at the message that way and decides not to ask for ransom from us, won't it be good for us?" said Veerasimha, smiling.

'The term 'Veera' meaning courage is a part of the King's name but it is not one of his traits' thought Parantaka. He nodded his head, without saying anything.

A reply was received from Sundaravarma that he was accepting Veerasimha's offer of friendship, that he was giving Veerasimha one year moratorium on ransom payment and that Veerasimha should start paying the ransom from the next year.

The Minister was unhappy about the King getting a concession like this, after virtually begging the enemy king.

After one year, Veerasimhan sent another message to Sundaravarma, requesting him to extend the moratorium on the ransom payment for one more year, since his country was in the grip of a severe famine.

"It is doubtful whether Sundaravarma will agree to this request" said Parantaka.

"I have no doubt on that score. Sundaravarma won't agree to our request!" said Veeravarma, laughing aloud.

"Your Majesty?" asked the Minister, perplexed.

"We should get ready for a war with Makara country."

"But, only to avoid the war, last year, we sent a message to Makara country, asking for time."

"Yes. At that time, we were not in a position to fight a war."

"I am unable to decipher your thinking, Your Majesty."

"As you had mentioned earlier, no country had invaded us during my father's time. Therefore, we didn't focus on strengthening our armed forces and on acquiring more weapons. Last year, our army was not in a strong position. If we had fought a war at that time, we would have lost the war and our country would have been made a part of Makara country. It was only after ascertaining the strength of our armed forces and of the weapons in our arsenal, from the Chief of the Armed Forces that I decided to buy time, by extending my hand of friendship to Sundaravarma. You might have thought that I lacked the courage to fight a war!"

"No, Your Majesty" said the Minister, feeling embarrassed.

"I could read your thoughts by looking at your face. But, it was only natural that you had such a thought. I wanted to surprise you by proving to you that when it came to valour, I was not behind my ancestors. I had instructed the Chief of the Armed Forces that he should strengthen the army and build up our weaponry to a formidable level within one year. He has accordingly strengthened the army and also augmented the stock of our weapons, during the last one year. I kept these developments a secret from you, since I wanted to surprise you. Our army is very strong now. On the other hand, Makara country has become weakened due to internal strife. The present time is favourable to us. If there is going to be a war now, we are sure to emerge victorious" said Veerasimha, with enthusiasm.

"Please pardon me, Your Majesty. I failed to realize that a retreat can be a strategy to pounce upon the enemy with a greater force" said the Minister.

Thirukkural

Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 49
Knowing One's Strength

Verse 486 (in Tamil):

Ukkam udaiyAn odukkam poruthagar
thAkkaRkup pErum thagaiththu.

Meaning:

The self-restraint of the ardent person is like the drawing back of the fighting ram just before its attack.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'vENdAm pOr' the same author.)

Verse 487
Verse 485

115. The Association

Rajasekaran welcomed the people from his native village who visited his house and asked them to take their seats.

After exchanging pleasantries, Rajasekaran asked them about the state of affairs in the village.

"People like you have migrated to the city in pursuit of professions here. Who will take care of the village, then" asked Mani, a young man in the group.

"There are young and enthusiastic people like you to take care of the village" said Rajasekaran, smiling.

"We have started an association. We came to meet you only in that connection" said another person.

"What association?"

"Our state has a sizeable population of people belonging to our caste. Since we are geographically scattered, we have not got the recognition we deserve. If we have an association and act through it, political parties will take note of our presence. They will approach us seeking our support in the elections, listen to our demands and will make efforts to fulfill at least some of them" explained another person.

"If we want something done for our village, people of the village can join together and raise their voice. Though I don't have any property in the village, as someone hailing from the village, I will also come with you to meet the legislator, collector or the minister in connection with matters pertaining to our village" said Rajasekaran.

"This is not about our village. This is about the people of our caste. We have started this caste association with the objective of getting benefits for the people of our caste. We have been traveling to different places and enrolling people of our caste as members. It is only in this connection that we have come to meet you" said Mani

"Because I was born in a particular caste, I have been following the traditions of our caste. For the sake of convenience, we have been marrying within our caste. Otherwise, are not all human beings the same? Starting a caste association and dividing people on the basis of caste is not acceptable to me.  Does humanitarianism not demand that every one should get justice? Is it fair to demand benefits only for people of our caste?"

