Why does this keep happening to me! that job is worth a million but it is also a world apart! That means no family, no friends. I belong to a middle class family. On top of it paying for my mothers operation is becoming seemingly impossible day by day with my current, crummy job. The idea of making more money is not only tempting but also necessary.
Oh, I got a call from my agent who is also a good friend to me.
Agent: hey! Are you all packed up? We have to leave early tomorrow morning. We cant be late, can we?
Me: umm….sorry. I’m not sure if I want to go.
Agent: you got to be kidding me! you were among the top 3!
Me: yeah. That’s true. But leaving everyone behind here doesn’t sound like a good idea anymore to me now that its time to actually part.
Agent: you cant afford to have an emotional breakdown now! A lot is at stake!
Me: stake? What do you mean?
Agent: well, I spent a heck lotta money to get you in.
Me: what! You bribed!
Agent: not really I just had to get some papers forged for the visa thing. Your talent is too good to be ignored. So bribing is out of question.
Me: but that’s illegal!
Agent: oh common! It’s nothing big! Everyone does it!
Me: everyone does it doesn’t make it any good Jake.
Agent: hey Misha, your mother. She’s ill. How do you expect to pay for her treatment with your underpaid job?
Me: I’ll manage somehow.
Agent: we both know that wont be possible. Don’t kid yourself hon.
Me: but if I leave her here alone who will take care of her! And how will I survive alone in that distant land!
Agent: you will make friends.
Me: but….
Agent: Misha, honey, its your duty to get your mom all fine. To get her the best treatment possible.
Me: but, how can I just leave!
Agent: your going is better for everyone dear. You know that deep inside. Just accept it.
Me: but that is simple greed for money! I cant leave my mom, my friends for money! It holds no importance to me before them!
Agent: well, its not about lust of money is it? Its about the need.
In the above script I have portrayed Misha as Arjuna and the agent and her friend Jake as Krishna. Arjun’s hesitation to fight againt his brothers is akin to by Misha’s hesitation to leave her mother to fend for herself .Arjun fights for a just cause and not to win his land back. Similarly Misha’s sole interest is to pay for her mother and not the money and glam involved in moving to a foreign country. Jake explains her the practical viewpoint on how things are run. How everything is fair in war. How forging papers is no big deal. These views might not be idealistic. Similarly when Krishna helped arjun to kill Jayadrata , deceit was involved, of which arjun didn’t approve at first. But that was indespensible if he wanted to live up to his vow.
Mahabharata teaches us of the realities of life. Life is not a bed of roses. We have to do some things that might not be according to our ideals. But for our success and betterment we must be ready to sacrifice. Times have changed but the basic realities of life are here to stay. Man is the same as he was in the ancient times. Mahabharata has a strong link to our lives today. Everything we experience can be explained by the great epic tale.
