620. Saturn's Early Exit!

"I have lost my job. So I have to make efforts to earn money. I can't be sitting at home idle" said Velu.

"You need to do something, alright. But in your attempts to establish a business, you have been squandering our savings. How are we going to make a living after our entire savings are lost in your business ventures? Our family has to end up being on the streets" said his wife Selvi.

"Listen to me, Velu. The planet Saturn is not favourable to you now. It is traversing a seven and a half year destructive phase, in your horoscope. That was the reason you lost your job. Whatever efforts you make during the present adverse period, they will end up in failure. Our astrologer has cautioned me that you should refrain from launching any venture, before the adverse phase of Saturn comes to an end" said Velu's mother Krishnaveni.

Unable to comprehend what the elders were talking about, Velu's three year old daughter Rajashree kept looking at the faces of the three of them, one after the other.

"If I were to sit idle for the next seven years, waiting for the adverse phase of Saturn to end, I may not be around, when the good phase begins!" quipped Velu, laughing.

He then looked at his wife and said, "I understand your concerns, Selvi. I have not pledged or sold any of your jewels or my mother's jewels, to raise money for my ventures. I have been taking out small amounts from my savings. This is something I have to do. In the beginning, I tried to take up some agencies, without investing any money. But I could not earn sufficient income from such ventures. I realized that I would be able to do good business and earn well, only if I take an agency with a reputed company. But, taking up an agency with a big company requires some investment on my part. Thus, to earn a good income, I need to invest some money. That is what I have been doing."

He then turned to his mother and said, "Mom! I don't want to discredit Astrology. Even assuming that what the astrologer told you is correct, is it not logical that when the times are bad, one should intensify one's efforts to overcome the adverse forces? If the astrologer goes through a seven and a half year adverse phase of Saturn, will he stop practicing Astrology for seven and a half years, acting on the conviction that he won't be able to earn during that phase?"

Velu closed his eyes for a minute, reflecting. He then told both of them, "Please give me six months. Don't question my decisions or actions during this period. I will take care of the family's needs. If at the end of six months, my efforts have not succeeded, we three can sit together and decide what I should do."

Eight months had passed.

One day, Selvi asked Velu, "I observe that for the past few days, you have been dull. You come home late, appearing worn out. You don't eat well, or sleep well. You have always been thinking about some thing. A few days back, you prematurely canceled a fixed deposit for one lakh rupees. I am worried. Did you incur a huge loss in your business venture? The six months' period you had asked for is over already!"

Velu was silent for a few seconds and then said, "I thought of telling you this after a couple of days. Now that you have asked me about the situation, I will tell you about the developments. After taking up an agency with a big company, I struggled for about three months. After that, the business picked up. In the beginning, I was selling the company's products on commission basis. Impressed by my good performance, the company has offered to make me a stockist. The company will supply me the goods, without asking for any advance payment or deposit from me. I can pay for the goods after selling them. The profit margin will be higher under this arrangement. But I need a godown for stocking the goods. For the past several days, I was searching for a suitable place. I was looking for a place with a reasonable rent and a low rental deposit. After hectic efforts, I found a place at a reasonable rent. The owner of the building asked for a rental deposit of two lakh rupees. I had one lakh rupees with me, which I had saved from my earnings during the last eight months. This is after using part of the earnings for our family expenses. Since I needed one lakh rupees more, I had to prematurely close a fixed deposit. I will receive the stocks from the company in two days. After that, my business will go up. I will also be able to earn profits steadily."

Velu looked at Selvi with excitement and pride. 

"This is incredible. I was worried that something adverse could have happened, but, you have given me a pleasant surprise" said Selvi, elated.

"You should share this good news with your mother. She was worried a lot" she added.

"Yes. She can go to the astrologer to find an explanation for this favourable development. He may, after reexamining my horoscope, say that Saturn had some urgent business to attend to and hence made an early exit from my horoscope, giving up his plan to stay there for seven and a half years!" said Velu and laughed.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 62
Perseverance

Verse 620 (in Tamil):
Uzhaiyum uppakkam kANbar ulaivu inRith
thAzhAdhu ugnaRRubavar.

Meaning:

Those who persevere resolutely without respite will defeat fate and drive it away.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'viraivil vilagiya sani' by the same author.) 

Verse 621 (soon)
Verse 619