The visitors debated the issue with Rajasekaran for some time and left, feeling unhappy about Rajasekaran's attitude.

After that, Rajasekaran would hear some news about the caste association now and then. He also saw some reports about the activities of the association in the media. But, Rajasekaran didn't take any interest in such news reports.

"At that time, you were relatively young. You were physically fit and active. You also had a good job. We were financially comfortable. Therefore, you had the courage to refuse the demand that you join the caste association. Can you take such a bold stand now?" asked Parvatham, Rajasekar's wife.

"Why? Who is pressurizing me now to join the caste association?"

"You are pretending as if you don't know what I mean. You have retired from your job. We can manage only if you go for some other job. Getting a job after retirement is not easy. In such a scenario..."

Rajasekaran remained silent.

One of his friends, a retired person like him who was searching for a job, came to his house recently and told him about a job opportunity he had come across.

"I tried for a job in a firm. It belongs to a person of your caste. I learnt that the firm would give the job only to a person belonging to the proprietor's caste. But the applicant should be a member of the caste association. If you apply for that job, you will get it" he told Rajasekaran.

Rajasekaran understood that his wife was referring to that job opportunity.

"Think well and take a good decision. When our financial position is weak, we should be willing to make some compromises" said Parvatham.

"Parvatham! If something is considered wrong, it has to be always considered wrong. We can't change our perception of right and wrong to suit our circumstances" said Rajasekar.

"Well, I don't have the wisdom to advise you" said Parvatham, feeling frustrated.

Thirukkural

Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 12
Neutrality

Verse 115 (In Tamil)

kEdum perukkamum illalla nenjaththuk
kOdAmai sAnROrkku aNi.

Meaning:

Ups and downs in life are inevitable; but not acting against their conscience under any circumstances is the trait of noble men.

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

Verse 116
Verse 114

485. Raghupathy's Mission

Raghupathy's father Kandasamy was working as an office assistant in a small firm. His pay was low, but workload heavy. Sometimes, he had to attend office even on a Sunday, the only weekly holiday for him.

One day, Kandasamy forgot to take his lunch box, when he left for the office. Raghupathy, a boy  at that time, went to Kandasamy's office to hand over the lunch box to him. When Raghupathy was at his father's office, he happened to witness the proprietor of the firm shouting at Raghupathy, using intemperate language.

At that time, the seed of the idea that he shouldn't work under anyone but should run his own business was sown in his mind. Brushing aside the question whether a person with a poor financial background can start his own business, that arose in his mind, Raghupathy resolved to make running his own business a mission and work towards the goal.

Raghupathy also resolved that when he was running his own business, he would treat his employees with dignity.

After Raghupathy had completed his education, he realized that starting a business was not easy. He decided to take up a job, work for a few years, save some money and start a business in a small way, using his savings as the capital.

With his limited education, Raghupathy was able to get only a job with an average salary. 

A few months after Raghupathy's taking up the job, his father passed away. He left behind a modest sum of money, comprising his savings and retirement benefit.

Raghupathy decided to use the sum left by his father as the seed capital for his business and deposited the money in a bank.

Since Raghupathy's family consisted only of him and his mother Kamakshi, his household expenses were limited. He was prudent in his spending and saved as much money as he could.

Raghupathy had apprised his mother of his mission of starting a business. She encouraged him saying, "You will definitely achieve your goal."

Kamakshi was looking for a suitable match for Raghupathy. An industrialist came forward to give his only daughter in marriage to Raghupathy.

Kamakshi told Raghupathy, "Marry this girl. You can look after your father in law's business. Your mission will get accomplished." 

But Raghupthy didn't accept his mother's suggestion.

"Mom! If I marry this girl and look after her father's business, I will be like a manager in his firm. My mission is to start a business on my own. I can take another person as a partner. But, looking after someone's business is not having my own business" said Raghupathy.

Raghupathy married Janaki, who belonged to a middle class family. Janaki was employed as a stenographer in a firm.

"You need to work only for a few more years. Once I start my own business, you won't have to go for a job" Raghupathy told Janaki, soon after their marriage.

