at the age of 55yrs what should be the desire to fulfill?

Question

veda says we should go through four stages in life, brahamcharya, grihastha, vanprastha, sanyas . definetely there is logic behind it , which we do not try to know what is the secret hiden in this. vanprastha means now you are preparing for the sanyas ie now no more physical desires.
now a days nobody wants to leave the physical life ie attchment, ego,greed ........why it is so.
what is your opinion wheather people should go for the vanprastha or they should engage in physical life to take care of grandchildren.
and why?

Answer 1

At any age the aim of life should be self-realisation.As we are born as a human to understand our atma.

How To Attain God-realisation?

Develop discrimination between the real and the unreal. God alone is real. Everything else is unreal. Renounce all sensual pleasures, seeing the defects in them. They wear out the senses, cause diseases, restlessness of mind., etc. Equip yourself with the sixfold virtues (Shadsampat) of serenity (Sama), control of the senses (Dama), cessation from sensual enjoyments (Uparati), endurance (Titiksha), faith in God, scriptures, Guru and in one's own self (Sraddha) and concentration of mind (Samadhana). Hear the Mahavakyas (the great sentences of the Upanishads) that speak of the identity of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul. Reflect upon them and then practise intense meditation. You will attain Self-realisation.

Serve all, seeing God in all. Perform all your daily actions as worship of God. Give up the idea that you are the doer. Feel that God does everything and that you are only His instrument. Give up attachment to actions and their fruits.

Do Japa of His Holy Name. His Name is a great purifier. Sing His praises. Worship Him. Meditate upon His beautiful form. Surrender to His Will (Atmanivedan).

Do not identify yourself with the body, which is inert, impure, perishable and which is only a combination of the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. Always feel that you are the all-pervading, formless, pure, Satchidananda Atma. Assert 'Aham Brahmasmi'. See the Self in all.

Take Sattvic food. Keep company With the wise. Study Gita and other religious books daily. Eradicate all vices. Cultivate all virtues. Observe Ahimsa (Non-injury), Satyam (Truth), and Brahmacharya (Chastity).

Keep the body fit and energetic by practising daily some important Asanas, such as Sirshasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Paschimottanasana, Bhujangasana and Mayurasana, a few rounds of easy, comfortable Pranayama and light physical exercise such as long walk.

God is a question of supply and demand. If you really yearn for His Darshan, He will reveal Himself to you in an instant.

Combine all the love you cherish towards all worldly objects, wife, son, wealth, property, relatives, friends, and then apply this combined love towards God. You will realise in this very second.

It is not very difficult to have Darshan (vision) of God, or to please Him. God is an ocean of mercy. He is a slave of His devotees. He ran with lightning speed to save Draupadi from the wicked hands of the Kauravas. He begged pardon of Prahlada for not coming to his rescue earlier. He caressed the dying bird, Jatayu, keeping him on His laps, and wiped off his dirt with the trusses of His hairs. He carried the palanquin of His devotee Tyagaraja and also water in a vessel for his ablution. He proudly bears, as an ornament, the scar left on His chest by the kick of Bhrigu. He wears the skulls of His devotees as a garland round His neck. The Lord Himself has admitted: "I am under the complete control of my Bhaktas."

Pray to Him fervently for His Grace. Be up and doing in spiritual Sadhana, Bhajana, etc. Never waste a single minute. Pray fervently like Prahlad. Sing His name like Radha. Weep in solitude like Mira on account of His separation. Do kirtan like Lord Gauranga. Sing Bhajan like Ram Prasad of Bengal. Dance in Divine ecstasy like Chaitanya Maha Prabhu and enter into Bhava Samadhi. Repeat His Name like Valmiki, Tukaram and Ramdas. He will certainly bless you with His beatific vision, Supreme Knowledge, and Eternal Bliss.

Answer 2

Days have changed. When the vedas were written, population was not so much. Stress levels were very less and development of cities was not at this level. Many things have changed. Todays world needs different perspective. Its close to retirement age. You must have got your children married. They will be having grandchildren, if not already there. Young couples need the guidance of older people like you. So the stage of sanyas is not advisable. Your children and grandchildren need you. Sanyas is for lonely people without any family burdens. Moreover, its a selfish proposition. This age needs plenty of counselling. You can provide your experience and guidance to youngsters. Do social service. By involving yourself in these activities, you can forget your physical desires and live a contented ilfe.

