398. Arul's Decisions

 Arul would often regret that he didn't have good education.

Three generations before, his ancestors were respected as learned men and scholars.

When Arul's grandfather Murthy was studying in fifth standard, his father passed away, because of which Murthy's schooling came to an end.

Murthy began to look after agriculture and his family business right from the age of fifteen. With the business growing well and the family becoming wealthy, Murthy decided that his sons didn't need education. He got them involved in business, even at a young age. Therefore, Arul's father also didn't study beyond fifth standard.

Arul's father believed that it was adequate if one learnt to read and write and to add and subtract numbers. So, he didn't educate Arul beyond the primary school.

Unlike his father and grandfather, Arul began to realize the value of education, as he grew up. He regretted that he didn't study beyond fifth standard.

Arul married Jaya, who came from a family of educated people. Though Jaya herself was not highly educated, both of her brothers were.

Soon after their marriage, Arul told Jaya, "Unlike me, your brothers are well educated. I think their counsel will be useful to me." 

Jaya felt proud.

However, Arul didn't do as he said he would.

When it was time for sending their son to school, Arul didn't get the boy admitted in the school in which Jaya's brothers' children were studying but admitted him in another school.

"The school in which my brothers' children are studying is a reputed school. Why don't we get our son admitted in that school?" asked Jaya, when Arul told her about his decision.

"I don't like that school. They make the students work very hard so that the school would get good results" said Arul.

"Is it not good for our son? By working hard, he can get good scores!"

"I don't like our boy to study in a place where they make life miserable for the children. The school where I intend admitting our son is also reputed. But they won't make the students sweat!"

On the matter of investing his savings also, Arul didn't heed the advice of Jaya's brothers. He invested in bank deposits, government bonds and in shares of good companies.

Jaya conveyed her unhappiness to Arul, saying, "You told me that you would make use of the counsel of my brothers, since they are well educated. But you don't heed their advice in any important matter!"

Fifteen years had passed. Arul's son had scored well in the higher secondary examination and taken up a a course of his choice, in a reputed college.

"Our son has joined a good college. Are you happy now?" asked Arul.

"Of course, I am. I was a bit apprehensive, when you refused to heed the advice of my brothers and sent our boy to a school of your choice, But your decision has turned out to be right!" said Jaya,

"Your brothers' children have also done well in their studies and joined reputed colleges."

"It's true. But, as you had said, they were made to sweat by their school. They were feeling tense most of the time. But, our son was spared such an ordeal, thanks to your choice of the school."

After a pause, Jaya continued, "Even in the matter of investing, my brothers tell me that your investments have done better than theirs."

"Is it so?"

"Yes. Though you are not well educated, you have thought well and taken good decisions. I wonder how!"

"Perhaps, I was well educated in my previous birth. That education might have come to my help in this birth!" said Arul.

Jaya didn't say anything.

"Ok. In case you are not convinced by this, I can give you another explanation" said Arul.

"What is it?"

"It is said that a person's good deeds will benefit his descendants for seven generations. Till three generations ago, my ancestors were learned men. Perhaps their learning might have helped me to think well and take the right decisions!" said Arul.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 40
Education

Verse 398 (in Tamil):

orumaikkaN thAn kaRRa kalvi oruvaRku
ezhumaiyum EmAppudaiththu.

Meaning:

The learning one acquires during his lifetime will come to his aid for seven births.

Alternative meaning:
The learning a person acquires in his lifetime will be useful for seven generations that succeed him.

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

Verse 399
Verse 397