672. The Intrepid Minister

"Minister! How is the project for construction of a palace for the prince progressing?" 

"The work has not yet started, Your Majesty!"

"Why?"

"We don't have the funds for that. After the financial position improves, the work will be taken up."

"Minister! The Treasurer says that though he has earmarked the funds needed for constructing the palace, you have not utilized the funds for that purpose."

""Yes, Your Majesty! I utilized the funds for some other purpose."

"What purpose?"

"Your Majesty! Every year, during the monsoon, there are floods in Varuni river, causing misery to the people living near the banks of the river. Apart from people incurring huge losses by way of destruction of their belongings, lives are also lost. Experts have been suggesting that if we construct a check dam across Varuni, we can not only prevent flooding but also save water and use it to irrigate larger extents of lands and thereby increase food production."

"I am aware of it. For the past few years, we have been thinking of implementing this suggestion. But, implementation of the plan has been getting postponed, since we don't have enough resources to implement it. Are you suggesting...?"

"Your guess is correct, Your Majesty. Our funds position has been improving since last year. But, if we utilize the funds for constructing a palace for our prince, we won't be left with funds for construction of a dam. That was why I utilized the funds allocated to construct a palace for the prince for construction of a check dam, considering that this is a requirement that is both essential and urgent."

"Minister! The prince is getting married. Is it not essential that he has separate living quarters?"

"Yes, Your Majesty! It is essential, but not urgent. I think the prince won't consider it an inconvenience to live in the same quarters he is now living for some more time even after his marriage. In fact, when I spoke to the prince about this, he told me that constructing the check dam should be given priority."

"Minister! Your intrepidness is astonishing. Where did you get the courage to tell the king that people's welfare is more important than a convenience for the king's family?"

"I should have got this courage by my good fortune of working under a king, who has always considered people's welfare paramount, Your Majesty!"

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 67
The Method of Executing An Action

Verse 672 (in Tamil):
thUnguga thUngich cheyaRpAla thUngaRka
thUngAdhu seyyum vinai.

Meaning:  

Delay those tasks that can be delayed; Do not delay those tasks that cannot be delayed.

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

Verse 672 (Soon)
Verse 671