Monday Motivation From Scriptures (MMFS-19): You have to ask for it.

Hi,

It is good to volunteer oneself and help others in need. But is it appropriate to expect others also to volunteer themselves when you are in need of help and not ask for it?  Perhaps not!! You have to ask for it, even if you richly deserve to get it. Otherwise, you may not get it. Let us look at this incident from the Mahabharata.

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You have to ask for it.

After Yudhishthira bid and lost Draupadi to Duryodhana In the game of dice, Duhssasana dragged her to the court. While he was attempting to undress her in the presence of all, the pandavas could not do anything as they were also already bid and lost to Duryodhana. Karna, being a man of virtues and righteousness, could not tolerate the sight of Duhssasana pulling the saree of Draupadi. He felt restless and very much disturbed. He wanted to stand up and stop the nonsense at once. And, he was capable of it. But he did not do it. Why? Not because he was a friend of Duryodhana. It was for another reason.


As Draupadi went around pleading for help, she looked at different people and asked for their intervention, she took the names of Bhishma, Dhritarashtra, Vidura, Drona, and many others but not that of Karna. Even when she came face to face with Karna, she turned her face quickly, ignored him, and looked at the person sitting next to him, and clearly avoided asking for the help of Karna.

Karna wished very much that she would ask him, and he would do everything to stop the humiliation being meted out to her. She did not ask for it and he could not extend it, though she deserved it and he was capable of giving it.

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How often we feel bad when others don't come forward on their own to help us when we are in need? The old adage says, “If you don’t ask, even your mother won’t feed you.” While we should be willing to offer and extend help to others, we must also be ready to take help from others, and therefore ask for it. Be it friends or family members or colleagues at workplace or vendors or even the customers in the market place, we have to ask for it. If you ask for it, you have a better chance of getting it. And asking for help is no wrong; just ask for it.

With love and regards,

Siva