Answer 3

At the age of 55 one should plan for future to live peacefully. All the responsibilites as husband and father to be completed.The children to be got married and settled. One should have to save sufficient amount to live independently without depending on any one including children. Thus we will succesfully complete the first 2 stages say Brahmacharya and Grihastha.
Then come to Vanaprastha. The meaning is retiring to forests. Vana means forest or nature or away from the friends and relatives and Prastha means to proceed. In the present day context we may not get such places but one can move to a less busy place like rural or small centre where minimum facilities are availa
ble and less disturbance from near and dear. The family that is Samsara is described as an ocean or forest in Laxminarasimha Karavalamba Stotra wriiten by Adi Sankara.If we remain get involved more and more. One has to makeup his mind to disassociate himself. For this the main requirement is one should be blessed with good health. Otherwise every thing will be a problem.
It is not advisable for everyone to aspire for sanyasa. One can become a sanyasi by detaching himself with what is happening around him without wearing safron robes. The detachment is a state of mind but not a phisical feature. Wife will be best companion in such endeavour. As age advances one needs support and that can be provided only by the spouse. All the affection one shows to the partner upto the age of 55 is more for physical needs. The real affectioin for emotional and spirutual will start only when one retires.
It si only our feeling that we can not live without the physical life.
As age advances requirements will come down automatically.
One will not enjoy the things in the same way or level as they were during prime youth. Maturity will set in automatically.
One should prepare his mind in such a way, nothing disturbs him evcen if he has to stay with the children and grandchildren or away froim them.

Answer 4

What you have said is very much in accordance with the Vedic system, which says for 25 years one should be a brahmary and next 25 years grihasta and after the age of 50 take vanaprastha in order to prepare for the higest sannyasa asrama.

Vanaprashtha means going to the forest along with the wife and doing tapasya(austerity)

It is interesting to note that Srila Prabhupada(ISKCON founder), authority in Krishna Consciousness movement, writes as follows
in Srimad Bhagavatam,Canto 7, chapter 5, verse 5.
Prahlada Maharaäja replied: O best of the asuras, King of the demons, as far as I have learned from my spiritual master, any person who has accepted a temporary body and temporary household life is certainly embarrassed by anxiety because of having fallen in a dark well where there is no water but only suffering. One should give up this position and go to the forest [vana]. More clearly, one should go to Vrndavana, where only Krishna consciousness is prevalent, and should thus take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Elsewhere Srila Prabhupada also mentions that if one is not physically able to go to Vrindavana one should keep Vrindavana in one's heart and mind. For that matter, Vrindavana should be one's heart and soul for everyone, for one can get perfect reciprocation from Krishna in various relationships

Answer 5

In this Kali Yuga, it is often very difficult to perfectly follow the recommended path. Most people, of course, not only do not wish to relinquish their material desires and facilities for enjoying (note face lifts and Viagra!) but they don't even know that such a process exists for advancing spiritual life.
For those who are trying to follow the Vedas, of course it is preferable to gradually withdraw from family attachments and duties in order to devote oneself to spiritual life and service of your guru.
Of course, if our children are not fulfilling their proper duty as parents, then sometimes in this age grandparents do have to care for the small children. What can be done? I'm sure the Lord will have all compassion on someone who is willing to sacrifice in order to help another living entity.
The important thing is to always be remembering and serving the Lord--- whatever your particular stage of life may be. Remember, it is realization and love of Krishna that is important--- your internal relationship with the Lord--- not your external position and activites.

Answer 6

Age should have no bearing on the goals of the soul. The goal should always be emancipation of the soul, imprisoned by the mind. Until the physical passions (attachment, ego, greed) have been transcended, soul will continue to reincarnate back to the physical plane where these desires can be nurtured.

Answer 7

I am 55,but I do not know how to go to Vanprastha in Virginia.USA.If you have any suggestions,please let me know.

Answer 8

to be of 20.

Answer 9

At any age the only goal should be how can i be more useful to the society, the ppl around me.
How can i get more closer to the divine.
How can i reach the supreme soul.

Answer 10

The best thing I think is to leave the assamuthi and sambuthi

Answer 11

How could anyone not want to interact with her grandchildren!! Some are prevented not only from that, but from interacting with their children!!...prevented from doing all kinds of things they should be doing...working, contributing, earning an income.