Sarga 22¶

Vairāgya Prakaraṇa · On old age (jarā) (38 verses)

Sarga 22 at a glance

Śrī Rāma's speech continues: on old age (jarā).

Each stage of life devours the one before; old age disfigures the body, drives away intelligence and invites mockery (1.22.1–1.22.6).
In old age greed and longing grow while strength fails, and fear of the next world takes hold (1.22.7–1.22.12).
Images of old age as the herald of death: the owl, the monkey, the vulture, the jackal, the royal procession (1.22.13–1.22.36).
Rāma finds no comfort where old age conquers all (1.22.37–1.22.38).

Verse 1.22.1¶

श्रीराम उवाच ।
अपर्याप्तं हि बालत्वं बलात्पिबति यौवनम् ।
यौवनं च जरा पश्चात्पश्य कर्कशतां मिथः ॥ १.२२.१ ॥

हि (indeed) अपर्याप्तं बालत्वम् (childhood, never satisfied) यौवनं बलात् पिबति (youth forcibly drinks up); पश्चात् च (and afterwards) जरा यौवनम् [पिबति] (old age [drinks up] youth); मिथः कर्कशतां पश्य (see how harsh they are to one another).

Translation: Śrī Rāma said: "Youth swallows up childhood before it has had its fill, and then old age swallows up youth. See how cruel they are to one another!"

Pointers for Reflection:

जरा — old age. The third stage of life, after childhood (Sarga 19) and youth (Sarga 20). Gītā 2.13 named all three: कौमारं यौवनं जरा.
Each stage devours the last. Life is not a line of stages but a chain of losses — unless one finds what is not lost in any of them.

Verse 1.22.2¶

हिमाशनिरिवाम्भोजं वात्येव शरदम्बुकम् ।
देहं जरा नाशयति नदी तीरतरुं यथा ॥ १.२२.२ ॥

हिम-अशनिः अम्भोजम् इव (as hail [destroys] a lotus) वात्या शरत्-अम्बुकम् इव (as a gale [scatters] autumn clouds) नदी तीर-तरुं यथा (as a river [fells] a tree on its bank), जरा देहं नाशयति (old age destroys the body).

Translation: "Old age destroys the body as hail destroys a lotus, as a gale scatters autumn clouds, as a river carries off the tree on its bank."

Pointers for Reflection:

Three images of ruin. Each is natural and unavoidable. Old age is not a punishment, simply the nature of the body.

Verse 1.22.3¶

जर्जरीकृतसर्वाङ्गी जरा जरठरूपिणी ।
विरूपतां नयत्याशु देहं विषलवो यथा ॥ १.२२.३ ॥

जर्जरी-कृत-सर्व-अङ्गी (making all limbs decrepit) जरठ-रूपिणी जरा (old age, withered in form) विष-लवः यथा (like a drop of poison) देहम् आशु विरूपतां नयति (quickly disfigures the body).

Translation: "Old age, wrinkled in form, wearing out every limb, disfigures the body quickly, like a drop of poison."

Pointers for Reflection:

A drop of poison. Small, and enough to spoil the whole.

Verse 1.22.4¶

शिथिलादीर्णसर्वाङ्गं जराजीर्णकलेवरम् ।
समं पश्यन्ति कामिन्यः पुरुषं करभं यथा ॥ १.२२.४ ॥

कामिन्यः (women who desire) शिथिल-आदीर्ण-सर्व-अङ्गं (with all limbs loose and failing) जरा-जीर्ण-कलेवरं पुरुषं (a man whose body is worn by age) करभं यथा (like a camel) समं पश्यन्ति (regard as the same).

Translation: "Women who once desired him look on a man whose limbs are slack and whose body is worn with age as they would on a camel."

Pointers for Reflection:

Loss of attraction. What was desired is no longer desired. The value placed on the body was never in the body.

