Pranam
Old age in our scriptures
Lifestyle is the perception of a particular society towards life and the
way its people live, think and behave. It includes dietary practices,
physical-mental activities, cognitive exposure as well as cultural and
environmental revelation. The “Vedantic” literature says that life is *sacred
and eternal* and according to this belief when the life particles interact
with material elements, various events like birth, disease, old age and
death result. In Rig Veda, desire for longevity and health (mental and
eternal physical) is best exemplified in the much quoted Atharva Veda *sukt*:
“*Pashyem sharadah shatam, Jivet sharadah shatam*” (let me see 100 autumns,
let me live 100 autumn).
2 In Ayurveda, Shushruta advocates for “swasthya vritta” (positive
health) recommending “dincharya” (daily routine), “ritucharya” (seasonal
routine), diet, exercise and virtuous conduct for positive heath. Spiritual
dimensions of personality are recommended by “Upnishads. This could be
achieved through adopting a particular lifestyle including 8 steps of
“yoga” (1) “Yama” (self control) with five rules, i.e., non-violence,
truthfulness, not stealing, chastity and the avoidance of greed; (2)
“Niyam” (observance) through purity, contentment, austerity, study of Vedas
and devotion of God; (3) “Asana” (posture) (4) “Pranayama” (control of the
breath) (5) “Pratyahar” (restraint) (6) “Dharana” (steadying of the mind)
(7) “Dhyana” (Meditation) and (8) “Samadhi” (deep meditation). All of these
lifestyle concepts are being followed by various communities across the
country till date.
3 *Manu Smriti* describes this stage in following manner:
- “*Grhasthastu yada pasyed vali palitam atmanah; Apatyasyaiva capatyam
tadaranyam samasrayet*” (When so ever a householder gets to see wrinkles
on his body, white hair on his head, and has his grandchildren, he should
resort to the forest)
- *Svadhyaye nityayuktah syad danto maitrah samahitah; Datta
nityam-anadata sarvabhutanukampakah*’ (He should be engaged in regular
study, control his senses, keep friendly behavior with everyone, and have a
tranquil mind. He must give charity, should not accept gifts from others,
and have mercy on all living beings).]
The fourth *Sanyasa* (ascetic) ashram was meant to give up everything and
exclusively perform intense “sadhana” (deep meditation). The aim was to
reach the final goal of human life: “moksha” or freedom from all the
activities of the worldly life and be in a peace-or realization of the God.
According to Manu Smriti.
- “*Vanesu tu vihrtyaivam trtiyam bhagam-ayusah; Caturtham-ayuso bjagam
tyaktva sangan-parivrajet*” ( After spending the third portion of one's
life in the forest, the fourth portion of life should be spent as a
sanyasi, by surrendering all attachments (for the world)
- “*Adhyatma-ratir-asino nirapekso nir-amisah; Atmanaiva sahayena
sukharthi vicared-iha*” (Delighting in meditation on the Supreme,
independence from others, giving up all desires, with only the Self as
companion, seeking supreme bliss, shall live like sanyasi).
- The “Mahabharat” describes the duties and obligations of these ashrams
in almost similar terms and Kautilya too summarizes them in his
“Arthashastra” in the same manner.
4 The Ayurvedic texts referred “smriti kshaya” and “medha kshaya”
(deterioration in memory and intellect), which describes properties of
dementia and Parkinson's disorders. Treatment measures are also provided
for dementia in different herbal medicines which includes triphala, brahmi,
amalaka (Indian gooseberry), amrit kalasa, etc. Ayurveda describes that
mind (manas) is a link among the huge amounts of information gathered by
five sense organs (indriya) which are processed by intelligence (buddhi)
for delivering proper action (karma). Three states of mind are described:
“sattva,” “rajas” and “tamas. The satvic mind remains alert, enthusiastic,
courageous, stable, and thus intelligent. “Rajas” described a mental state
dominated by anger, passion, greediness, constant action, excessive work
and anxiety, whereas tamsic mind tends to develop delusion and has been
described as dull, ignorant and slow. Tamsic characteristics of AD include
slow cognition, poor memory and difficulty in performing tasks. Rajsic
imbalance (“sun downing”) is present during frustrated outbursts, periods
of agitation. It is also described that health related problems take place
due to imbalance in nutritional intake. Ayurveda advocates consumption of
whole grain foods, fruits and vegetables for better mental health. Studies
show that food with low amounts of life energy (prana) like over-ripened,
overcooked, highly processed, frozen and refined food products should be
avoided.