Kumar, Raghupathy's colleague in his firm, told Raghupathy about a business proposal.

Since the business proposal appeared to be profitable and required only a low capital investment, Raghupathy decided to venture into it. He quit his job and started the business, investing a major part of the amount saved by him.

Kumar, who had given the idea for the business, said that he had no money to invest. Raghupathy asked him to join him as a working partner and offered him a share of twenty percent in the profit.

After starting the business, Raghupathy told Janaki, "Just six more months. After that, you can quit your job."

Even one year after starting the business, Raghupathy couldn't see any profit. It appeared that if the accounts got finalized, they would show a net loss.

"Any business will take two or three years to become profitable. We can see profit in one year" said Kumar.

Raghupathy remembered that while explaining the business idea to Raghupathy, Kumar had told him that that business would start yielding profit from the third month!

Two months later, Kumar told Raghupathy that he would be going to his native place and be back in one week. 

But he didn't return even after a month.

Raghupathy became suspicious. He asked a Chartered Accountant to audit the accounts of the business. The audit showed that the business had earned a substantial amount of profit but that large sums of money had been misappropriated from the business by Kumar, through fraudulent means.

Raghupathy cursed himself for entrusting Kumar with the financial aspects of the business, without even employing an accountant to keep track of the financial transactions.

"What are you going to do now?" asked Janaki.

"What can I do? Obsessed with the idea of starting a business, I had been waiting for the right opportunity for many years. I came across various business opportunities like Desktop Publishing, Growing Mushrooms at home, Multilevel marketing, Making refills for ball-point pens at home etc. I evaluated all such opportunities and concluded that they won't suit me. Though my inability to choose a business opportunity that would suit me was frustrating, I waited patiently, hoping that when the right time came, I would be able to identify a good opportunity. When Kumar told me about this business, I was excited, thinking that the right time had come. I invested my savings and started the business with high hopes. But Kumar had betrayed me and run away with my money. I don't know what to do now. I cannot continue to run the business.."

"Why?" asked Janaki, interrupting him.

"How can I? I have bought the goods on credit. Kumar told me that he had been making payments to the suppliers. But I find that there are bills outstanding. The suppliers will continue to supply the goods, only if I pay the amounts due to them. Only then, I can continue to run the business. But, I have no cash with me."

"What if you don't have money with you? I will give my jewelry. You can pledge them or mortgage them and make at least partial payments to the suppliers and request them to continue supplying the goods to you. If you make payments to them, they will have confidence in you and continue to supply the goods. Remove Kumar from the partnership following a legal process and inform every one about this. Since the business is profitable, you will earn profit. by continuing the business. In about two or three years, you will be able to clear all liabilities" said Janaki.

Raghupathy looked at Janaki with admiration and amazement. "All these years, I was waiting for the right time to come. But when the right time came, I did not notice its arrival!"

"When did the right time come?"

"The day you came into my life through our marriage" said Raghupathy, feeling invigorated.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 49
Knowing One's Strength

Verse 485 (in Tamil):

kAlam karudhi iruppar kalangAdhu
jnAlam karudhubavar.

Meaning:

Those who aim for the world (aim high) will await the opportune moment, undeterred by setbacks.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'nEram nalla nEram' the same author.)

Verse 486
Verse 484

1124. When the Soul Leaves the Body!

Looking at Aravindan lying on the hospital bed with a big bandage on his right leg, Mira felt like crying.

"How did the accident happen? You always ride the motorcycle cautiously?" she asked him.

"You have seen me drive cautiously when you were sitting on the pillion. How do you know how I will ride, when I ride alone?" asked Aravindan, laughing.

"How are you able to laugh, when you are experiencing so much pain?"

"Ah!"

"What happened? Has the pain intensified? Shall I call the nurse?" asked Mira, perturbed by Aravindan's cry of pain.

"No. When I was talking with you, I had forgotten about the pain for a while. By asking me how I was laughing even while feeling so much pain, you have reminded me of the pain. That's why I cried in pain. Don't call the nurse. It will create a problem" said Aravindan.

"What problem? Are you scared that she would give you an injection? Are you a baby?"