Verse 1.22.5¶

अनायासकदर्थिन्या गृहीते जरसा जने ।
पलाय्य गच्छति प्रज्ञा सपत्न्येवाहताङ्गना ॥ १.२२.५ ॥

अनायास-कदर्थिन्या जरसा (by old age, which torments without effort) जने गृहीते [सति] (when a person is seized) प्रज्ञा (wisdom / intelligence) सपत्न्या आहता अङ्गना इव (like a wife beaten by her co-wife) पलाय्य गच्छति (runs away).

Translation: "When old age, that effortless tormentor, seizes a person, intelligence runs away, like a wife driven off by her co-wife."

Pointers for Reflection:

प्रज्ञा flees. Without cultivated wisdom, old age dims the mind. The tradition's answer: seek wisdom early — and wisdom of the Self does not age (Gītā 2.20, अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणः).

Verse 1.22.6¶

दासाः पुत्राः स्त्रियश्चैव बान्धवाः सुहृदस्तथा ।
हसन्त्युन्मत्तकमिव नरं वार्धककम्पितम् ॥ १.२२.६ ॥

दासाः पुत्राः स्त्रियः च एव बान्धवाः सुहृदः तथा (servants, sons, wives, relatives and friends) वार्धक-कम्पितं नरं (a man trembling with age) उन्मत्तकम् इव हसन्ति (laugh at, as at a madman).

Translation: "When a man shakes with age, his servants, his sons, his wives, his kin and his friends all mock him as if he had lost his wits."

Pointers for Reflection:

The loneliness of age. Those we lived for may not stay with us. Compare 1.18.39: the body is ungrateful; so, at times, are people.

Verse 1.22.7¶

दुष्प्रेक्ष्यं जरठं दीनं हीनं गुणपराक्रमैः ।
गृध्रो वृक्षमिवादीर्घं गर्धो ह्यभ्येति वृद्धकम् ॥ १.२२.७ ॥

हि (indeed) गर्धः (greed) दुष्प्रेक्ष्यं जरठं दीनं (unsightly, decrepit, wretched) गुण-पराक्रमैः हीनं (without merit or strength) वृद्धकं (the old man) गृध्रः अदीर्घं वृक्षम् इव (as a vulture [comes to] a stunted tree) अभ्येति (comes to).

Translation: "Greed comes to the old man — unsightly, decrepit, wretched, without strength or merit — as a vulture settles on a stunted tree."

Pointers for Reflection:

Greed grows in age. A paradox the next verses explore: as the power to enjoy shrinks, the longing to enjoy grows.
Bhartṛhari, Vairāgyaśataka: भोगा न भुक्ता वयमेव भुक्ताः … तृष्णा न जीर्णा वयमेव जीर्णाः — we did not enjoy the pleasures; the pleasures consumed us … craving has not grown old; we have.

Verse 1.22.8¶

दैन्यदोषमयी दीर्घा हृदि दाहप्रदायिनी ।
सर्वापदामेकसखी वार्धके वर्धते स्पृहा ॥ १.२२.८ ॥

वार्धके (in old age) दैन्य-दोष-मयी (full of the faults of misery) दीर्घा (long) हृदि दाह-प्रदायिनी (burning the heart) सर्व-आपदाम् एक-सखी (the one friend of all misfortunes) स्पृहा (longing) वर्धते (grows).

Translation: "In old age, longing grows: long, miserable, burning the heart, the one companion of every misfortune."

Pointers for Reflection:

स्पृहा — longing. Compare Gītā 2.71, निःस्पृहः: the free one is without longing at any age.

Verse 1.22.9¶

कर्तव्यं किं मया कष्टं परत्रेत्यतिदारुणम् ।
अप्रतीकारयोग्यं हि वर्धते वार्धके भयम् ॥ १.२२.९ ॥

हि (indeed) वार्धके (in old age) 'मया परत्र किं कष्टं कर्तव्यम्' इति ('what hardship must I face in the next world?') अति-दारुणम् अप्रतीकार-योग्यं भयं (a dreadful, incurable fear) वर्धते (grows).