5 dehino ’smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati
*BG 2.13*: Just as the embodied soul continuously passes from childhood to
youth to old age, similarly, at the time of death, the soul passes into
another body. The wise are not deluded by this.
nasato vidyate bhavo nabhavo vidyate satah
ubhayorapi drishto ’nta stvanayos tattva-darshibhih
*BG 2.16*: Of the transient there is no endurance, and of the eternal there
is no cessation. This has verily been observed and concluded by the seers
of the Truth, after studying the nature of both.{ Bhavo Happenning) can
apply to the Vriddha bhava (old age) also}.
6 Thus the old age shall make one think :
“According to the Śhwetāśhvatar Upaniṣhad, there are three entities in
existence:
*bhoktā bhogyaṁ preritāraṁ cha matvā sarvaṁ proktaṁ trividhaṁ brahmametat
(1.12) *[v13]
*kṣharaṁ pradhānamamṛitākṣharaṁ haraḥ kṣharātmānāvīśhate deva ekaḥ (1.10) *
[v14]
*sanyuktametatkṣharamakṣharaṁ cha vyaktāvyaktaṁ bharate viśhvamīśhaḥ (1.8) *
[v15]
All these Ved mantras state that these three entities—God, the individual
soul, and Maya—are all eternal.
1. God is everlasting. Thus he is *sat* (eternally existing). Hence, a name
for him in the Vedas is *sat-chit-ānand* (eternal-full of knowledge-ocean
of bliss).
2. The soul is imperishable, and hence it is *sat*. However, the body will
cease to exist one day, and hence it is *asat* (temporary). The soul is
also *sat-chit-ānand*, but it is also *aṇu* (tiny). Hence the soul is *aṇu
sat*, *aṇu chit*, and *aṇu ānand*.
3. The entity Maya from which the world has been made is eternal, or *sat*.
However, all material objects we see around us came into existence and will
be destroyed with time. Thus, they can all be termed as *asat*, or
temporary. So while the world itself is *asat*, it is only the entity Maya
that is *sat*.
When we say that the world is *asat*, this should not be confused with
*mithyā*. *Asat* (temporary) does not mean *mithyā* (non-existent). Some
philosophers claim that the world is *mithyā*, or “non-existent.” They
assert that it is only the ignorance within us that is making us perceive
the world, and once we are situated in *brahma-jñāna* (knowledge of the
Supreme) the world will cease to exist. However, if this were true, then
the world should no longer have remained for the God-realized Saints. Since
they had destroyed their ignorance, the world should have stopped existing
for them. Why then did these Saints write books even after attaining the
state of God-realization? Where did the paper and pen come from? The fact
that *brahma-jñānīs* use the objects of the world proves that the world
exists even for them. Besides, even *brahma-jñānīs* need food to nourish
their bodies. The Vedic scriptures state: *paśhvādibhiśhchāviśheṣhat* [v16]
“Even God-realized Saints feels hungry, just as animals do, and need to eat
food.” If the world does not exist for them, then how and why should they
eat?
Further, the Taittirīya Upaniṣhad repeatedly informs us that God is
all-pervading in the world:
*so ’kāmayata bahu syāṁ prajāyeyeti sa tapo ’tapyata sa tapastaptvā
idaṁsarvamasṛijata yadidaṁ kiṁ cha tatsṛiṣhtvā tadevānuprāviṣhat
tadanupraviśhya sachcha tyachchābhavat niruktaṁ chāniruktaṁ cha nilayanaṁ
chānilaynaṁ cha vijñānaṁ chāvijñānaṁ cha satyaṁ chānṛitam cha satyamabhavat
yadidaṁ kiṁ cha tatsatyamityāchakṣhate tadapyeṣha śhloko bhavati *(2.6.4)
[v17]
This Vedic mantra states that God not only created the world, but also
permeates every atom of it. If God is truly all-pervading in this world,
then how can the world have no existence? To say that the world is *mithyā* is
to contradict the fact that God pervades the world. In this verse, Shree
Krishna explains that the world does exist, but it is fleeting. Thus, he
calls it as *asat*, or “temporary.” He does not call it *mithyā*, or
“non-existent.”
