THE TRAGEDY OF LIFE
Prepare before It’s Too Late

MASTI VENKATESHA IYENGAR (d. 1986) is a famous Kannada language writer. As a young man he went straight into Indian Civil Service (then known as Mysore Civil Service) from university. A conscientious civil servant, his seniority and ability qualified him for ministership, but he was treated unfairly and denied the promotion he deserved. Disillusioned, he went into premature retirement.

After his retirement he took to writing short stories and novels. With approximately 150 works to his credit, he became famous as an outstanding and prolific writer. For one of his books, Chikaveera Rajendra (a historical novel about the last king of Kodagu), he received the Gnanpith Award in 1983, along with a Rs. 150,000 prize. An interview which Mr. Masti gave to Sridhar was published in The Times of India (August 12, 1984). It appeared that, although Mr. Masti held his works in high esteem, he was not particularly moved by the latest acknowledgement of his literary prowess. “I am too old to be happy,” he said.

What Mr Masti meant was that, at the age of 94, he was too old to appreciate any happiness. A tragic end indeed to a literary career which spanned the larger part of a century. Mr Masti’s first book was published in 1912. He had to wait 70 years, then, for the award which should have crowned his efforts.

But when the climax of his literary career came, he was in no position to appreciate it. Old age had dampened his enthusiasm and made him indifferent to success.

The same is true of everyone in this world. Like Mr. Masti, everyone works for something here on earth, and exerts all his strength on achievement of a certain end. But it is only after a long period, in Mr Masti’s case 70 years, that one’s efforts reap rewards. Then, one is too old to relish one’s reward. Besides, death may come at any time, closing the pages on the story of one’s life and transporting one to another world. It is better to exert one’s time and efforts in this world on preparations for the next world where all of us are heading.