Translation: "In old age a dreadful fear grows, which nothing can cure: 'What hardships await me in the next world?'"

Pointers for Reflection:

Fear of what comes after. The question of Naciketas (Kaṭha 1.1.20). Asked in youth, it leads to the teacher; asked only in old age, it becomes fear.
This is why Rāma's questions matter so much now (questions worth asking). He asks at sixteen what most ask only when it is late.

Verse 1.22.10¶

कोऽहं वराकः किमिव करोमि कथमेव च ।
तिष्ठामि मौनमेवेति दीनतोदेति वार्धके ॥ १.२२.१० ॥

'कः अहं वराकः (who am I, poor wretch?) किम् इव करोमि (what can I do?) कथम् एव च (and how?) मौनम् एव तिष्ठामि (I shall just stay silent)' इति (thus) वार्धके दीनता उदेति (helplessness arises in old age).

Translation: "'What am I, a poor wretch? What could I do, and how would I do it? Better to sit here and say nothing.' Such is the helplessness that rises in old age."

Pointers for Reflection:

कोऽहम् — a contrast. Rāma asked 'Who am I?' in 1.12.15 as the beginning of inquiry. The old man asks the same words as a cry of despair. The same question, asked rightly, is the door to freedom — the inquiry 'Who am I?' that Ramaṇa Maharṣi made central to his teaching.

Verse 1.22.11¶

कथं कदा मे किमिव स्वादु स्याद्भोजनं जनात् ।
इत्यजस्रं जरा चैषा चेतो दहति वार्धके ॥ १.२२.११ ॥

'कथं कदा मे जनात् किम् इव स्वादु भोजनं स्यात्' इति ('how and when will I get some tasty food from people?') एषा जरा च (and this old age) वार्धके अजस्रं चेतः दहति (constantly burns the mind in old age).

Translation: "'How, and when, will someone give me something tasty to eat?' — so old age burns the mind, again and again."

Pointers for Reflection:

The narrowing of life. Without inner richness, life in age can shrink to small wants. Rāma sees this without contempt; it moves him to seek something that does not shrink.

Verse 1.22.12¶

गर्धोऽभ्युदेति सोल्लासमुपभोक्तुं न शक्यते ।
हृदयं दह्यते नूनं शक्तिदौस्थ्येन वार्धके ॥ १.२२.१२ ॥

गर्धः (greed) स-उल्लासम् अभ्युदेति (rises with excitement); [किन्तु] उपभोक्तुं न शक्यते (but it cannot be enjoyed); वार्धके (in old age) शक्ति-दौस्थ्येन (by the failure of strength) हृदयं नूनं दह्यते (the heart surely burns).

Translation: "Greed rises eagerly, but there is no strength to enjoy. In old age the heart burns with this failing power."

Pointers for Reflection:

Wanting without being able. The cruelest form of craving. Compare 1.17.25: craving dances on even when it has no strength.

Verse 1.22.13¶

जराजीर्णबकी यावत्कायक्लेशापकारिणी ।
रौति रोगोरगाकीर्णा कायद्रुमशिरःस्थिता ॥ १.२२.१३ ॥

जरा-जीर्ण-बकी (the crane of decrepit old age) काय-क्लेश-अपकारिणी (that harms through bodily affliction) रोग-उरग-आकीर्णा (beset with the snakes of disease) काय-द्रुम-शिरः-स्थिता (perched at the top of the body-tree) यावत् रौति (while it cries) …

Translation: "While the old crane of age, harming the body, beset with the snakes of disease, sits crying at the top of the body-tree …"

Pointers for Reflection:

The body-tree again (Sarga 18). Now old age sits at its crown. This verse runs on into the next.

