Pranam
1 Old age is a problem but one who learnt that growth do not feel that
way at all. I am taking you to Valmiki and Kalidas wrt the old age
,described by words of dasaratha. ( I read this in my 13th year when
studying in the school.
*Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose*
idaM shariiraM kR^itsnasya lokasya charataa hitam |
*paaNdurasya atapatrasya chchhaayaayaaM jaritaM mayaa || 2-2-7*
*7. mayaa= by me, charitaa= being conducted, hitham= for the benefit,
kR^itsnasya= of all , lokasya= of the people, idam shariiram= this body,
jaritam= became worn out, chchhaayaayaaM= under the shadow, paandurasya
atapatrasya= of white umbrella.*
"In conducting the kingdom for benefit of the entire people, my body became
impaired under *shade of the white umbrella."*
*Jaritham maya chaayaayaa pandurasya atapatrasya: white hairs seen at the
corner of the ears shadowed part -denoting the old age ; I read this in my
8th standard taught by Ramakrishna sasgtrigal speaaking about the old age
as dasaratha descreibed. *
praapya varshhasahasraaNi bahuu nyaayuuMshhi jiivataH |
jiirNasyaasya shariirasya vishraanti mabhirochaye || 2-2-8
*8. asya= this, shariirasya= body, praapya= got, jiivataH= living, bahuuni=
many, varshha sahasraaNi= thousands of years, aayuuMshhi= of age,
abhirochaye= I desire, vishraantim= rest.*
"This body has been living for many thousands of years. Hence I desire
rest."
raajaprabhaavajushhTaam hi durvahaamajitendriyaiH |
parishraanto.asmi lokasya gurviiM dharmadhuraM vahan || 2-2-9
*9. gurviim= great, lokasya= worldly, dharmadhuraM= weight of
righteousness, raaja prabhaava justaam= serviced by regal power, durvahaam=
could not be carried by, ajitendriyaiH= those who have not defeated senses,
asmi parishraantaH= I am tired, vahan= of carrying.*
"This burden of worldly righteousness is very heavy. This can be sustained
only by royal power with qualities like courage and valor. A person who has
no control of senses can not carry this burden. I have become tired while
carrying this burden of righteousness. "
so.ahaM vishramamichchhaami putraM kR^itvaa prajaahite |
sannikR^ishhTaanimaan sarvaananumaanya dvijarshhabhaan || 2-2-10
*10. saH aham= (That) I, ichchhaami= desire, vishramam= to rest, anumaanya=
getting consent (of), sarvaan= all, imaan= these, dvijarshhabhaan= best of
Brahmans, sannikR^ishhTaan= close at hand, kR^itvaa= keeping, putram= son,
prajaahite= for the benefit of people.*
"I desire to take rest, entrusting the rule to my son for the benefit of
the people, after obtaining consent from all those best Brahmans who are
close to me."
*Sarga 2 *Dasaratha mentions his desire about coronation of Rama before
the assembly of people. All people in the assembly unanimously and
delightfully accept it while describing all of Rama's virtues.
*- - -*
Addressing invited gathering in the court, Dasaratha spoke in friendly,
pleasing and clear terms. In a loud voice resembling that of a kettle-drum,
resounding the air like a thundering cloud and in a sweet splendid and
incomparable voice endowed with the characteristics of a king's voice, King
Dasaratha the lord of men spoke to the kings as follows:
"It is well known that my excellent kingdom was ruled by my ancestral kings
as if it were their son. I have a desire that this entire land which was
protected by the descendents of Ikshvaaku dynasty, be bestowed with
goodness and the resultant happiness. Following the path established by my
ancestors, I have always protected my people with alertness and to the best
of my ability. In conducting the kingdom for benefit of the entire people,
my body became impaired under shade of the white umbrella."
"This body has been living for many thousands of years. Hence I desire
rest. This burden of worldly righteousness is very heavy. This can be
sustained only by royal power with qualities like courage and valor. A
person who has no control of senses can not carry this burden. I have
become tired while carrying this burden of righteousness. I desire to take
rest, entrusting the rule to my son for the benefit of the people, after
obtaining consent from all those best Brahmans who are close to me."
Maha kavi Kalidasan describes the same as under:
निर्विष्टविषयस्नेहः स दशान्तमुपेयिवान्।
आसीदासन्ननिर्वाणः प्रदीपार्चिरिवोषसि॥ १२-१
nirviṣṭaviṣayasnehaḥ sa daśāntamupeyivān|
āsīdāsannanirvāṇaḥ pradīpārcirivoṣasi || 12-1
12-1. nirviShTa viShaya snehaH= who enjoyed, senses, pleasures - who had
enjoyed all pleasures of the senses; dasha antam upeyivAn saH= who had
attained the declining period of existence, he that Dasharatha; uShasi
pradIpa arciH iva= morning time, lamp's, wick, as with; Asanna nirvANaH
AsIt= at hand, final emancipation, having, he is there.
He who had enjoyed all pleasures of the senses, attaining the declining
period of existence, and having his final emancipation at hand, Dasharatha,
was like the flame of a lamp about to extinguish in the early morning, with
its supply of oil finished and with its wick nearly consumed. [12-1]
Now Dasharatha, having known all joys/Of sense, and entering on life's
final stage,/Neared his eclipse, as fades before the dawn/The lamplight.