7 na jayate mriyate va kadachin
nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah
ajo nityah shashvato ’yam purano
na hanyate hanyamane sharire
*BG 2.20*: The soul is neither born, nor does it ever die; nor having once
existed, does it ever cease to be. The soul is without birth, eternal,
immortal, and ageless. It is not destroyed when the body is destroyed.
8 The Katopanishad contains a mantra almost identical to the above verse
of the *Bhagavad Gita*:
na jāyate mriyate vā vipaśhchin nāyaṁ kutaśhchin na babhūva kaśhchit
ajo nityaḥ śhāśhvato ’yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śharīre (1.2.18) [v25]
“The soul is not born, nor does it die; it did not spring from something,
and nothing sprang from it. It is unborn, eternal, immortal, and ageless.
It is not destroyed when the body is destroyed.” The Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad states:
sa vā eṣha mahān aja ātmājaro ’maro ’mṛito ’bhayaḥ (4.4.25) [v26]
“The soul is glorious, unborn, deathless, free from old age, immortal, and
fearless.”
9 Thus old age is a bliss as the oldest soul elevates the existence
happier than one is indisposed, to assume the opposite view, through the
senses. The Karma, Guna vibaga retains the youth in one where only, age is
a number; in all other respects of the senses, age reflects dire
consequences. Age does not wither anyone. KR IRS 2322
On Tue, 1 Mar 2022 at 19:17, 'gopala krishnan' via iyer123 <
[email protected]> wrote:
> *CULTURAL QA 03-2022-01*
>
> *BEING A COMPILATION THERE MAY BE ERRORS*
>
> Q1 If refrigerated, do vegetables lose it's nutritive value?
>
> A1 Lucia Garcia Worked at Hospitals Feb 22
>
> Vegetables have the highest nutritional value when they are harvested. *Once
> a vegetable leaves the soil, it loses its source of nutrients and energy.*
>
> Vegetables start to use their own nutrients to maintain the life of their
> cells after they are picked, and some nutrients are particularly easy to
> lose.
>
> *Refrigerating vegetables does not prevent the loss of their nutrients,
> only prolongs their shelf life and prevents them from spoiling.*
>
> For example, fresh vegetables stored at room temperature of 20 degrees for
> 7 days will lose more than 95% of their vitamin C. If vegetables are kept
> in the refrigerator, they will lose about 70% of their vitamin C.
>
> Fresh vegetables can generally only be stored for 2 to 3 days in the
> refrigerator.
>
> Another option is to eat frozen vegetables, which are snap-frozen
> immediately after picking, maximizing the preservation of the vegetables’
> vitamins and other nutrients.
>
> Q2 After choosing the "No Food" option, can we buy food in the
> Rajdhani/Shatabdi Express trains while on the journey?
>
> A2 Prasanna Bhalerao Knows about trains. Fri
>
> On Rajdhani and other premium trains, food orders are placed in advance
> for the number of passengers. *The “no food” option is a recent feature.*
> What this means is that those who opt for “no food” will not be planned. If
> the train has 1000 passengers, and 10 opt for “no food”, then orders for
> 990 will be sent to IRCTC.
>
> *The Pantry Car prepares food (main course) for AC First Class passengers
> only* (this is even today whatever Ramdas Mannattil may opine; the
> discrepancy or default was during COVID time only). For the rest, IRCTC
> canteens and registered vendors prepare the food, package them in
> casseroles and the food packets are uploaded to the pantry car at an
> interim station. This can be a regular halt or a technical halt such as
> Gangapur City for the NDLS-BCT Rajdhani (Up train). However, *the pantry
> does prepare tea, coffee, etc. for all passengers on the train.*
>
> So if you have said “no food” while booking your ticket, you may not get
> the option to opt for food. Unless the train staff takes in additional meal
> packets. I am not sure about this but perhaps, if you order well in
> advance, you may be able to pay and get. You always have the option to
> order food yourself using the IRCTC app. Some private vendors also supply
> food but you will get this food only where the train stops and the time may
> not be always convenient.
>
> Q3 What are the benefits of using a sandwich toaster?