Verse 1.22.14¶

तावदागत एवाशु कुतोऽपि परिदृश्यते ।
घनान्ध्यतिमिराकाङ्क्षी मुने मरणकौशिकः ॥ १.२२.१४ ॥

मुने (O sage), तावत् (just then) घन-आन्ध्य-तिमिर-आकाङ्क्षी (longing for thick, blinding darkness) मरण-कौशिकः (the owl of death) कुतः अपि (from somewhere) आशु आगतः एव परिदृश्यते (is seen to have arrived at once).

Translation: "… just then, O sage, the owl of death, which loves thick, blinding darkness, is seen to have arrived from somewhere."

Pointers for Reflection:

Death follows age as night follows dusk (next verse). The owl, a creature of darkness, appears again (1.17.1).

Verse 1.22.15¶

सायंसंध्यां प्रजातां वै तमः समनुधावति ।
जरां वपुषि दृष्ट्वैव मृतिः समनुधावति ॥ १.२२.१५ ॥

प्रजाताम् सायं-सन्ध्याम् (the evening twilight that has come) तमः वै समनुधावति (darkness surely follows); [तथा] वपुषि जरां दृष्ट्वा एव (so on seeing old age in the body) मृतिः समनुधावति (death follows).

Translation: "Just as darkness follows close upon evening twilight, death follows as soon as it sees old age in the body."

Pointers for Reflection:

Twilight. Old age as the evening of life — a common image, here stated plainly.

Verse 1.22.16¶

जराकुसुमितं देहद्रुमं दृष्ट्वैव दूरतः ।
अध्यापतति वेगेन मुने मरणमर्कटः ॥ १.२२.१६ ॥

मुने (O sage), मरण-मर्कटः (the monkey of death) जरा-कुसुमितं देह-द्रुमं (the body-tree flowering with age) दूरतः दृष्ट्वा एव (on just seeing from afar) वेगेन अध्यापतति (leaps on it swiftly).

Translation: "O sage, the monkey of death, seeing from afar the body-tree in the white blossom of old age, leaps upon it at once."

Pointers for Reflection:

White blossom. Grey hair as flowers on the tree of the body; death comes to pick the fruit.

Verse 1.22.17¶

शून्यं नगरमाभाति भाति च्छिन्नलतो द्रुमः ।
भात्यनावृष्टिमान्देशो न जराजर्जरं वपुः ॥ १.२२.१७ ॥

शून्यं नगरम् आभाति (an empty city looks [bearable]) छिन्न-लतः द्रुमः भाति (a tree with its creepers cut looks [bearable]) अनावृष्टिमान् देशः भाति (a land in drought looks [bearable]); जरा-जर्जरं वपुः न [भाति] (but not a body worn out by age).

Translation: "An empty city has some beauty, and so does a tree stripped of its creepers, or a land in drought — but not a body ruined by age."

Pointers for Reflection:

Reading note. The verb भाति (shines, looks well) is used ironically: even desolate scenes are more pleasing than the ruin of the body.

Verse 1.22.18¶

क्षणान्निगरणायैव कासक्वणितकारिणी ।
गृध्रीवामिषमादत्ते तरसैव नरं जरा ॥ १.२२.१८ ॥

कास-क्वणित-कारिणी जरा (old age, which makes the sound of coughing) गृध्री इव आमिषम् (as a she-vulture [seizes] flesh) क्षणात् निगरणाय एव (in a moment, just to swallow) तरसा एव नरम् आदत्ते (seizes a man with force).

Translation: "Old age, wheezing with coughs, seizes a man in a moment and with force, as a vulture seizes meat to swallow it."

Pointers for Reflection:

A sound picture. The cough of the old is likened to a vulture's cry. The poet spares no detail; the aim is to wake, not to wound.

Verse 1.22.19¶

दृष्ट्वैव सोत्सुकेवाशु प्रगृह्य शिरसि क्षणम् ।
प्रलुनाति जरा देहं कुमारी कैरवं यथा ॥ १.२२.१९ ॥

कुमारी कैरवं यथा (as a girl [plucks] a lily) जरा (old age) दृष्ट्वा एव (as soon as it sees) स-उत्सुका इव (as if eager) आशु (quickly) क्षणं शिरसि प्रगृह्य (seizing by the head for a moment) देहं प्रलुनाति (plucks the body).

