The past is like a broken pot. The present is like a veena, waiting to be played. The future is like a cat on the wall. It could jump to the right or to the left. But this does not mean we can do nothing about the future. Proper planning can lead to desirable results, said Malayaman in a discourse.
We have to plan our expenses carefully. Our present actions have a bearing on the future. And therefore, it is our duty to be careful in what we do. If we carelessly cast away a lit matchstick on a haystack, the result will be a big fire, which can spread and cause extensive damage. All it takes is for us to be careful to ensure that a match is extinguished, and to throw it far away from the haystack. A few seconds of carelessness can have consequences which will be huge. This is the example Thiruvalluvar gives in one of his verses to warn us about the dangers of unthinking action. In another verse, Thiruvalluvar says that he who foresees the future and protects himself from trouble, will be spared the shock of experiencing something negative.
A man who is unable to anticipate future problems to some extent at least, will have to pay a price for his actions. Thiruvalluvar warns us not to spend more than we earn. A man’s earnings may be meagre, but if his expenses do not exceed his income, he will come to no harm.
