Thougth for the Day

Carry the form of the Lord’s name in your heart and you will be able to speak with Him directly.

Awareness Article #4

Clever King!

#5 Youth
Youth is also like lightening, disappearing instantaneously. To pride over being young, Swami often says, “Respect your elders’. Today’s youth are tomorrows elderly. Time is always changing. A child is born, becomes a youth, reaches old age and finally dies. So none should be proud of their youthfulness. Man’s goal is only to attain God. Yet, if God’s grace is present, one can be forever young. An example of this is Markendeya. He was told that he would die at the age of 16. From that day forward, he performed intense devotion and God granted him the boon to be ever 16, a Chiranjeevi. Now yuga after yuga, he remains 16, always young. Adi Shankara also stated and warned that one should not be proud of their youth. Swami tells the same.
Let us see an example. There was once a King named Bhuru. He became old, yet still desired to enjoy the pleasures of being young. He asked his sons if they would agree to take his old age in exchange for their youth. Of the four sons, three refused. The youngest son agreed and took on his father's old age. The father then cursed the other three sons to become hunters. The youngest son greatly suffered from the life of old age, while his father enjoyed a life of being young. After a long time, he took back his old age and crowned his son as King.
This story shows ones attachment to youth. Through the Kings desire to experience the enjoyments of youth, he made three of his sons into hunters and his youngest son into an old man. He had such power that he could curse his three sons and transform the other. Yet, he spent all his powers to delight in the joys of being young. If He had just turned all his energy toward God, he would have attained immorality. So youth only remains a few years, before old age comes. None can escape for this .