Translation: "As soon as old age sees a body, it eagerly seizes it by the head and plucks it, as a girl plucks a water-lily."

Pointers for Reflection:

A gentle image for a hard truth. A girl picking a flower — careless, quick. That is how the body is taken.

Verse 1.22.20¶

सीत्कारकारिणी पांसुपरुषा परिजर्जरम् ।
शरीरं शातयत्येषा वात्येव तरुपल्लवम् ॥ १.२२.२० ॥

सीत्कार-कारिणी (making a hissing sound) पांसु-परुषा (rough with dust) एषा [जरा] (this [old age]) वात्या तरु-पल्लवम् इव (like a whirlwind [tearing] a tree's leaves) परिजर्जरं शरीरं शातयति (shreds the worn-out body).

Translation: "Hissing, rough with dust, old age shreds the worn-out body as a whirlwind shreds the leaves of a tree."

Pointers for Reflection:

Breath and dust. The wheezing breath of age, and the dust the body is returning to.

Verse 1.22.21¶

जरसोपहतो देहो धत्ते जर्जरतां गतः ।
तुषारनिकराकीर्णपरिम्लानाम्बुजश्रियम् ॥ १.२२.२१ ॥

जरसा उपहतः (struck by old age) जर्जरतां गतः देहः (the body grown decrepit) तुषार-निकर-आकीर्ण-परिम्लान-अम्बुज-श्रियं (the look of a lotus withered under heavy frost) धत्ते (takes on).

Translation: "Struck by old age and grown frail, the body looks like a lotus withered under heavy frost."

Pointers for Reflection:

Frost on the lotus. Compare 1.13.15 (frost on dispassion) and 1.19.3. Frost is the Yoga Vasiṣṭha's image for anything that withers what is tender.

Verse 1.22.22¶

जरा ज्योत्स्नोदितैवेयं शिरःशिखरिपृष्ठतः ।
विकासयति संरब्धं वातकासकुमुद्वती ॥ १.२२.२२ ॥

इयं जरा (this old age) शिरः-शिखरि-पृष्ठतः (from behind the peak of the head) उदिता ज्योत्स्ना इव (like moonlight that has risen) वात-कास-कुमुद्वती (the night-lilies of wind-ailments and cough) संरब्धं विकासयति (makes bloom vigorously).

Translation: "Old age is like moonlight rising behind the mountain-peak of the head, making the night-lilies of rheumatism and cough bloom in full."

Pointers for Reflection:

Grey hair as moonlight. The white of age rising over the head; ailments open like night-flowers in its light.

Verse 1.22.23¶

परिपक्वं समालोक्य जराक्षारविधूसरम् ।
शिरःकूष्माण्डकं भुङ्क्ते पुंसां कालः किलेश्वरः ॥ १.२२.२३ ॥

किल (indeed) कालः (Time) पुंसाम् ईश्वरः (is the lord of people); [सः] जरा-क्षार-विधूसरं परिपक्वं शिरः-कूष्माण्डकं (the ripe gourd of the head, greyed by the salt of age) समालोक्य (seeing) भुङ्क्ते (eats).

Translation: "Time is the lord of all people. Seeing the gourd of the head ripe and greyed with the salt of age, he eats it."

Pointers for Reflection:

काल — Time. Named here as lord (ईश्वर). The next three sargas will be Rāma's meditation on Time.
Gītā 11.32: कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्तः — I am Time, grown mighty, destroyer of worlds, here to devour all people. The Lord reveals himself to Arjuna as Time. The student Rāma here sees Time as the devourer; the teacher Kṛṣṇa says, 'That Time is I.'

