168
Aptavani-1
old age.
Childhood is a stage of constant happiness and natural
joy. Children have no worries. The milk for their nourishment is
ready and overflowing even before they are born. Do babies
have to worry when and where their milk will come from? And
yet babies get everything when they need it. The Gnani Purush
is just like a child but the child is in a state of ignorance whereas
the Gnani Purush is on the highest pinnacle of knowledge and
understanding and yet He is just like a child. A child’s mind and
intellect are not developed, only his chit is at work and its extent
is only limited to the object of his enjoyment. For example, if
a child sees a toy, his chit vruti will remain absorbed only in that
toy until he finds something else. Their chit vruti cannot remain
in one object for too long whereas for adults the chit vruti will
become occupied in two or more different subjects and will
keep wandering amongst them and that is precisely why all the
problems arise. A child will forget after a while and that is
because a child’s chit vruti does not become fixed on one subject
for too long. As long as a child’s intellect is not developed,
happiness is inherent and natural for it. But as the intellect
develops, a child’s discontent increases.
The youth stage of a human life is like a blazing fire.
During this stage arise circumstances, which defile the youth’s
external conduct. Therefore it is imperative to exercise caution
and vigilance. The celestial beings are not subject to birth, old
age or death. They are perpetually in a youthful state.
Old age is a stage of decline. It is very difficult to go
through old age. All the body parts begin to break down and
fail; the teeth tend to break, the ears will ache etc. Great care
is needed in old age. If the karmas are not very serious or
heavy, one will leave this world while sitting in an easy chair. But
people still want to cling on to life a little longer even when all