396. The Well that Dried Up

"You and I took up teaching jobs in this college, after earning a doctoral degree, which of course. came after we had earned our bachelor's and master's degrees. We have spent several years studying. Now, after getting a job, should we not feel relaxed? But I find that you keep reading books on your subject. I notice that you borrow weighty tomes from the library and spend your time at home, in reading through them. At this age, it will be more appropriate, if you spend your time reading thrillers or romantic novels!" said Raghuram.

Ravikumar smiled, without giving an answer.

"Are you planning to do one more Ph.d degree?"

"No. I read books on my subject so as to gain a deeper understanding of the concepts."

"My goodness! These days, if a person gets a bachelor's degree, he thinks he is an expert in the subject of his degree. But, after spending a major part of your youth in studying and earning the bachelor's, the master's and the doctoral degrees through persistent efforts, should you still keep studying? Should you not spend your time enjoying your life?"

"Well, I am not reading the books with the objective of getting high scores in the examination, the way we did when we were students! I believe that only through continued reading, I will be able to sustain my learning" said Ravikumar.

"Ok. It is your outlook. But, as far as I am concerned, in my life, the phase of studying is over!" said Raghuram.

Raghuram's household began to face water scarcity. Due to the failure of the monsoon, the municipal water supply being received by his household, had stopped.

Raghuram thought of making use of the well in his house, which he has not been using for a long time, since all along, the water he was getting from the municipal line was adequate to meet the needs of his household.

Raghuram decided to get the stale water from the well pumped out and use the water that would spring afresh in the well. He engaged a professional well-digger for implementing his plan.

After the well-digger pumped out the stale water, fresh water did not spring from the well. The well digger climbed down the well and examined the springs. He then came up and asked Raghuram, "Have you not been using the well water?"

"No. We haven't been using the well water, since the water we were getting from the municipal water line was adequate for our needs."

"So, that has created the problem! Water springs in the well will be active, only if you keep using the well water. Since you have not been using the well water for a long time, the mouths of the springs seem to have been blocked by accumulation of mud. Now, only if we dig the well still deeper, new springs will get opened and water will begin to fill in the well."

Raghuram wondered why he thought of Ravikumar at that moment!

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 40
Education

Verse 396 (in Tamil):

thottanaithu URum maNaRkEni mAndharkkuk
kaRRanaiththu URum aRivu.

Meaning:

The deeper a well is dug, the more the water that springs;

the more one learns, the more the wisdom one gains.

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

Verse 397
Verse 395