"Is this body scared of injections? Do you know how many injections this body has taken in the last couple of days?"

"What is the problem, then?"

"If there are two women in front of me, I will be in dilemma about whose beauty I should relish. I was referring to that problem!"

"You are bed-ridden, having been hurt in an accident. Otherwise, I would have delivered a strong blow on your scalp" said Mira, suppressing her laughter, provoked by Aravindan's friendly teasing. It was a relief to her that her lover, hurt in an accident, was joking and feeling good.

"By the way, you have not told me how you got hurt?" asked Mira.

I was riding my motorcycle fast. The motorcycle skid on the oil that had spilled on the road from an oil tanker, and fell down. A bone on my right leg got broken. The doctor has kept it in place and held it with a bandage. I don't know how long I should be lying on the bed, without moving my leg."

"Is the pain too much?" asked Mira, sympathetically.

"Not too much. Only as much as it would be, when my soul leaves my body!"

"How do you say it pains you as much as it would, when the soul leaves your body? Your soul has not left your body till now!" said Mira, teasing him in his own style.

"It has happened several times."

"Don't be silly!"

"I am only stating what I had experienced. When you leave me, after being with me for sometime, my soul will leave my body. Only when I see you again, my soul will reenter my body. This has happened several times!"

"Oh, I see!" said Mira, mockingly.

After conversing with Aravindan for some time, Mira took leave of him. Before leaving, she told him encouragingly, "You will be discharged soon. Don't worry."

When Mira was near the exit door of the room, she heard a sharp cry from Aravindan.

Mira turned back and asked him, "What happened? Is it paining?"

"Yes, it is the pain of my soul leaving my body. You are going away!" said Aravindan, laughing aloud.

Thirukkural

Section 3

Love

Chapter 113
In Praise of Love

Verse 1124 (in Tamil):
vAzhdhal uyirkku annaL Ayizhai sAdhal
adhaRku annaL nIngum idaththu.

Meaning:

The girl decked with splendid jewels is my very life when she is with me, and brings on death when she leaves me.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'uyir pOy uyir vandhadhu' by the same author.)

 Verse 1125 
Verse 1123

484. The 'Emperor' Rules!

For the past few years, a restaurant named 'Kunjammal Bhavan' was becoming popular in the city of Chennai.

Someone bought a restaurant that had been running at that place for many years and was on the verge of being closed down due to mounting losses, renovated it and began to run it after renaming it (perhaps after his mother!) 

The new restaurant became popular very soon and branches were getting opened in different parts of the city.

I was working in Delhi. The name 'Kunjammal Bhavan' was popular even among the Tamils living there, who had connections in Chennai

When I had been to Chennai on a visit, I went to 'Kunjammal Bhavan' with my friend

The name board fixed at the entrance of the restaurant had the words 'Cleanliness, Hygiene and Taste' written above the name of the restaurant in fonts larger than the ones used to write the name of the restaurant itself.

About twenty people were sitting in the waiting room outside the dining hall. They had been issued tokens and were being sent inside in the order of the token numbers.

After waiting for fifteen minutes, we were ushered into the dining hall.

The atmosphere inside the dining hall resembled that of a five star hotel.

Features like spotless carpets on the floor, portraits hung on the walls coated with a light colour paint and the decorative false ceiling under the high roof, all set up with taste, instantly attracted those entering the dining hall.

The dining tables were set with large spaces in between them. This gave the appearance of high class to the restaurant.

"It is because they have fewer tables due to their having been placed with a lot of space between them that people have to wait outside" remarked my friend.

"They give more importance to the ambience. That is why they have put fewer tables, even though such an arrangement has resulted in a lower capacity" I said.

In conformity with the words used on the board outside, the food was exquisitely tasty. Cleanliness and hygiene were also observed scrupulously.

With a view to enabling the diners to witness how cleanliness and hygiene were being observed in the kitchen, a transparent glass panel had been fixed on the upper part of the door leading to the kitchen.

"People can also go to the spot where the dishes are being cleaned" said my friend.

While coming out of the dining hall, after finishing our meal, I told my friend, "When I heard high praises for the restaurant from various sources, I thought that people were creating a hype about this place. But things are actually better than how they were described" I said.

