Acting in Time Matters

Troubles and problems do come in life. If they are not there, then you are probably living in some illusory world and would need medical attention.

No Shastra says that life can be trouble-free. They show you ways to avoid troubles, to get out of troubles. Various ways – some using your own skills and smartness, some with divine help. Various ways.

But, primarily since God has given all of us sufficient intelligence and wisdom, it is better to solve our problems ourselves.

Here also, people approach problems differently.

Some have foresight, they foresee problems, they anticipate what could go wrong and take measures to prevent their occurrence.

Some are street smart, they know how to wriggle out of problems.

Some are either lazy, overconfident or they go on procrastinating till they find themselves neck deep in trouble and there is no way out.

अनागतविधाता च प्रत्युत्पन्नमतिश्च यः
द्वावेव सुखमेधेते दीर्घसूत्री विनश्यति

Shastra calls them as:

Anagata Vidhata – one with foresight who would have taken steps even before problems develop and become full-blown.

Pratyutpannamati – he is smart. He is a born trouble shooter. He has all the wisdom and resources and a lot of luck with him so that he can get out of any situation.

These two kinds of people are happy in this world.

Not Deerghasootri – who will go on postponing things, would not handle issues at the right time. He doesn’t care that 'a stitch in time can save ten'.

Why has God given imagination? So that you can anticipate. You can visualize – what if this happens...

Only man can play a game of chess. No other animal. They may play football, not chess. Only man can make moves in anticipation, can analyse – what will happen if I do this, what could be the reaction, then how do I respond, then what happens.

This is average intelligence. The only problem is that many don’t make use of it.

Shastra is not sympathetic towards such people.

A student should know that, a student should be made to understand by showing examples that, telling theory may not work – point out examples.

He should know that if I don’t utilize my time properly, if I don’t study when it is time to study, my life will be finished.

Later on, you can’t blame the system or fate for it.

It is to understand this the brain is given.

There is a nice little story.

There was a shallow pond. There were many fishes in that pond. But, three of them were very close to each other.

One was an Anagata Vidhata – he would see well ahead what is going to come.
One was a Pratyutpannamati – he is smart and can come out of any situation, but would not think in advance.
And the third – a Deerghasootri – lazy procrastinator.

One day a group of fishermen came. They wanted to drain out the water in the pond and catch all the fish.

They started digging channels from all around the pond to low-lying areas so that water will drain through them.

The first fish immediately realized what was happening – he told the other two, we are in trouble, once all the water is drained, they will catch us.

The Pratyutpannamati said, no problem, I will find some way out, until then be cool.

The Deerghasootri said – No, I don’t think so. They can’t be so cruel and what will they do catching all of us at a time? How much can they eat at a time? They must be just trying to irrigate the nearby areas.

The first fish soon found his way out of the pond through one of the channels and somehow landed himself into another bigger pond nearby.

When all the water drained out, the fishermen cast their net. At this time, the Pratyutpannamati fish managed to hold on to the net from outside even before the fishermen started pulling it. So he was not inside the net, but was holding on to it from outside.

The third fish did nothing and he was caught inside the net along with the other fishes.

Then the fishermen took the catch to another nearby pond to wash it.

At this, the Pratyutpannamati fish released its grip from the net and landed inside that pond and saved himself.

The third fish could not do anything as he was inside the net and finally, he was killed.

The street smartness of the Pratyutpannamati is an endowment, not many would have it. Only a select few have this.

But most of us have the wisdom and capacity to think ahead like the first fish.

Foresee, act in advance, take steps in advance so that many troubles in life can be avoided.

Everything is bound by either space or time.

परीक्ष्यकारी युक्तश्च स सम्यगुपपादयेत्
देशकालावभिप्रेतौ ताभ्यां फलमवाप्नुयात्

We should make use of both. Take advantage of the right place, and think ahead and take advantage of time as well.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi