By DR BHUSHAN KUMAR UPADHYAYA 

 

 

 

Once Abraham Lincoln had remarked - ‘And in the end it’s not years in your life that count. But it is the life in your years.’ After 34 years of police service at the doorsteps of superannuation I was thinking over this quote of Abraham Lincoln and trying to relate it to my life. What is meant by ‘life in years’. Different persons may have different meanings and interpretations to it. During the entire service span I never pondered over this issue. But now I can summarise ‘life in years’ by two words - health and reputation. Health is the greatest gift of human life. All success in public and personal life depends upon health. In the Indian system, health is said to be the foundation of all Purusharthas. Purusharthas include all achievements ephemeral or spiritual. Lord Buddha has been called the great Bheshaj or doctor. Kalidasa has remarked - the body is the primary means of Dharma or all types of conduct in human life. Ayurveda defines health as the equilibrium of all physiological and anatomical systems which produce joy. WHO has defined health as physical, mental and social well being. Ayurveda andYoga prescribe numerous types of physical exercises in forms of Asanas and Pranayamas. These exercises strengthen the bodily systems, rejuvenate them and exert a positive impact on the human mind also.

 

In modern times different types of physical exercises based upon scientific discoveries have been devised and they have proved boons to humans. Numerous breathing techniques have been developed to strengthen the lungs capabilities and destress the human mind. Ayurveda talks in very details about different types of food and their impact on our body and mind. Season wise foods and eatables are prescribed in Ayurveda. In Yoga books and the Bhagavad Gita also we find very elaborate descriptions of various types of food and their impact on our psycho physiological system. A full fledged science of diet has developed in the modern times and medical sciences have also accepted its importance. Stress is said to be the biggest killer of the present time. Experts have found that more than eighty percent of diseases are psychosomatic in nature. So to a great extent health depends on managing stress. We find sufficient research and discoveries on the stress and how to manage it. Physical exercises and different mind management techniques have been found very effective in managing stress.

 

InYoga, Pranayama and meditation have proved infallible means to burst stress and rejuvenate the human mind. Thus it is my takeaway that regular exercise with proper diet and with combination of Yogic practices like, Asana, Pranayama and meditation go a long way in preserving physical and mental health, a sine quo nun to enjoy the remaining years of life. The second most important takeaway is the reputation. The reputation may be defined as a widespread belief and information about someone’s character and work. A bad or good reputation is built over a long time. Personal integrity, politeness, firmness, knowledge of professional work , empathy, etc, are the common ingredients of a good reputation. A simple and sincere glance at the entire career easily paints a picture of a good or bad reputation. Hence in my opinion a successful and happy superannuated life builds upon good health and a good reputation. (The writer is Former DG Police & CG, Homeguards, Maharashtra)