"You are an expert at finding faults. If you are praising this restaurant, it is an honour to the restaurant" said my friend, half in jest and half in earnestness.

When we were coming out of the restaurant, my friend showed a cabin with a glass door and pointing to a person sitting inside the cabin, said "He is the proprietor. Though he has several restaurants in the city, most of the times he will be here, since this is the first restaurant started by him"

Acting on an impulse, I stood outside the door of the proprietor's cabin and tapped the door gently with my knuckles, seeking his permission to enter his cabin. After he signaled his consent, the two of us went into his cabin and sat in front of him.

"Everything - the ambience, the hygiene, the cleanliness, the taste of the food and the aesthetics - about your restaurant is good. I wanted to convey my appreciation to you in person" I said.

"Thank you, sir" he said, smiling.

"I am a journalist. Therefore, I am asking this question out of curiosity. You have bought this restaurant which was running on loss and been running it so well. How did you manage to do this?" 

Immediately after asking this question, I wondered whether I was being presumptuous in posing this question to a businessman, who is a stranger to me. But he answered me without any hesitation.

"I was working as the manager of this restaurant. When it was running at a loss, I made some suggestions to the proprietor for improving our performance. But he was not in a position to consider my ideas. After the situation became worse, he decided to sell the restaurant. Fortunately, he had no borrowings. So, he could have the entire sale proceeds for himself. When he expressed his intention to sell the restaurant, the prospective buyers offered very low prices. Since this area was not well developed, not many people evinced interest in buying this place. Every one asked for a price much below the market price. Initially, he was not inclined to accept a low price. But after a while, finding that he was not getting any good offer, he was reconciled to sell this place at a low price. At that time, I made an offer to him. I told him that I would buy the restaurant from him at the market price. But at that time, I didn't have much money. I also needed money to renovate and relaunch the restaurant. I told him that I would enter into a sale agreement with him to buy the restaurant at the market price, that I would pay part of the sale consideration immediately, pay the remaining amount within a year and then get the property registered in my name. I also offered to pay him interest every month on the amount due from me. Since he had faith in me, he accepted my proposal. I paid him a part of my savings as advance payment and took possession of the restaurant. Since I had been working in restaurants for twenty years, I know some very good cooks. I employed one of them as the head cook and retaining other employees already working here, I restarted the restaurant, after giving it a new look. I have learnt many things about this trade during my long service in this line. I also had some ideas of my own. Using my knowledge gained from my experience and some of my own ideas, I have been able to run the restaurant successfully, with God's grace" said the proprietor.

"You said that you had worked in restaurants for twenty years. Where did you start?" I asked, driven by the natural curiosity of a journalist.

"I worked as a tea boy in a small teashop, carrying tea to various people and serving them at their places. I had brought tea to you also. Don't you remember me?" he asked me, with a giggle.

Surprised by his question, I asked him, "When? Where?"

When I looked at his face keenly, his face looked familiar. But I was unable to recall where I had met him.

"You were staying in a lodge in Adyar. I was working in the teashop, situated opposite to your lodge. If someone from your lodge needed tea, he would call out my name loudly!"

The smile on his face had become broader. It appeared that he was relishing the memories of the past.

I remembered him then.

"Are you Maharaja?" I yelled impulsively, but immediately realizing the mistake of calling him by his name without any title, I said "I am sorry." 

How many times, I would have yelled, "Hey, Maharaja! Bring me a cup of tea!" standing on the corridor of my lodge!

I recalled our enjoying the joke of summoning a Maharaja (meaning Emperor) and commanding him to bring us tea. One of us had even remarked right over his face "his parents could have chosen a different name for him!" 

Once, provoked by our comments, he said, "You will see that some day, I will start my own restaurant." 

We all laughed treating his statement as a joke.

Now, the 'emperor' was looking at me and laughing.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 49
Knowing One's Strength

Verse 484 (in Tamil):

JnAlam karudhinum kaikUdum kAlam
karudhi idaththAl seyin.

Meaning:

Even if you aspire for the world, you can get it, if you act, choosing the right time and the right place.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'mahArAjan ulagai ALalAm' the same author.)

