615. Praise or Derision?

"Were you able to get results today?" Karpagam asked her husband Damodaran, even as he was stepping into the house.

"Yes, at last. I was able to secure admission for Guna in a good college. Valli's husband was overwhelmed with joy. When he thanked me repeatedly, I was a bit embarrassed." 

"You took leave for four or five days, knocked the door of several colleges and got admission in a good college for his son. Won't he feel grateful?"

"Yes. Guna's scores being not so impressive, getting him admission in a good college, without paying donation, was a challenge. First, I should search and find colleges with a reasonable reputation that would accept students who are not top scorers. I should then shortlist the colleges that won't ask for a donation. And finally, I should visit those colleges, find out whether they would give admission to Guna, given the scores he has got. Valli's husband is not a person with worldly knowledge. When my sister Valli requested me to help her son get admission in a good college, how can I help not helping her?"

"I wonder how many people, driven by their mission to help other people, will take leave for four or five days and tirelessly visit several colleges every day, without even bothering to have their food at the right time!" 

"I am unable to comprehend whether you are appreciating me or deriding me!" said Damodaran.

"Do you think that I will deride you for helping others? I only wanted to point out that you are as much persevering in your efforts to help other people as you are in doing things for our family. On several occasions, you have helped my relatives also. When my younger brother was unjustly dismissed by his company, even the trade union, of which he was a member, did not come to his help. It was you, who engaged a lawyer, fought his case before the Labour Commissioner and got him reinstated. You even refused to get the fee you paid to the lawyer reimbursed by my brother. You have not even told me how much you paid for the lawyer, despite my asking you about this repeatedly. If I were to find fault with you, even my parents would ostracize me!" said Karpagam, looking at her husband, proudly.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 62
Perseverance

Verse 615 (in Tamil):
inbam vizhaiyAn vinai vizhaivAn than kELir
thunbam thudaiththu UnRum thUN.

Meaning:

He who desires not pleasure, but desires labour, will be a pillar for one’s kin – wiping and bearing their woes.

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

Verse 616 (soon)
Verse 614