Verse 1.22.24¶

जराजह्नुसुतोद्युक्ता मूलान्यस्य निकृन्तति ।
शरीरतीरवृक्षस्य चलत्यायुषि सत्वरम् ॥ १.२२.२४ ॥

आयुषि सत्वरं चलति [सति] (as life passes swiftly) जरा (old age) जह्नु-सुता-उद्युक्ता [इव] (like the busy daughter of Jahnu, the Gaṅgā) अस्य शरीर-तीर-वृक्षस्य (of this tree of the body on the riverbank) मूलानि निकृन्तति (cuts the roots).

Translation: "As life flows swiftly by, old age, busy as the Gaṅgā, cuts away the roots of this tree of the body that stands on its bank."

Pointers for Reflection:

The riverbank tree — again (1.16.16, 1.22.2). Life is the river; the body stands on its bank, its roots slowly undercut.

Verse 1.22.25¶

जरामार्जारिका भुङ्क्ते यौवनाखुं तथोद्धता ।
परमुल्लासमायाति शरीरामिषगर्धिनी ॥ १.२२.२५ ॥

तथा उद्धता (so fierce) शरीर-आमिष-गर्धिनी (greedy for the flesh of the body) जरा-मार्जारिका (the she-cat of old age) यौवन-आखुं भुङ्क्ते (eats the mouse of youth) परम् उल्लासम् आयाति (and is greatly pleased).

Translation: "The fierce cat of old age, greedy for the body's flesh, eats the mouse of youth and is delighted."

Pointers for Reflection:

Cat and mouse — as with death and life at 1.14.19.

Verse 1.22.26¶

काचिदस्ति जगत्यस्मिन्नामङ्गलकरी तथा ।
यथा जराक्रोशकरी देहजङ्गलजम्बुकी ॥ १.२२.२६ ॥

अस्मिन् जगति (in this world) तथा अमङ्गल-करी (so inauspicious) काचित् न अस्ति (there is nothing) यथा (as) आक्रोश-करी (wailing) देह-जङ्गल-जम्बुकी जरा (old age, the she-jackal in the forest of the body).

Translation: "In all this world there is no worse omen than old age, the she-jackal howling in the wilderness of the body."

Pointers for Reflection:

The jackal's howl. In Indian lore a jackal's cry was an ill omen. Old age is the howl that announces death.

Verse 1.22.27¶

कासश्वासससीत्कारा दुःखधूमतमोमयी ।
जराज्वाला ज्वलत्येषा यस्यासौ दग्ध एव हि ॥ १.२२.२७ ॥

कास-श्वास-स-सीत्कारा (with coughing, gasping and wheezing) दुःख-धूम-तमः-मयी (made of the smoke and darkness of sorrow) एषा जरा-ज्वाला (this flame of old age) ज्वलति (burns); यस्य [ज्वलति] (for whom it burns) असौ दग्धः एव हि (he is already burnt).

Translation: "The flame of old age burns with coughing, gasping and wheezing, its smoke the darkness of sorrow; whoever it burns is as good as burnt already."

Pointers for Reflection:

Already burnt. The funeral fire only finishes what old age began.

Verse 1.22.28¶

जरसा वक्रतामेति शुक्लावयवपल्लवा ।
तात तन्वी तनुर्नृणां लता पुष्पानता यथा ॥ १.२२.२८ ॥

तात (dear father), नृणां तन्वी तनुः (people's slender bodies) शुक्ल-अवयव-पल्लवा (with limbs like white shoots) पुष्प-आनता लता यथा (like a creeper bent with flowers) जरसा वक्रताम् एति (become bent by old age).

Translation: "Dear father, the slender bodies of people, their limbs now pale as white shoots, are bent by old age like a creeper bowed with flowers."

Pointers for Reflection:

Bent with flowers. A tender image: the body bowed by age, as a vine bows under its own blossoms.

Verse 1.22.29¶

जराकर्पूरधवलं देहकर्पूरपादपम् ।
मुने मरणमातङ्गो नूनमुद्धरति क्षणात् ॥ १.२२.२९ ॥

मुने (O sage), मरण-मातङ्गः (the elephant of death) जरा-कर्पूर-धवलं (white with the camphor of old age) देह-कर्पूर-पादपं (the camphor-tree of the body) नूनं क्षणात् उद्धरति (surely uproots in a moment).

