1206. At the age of 21...!

“Elu Katte Vayasaythu” (you are Seven Donkey Age) was the words which our elders used to reprimand us.  A Donkey age is referred to as three times that of a Human age. That is a Human of age 3 corresponded to 1 Donkey age, so if someone is of 21 years they were referred to as 7 Donkey age. This age 21 is when biologically and emotionally one develops separateness or to be precise develop uniqueness. 

  

When parents want to seek blessing for their wards they can on their behalf only if the kids are below 21 years. If the individual is above 21 years it is mandatory that the individual seek blessing not by proxy. If the wards are above 21 parents can only pray and wish for the well-being while the austerities done on behalf of their wards seem to yield no effect. Why the cut-off age for an individual to seek for himself is 21???

We have the calculation of human life span in terms of Lunar Year. A Lunar Year is defined as a certain number of phases of the moon. To calculate our age in lunar years, we need to know the time between lunar phases, called the “synodic month,” which is approximately 29.530 Earth days. Twelve is the usual number of phases per lunar year. Lifespan as derived for humans is 1008 lunar phase. So an individual will living for 84 years was considered a complete life. If anyone would ask why we consider lunar year for calculation, our ancient Hindus saints had done research far before the modern scientist who are now saying that we are literally born because of our mothers body going in tandem with the lunar cycles.  

Out of the 84 years of life span a quarter of it was dedicated to learn the way of life. This stage of life was termed as “Brahmacharya.”  They say a Brahmachari is “Brahmani Vicaranam iti Brahmacaryam” (in constant enquiry of Brahman). Whenever an individual does some work or think of doing any work extroversially, the object which they come in contact with seem to be like a crude finite entity. Due to their constant aspiration for material achievement the mind is so engrossed in material objects that their attitude towards them becomes crude. In Brahmacarya it is made aware that the object with which one comes in contact is a different expression of Brahman and not anything crude. By means of such an ideation, even though the mind wanders from one object to another, it does not get detached from Brahman because of the Cosmic feeling taken for each and every object. As a result of this Preya Samaagati (extroversion approach) is converted into Shreya Samaagati (introversion approach) and Kama is converted into Prema. 

We need to know here that Preya is to get attracted towards material objects, while Shreya is experiencing oneness with them. Kama is yearning for finite things and Prema to merge with the Infinite).

A quarter of 84 years is 21 years of age, if one doesn’t make use of those 21 years of age to know about way of life then it is waste of time and hence those 21 years of wasteful existence is compared to the 7 Donkey Age. At least those wonderful beasts are helpful to the washer men tribe to take the load of soiled cloths to the river, what is ours if we loaf around and be good for nothing. A parent can seek blessing and can perform austerities on behalf of those who are below 21 years as they are conducting themselves to know life. After 21 years it is the responsibility of the “Brahmacharya” to get himself ready to enter the next stage of life called “Grihasta” (Householder) where it is necessary for him to get in touch with the mundane world and hence he needs a lot of blessings from elders which he has to personally seek no longer depending on proxy.