1ST OCTOBER : INTERNATIONAL SENIOR CITIZEN DAY !
"It is not the years in your life,but the life in your years that counts" [Adlai Stevenson].
The mystery about old age persists with different hypothesis-when does one become old,why and how ?At the same time it is inexplicable as well strange that Indian 'gods' like Rama and Krishna always remain young.
Interestingly enough,in India,where parents are supposed to be worshiped like 'gods',the'gods' are ever young,active,prankish,fond of music,dances,drinks and love making. After all having a monopoly of Amrit,they enjoy the privilege of being immortal .In fact ,even when they assume mortal frame and descend on the earth as 'avatars',they retain their power to keep old age at bay. Who indeed,ever thinks of Rama and krishna as old men?For reasons unknown ,only the Brahma,supposed creator is projected as an ancient being.In the collective consciousness of India, Vishnu supposed preserver and Mahesh, supposed destroyer are ever young.
On the other hand,Rishi's always had long shaggy beards- the symbol of their 'stigmatic status' as mortals until they would undergo unending penance to attain parity with the 'gods'. Of course,these were myths and in this part of world,there is sanctimonious sanctity for myths,are to be believed in implicitly and not to be questioned or scrutinized on the basis of logic or reason or dissected analytically.The problem in India is that Hindu thinkers rarely went beyond primordial myths to brood over the phenomenon of old age and how one may overcome or transcend its problems.
"It is not the years in your life,but the life in your years that counts" [Adlai Stevenson].
The mystery about old age persists with different hypothesis-when does one become old,why and how ?At the same time it is inexplicable as well strange that Indian 'gods' like Rama and Krishna always remain young.
Interestingly enough,in India,where parents are supposed to be worshiped like 'gods',the'gods' are ever young,active,prankish,fond of music,dances,drinks and love making. After all having a monopoly of Amrit,they enjoy the privilege of being immortal .In fact ,even when they assume mortal frame and descend on the earth as 'avatars',they retain their power to keep old age at bay. Who indeed,ever thinks of Rama and krishna as old men?For reasons unknown ,only the Brahma,supposed creator is projected as an ancient being.In the collective consciousness of India, Vishnu supposed preserver and Mahesh, supposed destroyer are ever young.
On the other hand,Rishi's always had long shaggy beards- the symbol of their 'stigmatic status' as mortals until they would undergo unending penance to attain parity with the 'gods'. Of course,these were myths and in this part of world,there is sanctimonious sanctity for myths,are to be believed in implicitly and not to be questioned or scrutinized on the basis of logic or reason or dissected analytically.The problem in India is that Hindu thinkers rarely went beyond primordial myths to brood over the phenomenon of old age and how one may overcome or transcend its problems.
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