Translation: "O sage, once the body has turned white as a camphor tree with the camphor of age, the tusker of death tears it out by the roots in an instant."

Pointers for Reflection:

Camphor. White, fragrant and quick to vanish. Even age, when the body is white, is only a moment before death.

Verse 1.22.30¶

मरणस्य मुने राज्ञो जराधवलचामरा ।
आगच्छतोऽग्रे निर्याति स्वाधिव्याधिपताकिनी ॥ १.२२.३० ॥

मुने (O sage), आगच्छतः मरणस्य राज्ञः (of King Death as he approaches) अग्रे (in front) जरा-धवल-चामरा (white whisks of old age) स्व-आधि-व्याधि-पताकिनी (with banners of its own mental and bodily ills) निर्याति (goes forth).

Translation: "O sage, before King Death as he approaches goes old age, with white hair for his royal whisks and illnesses of mind and body for his banners."

Pointers for Reflection:

The royal procession. Old age is the herald of death, as a king's attendants go before him.

Verse 1.22.31¶

न जिताः शत्रुभिः संख्ये प्रविष्टा येऽद्रिकोटरे ।
ते जराजीर्णराक्षस्या पश्याशु विजिता मुने ॥ १.२२.३१ ॥

मुने पश्य (see, O sage): ये (those who) संख्ये शत्रुभिः न जिताः (were not conquered by enemies in battle) अद्रि-कोटरे प्रविष्टाः (who entered mountain caves), ते (they) जरा-जीर्ण-राक्षस्या आशु विजिताः (are quickly conquered by the decrepit demoness of old age).

Translation: "See, O sage: those never conquered by enemies in battle, those who hid in mountain caves — all are quickly conquered by the demoness of old age."

Pointers for Reflection:

No escape by force or flight. Neither the warrior nor the hermit escapes old age. Only the knowledge of what does not age frees.

Verse 1.22.32¶

जरातुषारवलिते शरीरसदनान्तरे ।
शक्नुवन्त्यक्षशिशवः स्पन्दितुं न मनागपि ॥ १.२२.३२ ॥

जरा-तुषार-वलिते (covered with the frost of old age) शरीर-सदन-अन्तरे (inside the house of the body) अक्ष-शिशवः (the children, the senses) मनाक् अपि स्पन्दितुं न शक्नुवन्ति (cannot stir even a little).

Translation: "Inside the house of the body, frozen with the frost of old age, the senses, like little children, cannot stir at all."

Pointers for Reflection:

The senses as children in the house of the body (compare 1.18.19–34). In the cold of age they fall still.

Verse 1.22.33¶

दण्डतृतीयपादेन प्रस्खलन्ती मुहुर्मुहुः ।
कासाधोवायुमुरजा जरा योषित्प्रनृत्यति ॥ १.२२.३३ ॥

जरा योषित् (old age, a woman) दण्ड-तृतीय-पादेन (with a staff for a third leg) मुहुः मुहुः प्रस्खलन्ती (stumbling again and again) कास-अधः-वायु-मुरजा (with cough and wind for her drums) प्रनृत्यति (dances).

Translation: "Old age dances like a woman with a staff for her third leg, stumbling again and again, her coughs and her wind for drums."

Pointers for Reflection:

A grotesque dance. Compare 1.17.25 and 1.17.23: craving too was an old dancer. Old age and craving dance together.

Verse 1.22.34¶

संसारसंसृतेरस्या गन्धकुट्यां शिरोगता ।
देहयष्ट्यां जरानाम्नी चामरश्रीर्विराजते ॥ १.२२.३४ ॥

अस्याः संसार-संसृतेः (of this flow of worldly existence) गन्ध-कुट्यां (in the shrine) देह-यष्ट्यां (on the staff of the body) शिरः-गता (on the head) जरा-नाम्नी चामर-श्रीः (the splendour of a whisk called old age) विराजते (shines).

