The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,886 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3.

The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 2,886 pages of information about The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3.

“Bhishma said, ’These two, viz., one that provides for the future, and one possessed of presence of mind, always enjoy happiness.  The man of procrastination, however, is lost.  In this connection, listen attentively to the following excellent story of a procrastinating person in the matter of settling his course of action.  In a lake that was not very deep and which abounded with fishes, there lived three Sakula fishes that were friends and constant companions.  Amongst those three one had much forethought and always liked to provide for what was coming.  Another was possessed of great presence of mind.  The third was procrastinating.  One day certain fishermen coming to that lake began to bale out its waters to a lower ground through diverse outlets.  Beholding the water of the lake gradually decreasing, the fish that had much foresight, addressing his two companions on that occasion of danger, said, ’A great danger is about to overtake all the aquatic creatures living in this lake.  Let us speedily go to some other place before our path becomes obstructed.  He that resists future evil by the aid of good policy, never incurs serious danger.  Let my counsels prevail with you.  Let us all leave this place’ That one amongst the three who was procrastinating then answered, ’It is well said.  There is, however, no need of such haste.  This is my deliberate opinion.’  Then the other fish, who was noted for presence of mind, addressed his procrastinating companion and said, ’When the time for anything comes, I never fail to provide for it according to policy.’  Hearing the answers of his two companions, he of great forethought and considerable intelligence immediately set out by a current and reached another deep lake.  The fishermen, Seeing that all the water had been baled out, shut in the fishes that remained, by diverse means.  Then they began to agitate the little water that remained, and as they began to catch the fish, the procrastinating Sakula was caught with many others.  When the fisherman began to tie to a long string the fishes they had caught, the Sakula who was noted for presence of mind thrust himself into the company of those that had been so tied and remained quietly among them, biting the string, for he thought that he should do it to give the appearance of being caught.  The fishermen believed that all the fishes attached to the string had been caught.  They then removed them to a piece of deep water for washing them.  Just at that time the Sakula noted for presence of mind, leaving the string, quickly escaped.  That fish, however, who had been procrastinating, foolish and senseless and without intelligence as he was, and, therefore, unable to escape, met with death.

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The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.