live in glory or just disappear....

कुसुमस्तबकस्येव द्वयी वृत्तिर्मनीषिणः।

मूर्ध्नि वा सर्वलोकस्य शीर्यते वने एव वा॥

भर्तृहरेः नीतिशतके॥

kusumastabakasyeva dvayī vṛttirmanīṣiṇaḥ|

mūrdhni vā sarvalokasya śīryate vane eva vā||

bhartṛhareḥ nītiśatake||

Reach the best you can.. or just wither away in the process..

But no compromises on quality.. No Via media..

This is the message of the philosophical poet Bhartruhari in his Neetishatakam

Just like a fresh bunch of flowers that has bloomed the really noble person too has only two destinations.

The flower reaches the best places.. like the feet of God, or becomes the object of decoration of the best persons or places.

If that does not happen the flower just decays and dies in the forest itself.

Similarly the noble person, the person of substance should strive and reach the top of the world through concerted action in the best way he can..

Else, he should just keep anonymous and wither away..

He should never go for the ordinary and should never compromise..

Yes, one has to do his best..

Of course nothing to be ashamed if one attempts and fails.

But he should be true to himself.. and he should be able to tell himself that he did his best..

He should be able to tell himself that he did not leave any stone unturned..

We tend to choose the easy way.. We tend to try to snooze in the comfort zone.. But that choice would make us non entities.. Men of no value, no substance..

Is it that we really want?