Translation: "On the staff of the body, in the shrine of this flowing world, the white whisk called old age shines on the head."

Pointers for Reflection:

Reading note. गन्धकुटी (a shrine, also the Buddha's dwelling) is unusual here; the sense is that the body is honoured like a deity, with grey hair as its ceremonial whisk.

Verse 1.22.35¶

जराचन्द्रोदयसिते शरीरनगरे स्थिते ।
क्षणाद्विकासमायाति मुने मरणकैरवम् ॥ १.२२.३५ ॥

मुने (O sage), जरा-चन्द्र-उदय-सिते (whitened by the moonrise of old age) शरीर-नगरे स्थिते [सति] (when the city of the body stands) मरण-कैरवम् (the night-lily of death) क्षणात् विकासम् आयाति (opens in a moment).

Translation: "O sage, when the city of the body is whitened by the moonrise of old age, the night-lily of death opens in a moment."

Pointers for Reflection:

Moonrise and the night-lily. As at 1.22.22. The moon of age opens the flower of death.

Verse 1.22.36¶

जरासुधालेपसिते शरीरान्तःपुरान्तरे ।
अशक्तिरार्तिरापच्च तिष्ठन्ति सुखमङ्गनाः ॥ १.२२.३६ ॥

जरा-सुधा-लेप-सिते (whitened with the lime-plaster of age) शरीर-अन्तःपुर-अन्तरे (within the inner palace of the body) अशक्तिः आर्तिः आपत् च (weakness, pain and misfortune) अङ्गनाः [इव] (like women of the harem) सुखं तिष्ठन्ति (live at ease).

Translation: "In the inner apartments of the body, whitewashed by age, weakness, pain and misfortune live comfortably, like the women of the household."

Pointers for Reflection:

Whitewashed — the image of 1.18.21 again. The body-house is now occupied by new residents.

Verse 1.22.37¶

अभावोऽग्रेसरी यत्र जरा जयति जन्तुषु ।
कस्तत्रेह समाश्वासो मम मन्दमतेर्मुने ॥ १.२२.३७ ॥

मुने (O sage), यत्र (where) जन्तुषु जरा जयति (old age conquers beings) अभावः अग्रेसरी [भवति] (with non-existence going before), तत्र इह (there, here) मन्द-मतेः मम (for me, of dull mind) कः समाश्वासः (what consolation is there)?

Translation: "O sage, where old age conquers all beings, with death marching ahead of it, what comfort is there here for me, dull as my mind is?"

Pointers for Reflection:

मन्दमति — dull of mind. Rāma's humility. He does not claim to be wise; he only sees clearly what he cannot yet overcome.

Verse 1.22.38¶

किं तेन दुर्जीवितदुर्ग्रहेण जरागतेनापि हि जीव्यते यत् ।
जराजगत्यामजिता जनानां सर्वैषणास्तात तिरस्करोति ॥ १.२२.३८ ॥

तात (dear father), दुर्जीवित-दुर्ग्रहेण तेन किं (what use is that wretched clinging to a wretched life) यत् (by which) जरा-गतेन अपि हि जीव्यते (one goes on living even in old age)? जगत्यां अजिता जरा (unconquered old age in the world) जनानां सर्व-एषणाः तिरस्करोति (overrides all of people's desires).

Translation: What is the use of this stubborn clinging to a miserable life, by which one lives on even into old age? Old age, unconquered in this world, overrides every desire people have.

Pointers for Reflection:

A closing verse in a longer metre (upajāti).
अजिता — unconquered. The word leaves a door open: old age is unconquered in the world. The teaching will point to the one who is beyond the world and so beyond age.
Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.1.26–27: Naciketas refuses long life offered by Death: अपि सर्वं जीवितमल्पमेव — all life, however long, is short. He asks instead for the knowledge of what lies beyond death.