Many aspects of life can be expressed using formulae to enable easy comprehension. Is it possible to express the essence of life itself using a formula? Can the life span of a human being explained through an equation? Has any attempt been made to explore Life's Arithmetic? Many people may have attempted this before. There may be many methods of explaining life's purpose. Everyone desires to be happy. Whatever may be one's pursuit; whichever may the direction in which the efforts are made, the ultimate aim is to be happy. Thus life's multiple goals ultimately lead to paths to find happiness. Hence the entire life span of a person is spent in chasing happiness. Life span and running behind happiness are two faces of the same coin. Finally there should be sufficient time to enjoy that happiness achieved with lot of efforts. We see many people around us who procure all the tools required for a happy life, after rigorous efforts. But when the time for enjoying the fruits of those efforts arrives, life itself ends.
Poet-Philosopher Bhartruhari has given a wonderful interpretation of Life's arithmetic. In his "Vairagya Shataka" he sums up the the relation between life span and finding happiness through a beautiful arithmetical formula. Bhartruhari takes the span of human life as one hundred years. Why only one hundred years? Human body has its own limitations. Even with best efforts it is difficult to preserve the body in working condition for a hundred years. Better health care facilities are no doubt increasing life span, but still very few live to celebrate their 100th birthday. A study has shown that 50 years ago, one in 67,000 people reached this milestone. One in 6,000 is able to celebrate 100th birthday now. In percentage terms it is less than 0.02%. Even in respect of these centenarians, very few are active and live by themselves at that age. Global life expectancy as per WHO reports is about 72 years. Let us accept Bhartruhari's stipulation of 100 years to start with.
Bhartruhari deducts half of this 100 years spent in night and sleep. It was true in his time, more than two thousand years ago. Activities then started with sunrise and ended with sunset. Not so in these times we live. Electricity has ensured that life goes on 24x7. Even then human beings require sleep for rest and recuperation. 50 years calculated by Bhartruhari as active life span can be accepted even today, considering the average life expectancy of 72 years.
Human life can be broadly divided into three phases; childhood, adult and old age. Bhartruhari deducts half of this 50 years for childhood and old age. Why is it so and is it right? It stands to reason as he explains. Childhood is a phase when one does not know what to do and old age is a phase when one cannot do what he wants to do! A deduction of 25 years allowed for these two phases is also fair and the real productive life span thus further gets shrunk to 25 years.
This 25 years is the core life span for being happy. But Bhartruhari says it is not that simple. Further deductions are required from this 25 years for sickness, separation from loved ones, and serving others. You cannot be happy when you are sick. You cannot be happy when you are away from your loved ones. You cannot be happy when you are serving others because you are not living for yourself! Ultimately, there is not much time available for being happy and enjoying fruits of one's hard labor during the productive years. Bhartruhari concludes by saying that there is no time left to be happy in one's life.
Bhartruhari's formula for life is this:
आयुर्वर्षशतं नृणां परिमितम् रात्रौ तदर्धं गतं |
तस्यार्धस्य परस्य चार्धमपरं बालत्व वृद्धत्वयोः ||
शेषं व्याधि वियोगदुखभरितं सेवादिभिर्नीयते |
जीवे वारितरङ्ग चञ्चलतरे सौख्यं कुतः प्राणिनाम् ||
Ayurvarsha shatam nrunaam parimitam ratrou tatardhamgatam
Tasyardhasya parasya chardhamaparam baalatva vruddhatvayoh
Shesham vyadhi viyogadukhasahitam sevaaadibhirneeyate
jeeve vaaritaranga chanchalatare sowkhyam kutah praaninam?
Life span is hundred years, half of it is gone in the night
Half of the remainder is lost in childhood and old age
Rest of the period is spent in sickness, separation and service
In life, uncertain like a wave on a water body, where is the time for happiness?
*****
All this leaves us to ponder over a very important issue. Is it never possible to be happy? Then does it mean that Life's arithmetic leads us to conclude that the very purpose of life is futile? It is not so. Real happiness lies in enjoying the process of life. It is not at all separated from other aspects of life. Happiness is to be found in the hard earned rest at the end of a tough day's work. Happiness is to be found in childhood innocence and old age maturity and wisdom. Happiness is to be seen in the service of others one receives when he is sick. Happiness is to be identified when one reunites with the loved ones after long separation. Happiness is to enjoyed while serving others selflessly or even while serving for earning one's livelihood.
If and when we understand this secret of life, we have solved the problems of Life's Arithmetic. Do we not find happiness everywhere now?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWell written Sir, as always!
ReplyDeleteSir, well written in your own inimitable way. I remember having read a mathematical formula for happiness. Happiness = wants-Realities. When are more than realities, man finds himself in miseries, in the pursuit of getting what he wants. Keeping wants under check and being contented are the ways for happiness.
ReplyDeleteSir.....as usual you have raised a very important life lesson. Your blog reminds me of a old kannada melody.........
