Written by London Swaminathan

Date: 9 September 2016

Time uploaded in London: 9-14 AM

Post No.3138

Pictures are taken from various sources; thanks.

It is very interesting to note that centenarians get a positive reference in the world’s first law book Manava Dharmasasatra (Manu Smrti). This shows how much respect is given to old people in Hinduism and how much long life span is appreciated. Throughout the Vedas we find reference to man’s hundred-year life span.

Manu gives a list of people who spread positive vibrations in the place where they sit. He says that if one of them is sat in a row the entire row is purified and sanctified; though it is said in the context of twice born people, the respect to one’s age is referred in other slokas as well.

“Those who are pre-eminent in all the Vedas and the explanatory texts, and also those born into a line of priests who knew their Veda by heart, are known as purifiers of the ranks – Manu 3-184

A man who has studied the story of Naciketas (Katha Upanishad), or who keeps five sacrificial fires or has studied the three bird passage, or knows (tri suparna paasage in the Rig Veda 10-114-35), or knows all the six supplementary texts to the Veda, or is born out of a Brahma marriage or who can chant the most excellent chant (Jyeshta Samans or Tandya Brahmana 21-2-3) – Manu 3-185

Or those who know the meaning of the Veda, or can preach from the Veda, a chaste student of the Veda, one who has given away a thousand cows (at a sacrifice) or ONE WHO HAS REACHED THE RIPE AGE OF ONE HUNDRED YEARS are to be known as the people who purify the rows”.

Aagrayaa: sarveshu vedeshu sarvapravacaneshu sa

Srotriyaanvayajaasaiva vijneyaah panktipaavanaah -Manu 3-184

Vedaarthavit pravaktaa sa brahmachariisahasradah

Sataayussauva vijneyaa braahmanaah pakntipavanaah -Manu 3-186

Following quotations will show that the learned are respected as elders and elders are respected for their learning

1.Mere greying of hair does not make one old; the gods regard as an elder the man who, though young, has learned.–Manu Smrti 2-156

2.An assembly without the aged is not assembly at all

–Hitopadesa 3-61

3.Aged people are to be consulted about the stately path

–Satopadesa prabanda

4.Wisdom dawns with service to the elderly

–subashita ratna bandagaram 3-601

5.A courtesan though aged is sweet sixteen and the monk though young is a centenarian (Sanskrit proverb)

6.The king should adhere to the words of the wizened

—Brhat katha manjari

7.They are not really old who do not bespeak righteousness

Hitopadesam and Kahavatratnakar

–Subham–