>
> A3 TTK Prestige appliances and tools can make meal-planning
> and cooking much 22h
>
> If your family loves a good, crispy, irresistible sandwich, then you
> should bring home a sandwich toaster! This appliance is used with the
> specific purpose of helping you *make some of the best sandwiches easily
> and conveniently at home!*
>
> How do you choose the right sandwich toaster?
>
> There are a lot of models available in the market right now. Choose a
> sandwich toaster that not only meets your family’s needs but also adds to
> your convenience in the kitchen.
>
> If you have a big family that requires a higher number of sandwiches to be
> made, then consider a larger toaster than can accommodate up to 4
> sandwiches at a time.
>
> A lot of sandwich maker are built with different materials, including the
> plates used to grill the sandwich. *Opt for a non-stick sandwich toaster
> so that you get a crispy texture to your sandwich,* without it sticking
> to the grilling plates. Non-stick plates also help reduce the use of oil or
> butter when coating the grills.
>
> *Advantages of sandwich toaster*
>
> The best sandwich toasters come with a variety of added benefits:
>
> *Saves time: A sandwich toaster helps fasten the* process of grilling and
> allows you to achieve the brown crispy texture. Good sandwich makers come
> with a light indicator that tells you when the sandwich is ready to be
> removed. Allowing you freedom to multi-task at the same time without having
> to worry about the sandwich being over-cooked. The Prestige range of
> sandwich toasters has this convenient feature.
>
> *Multiple modes: A sandwich toaster can also be* creatively used to cook
> and grill other vegetables and meats quickly if needed.
>
> *Easy to clean and store: Sandwich toasters are* easy to store when not
> in use, allowing you to save space in your kitchen when needed. The
> non-stick plates in the toaster are also easy to clean.
>
> *Easy to use: Prestige range of sandwich toasters are* very easy to use.
> They come with a heat-resistant, ergonomic handles, and consumes less power
> with its thermostatic controlling feature.
>
> Q4 Why is it better to live in a cold climate?
>
> A4 Chris Ebbert Senior Lecturer in Industrial Design, Mid
> Sweden University Fri
>
> Having lived in deserts, subtropical settings, coastal settings, mountain
> areas, and hot and cold climates, I have this to say:
>
> *Cold climates reduce the number of creepy crawlies*; here in Sweden, the
> likelihood of encountering a venomous snake or heart attack huge spider in
> the shower in the morning is zero.
>
> it is always easier to put on another layer of clothes when you’re cold
> than it is to take off more clothes when you’re already hot (especially
> when you already are down to your last layer).
>
> You get more pronounced seasons in cold weather, which is both pretty and
> a relief to allergy sufferers, because in a climate with steady, warm
> temperatures, an allergy sufferer may never get any respite.
>
> Other than that, my observation is that *life in warmer climates often
> actually makes for less comfortable life at home, *because it’s very
> different to run an air conditioning all year round and breathe that canned
> air than it is to live in a centrally heated space with its balmy qualities.
>
> And if you have neither, which is the case for a large part of Earth’s
> population, a mild climate is particularly unpleasant, as your room
> temperature may undulate between plus fifteen Celsius in the morning and
> plus 40 at noon.
>
> Q5 Why does the washing machine shake my house?
>
> A5 Gopala Krishnan, former Assistant General Manager 1996-2004
> at Department of Telecom (1966-2004) Answered just now
>
> It is common with most automatic washing machines while spinning at any
> RPM, it shakes and with some they move also. The company engineers say,
> since the flooring is not rough it happens. If possible make the flooring
> rough in that area. It may look UGLY. Another suggestion is to keep on
> rough floor mats. But I have experienced it is very successful. The best I
> do is permit the machine to move and keep in position after washing and
> taking out clothes , keep the machine in position. If we keep the quantity
> of clothes to be washed about 50% of capacity during spinning only shaking
> pf machine and no moving. Shaking is with semi automatic machines also.
>
> Q6 Who introduced peppers to Europe?
>
> A6 Jason Almendra Most View Writer, Germany 22May19Feb 19
>
> *Black peppers (piper nigrum) and rice were introduced to Europe by
> Alexander the Great's* soldiers c.330 BC. They picked up a few things
> from India. The rice thrived in the Mediterranean. But it was too cold for
> the pepper vines.
>
> *Chili peppers (capsicum annuum) were introduced* to Europe by Columbus.
> He insisted that these were peppers. He also brought back allspice,
> vanilla, and chocolate.
