What is wrong with old age or why do people dread getting old ???

[krsna]

 

 

 

Chapter 2, Text 13

 

.

 

dehino'smin yatha dehe

 

kaumaram yauvanam jara

 

tatha dehantara-praptir

 

dhiras tatra na muhyati

 

 

 

dehinah--of the embodied; asmin--in this; yatha--as; dehe--in the body; kaumaram--boyhood; yauvanam--youth; jara--old age; tatha--similarly; dehantara--transference of the body; praptih--achievement; dhirah--the sober; tatra--thereupon; na--never; muhyati--deluded.

 

 

 

TRANSLATION

 

 

 

As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.

 

 

 

PURPORT

 

 

 

Since every living entity is an individual soul, each is changing his body every moment, manifesting sometimes as a child, sometimes as a youth, and sometimes as an old man. Yet the same spirit soul is there and does not undergo any change. This individual soul finally changes the body at death and transmigrates to another body; and since it is sure to have another body in the next birth -- either material or spiritual -- there was no cause for lamentation by Arjuna on account of death, neither for Bhisma nor for Drona, for whom he was so much concerned. Rather, he should rejoice for their changing bodies from old to new ones, thereby rejuvenating their energy. Such changes of body account for varieties of enjoyment or suffering, according to one's work in life. So Bhisma and Drona, being noble souls, were surely going to have either spiritual bodies in the next life, or at least life in heavenly bodies for superior enjoyment of material existence. So, in either case, there was no cause of lamentation.

 

 

 

Any man who has perfect knowledge of the constitution of the individual soul, the Supersoul, and nature -- both material and spiritual -- is called a dhira or a most sober man. Such a man is never deluded by the change of bodies. The Mayavadi theory of oneness of the spirit soul cannot be entertained on the ground that the spirit soul cannot be cut into pieces as a fragmental portion. Such cutting into different individual souls would make the Supreme cleavable or changeable, against the principle of the Supreme Soul being unchangeable.

 

 

 

As confirmed in the Gita, the fragmental portions of the Supreme exist eternally (sanatana) and are called ksara; that is, they have a tendency to fall down into material nature. These fragmental portions are eternally so, and even after liberation, the individual soul remains the same -- fragmental. But once liberated, he lives an eternal life in bliss and knowledge with the Personality of Godhead. The theory of reflection can be applied to the Supersoul who is present in each and every individual body and is known as the Paramatma, who is different from the individual living entity. When the sky is reflected in water, the reflections represent both the sun and the moon and the stars also. The stars can be compared to the living entities and the sun or the moon to the Supreme Lord. The individual fragmental spirit soul is represented by Arjuna, and the Supreme Soul is the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. They are not on the same level, as it will be apparent in the beginning of the Fourth Chapter. If Arjuna is on the same level with Krsna, and Krsna is not superior to Arjuna, then their relationship of instructor and instructed becomes meaningless. If both of them are deluded by the illusory

 

energy maya, no one can be an authoritative instructor. Under the circumstances, it is admitted that Lord Krsna is the Supreme Lord, superior in position to the living entity, Arjuna, who is a forgotten soul deluded by maya.

[Guest guest]

the face of our inevitable future. Gee, I can hardly wait. Just what I have always wanted to live in/as.

[Guest guest]

Again you have either misinterpreted what Srila Prabhupada said, or mistitled this thread for some other reason. Growing old and death are two different things, as are "dread" and "bewilderment" or "delusion". Is it a language problem?

 

Anyway, as one whose body is now over 60 years of age, I must say it ain't no picnic. That goes even moreso if you find yourself alone and without financial reserves. Those golden years require "gold", know what I mean? Watching the body deteriorate in appearance and function, wondering what to expect next, is inconvenient to say the least.

 

My suggestion to those who are younger is not to waste that youthful energy, because you may wish later you'd been more responsible in so many ways. To be honest, I never thought I'd live this long, given my reckless self-destructive lifestyle, but here I am.

 

Also, physical accidents don't always result in immediate death, the result could include long-term painful crippling. Then of course there's the wisdom which regrets past actions and attitudes towards others, God included...remorse may be good for the soul, it's very bitter however.

 

On the plus side though, you probably won't have to wonder what to think about when you chant. Approaching death and anticipating future birth helps focus, especially when opportunities to further "enjoy" become much more limited. Hope this answers some questions and will be taken as good advice. Haribol!

[Guest guest]

Haribol. Im old, so I am qualified to comment here. Old age does not suck. There are too many advantages to list, but if I was asked to trade my old age for youth, I would NOT do it. Why? Because noistalgia is the most foolish thing to waste ones mind on, the biggest illusion known to man. If the good ol days were so good, why dont we hold on, and why were we so miserable when we were young as well. At least old age give us the wisdom of experiance, youth is all trial and error, and trial AND error is written with an AND because every trial is a great error. So keep that youth because birth is just as bad as death, infancy is just as miserable as senility, the teens are just as confusing as the seventies, and the twenties aint no better than the sixties, the sex of youth is compensated by the wealth of early retirement. That leaves 30-59, 30 years where life just drolls along.

 

The whole idea is not to go back to youthhead, it is to get out of this samsara altogether.

 

Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[krsna]

I like your advice the best dear Mahak

It's seasoned counsel from an an ole vetran with no bitterness,

encouraging us all to do our business and get the hell out of repeated birth and death

Thanks

Hare Krsna

Krsna das

[Guest guest]

Gaining wisdom is one thing, living in a body that is deteriorating sucks. Better to to be wise in a young body so the energy of a young vibrant form can be more active in spreading Krsna Consciousness. But as the saying goes, 'Youth is wasted on the young'. Rare is the exception.

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

That pic is enough to give Freddie nightmares.

 

[krsna]

"If the good ol days were so good, why dont we hold on, and why were we so miserable when we were young as well"

[Guest guest]

as Srila Prabhupada would often say make the best use of a bad bargain.

 

certainly from a material point of view old age is not a comfortable situation, but from a spiritual one it has its advantages as mentioned above, it's all about the conciousness were in from moment to moment it either imposes the real suffering of our predicament or the freedom of liberation, the mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

 

in the material world we all suffer from birth to death with no exception young or old there is just different degree's of suffering with the only remedy being spiritual conciousness.

 

make the best use of a bad bargain.......

 

J.S das

[krsna]

As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.