There is beauty and pride of every age. It’s not just childhood and youth that matter. Usually after the age of fifty, there are people in the world who are lost, tired, frustrated with life, living on the verge of death, with extremely destructive attitudes. The population of people living with the regret that nothing good is going to happen now or what can be good after fifty, life is gone and nothing is achieved as per wish. Due to which, unknowingly, the same negativity is born in our mind that after fifty, body, relationships, etc. are not to be accompanied. Due to many good and bad experiences of life till the age of fifty, the eternal truth seems to have been understood that no one in this world belongs to anyone, everywhere selfishness is there. As long as we are useful to people, people exploit us in the name of relationships and no one is ready to nourish after fifty. But actually everyone needs physical, mental and financial nourishment till the end of life. Besides, we also expect that all our lives we have taken care of the relationships and many people as much as possible physically, mentally and financially. Now people will take care of us and that is where every pain and struggle starts. Because nothing happens as we expect which makes a person extremely depressed, frustrated, negative, ruthless and emotionless. But I think that in terms of the fact that we have understood the true nature of life, relationships, the world through the life journey up to fifty, that period is called the stage of our education, which was necessary. But the best time to apply the lessons learned is in the real world that is after fifty. How can we be disappointed at the same time? Like a student who studies for twenty five years with hard work and diligence and throws up his arms when it comes time to prove, get or enjoy something by doing a job or business and thinks that this learned lessons, education, knowledge is useless, everything is useless and I am not fit for anything, how long is it right? We are doing something similar in life. In the best time (after fifty- the peak of knowledge) we have to pass the test of God by showing true strength in the best use of what we have understood, studied, learned through God-given invaluable human vagina (mind, intellect and senses). How appropriate do you think it is to fall ill internally at the time of such an examination? The eternal truth is that only those who fight with deep understanding, strength and faith win at every stage.
Whether it is a youngness of age, knowledge or relationship, it is always enjoyable because it is full of energy. Youth or youngness is nothing but high power. Such power is a prerequisite for liberation. There is always the need for infinite power, whether it is liberation from pain, disease or any kind of bondage, which is well known. Without power or energy there can be no success, no happiness no security. We know that the forest is ruled by the most powerful animal. Moreover, we have been hungry for power for ages (power of body, power of mind, power of post, power of wealth, etc.). We need extraordinary power or energy to overcome all the obstacles that stand in the way of success in life. If you want to be happy, you have to recognize the inner strength. There are two ways to acquire strength 1) by increasing and 2) by consolidating it i.e. by collecting small scattered powers (that can be get from act of concentration or meditation) or by using the right tools to increase inner strength . It is almost impossible to make life peaceful without enough power and strength. Lack of power is one of the main reasons why many people fail in life. Lack of enthusiasm is responsible behind the lack of strength because without enthusiasm the possibility of increasing, collecting or using energy becomes almost negligible. As specially, when time is not good in life, the pace of life has slowed down, obstacles are more effective, a situation has arisen where even reluctance has come to a standstill, then it becomes inevitable to accumulate inner strength. Otherwise, it does not take long to fall into the abyss of frustration and despair. Moreover, power itself gives birth to power. Fifty years later the power of understanding that has grown so much due to experiences and through its proper use heaven can be created if we wish to do it.
Only by power people become ruler or king. The power to convince people of your point of view makes a person a successful leader. GANDHIJI became the Father of the Nation because of his power of protest and movement. The power of persistence makes a person a successful scientist as can be seen from the biographies of many scientists. Thus, instead of biting into the bitterness or failure of the past, one should take a lesson from the mistakes of the past and make an honest effort to get out of the difficult situation with vigilance so that it does not repeat itself. But we can never properly understand life or our infinite power or take it seriously. Which makes its meaningful use impossible and life becomes difficult after fifty.
In this way, there is power in every object in the whole world. Everywhere there is game of power in the entire creation. In fact, God or supreme soul is also a power or energy. But that power is very excellent, special and supernatural that is why we call it divine power. The attainment of such divine power is also possible only through the power of knowledge. In that sense the power of knowledge (power of understanding) is the best power. All other power is slave of it. We need energy even just to drive a normal vehicle, so think what kind of divine power of knowledge is needed to get the true form of life? Such a special power can be obtained only by understanding the real form of the world (i.e. by understanding the body, relationships, creation, etc.). What is going on is about fifty years of acquisition (which is the stage of learning) and the stage that starts after that is actually the peak of knowledge.
