AGE Why do we make such a big deal of 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100 Are these numbers spiritual… or just cultural celebrations?” To answer this, our tradition points to the powerful story of King Yayati in the Mahabharata.
Yayati lived life to the fullest with power, pleasure, achievement, everything. But when old age hit him suddenly, he was shaken. After deep reflection, he realised something brutally honest: “Pleasure has a limit. Desire does not”. That one realisation changed him. He accepted ageing, and said life actually has five inner turning points, not defined by age but by clarity. Interestingly, these five match our Indian milestones of 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100. Let me put this in words that every one of us can relate to. At 60 - Shashti : The Mind Shifts From Accumulating to Understanding. Something changes around 60. Not in the body but in the priorities. You no longer ask, “How much more can I get?”. You quietly start asking, “What actually matters now?”. A subtle turning inward begins. You don’t need noise anymore. You don’t need applause. You want clarity. It is not old age. It is maturity catching up with ambition. At 70 - Bheemaratha Shanthi: You Realise Peace Is More Powerful Than Proving. Your 40s and 50s were spent telling the world who you are. At 70, something surprising happens: You stop reacting so quickly. Arguments don’t tempt you. You would rather keep friendships than win fights. You finally understand that being right is less important than being peaceful. This shift is why 70 is celebrated. At 80 - Sathabhishekam: Your Presence Becomes Medicine. By 80, people don’t come to elders for advice. They come for something deep which is the reassurance that life can be survived,digested,and understood. At 80, your presence itself becomes a blessing. You don’t have to speak much. Your very being tells others, “It is okay. Life works out.” This is why the 80-year milestone is sacred. At 90 - Navathi: The Ego Quietly Retires. By 90, something rare happens. You no longer feel the urge to correct people. You don’t cling to opinions. You don’t take things personally. You don’t get offended easily. Not because you are weak, but because you have seen too much of life to waste energy on the small stuff. A quiet softness appears. This humility itself is spirituality. At 100 - Shatamanam; Life Feels Larger Than Personal Stories. Reaching 100 is not about the number of years. It is about reaching a state where you see the bigger picture. You realise that most things you worried about were not worth worrying about. People you loved mattered more than anything else. And life was always held together by something mysterious and kind. At 100, one becomes less of a “person” and more of a presence. Essence: Our rishis did not celebrate age. They celebrated the inner shifts that age brings. 60, Priorities change 70, Peace becomes strength 80, Presence becomes healing 90, Ego becomes quiet 100 Life becomes complete Age is not a decline. Age is distillation. Thought to ponder: Growing older doesn’t reduce life. It refines it into wisdom, softness and grace. AS RECEIVED -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZoo%3DYJdsAmvoomZGWLvmT2vQGPKG%3Dyq4J4mvtYHEhUpQJQ%40mail.gmail.com.