तम् कर्णमूलमागत्य रामे श्रीर्न्यस्यतामिति।
कैकेयीशङ्कयेवाह पलितच्छद्मना जरा॥ १२-२
tam karṇamūlamāgatya rāme śrīrnyasyatāmiti|
kaikeyīśaṅkayevāha palitacchadmanā jarā || 12-2
12-2. jarA = old age; kaikeyI sha~NkayA iva= as if fearing for
Kaikeyi; palita cChadmanA= in the guise of hoariness, silvery white
hair; karNa mUlam Agatya = ear, at a corner of, having come; rAme shrIH
nyasyatAm iti = in Rama, kingdom, may be kept, thus; tam Aha = to him, said.
Old Age under the guise of grey hair came to the root of his ear and, as if
through fear of Kaikeyi, whispered to him 'let Rama be crowned...' [12-2]
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
ISCKON and many Krishna trusts had drawn these figures of growth from child
to the old age . Adi shankara describes it in Bhaja Govindam. Azhwars sung
it as "ATRAIKKU IPPODE SOLLIVAITAEN". BHARATHI SAID "WILL i FALL DOWN LIKE
OTHER OLD AGED PEOPLE LIKE NINE PINS?. VEEZHVAEN ENA NINAITHAYO?. DHARMA
pathway does not worry the old age or the Prime; the illegal acts conspired
by villains do contribute to the pains of the old age. If the old age is
understood then why all the vainglorious acts of misdeeds?.
Rig Vedam Mandala 1 verse 89 speaks at least 10000 years before, the old
age as under:
‘*sataminnu sarado anti devahyatra nascakra jarasam tanunam **putraso yatra
pitaro bhavanti mano madhyareerishatayurgantoh*‘
*“Oh you Gods! A lovely hundred years (Śarad seasons) stand before us with
in the given span of lifetime. Kindly, do not trouble our mortal physical
frame, until we reach to a certain age. The next generation can take charge
and get ready to bear the responsibilities of becoming fathers in
turn.” **Rigveda
1.89.9*
Ramayana expressed a truth that death is natural to all beings while life
and living is change. But if a being lives long breathing (*svāsan*)
healthily then we consider him to be fortunate. In other words, if *prāṇa-śakti
i*s live, healthy, it is a blessing and the person would be able to witness
many things for long time upon this Earth. Therefore, to grow into the
stage of senior citizen for any being born on Earth is Fortunate. Here when
Valmiki employed the word ‘*Svāsa*’ he seems to imply health, active life
in the granted span of time. *Svāsa* is the *prāṇa *and when it is intact
activity could be done with such vigour and enthusiasm. Further we have a
prayer to Rudra ‘*Prathamo Daivyo Bhishak’ (SYV 16 Ch).* He needs to bless
us long life followed by assurances of health and detachments of unwanted
strings of responsibilities. This would help for all to subsist that period
of life to go for gains like: friends, health, wealth, and above all
sustained memory. In *Camaka prasanga* of Yajurveda, we have many articles
of life programs enlisted. All of them are lending support for hope and
optimistic aspirations for necessary comfort. Thereby our faculties and
activity shall not be passive. In principle, we have asked for 35
optimistic desires and conditions to go safe with us until the end of being
a senior citizen. There are hundreds of positive desires to stay and be
fruitful to us in life. For example, one can see developments in various
dimensions of life like, family, profession, contacts, religious and
spiritual events and distinctions. Such long life leads to growth into
being a ‘*Śatāyuṣī*’ (of hundred years). Right from the age eighty and more
years of age, the person is styled as *Śatāyuṣī* and there are many
*āśirvāda* mantras Veda and other scriptures to confirm health and peace in
the life thereafter for the persons in. Prayer is unfailing measure of
attainments being proved a Boon and Bonus. KR IRS 22622
On Wed, 22 Jun 2022 at 12:12, gopala krishnan <[email protected]> wrote:
> OLD AGE
>
> Dear friends,
>
> I have visited ISKON temple in Bangalore many times. About the exit of
> the temple one thing attracted me was the number of idols kept from birth
> to death. From infant to dying stage. How the height increase in young
> stage, how appear in the beginning of maturity of the person, how height
> decrease as he comes about 60, the stage he is old, able to walk only with
> stick, about 70 how the body shrinks, and bend occurs at middle of body in
> spite of holding stick, and body further shrinks and collapse leading to
> death.
>
> In spite of diseases or not at old age many are not able to consume
> food. Taste buds disappear.
>
> What I have specially observed at old age above 75- It becomes a burden
> even to go to a barber shop and haircut. Daily shaved person changes to
> twice a week. Once a month haircutting changes to once in 2/3 months.
>
> With all facilities of western toilet and hot water facility and nearby
> wash basin, feels as burden to clean the teeth, take bath. Even though the
> person knows, all these things are to be done, the feeling of burden- Oh, I
> have to do, appears and carry out with hesistation.
>
> The person who changed the dress daily, feels burden of wash in washing
> machine and put for drying and ironing. He changes the dress for going out
> once a week. Daily wear somehow he manages because of hygenine.
>
> Most important- Taking food and medicine. Due to hunger he may take a
> little food, he feels full with small quantity. Aversion is more to take
> the prescribed pills- opening and taking out and consuming. If somebody
> keeps ready, aversion is slightly less. The same type of burden feeling and
> postponing things if possible even the most important ones.
>
> For response by fellow members
>
> Gopalakrishnan 22-6-2022.
>
>
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