>
> Q7 Why should you carry a rubber in your wallet?
>
> A7 Gopalkrishna Vishwanath Never dated any one and yet happily
> married.20h
>
> *I find it very useful. I always have some small items* like these in my
> wallet and in the glove compartment of my car. In my wallet *in addition
> to a rubber, I also keep a safety pin, a paper clip*. I keep a few
> passport size photos of myself and my wife. These are in addition to my
> aadhaar card, my driving license, car registration card, my bank credit and
> debit cards. All these items are light and don’t take any space, don’t
> cause any inconvenience and you never know when you might need them. I also
> keep a bottle of drinking water in my car.
>
> Before you guys get any funny ideas or let your imagination run wild, let
> me clarify that by “rubber” I mean a rubber band. I have no use for other
> “rubbers” now at this stage of my life.
>
> Q8 Why do we humans seem to age quickly after age 35-40, and
> by 55-65 we look nothing like we were at younger ages? Is aging so rapid
> after 40, or can it depend?
>
> A8 Kathleen Piper mother of 3; grandmother of 7;
> great-grandmother of 2Feb 24
>
> In the words of a clever friend: “middle age is when you know what you’ve
> done, and it all shows.” It really isn’t a matter of how old you are, it’s
> what you DO.
>
> Smoking dries your skin, and poisons you.Drinking messes up the
> functioning of every organ, and poisons you.Inactivity leads to excess
> weight and muscle loss.Habitual expressions etch themselves on your face.
>
> Attitudes are expressed in your bearing, and can become permanent postural
> defects.
>
> *People who are healthy, honest, and compassionate almost invariably look
> decades younger* than the “normal” for their chronological age.
>
> *My note- I think genes also plays an important part in aging*
>
> Q9 Why do some people travel in 1A (first class) train instead
> of taking a flight, which has almost same or slightly more fare?
>
> A9 Rutvika Gupta Co Founder at Augastu Learning (2021–present)
> Fri
>
> My dad is one of those people who do this, in fact even I have done this
> many times. The reasons are really simple
>
> *Time saving: If you have to travel by flight, and the* flight is of say
> one hour, it doesn’t mean that you only spend 1 hour but 4 hours. Checking
> in, boarding, waiting, getting off and collecting luggage wastes a lot of
> time. *But if you travel over night by train, there is hardly any time
> wastage as you reach your destination while you are sleeping !*
>
> More comfortable : For people who have backaches and sitting at one place
> for a longer time is not possible and for *restless people like me ,
> plane is not usually the best idea.*
>
> No restrictions on luggage: When there is a lot of luggage to carry ,
> trains have no restrictions but flights have many!
>
> Instant booking: It’s not always possible to book flight instantly due to
> no vacancy but probability of getting a vacant seat in train is more. And
> if you book a flight instantly the prices are 2x but the train ticket price
> remains same.
>
> And yeah, not a very important reason but yeah , *train rides are
> sometimes fun and you get to see the scenic route.*
>
> Q10 Why is there a vent in the window AC? Should it be kept open
> or closed?
>
> A10 LS Ganapati, Chartered Engineer& Independent Consultant
> (1969-present) Answered Jul 20, 2020
>
> The vent on a window air conditioner is an opening in the unit *where
> outdoor air can enter the room and where indoor air can be exhausted*.
> With the vent set on “open,” outdoor air is allowed into the room. This
> increases the pressure in the room which forces out some of the indoor air.
> When the vent is set on “closed,” the window air conditioner simply
> circulates and recycles the air inside the room.If you are using the AC to
> cool a room, it will seem counterproductive to open the vent and let the
> cool air out. There are several reasons why you may want to open the vent,
> and one of them could be to replace stale, indoor air with air from the
> outside
>
> *All the above QA are from Quora website on 01-03- 2022. **Quora
> answers need not be 100% correct answers *
>
> *Compiled **and posted by R. Gopala krishnan on 01-03-2022*
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "iyer123" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to [email protected].
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/151900896.2441827.1646142447119%40mail.yahoo.com
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/151900896.2441827.1646142447119%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>
> .
>
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Thatha_Patty" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to [email protected].
To view this discussion on the web visit
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZoodAarfNp-R7%3DUYZ0FgYyP3ypmSHuc3kktSmLPp9Qb_bg%40mail.gmail.com.
