वृद्धकाले मृता भार्या बन्धुहस्तगतं

वृद्धकाले मृता भार्या बन्धुहस्तगतं धनम्।

भोजनं च पराधीनं तिस्रः पुंसां विडंबना॥

चाटुवाक्य

വൃദ്ധകാലേ മൃതാ ഭാര്യാ ബന്ധുഹസ്തഗതം ധനം.

ഭോജനം ച പരാധീനം തിസ്രഃ പുംസാം വിഡംബനാ..

ചാടുവാക്യം

vṛddhakāle mṛtā bhāryā bandhuhastagataṁ dhanam|

bhojanaṁ ca parādhīnaṁ tisraḥ puṁsāṁ viḍaṁbanā||

cāṭuvākya

the most distressing and painful situations for men in their lives are the following three

Death of wife when one is aged

Own money being given to relatives for safe custody or as loan

Dependence on others for daily meals

Death of wife is obviously the most painful thing that can happen to a man.. A man is just helpless, even though he may pretend otherwise, if his wife is gone.. And the dependence becomes more and more inevitable as he gets older.. The ladies are perhaps better in this matter.. They may adjust or fight with childrens, children in law and all and somehow carry on.. But an old man is just dead the moment his wife is gone..

If we are reasonably affluent, we tend to entrust some of our money and assets with our relatives, be it own children, siblings or even friends.. But sooner or later we would realize that our money and wealth are our own only if they are in our absolute control.. and in the most liquid form.. Any sort of handing over to others, hampers the optimum utility of our own money when it is reallly required.. And when we ask back we gain enmity too..

And depending on others for food even if we pay for it, can make us miserable.. Perhaps the only persons we can deman food from at any time are our mother and the wife.. Mother would depart much earlier than us.. And the distress of losing the wife has already been pointed out earlier..

These are clear sources of sorrow.. But it is not in our hands to avoid any on the three situations.. Only God can save us..

Regards

k v ananthanarayanan.