How to Live in Old Age

How to live in Old Age was originally written in Hindi. The book is based on Adi Shankaracharya’s book Sadhana Panchakam. Swamiji’s commentary on this book describes the forty steps to divinity, following them one could lead a contented life as well as attain spiritual unfoldment.  Adi Shankaracharya, the premier Vedantin, talks of how man squanders his entire life – childhood is lost in play, youth in pleasures, and old age in worries. Shankaracharya gives remedies to the ills of old age in his Sadhna Panchkam. The emphasis and relevance in old age is high lighted, although it is relevant for the entire life span comprising all the four Ashrams. The universality of the theme is evident since the steps could be practised by anyone irrespective of cast, creed or religion. Swamiji considered Sadhana Panchakam a very suitable spiritual text for the five days senior citizen re-orientation camp (Vridhavastha Samadhan Shivir) since it comprises only five verses and it gives a blue print for a person how to prepare for the third Age I e Vanaprastha Ashram. The text then goes on to tell how to prepare for the fourth Age I e Sannyasis Ashram. The Various types of Sannyasis have been described. The bounden duties of the Third and Fourth age have been described and how they could be lived in the resent times has been beautifully interpreted.