About a Purushottam

It may sound like I am writing about a colleague ! It is not so, though I do have colleague by name Purushottam !

But let me assure you this is about 'Purushottam' ! And that is the Purushottam as defined by SriRama

I was always intrigued by the tone of Rama after Hanuman comes back from Lanka. We see Rama in full flow of his sorrow and not a word about the outstanding work of Hanuman . We do not see Rama commending or thanking Hanuman profusely enough. If you see the current organizational cultures and compare Hanuman's contribution , one would be left with a feeling that Rama did not do justice to Hanuman!!

But all that is based on what we read in the few Sargas of Sundarakanda namely 64 to 68. Fortunately the very first Sarga of Yuddhakanda which follows Sundarakanda clears the issue unambiguously.

To put Hanuman's effort in perspective , Rama defines how to classify the performers. In fact he clearly states who can be defined as the best performer . The best or outstanding performer according to Rama is one who does not only what was required of him but performs well above and beyond without letting the main task be affected. He called such a performer as a " Purushottam".

Rama went on to define who can be called good performer ( madhyama) and who is a poor - Athama !!

That whole discourse by Rama is interesting. Without much doubt Rama called Hanuman "Puroshottam" and then he immediately rewarded Hanuman in his own way !

The whole classification of Purushottam, Madhyama Purusha, Athama Purusha in the earliest of Sanskrit classics only confirms that the March madness of classification for annual confidential reports existed from the time immemorial. And they had their own way of classification too !

Now I know that by Purushottam it is meant that he is one who is the best among all ! It is an adjective . But we made it into a noun in our daily use !

In any case I had the opportunity of knowing several "Purushottams " who were best in their own way. Having association with so many Purushottams has an affect of its own. And I have been the unabashed beneficiary of their association !

In the beginning I said this is not about any colleague by name Purushottam. I must correct that. It is about him also because for me he was a "Purushottam" too in his area.

That is certainly not because he had the gates opened for us to visit the "Purushottam" on the top of Seven hills !

|| Happy Reading ||

om tat sat !!

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