II

While modern medical science might have been late in recognizing the problems of aging and tackling them, all ancient spiritual traditions of the world had recognized ageing as a phase to be dealt with in a specific way. Hinduism had divided the span of human life into four ashramas: brahmacharya, garhasthya, vanaprastha and sannyasa. After fulfilling one's duties as a householder in the second stage of life, the garhasthya, the individual was supposed to retire and devote himself more and more to the worship of God, study, contemplation and self control as a vana-prasthin, till he or she was ready to embrace the life of a recluse or sannyasin, characterised by total renunciation. This custom had got so ingrained in the cultural pattern of the Hindus that many would retire to holy places like Kashi, Vrindaban, etc. to spend their last days there in some ashramas in religious practices. Although now senior citizens' homes have come up at these pilgrim spots, one can still find a number of homes of the ancient type for retired people, with good or indifferent living facilities.

Spiritual literature of all religions is also replete with references to old age and death--the two unwelcome but inevitable eventualities. It is true, however, that death had scared humans more than old age. Man had, from ancient times, tried more to prolong his life, to become immortal, to know the secret of death, than to remain young. Such is the intense clinging to life that an old man with multiple infirmities, disabilities, and severe pain does not want to die. Nachiketa, had enquired about the secret of death from Yama, the king of death. Maitreyi, the wife of Yajnavalkya, the sage of the Brihadaranyaka, wanted to know from her husband the way by which she could become immortal.We also get warnings about the suffering staring at humans in the form of old age. One of the three painful sights which prince Gautama--the future Buddha--saw was an old man. The Bhagavad Gita advises us to contemplate upon the suffering ingrained in birth, death, old age and disease. In the Episode of Puranjana in the fourth skandha of Srimad Bhagavatam, old age is depicted as an ugly grey haired unwanted daughter of Time, and the sister of bhaya, fear.

That a youth lived recklessly in uncontrolled sense enjoyments leads to a miserable old age is often depicted in religious stories, hymns and songs. King Yayati led a life of sense indulgence. When his youth was abruptly terminated due to a curse, he felt extremely miserable, because his mind was full of unquenched desires which he was not able to satisfy due to the decayed senses of enjoyment. Sri Shankaracharya describes such a wretched plight thus:

The Bhajagovindam stotra again refers to old age as a state characterized by innumerable anxieties. Another poet very graphically describes old age thus: `When the body becomes old, the person goes on worrying about wealth and people consider him crazy.' And according to another, `When a person becomes old, kapha and vayu attack him--he becomes subject to a number of diseases and remains lying on the cot day and night.' In all these popular songs the exhortation is to devote oneself to religious and spiritual practices and to start contemplation of God even while young.

III

This we can clearly see in the lives of the saints. Most of the great spiritual acharyas and prophets led an intense spiritual life from the beginning. Sri Shankaracharya died at the age of thirty two and Jesus Christ at thirty three. Swami Vivekananda stood as the world teacher on the platform of the Parliament of Religions when he was just thirty years old. Saint Francis lived only for forty four years and Sri Ramakrishna only fifty. These great spiritual giants did not wait for their body growing old. And yet, they were far more wise and mature than many old men and women.In spiritual traditions maturity is given far greater importance than ageing. Indeed seniority can be of three different types. A person older in age is called a senior citizen--vaya jyeshtha. There is another seniority--professional seniority--paryaya jyeshtha. A person may be young in age, but if he or she has joined certain services at a younger age, he or she might rise to a higher hierarchical position than his colleagues elder to him in age. Finally there is a third type of seniority: jnana jyeshtha--seniority with regard to wisdom. A person may be young in age, even junior in professional cadre, but may be wiser, more learned and mature. Referring to this last type of maturity, it is said in the Dakshinamurti stotra:

No better example of this can be found than that of Shukadeva, a teenaged boy expounding the Bhagavatam to the venerable sages many times elder to him. Although worldly people may grow physically old, they remain mentally and spiritually immature, while a spiritual person might remain physically young, but may have grown mature intellectually and spiritually.

It may also be mentioned that ageing, to a large extent is dependent upon the mental attitude of the individual. We often speak of people who are enthusiastic, enterprising and optimistic as eighty years `young'. In contrast, there could be lifeless, depressed men and women in their thirties or forties who lose all their zeal and vigour. They are no better than the old. It is therefore but natural that in all spiritual traditions much greater stress is laid on intellectual, ethical and spiritual maturity, and the disciplines required to attain it, than on the problems of physical ageing.