The knowledge acquired during fifty years is actually in the highest stage after fifty i.e. it is very powerful. This second inning of life becomes so excellent, best and auspicious that life overflows with joy if the cognitive power is used with the feeling of playing an excellent role in a way that unselfishly performs on stage, without frustration, despair or negativity. But because we do not understand the knowledge we receive, we turn the occasion of happiness into sorrow. Like when we have to go somewhere and don’t get a train or plane ticket, we get very sad and start blaming our luck that I don’t have happiness and joy in my destiny, I never get what I want, and so on. But when we get information that the train or plane you were going to had an accident and no one survived, we feel happy and thank God that we did not get a ticket. In the same way, after fifty years, the body does not support in life, the relationship seems to be falling apart, it is actually as beneficial as not getting a train or plane ticket for an accident. Because through it God explains to you that for fifty years you have travelled in the train of this body and relationship so that it could be properly understood. Now when it’s true form has been realized that it is painful, giving up its attachment should become instinctive, easy and natural. If such an understanding is not generated by the life education received during fifty years, then the entire education or knowledge is meaningless. Even if a student gets a degree through mugging up, he will be deprived of caliber or true knowledge.
This post-fiftieth stage of the peak of knowledge is the best way to truly enjoy life-free, relationship-free VANPRASTHAN and SANNYASASHRAM. Because we may not have lived our lives the way we wanted to. Even so, the stage of education is the stage of living according to the wishes of others. Because as a student, you have to constantly obey the Guru! In the same way, for fifty years, what will our parents, siblings, relatives, friends, neighbors, spouses and others like? How can those people be happy? We are living according to that. According to a research, at the time of death, many people were asked to tell about the five biggest regrets of their life and what are the five things you would like to do if you get further life? At that time, more than 90 percent of the people were of the opinion that the biggest regret of our life was that we could not live as we wished. If we get life again we want to live as per our own wish. In fact the post-fiftieth stage of the peak of knowledge produces true understanding due to many experiences. It is time to live with the “self” as you wish. If that does not happened then many rounds of life will pass with many regrets and what we were supposed to learn through life-like examination can never be understood or learned. Instead of expecting people to do as per your wish after fifty, you should give up everything and expect your own body, senses and mind to do what you say.
Sit quietly and think about what you regret about life. What new thing do you want that you haven’t got yet? Make a list of the things you like, think about what makes you happier, and spend as much time as you like. If you don’t have time, learn to steal some time. Understand the eternal truth that nothing can stop without you. If anything stops without you, it will only be “self” because the “self” has no one but you. Don’t let it stop. The second inning of life or phase of peak of knowledge is only for attaining the “self” which is the supreme offering of God. Even so, the power of knowledge is the true power which is obtained only after fifty. Through which the true eyes are opened. In fact, out of all the power of relationship, power of body, power of feeling, power of knowledge, power of meditation, etc., God spends fifty years to get us the power of knowledge. When it is achieved, it will not be possible to get lost or tired because now the true journey of self will begin. For which power was needed and only by combining all the small powers as above, a huge, special and supernatural power is formed. That is the true power of knowledge. For which it is inevitable to spend fifty years of life as a householder. Otherwise many creative supporting powers like power of knowledge, power of feeling, power of religion, power of civilization and culture, power of training etc. will be wasted.
Thus, in my view, the only definition of success is “free from all worries and live with the self”. For which the post-fifty phase is the best one for enjoying real success. For which such deep sense, knowledge or understanding is essential which the Lord bestows upon man during the first fifty years. In that sense, it is only after fifty that the youthful stage of knowledge begins, which is full of power and strength. Such a phase of strength, power and joyful youth can never be painful or depressing. Moreover, in the same way that young people waste their youth in the absence of knowledge, it is natural that a knowledge wise young man can never waste. So the youthful stage of knowledge start enjoying with the “self” by becoming real adult and mature as the basic knowledge and understanding of life gives a person the power of effort, the power of understanding, the power to oppose reality, the power to express one’s opinion, the power to agree with people, the power of emotion etc. Strengthening the desire to be able in this higher state of knowledge after fifty, it is advisable to use the infinite power of understanding to become self-developed and self-help with full enthusiasm. Power is both creative and destructive. It is up to you how you use this phase or peak of knowledge after (i.e. the infinite power of understanding) fifty. Actually the phase of knowledge after fifty is the true richness and the same is the true splendor of life. Don’t miss to enjoy it!
Shilpa Shah, Director in-charge HKBBA College
