60-70-80-90-100

60-70-80-90-100 ​

One of my bosom friends today morning over phone called and midway queries me: “Why do we make such a big deal of 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100? Are these numbers spiritual… or just cultural celebrations?”
That lead to search in Google.
To answer friends query, I found it in our tradition which points to a story of King Yayati in the Mahabharata.
Yayati lived life to the fullest with power, pleasure, achievement, and everything.

But when he turned old, he was shaken. He began profound reflecting only to realise something brutally plain and naive:
“Pleasure has a limit. Desire does not” That one realisation changed him. He accepted ageing has five inner turning points, not defined by age but by clarity.

Interestingly, these five match a person attaining and passing age 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100.

Age 60 - Shashti: The Mind Shifts From Accumulating to Understanding.
Something changes around 60. Not in the body anatomy but in priorities. One no longer ask, “How much more can I get?”. One quietly begin wondering,
“What actually matters now?”.

A subtle turning inward begins. Person at this age don’t desire noise anymore. He or she find applause is no more delights. Only agog to know and clarity.
It is not old age. It is maturity catching up with ambition.

Age 70 - Bheemaratha Shanthi:
One Realise Peace Is More desirable Than standing to Prove anyghing. 40s and 50s were spent telling the world about his or her persona. 70 - something awesome happens: persons cease reacting to everything quickly. Arguments no longer draws the person and tempt. One would rather keep cronies than win arguments and altercations with them . One finally realise that being right is not at all important than being aplomb and peaceful. This is why age 70+ is celebrated.

Age 80 -Sathabhishekam: Presence Becomes a kind of nectar and or panacea for near and dear. Pals cease approach to elders for any kind of advice. They look forward only reassurance that life can be understood, survived, lived, digested and understood.
Age 80 - person's mere presence considered a blessing. No long convoluting confabulations.
Mere physical presence in closer proximity conveys others, “It is okay. Life somehiw works out.” This is why the 80-year milestone accorded sanctity.
At 90 - Navathi: The Ego by and by vanishes from persona. Images like that of Kanchi Mahanperiavazh cross the mind. By age 90 - person no longer feel the urge to correct others nor tempted to offer unsolicited advise or opinions. No longer assumes things personally. No longer get offended easily. Not because person is fragile or effete, but because he or she has seen too much of life spent wasting energy on less relevant and un important issues. A quiet softness embrace. This humility tend to be understood close or near close to spirituality.
Age 100 -Shatamanam.
Life Feels Larger over personal triumphs. Reaching the goal of Centenarian is not of the number of years. It is merely about reaching a stage where one see the bigger picture. Person realise that most things he or she was bothered about were not worth contemplation at all.

People he loved mattered more than anything else. And life was always held together by something mysterious and kind. A centenarian turns less of a “person” and more of a "presence".
Essence:
Ancestors and preceptors of yore, did not celebrate age. They celebrated the inner transformation that advancing age brings with it.
60 - Priorities change
70 - Peace becomes strength
80 - Presence becomes healing
90 - Ego becomes quiet
100 - Life becomes complete

Growing older enhances ageing with Dignity. It refines a person into a person of wisdom, aplomb and grace.

 

Dear @Viswamitra

Super. I contemplate and turn pensive with every word of your glorious feedback .
I think this should replace my affirmations on display juxtaposed to mirror which I look at every morning while brushing.
God Bless

 

hi thanks for asking wonderful query. According to Hindus every couple - each of them is half of his or her spouse. When menfolk celebrates, rituals call for lady to be by his side and thus she too gets celebrated!

 

I too empathise as you are. Recently I was invited to a friend’s son’s Sashti aptha celebration. The celebrities age difference was around 15 years. She was looking more like his daughter and his daughter through his late first spouse too was attending this celebration!

It reminded me the tamil film song lyrics in pava mannippu

Silar azhuvaar silar sirippaar
Naan azhuthukondae sirikkindren
Silar sirippaar silar azhuvaar
Naan sirithukkondae azhukindren​