ReplyDeleteನಾಕೊಂದ್ಲ ನಾಕು ನಾಕೆರಡ್ಲ ಎಂಟು
ಇಷ್ಟೇ ಈ ಲೆಕ್ಕದ ನಂಟು, ಅಷ್ಟೇ ಆ ಲೆಖ್ಖದ ನೆಂಟು ||ಪ||
ಮಳೆಗೆರೆದ ಹನಿ ಹನಿಗೆ ಭೂತಾಯಿ ಬರೆದಳೆ ಲೆಕ್ಕಾ
ಚಿಗುರೊಡೆದ ಎಲೆ ಎಲೆಗೆ ವನದೇವಿ ಇಡುವಳೆ ಲೆಕ್ಕಾ
ಕೂಡದ ಕಳೆಯದ ಆ ಲೆಕ್ಕ ಕೂಡೋ ಕಳೆಯೋ ಈ ಲೆಕ್ಕಾ
ಯಾರಿಗೆ ಬೇಕು ಈ ಲೆಕ್ಕ ||೧||
ಕೋಗಿಲೆಯ ಇಂಚರಕೆ ವಸಂತ ಕೊಡುವನೆ ಲೆಕ್ಕಾ
ಅರಳಿದ ಹೂವು ಪರಿಮಳಕೆ ತಂಗಾಳಿ ಬರೆಯಿತೆ ಲೆಕ್ಕಾ
ಎಣಿಸದ ಗುಣಿಸದ ಆ ಲೆಕ್ಕ ಎಣಿಸೋ ಗುಣಿಸೊ ಈ ಲೆಕ್ಕಾ
ಯಾರಿಗೆ ಬೇಕು ಈ ಲೆಕ್ಕ ||೨||
ಪ್ರೇಮಿಗಳ ಸಂಗಮಕೆ ಋತುವು ಹೇಳಿತೆ ಲೆಕ್ಕಾ
ಪ್ರಿಯತಮನ ಚುಂಬನಕೆ ಪ್ರೇಯಸಿ ಇಡುವಳೆ ಲೆಕ್ಕಾ
ಕಾಣದ ಕೇಳದ ಆ ಲೆಕ್ಕ ಕಾಣುವ ಕೇಳುವ ಈ ಲೆಕ್ಕಾ
ಯಾರಿಗೆ ಬೇಕು ಈ ಲೆಕ್ಕ ||೩||
Of course....
The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings. Lakshminarayana K
👌
ReplyDelete👌
ReplyDelete👌
ReplyDeleteWonderful presentation. The search for happiness outside is endless yielding temporary and very little results. Happiness is within and totally unconnected to our day to day happenings. Unfortunately, all of us succumb and depend on outward materialistic and emotional things to be happy and many a time achieve opposite result. Hence, happiness which is part of this soul and body should be searched and attained within only for its longevity and permanence.
ReplyDeleteThe end result may be to enjoy the life as it comes and never start waiting for an opportunity to emerge to enjoy. Good effort in educating us and to have introspect our life style.
ReplyDeleteAs usual well written,reminding people how much time is left in life to do good things after all arithmetical deductions for various factors of life
ReplyDeleteThroughout our life we seek happiness but the definition varies, isn't it peace that finally we need.
ReplyDeleteAs usual it's well written.
It is to be appreciated for the style of writing and its unique contents.All the best keep it up
ReplyDeleteP M Vijayan
Greedy in men to acquire more material pleasure can be the main reason for the amount of good time lost in life?
ReplyDeleteSir it's nicely presented by you as usual
Congratulations sir
ReplyDeleteYou have distilled essence of life and shared with all of us in your inimitable style.
Great article
ReplyDeleteregards, Meena
I know this website offers quality dependent content
ReplyDeleteand additional information, is there any other web page which offers such information in quality?
I agree that to be happy is to enjoy every moment of life be it good or bad. However it is easier said than practiced and that is the secret of life. Thanks for giving access to the blog
ReplyDeleteH.K.Venkatesh Murthy
First of all I would like to say superb blog! I had a quick question that I'd like to
ReplyDeleteask if you do not mind. I was interested to find out how you centger yourself and clear your mind before writing.
I have had a hard time clearing my thoughys in getting my ideas out there.
I truly do take pleasure in writing but it
just seems like the first 10 to 15 mimutes are lost simply just trying
to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or hints? Appreciate it!
Hi to all, how is everything, I think every onne
ReplyDeleteis getting more from this website, and your views are pleasant designed for new visitors.
Dear sir,
ReplyDeleteYou opened the view of how to find happiness in life in a very simple way.
May this blog will help many of us to live this life with happiness after reading this.
Nice arthmetical interpretation of longevity. 👌👍🙏
ReplyDeleteಭರ್ತೃಹರಿಯ ಲೆಕ್ಕಾಚಾರ ಏನೇ ಇರಲಿ ನಮ್ಮಂತ ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯರಿಗೆ ನೆನ್ನೆಯ ದಿನವೇ ಸುಂದರ ಮತ್ತು ನಾಳೆ ಭವ್ಯ ಹೀಗಿರುವಾಗ ವರ್ತಮಾನ ಹೇಗೋ ಕಳೆದು ಹೋಗುತ್ತಿದೆ ಅಷ್ಟಲ್ಲದೇ ಸ್ಮಶಾನ ವೈರಾಗ್ಯ ಉದರ
ReplyDeleteವೈರಾಗ್ಯ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆಯೇ.ಎಲ್ಲೋ ಕೆಲವರಿಗೆ ಕಪ್ಪು ಕೂದಲಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿಳಿ ಕೂದಲು ಕಾಣಿಸಿಕೊಂಡರೆ ವೈರಾಗ್ಯ ಬರಬಹುದು ಆದರೆ ನಾವು ಮಾತ್ರ ಕಪ್ಪು ಕೂದಲಿಗೆ ಬಿಳಿಯ ಬಣ್ಣ ಬಳಿದುಕೊಂಡು ಸಂತೋಷವಾಗಿ ಇರುತ್ತೇವೆ ನಿಮ್ಮ ವಿಷಯ ಸಂಗ್ರಹಣೆಗೆ ವಿಷಯ ಪ್ರಸ್ತುತಿಯ ರೀತಿಗೆ ಒಂದು ಸಲಾಂ