When the body becomes old and infirm and cannot carry on, yet, death does not come as a release, it is the kith and the kin with fresher bodies who ought to be the human crutch for continued survival of the old. They who do so are the salt of the earth and it is these that make the earthly experience of the aged even in their debilitated state as pleasant as it possibly could be. Blessings unto them !
In the end there is not much to ordinary life beyond the humdrum existence it is characterised by, the hustle and bustle of the midday of existence and then a sad, uncared-for exit. But they who empathise with the old and with a human heart feel for them and with a human hand then serve, they are the ones who keep the flame of life alive in these old bodies and keep up the flame of civilisation as well. Else, the human species is as bad, if not worse, than many of the animal species with their routine cyclical pattern of physical life bound in eating, drinking and procreating. The difference alone is this that the human being can think and can with his rational brain devise all sorts of material mischief which reduces the vast majority of humanity to living lives of terrible indignity amidst imposed poverty, hunger, destitution, depression and death.
'They alone live who live for others. The rest are more dead than alive.' These words of Swami Vivekananda ring in my ears as I pen these lines red-hot from the recesses of my suffering heart. Would it were that the world would listen to the great man's words !
End of Part 1
To be continued...
Written by Sugata Bose
Photo : Bharatiprana Mataji, the first President of the Sri Sarada Math and Ramakrishna Sarada Mission who had served Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi in her last illness
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