performance appraisal

प्रत्यहं प्रत्यवेक्षेत नरश्चरितमात्मनः।

किं नु मे पशुभिस्तुल्यं किं नु सत्पुरुषैरिति॥

सुभाषितरत्नभण्डागारे॥

pratyahaṁ pratyavekṣeta naraścaritamātmanaḥ|

kiṁ nu me paśubhistulyaṁ kiṁ nu satpurṣairiti||

subhāṣitaratnabhaṇḍāgāre||

A worthy reminder for all from Subhaashitaratnabhandagaram.. the huge treasury of noble sayings.

A person should review his own conduct and activities persistently asking himself

Were my activities today were like that of animals?

or

Were the activities regulated following the path shown by great souls?

An introspection is always worth its weight in gold.

Many of our activities are controlled by our instincts... and most of the instincts are rough and base.. Our reactions to situations in most cases would not be different from those of animals. And sure, such beastly reactions can bring grief to us too..

But the noble and wise people have set great precedents in proper behaviour.. they have faced many situations and they have responded to them in the best manner.. In a manner that would bring least disturbance to all concerned.. and would bestow all possible benefits of all around.. Human race have progressed through thousands of years.. and the acts of great men are abundantly chronicled.. The advice given here is that it would be best to consider the precedents set out by such great persons while conducting our day to day activities..

The quote from H W Longfellow.. in his "A Psalm of Life " comes to mind

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time

Mahabharatham also echoes the same idea

महाजनो येन गतः स पन्था the path followed by great men is the right path..

പ്രത്യഹം പ്രത്യവേക്ഷേത നരശ്ചരിതമാത്മനഃ।
കിം നു മേ പശുഭിസ്തുല്യം കിം നു സത്പുരുഷൈരിതി॥
സുഭാഷിതരത്നഭണ്ഡാഗാരേ॥

ഓരോ ദിവസവും ഒരു മനുഷ്യന്‍ തന്റെ പെരുമാറ്റവും ചലനങ്ങളും ശ്ര്ദ്ധിച്ചുകൊണ്ടേയിരിക്കണം.  ഇന്ന് ഞാന്‍  നല്ല മനുഷ്യരെപ്പോലെ പെരുമാരിയോ  അല്ല ഒരു മൃഗത്തിനുതുല്യമായി ജീവിതം കഴിച്ചോ എന്ന ചോദ്യത്തിന് എന്നും മറുപടി കണ്ടെത്തണം.
(തീര്‍ച്ചയായും നല്ലവനായി ജീവിക്കണം.. മൃഗത്തെപ്പോലെ അല്ല )