The criteria for choosing a student as the best student included not only the student's academic performance, but also other factors like discipline, punctuality, number of days of attendance, remaining calm and peaceful both inside and outside the classroom, respecting the teachers and other students, special talents etc.
After the class teacher selected one student from his class as the best student, the name of the best student would be announced by the headmaster of the school during the prayer assembly.
As far as 7-B was considered, it was the general expectation of all the students that Sridhar would be chosen for the award.
Two days after the award was announced, Gurumurthy, who handled the first period, told Sridhar, after the class was over, "Come and meet me at the Teachers' room during the lunch break."
As far as 7-B was considered, it was the general expectation of all the students that Sridhar would be chosen for the award.
Apart from the fact that Sridhar was ahead of other students in all the criteria stipulated for the selection, another factor known to everyone was that the class teacher Gurumurthy had a special liking for Sridhar. The other students were aware that the class teacher developed a special liking towards Sridhar, only because of Sridhar's good qualities. Even other students liked Sridhar.
But, to the surprise of every one, the head master announced during the prayer assembly that Vadivel was chosen as the best student of
7-B.
7-B.
Since Sridhar's classmates had been repeatedly telling him that he was sure to be chosen for the award, the announcement came as a disappointment to Sridhar.
Two days after the award was announced, Gurumurthy, who handled the first period, told Sridhar, after the class was over, "Come and meet me at the Teachers' room during the lunch break."
When Sridhar met Gurumurthy during the lunch break, Gurumurthy asked him, "Are you disappointed that you were not selected the best student of your class?"
"No, sir" said Sridhar and added. "Vadivel is a very good student too."
"Though you say you are not disappointed, I know that you feel hurt that you have not been selected. As everyone expected, I should have chosen you for this award. But, I deliberately chose Vadivel, instead."
Sridhar looked at his teacher, with a feeling of surprise and disbelief.
"But, I did so, only for your own good. You have many good traits. But you also have an undesirable quality. I did so only to help you drive out that undesirable quality."
"What is that quality, sir?" asked Sridhar, perplexed.
"Jealousy!" said Gurumurthy.
"Sir! I am not jealous of anyone" said Sridhar.
"Sir! I am not jealous of anyone" said Sridhar.
"You may think so, but you do have this quality. I have observed it. If some student scores better than you in a subject in a test, you become upset. The feeling of unhappiness will be writ large on your face. Most of the times, you had been the top scorer. You had won many prizes and awards for academic performance. Yet, occasionally, if some other receives an award, you will be put out. Anyone looking at your face will be able to see your face reflecting your discomfort.
"The important trait anyone should possess is being free from jealousy. Jealousy will destroy the good qualities of a person. In life, you may have to face a variety of situations. At any stage in our life, there will always be some people above us on certain aspects. Some of these people may be more deserving than us. But, there will also be times when people who are less intelligent, less educated, less competent or less experienced than us may overtake us, due to luck or some other factors. We should learn to accept these developments. Taking my own example, I may feel that some teachers who are not as good as me have got better recognition than me. I have learnt to accept such situations as realities of life and move on with my own goals for my development and progress.
"Your entire focus should be on your own progress. It is natural for us to be jealous of people who overtake us. But, we should strive to overcome the feeling of jealousy. Just now you said, 'Vadivel is a very good student too.' I know that you said it to show that you were not jealous and that it didn't come from your heart. You should learn to really think like that. This will come by practice. If you start repeating this thought in your mind, soon you will begin to believe it. After all, Vadivel is really good, isn't he?
"The things I am telling you now may not be readily acceptable by you. You may not even understand the meanings of my words fully. But I am saying these with the hope that these ideas will be stored in some part of your mind and will surface and come to your help, at appropriate times in future. Just remember this. If you have jealousy, other good traits possessed by you will be of no use to you. I am confident that you will be able to overcome your quality of jealousy soon and learn to accept results, even if you find them unjust or unfair. Now, you may go to your class" said Gurumurthy.
Thirukkural
Section 1
The Path of Virtue
The Path of Virtue
Chapter 17
Bearing No Envy
Bearing No Envy
Verse 161 (In Tamil)
ozhukku ARAk koLga oruvan than nenjaththu
azhukkARu ilAdha iyalbu.
azhukkARu ilAdha iyalbu.
Meaning:
One should make not having envy as a righteous way of life.
(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'siRandha mANavan' by the same author)
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