IV

And yet, the fact is that only the old people, after wasting or enjoying their youth, turn towards spiritual life in their old age--more out of frustration and necessity, rather than real interest in spirituality. There is a popular notion that one should enjoy life as long as one is young and should turn to religious or spiritual life only in old age--spiritual life is for the elderly and not for the young. There is an interesting joke. One old man said to his young son, `My dear son, I want to tell you about a warning I received from my father, which unfortunately I did not heed. When I was young, my father told me not to lead a reckless life, but to lead a constrained regulated life, otherwise I would suffer in old age. I did not listen to his advice and indeed, I am suffering. So I want to warn you to devote yourself to a life of contemplation and self- restraint from now on, otherwise, you too will suffer like me.' The son reverently listened to his father and respectfully replied, `Yes, father, what you say is true. When I shall grow old, I too shall convey this warning to my son!'Nothing could be more fallacious than this notion that religion is something to be practised in old age. Unless a person gets used to contemplation at a younger age, he or she can never devote himself or herself to God in old age. Impressions of a worldly or sensuous life led in the youth don't fade easily and an old man is likely to face greater failures and frustrations if he begins a religious life too late.

Once Swami Saradananda gave a very salutary advise to Swami Nikhilananda, when the latter had approached him as a young man:

To be able to benefit by spirituality in old age, therefore, it is important that we train ourselves spiritually years before we grow old. Let us, while still young, observe the plight of the elderly and realize that one day we too might have to face the same fate of disease and disability, of despair and neglect. Let us prepare ourselves mentally and spiritually from now on without wasting a single moment.While this is the general rule, there is no cause for total despair for those who have already neglected their precious youthful years. It is never too late and one can begin at any age. The celebrated Christian saint, Brother Lawrence, had once written to a woman in the world who was past sixty:

There are innumerable examples of saints who had wasted their youth in frivolous pursuits, but when at an advanced age they turned to spiritual life, they quickly rose to great spiritual heights due to their sincere and intense spiritual effort. Girish Chandra Ghosh, the renowned dramatist-playwright of Bengal is one such saint. Swami Advaitananda, a monastic disciple of Sri Rama-krishna, was fifty-five years old--even older than his guru, Sri Ramakrishna--when he first came in contact with the latter. Much, therefore, depends upon one's urge for spirituality.

V

One of the cardinal values which can help the senior citizens is `faith'. Faith, either in a superhuman controlling power or in one's own higher self, has tremendous integrating and stabilizing power. While we are discussing the effectivity of faith, we may also try to realize what is meant by the word spirituality. Just as by `materialism' is meant the view that matter is the only reality and the pursuit of material or mundane goals the only true purpose of life; similarly by spirituality is meant the view that the non-material spirit or soul or atman is the only reality and the true nature of man. Such a view advocates pursuit of a spiritual goal in life. The Sanskrit word for `spiritual' is adhyatmic--which is significant. It means that which concerns the self, the individual. Thus spiritual approach to problems, personal or collective, is essentially oriented towards the individual. A spiritual person believes in changing himself or herself rather than others. Our problems are caused not merely by external influences but also by the way we react to them. We don't have much control on external factors, but we can change ourselves. Spiritual approach teaches us to take the responsibility on ourselves and not blame others.

Many of the religious and spiritual practices prevalent in various world-religions can definitely help in solving at least some of the problems of old age. The physical problems of ageing fall under the purview of Medicine but the psychological and social problems of senior citizens can, to a large extent, be tackled with the help of spirituality.Rituals form an important part of all spiritual traditions. They are, in fact, spiritual truths concretized and expressed in gross forms and acts. These ritual exercises are easy to practise and provide sanctifying occupation to the individual. Senior citizens find delight in cleaning the shrine room, decorating the images and pictures of gods and goddesses with flowers, preparing garlands and such other little acts associated with a chapel or a shrine or a religious place--private or public. Senior citizens' homes in the vicinity of such religious places have this added advantage that they provide scores of such opportunities for their inmates. If there is no such centre of spiritual activity, a small shrine or chapel can be made in one's home or in the senior citizens' homes.

Study of scriptures or spiritual literature or listening to such discourses is also a very effective technique to drive away melancholy and elevate the mood of the senior citizens. Religious TV serials on national channels or on special TV channels specializing in them serve the same purpose. Audio and video cassettes of spiritual programmes is a gift of modern technology which can be made use of with advantage. Devotional songs act as excellent occupation to the senior citizens. Many senior citizens engage themselves in doing Japa and meditation. While meditation may be difficult, Japa can certainly be done. Following a spiritual routine gives a great sense of well-being.

Conclusion

Although it is wise to be fore-warned about the problems of old age, there is nothing to be afraid of therein. It is inevitable and one must face it with courage. Medical science can help in tackling the physical problems of aging. Religion and spirituality can greatly help in the psychological and social rehabilitation of the senior citizens. Above all, spirituality provides a healthy attitude, a sane philosophy and stabilizing faith in the fragile depressive period of old age. Spirituality must be incorporated in any programme for the care of the elderly.