532. Who is he?

Bharath was struggling to get a job even several months after he had completed his Engineering degree.

One day, his neighbour Padmanabhan came to see Bharath.

Bharath was not acquainted with Padmanabhan. But he knew that Padmanabhan was working as a machine operator in a factory. He was five or six years elder to Bharath.

"Hey, Bharath! Did you get ay job?" asked Padmanabhan.

"Not yet" replied Bharath, irked by Padmanabhan's question, even as he wondered why he had asked that question.

"The company I am working for is small. But our Proprietor is setting up a big factory. He said that he would be recruiting engineers for his new factory. I told him about you. He told me to ask you to meet him. If you come with me tomorrow, I will introduce you to him" said Padmanabhan.

Bharath looked at Padmanabhan in amazement and said, "Thanks a lot, brother!" 

The next day, Bharath was given a job by Padmanabhan's Proprietor in the new factory being set up by him.

"Mr. Bharath! Today, you are one of the leading industrialists of our country. You have received numerous awards for various achievements. You are frequently featured by the media. Many sections of the people including industrialists, economists and the media persons are always curious to know what your next move is going to be. How do you feel about your status?" asked the Television anchor who was interviewing Bharath.

"I feel very happy" said Bharath. But, thinking that this won't be an appropriate reply, he added, "But, I am aware that I have yet to traverse a long distance." He hoped that this would be considered a humble reply.

"Do you remember Mr. Ramanathan?" asked the interviewer.

"How can I not remember him? He constantly dwells in my mind. He was the person who gave me my first job. It is the seed planted by him that has grown into a big tree today!" 

"Do you meet Mr. Padmanabhan quite often?"

"Who is Padmanabhan?"

"Before answering your question, we would like to play a video of Mr. Ramanathan, in which he has talked about you."

Presently, a video was played on the giant screen in that room. 

An elderly person who appeared in the video told his interviewer, "I am proud of the phenomenal growth of Bharath. About thirty years back, Pamanabhan, a machine operator in my factory came to me and said, 'Sir! An Engineering graduate, who is my neighbou,r has been hunting for a job. Can you offer him a job in the new factory you are going to start?' I told him to ask that boy to meet me. At that time, I didn't know that I was going to offer a job to a person who would become a leading industrialist of the country!"

The video was stopped at this point and the screen became dark again.

Bharath sat frozen in his seat. 'How did I fail to remember Padmanabhan immediately?' he cursed himself. 

"Do you remember Padmanabhan now?" asked the anchor, with a smile.

Bharat recognized the smile as a sign of victory of the anchor, in having caught Bharath off guard. 

Bharath nodded his head and said, "When you suddenly mentioned the name, I couldn't recall the person immediately."

"When did you last see Padmanabhan?"

"Soon after my getting the job, I moved over to another house. After that, I lost touch with him" said Bharath, feeling embarrassed.

"After Mr. Ramanathan had mentioned Mr. Padmanabhan's name, in his interview given to us, we traced Mr. Padmanabhan and located him. He still remains poor, but he is very proud of you" said the anchor.

When the thought of what people wo were viewing this interview would think of him  struck him, Bharath felt a feeling of shame spreading through his entire body.

Thirukkural

Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 54

Avoiding Forgetfulness and Complacency

Verse 531 (in Tamil):

pochchAppuk kollum pugazhai aRivinai

nichcha nirappuk konRAngu.

Meaning:

Complacence, sloth and contempt slaughter one’s reputation

just as begging and gorging will kill one’s wisdom.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'yAr avar?' by the same author.)

Verse 533 (Soon)
Verse 531