Value of Time

VALUE OF TIME

There once lived an astrologer in a village on the west coast of Karnataka. Although he was very famous and well known, he was wise, humble and lived a simple life. The villagers would often seek his advice and he would always suggest suitable solutions and explain it to them in a simple way without asking for anything in return. People who dedicated themselves to his guidance got their problems resolved and made good fortune by following his advice.

To a farmer, the astrologer would suggest the right time to sow and reap a crop, he would recommend the correct variety of crop to grow at the region from where the farmer is from. To a housewife, considering her will power, he would suggest certain kind of time management skills which they were capable of. All done with his art of studying the horoscope.

The word spread in all directions about the precise predictions of the astrologer and the simple terms in which he explained, and everybody were intrigued by his wisdom. People from near and far travelled to the village to meet the astrologer. His suggestions were so commendable that the entire kingdom started singing his praises and the village started to gain fame and recognition.

Despite his success and recognition from across, there was one lady who was unhappy with the astrologer, his wife. Her only grievance was that her husband, who was a great fortune teller, did not bring any big fortune for his own family. She used to grumble every often and created a gloomy environment at home. Any word against her views would result in greater out-bursts.

She argued, “You have all the powers to make us rich, yet we live in this small house. I have never seen another who would use his knowledge to help the whole world, but not his family. You don’t like me. You hate your family.”, and so on...

The astrologer lovingly said, “We are happy with what we have. We live with good health and we have enough for our day to day living. Why do you want to put yourself into trouble craving for that extra wealth”?

But our peevish lady, the astrologer’s wife, was not convinced. Again, the same old note, the same old grumble, rehearsed ever more often, more frequently than before.

Tired of all the constant fights and negativity in his house, the astrologer made up his mind to resolve the issue. He cared for his wife and wanted her to be happy, so he browsed through the almanac and found a solution. He told his wife,

“My dearest, tomorrow there is a very auspicious time, the Brahma muhurta, where you can turn grains of rice into gold, but you must do exactly what I say at the exact moment when I say it."

The wife felt she won the toss, and readily agreed to follow his instructions.

The astrologer said, “Tomorrow, early morning take bath and light a lamp before God and pray for awareness to fulfil your dreams. Then gather as much rice as you need and find a big enough pot to hold the rice. Then fill the pot with enough clean water and keep it on the stove and bring it to a boil. Wash the rice and keep it ready in a separate bowl. I will look to the Brahma muhurta and tell you when the moment arrives, to put the rice into the boiling water. You ought to be very swift and drop the rice at the exact moment. If you miss the exact second of the Brahma muhurta the rice will not turn into gold."

The wife had been waiting for this moment for so long, that she was overwhelmed with joy. Her happiness knew no bounds and radiated the entire house. She started to think of all the things she could do with the gold, all the possibilities, the great life she would live. Cheerfully delighted, she started to make preparations and said

“Such a simple thing! As simple as cooking rice... this man could have proposed it long back. Hmmm… At least he realized now.”

The astrologer did not respond and continued to be humble and calm.

Unknown to them, their conversation was overheard by the lady next-door. She had sought the astrologer’s advice in the past and had reaped the fruits of his wisdom. She eagerly made a note of his instructions and started working on it. She said to herself,

“I must not miss this golden opportunity. I must stay focused and get it right.”

Next morning, there was a lot of excitement to get the things ready, both at the astrologer’s house as well as in their neighbour’s house. The astrologer took his almanac and was counting for the Brahma muhurta. He told his wife to be ready, stay focused and put the rice exactly when he says. She agreed. Everything was arranged as per the instructions and was waiting for the great moment. Although she was curiously waiting, her mind was still imagining about her new life from that day forth.

When the right time arrived, the astrologer said, “PUT now!”

His wife, coming out of her daydream, instead of instantly dropping the rice, tied her hair into a bun, washed her hands and then put the rice into the boiling water. She then patiently waited for the rice to turn gold, but all she got was cooked rice. She had missed the Muhurta.

Even though she was aware of what had happened, she did not want to accept it. She sadly lamented,

“But why? Why did the rice not turn into gold? "

Tears rolled down her cheeks. All the dreams she had of a wealthy life shattered before her eyes. All she could feel now was shock, worry and sorrow.

The astrologer remained calm and composed, having known the outcome of the exercise. He knew his wife well and had already foreseen the results. Although he had tried to warn her from the beginning, by asking her to stay focused, she had missed the Muhurta. She was a good lady and the astrologer loved her very much, but he had known of her limitations and had accepted them.

Looking at the heartbroken state of his wife, he spoke to her convincingly. He said,

“Don’t worry. Accept reality. I had ignored your concerns several times because of your casual attitude. It is not bad to be casual. But you must learn to accept what you deserve. Or else you need to learn to make the best out of the moment. Brahma muhurta will not come often. When it comes, it is necessary to grab it. It is very important to prioritize things and work diligently to accomplish certain things. Now, make a choice and focus accordingly.”

But the lady next-door, who had overheard their conversations, had followed the instructions meticulously. Her rice grains had turned into gold. She thanked the astrologer and was grateful to him.

The Astrologers wife was obviously disappointed. But she realized the value of time and to accept life as it comes. She gave up nagging and slowly started to work consciously. Her respect for her husband multiplied.

This transformation in her attitude gave her a new life. She too joined her husband in his profession. Both husband and wife worked together selflessly and wholeheartedly to help the human community. They both made close observations of human behaviors. They ventured into new vistas in astrology and human psychology and enriched a holistic ideology in the community. 

They lived a peaceful life and spread the secret of happiness. They lectured in public gatherings and spread the message of several disciplines like value of time, respect individual differences, of course about the planetary effects on human life and  manage the tough times in life. The astrologer’s wife had indeed found her real wealth.

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