Verse 485
Verse 483

114. Raghavan's Legacy

"What is the use of my having worked for so many years? I have not been able to create any asset for my children" Raghavan told his wife Sarala.

Sarala didn't say anything. She thought 'You are now saying what I had been saying all along!' But, at that moment, she didn't want to say anything that could hurt her husband.

It was two years since Raghavan had retired from his job. It was only when, after his retirement, he looked at people of his age that he realized that in spite of working for thirty years, he had not saved much.

After working for thirty years, in five different firms, at various places in the county, Raghavan was left with only a small house and the lumpsum amount he received as the retirement benefit. A major part of that sum was spent for performing the marriage of his daughter. He deposited the remaining amount in a bank and the interest on this amount was his only income.

That income was adequate for Raghavan and his wife. Since they were living with their son's family, they didn't have separate expenses for food and other essentials. Yet...

Many of his friends had more than one house. They also had timeshare in holiday resorts, which enabled them to spend a few days in a resort at different places once a year. They also had other assets like investments in shares, mutual funds etc.

Some of his friends had contributed substantial amounts to their sons and daughters to buy houses. When Raghavan's son Satish bought a house by taking a loan from the bank, Raghavan could not contribute even a token sum for his son's purchase. Raghavan had no idea whether Satish would have felt that unlike many other friends of him, he was not getting any help from his father for buying a house. Perhaps, his wife or her parents might have felt so.

Raghavan felt bad that when many people had saved substantial sums of money for their children, he, with his wife, was living with his son, as non-paying guests, thereby being a burden on him.

When he expressed his feelings to Sarala, she lamented, "What is the use of regretting now? I have been pleading with you that when you were earning, you should be saving some money. If you had allowed me to handle the money, I would have saved at least a small amount."

'Where did all my earnings go? I was not profligate. I have had no habits like drinking and gambling. Apart from spending money for the needs of my family, I have not spent any money for myself. My only lapse was that I spent the money without proper planning. I have not even taken insurance for a substantial amount. What will my son and daughter in law say about me, after my death? Will Satish lament that I have not left him any money? Will the modest sum of insurance my wife will receive after my death and the savings I have be adequate for my wife to live with dignity?' reflected Raghavan.

The moment when it would be known whether Raghavan's concerns would come true arrived. Raghavan died in his sleep. The doctor diagnosed that he had suffered a heart attack in his sleep.

A large number of people came to pay homage to Raghavan. Sarala was surprised that so many people had known Raghavan.

"We have to publish an obituary for daddy in a newspaper. Is it enough if I publish the obituary in the Chennai edition of the paper or shall I publish it in the Tamilnadu edition?" Satish asked his mother.

"Your father had worked in many places throughout the country. So, get the obituary published in the the all-India edition of the paper" said Sarala.

For the next few days, the telephone in their house was constantly ringing. A number of people called from various places, conveying their condolences.

"It is shocking to know that Mr. Raghavan is no more. He was such a nice man. It is very rare to come across a person like him" said a caller.

"I was just a peon in the office. But he treated me with respect!"

"He was kind to all. He would never speak harshly to anyone."

"He was not inimical to even those in the office, who tried to sabotage him. Can there be another person like him?"

"He would help every one but won't ask for help from any one. Such a noble soul!"

Messages like these kept pouring. Sarala was amazed. She knew that Raghavan was a good and kind person. But she didn't know that he had earned such a good name from so many people.

Many people came in person to convey their condolences. They also expressed similar sentiments about Raghavan. Sarala understood that those words were not spoken in a formal and courteous way but that they came from the hearts of those who spoke those words.

"Many people spoke to me over phone, offering condolences for your father's demise" Sarala told Satish.

"Yes, mom. I also received a number of calls to my mobile phone. What a great person daddy had been! I should have done penance in my earlier birth, to have been born as his son."

His wife, standing near him, smiled by way of endorsing his view.

Thirukkural

Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 12
Neutrality

Verse 114 (In Tamil)

thakkAr thagavilar enbadhu avaravar
echchaththal koLLappadum.

Meaning:

Whether a person is worthy or not will be decided by the legacy left behind by him.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'iRappukkup pin' by the same author)

Verse 115
Verse 113