Why does age decrease..?

There is an incident in the Mahabharata when King Dhritarashtra asks Mahatma Vidura about the reason for the short lifespan of humans. Vidura then tells Dhritarashtra about six defects that shorten a person’s lifespan. According to the Mahabharata, Yamaraj himself, under a curse, was born as Vidura, a human being. The six causes of short human lifespans that Mahatma Vidura explained to Dhritarashtra are as follows.

Dhritarashtra asks Mahatma Vidur: When in all the Vedas a man is said to have a lifespan of 100 years, then why is he not able to live his full lifespan.

Vidura says: Excessive pride, excessive talk, lack of sacrifice, anger, selfishness, and betrayal of friends—these six sharp swords shorten a person’s lifespan. They are the ones that kill people.

Pride is arrogance.

People who hold high positions, who listen to their praise, who consider themselves powerful, and who consider themselves wise, selfless, and great souls become victims of pride. The person who has this defect starts considering other people as inferior to himself and does not miss the opportunity to insult them. A proud person also makes many enemies. Ultimately, pride leads to his death.

A person who talks too much

A person who talks too much and indulges in useless talk does not fully adhere to the truth and may even say things that have bad consequences. Such a person is not liked by the intelligent, and his words cannot influence others. Therefore, one should restrain one’s speech by avoiding excessive words, as unrestrained speech also shortens one’s lifespan.

Anger

Anger is man’s greatest enemy. When he becomes angry, he forgets the consequences of his actions, leading to his downfall. According to Shrimad Bhagwat, the person who completely conquers anger before the end of his body is a yogi and happy in this world. Anger has also been called the gateway to hell, meaning that an angry person needs no other path to hell; anger alone leads them there. The adverse effects of anger also shorten lifespans.

Lack of Sacrifice

Lack of renunciation led to the downfall of Ravana, Duryodhana, and others. Worldly pleasures shorten a person’s lifespan, while renunciation of them prolongs it. Humans should always remember that we are not born to take anything from this world, but to give happiness to others. Those who lack the spirit of sacrifice die early.

Selfishness means greed.

Selfishness, or greed, is the root cause of all evil. Selfishness (for land, money, or women) is the cause of many wars in the world. Selfish people do not feel ashamed even in committing the biggest sins to achieve their goals. Looking at the current scenario, selfishness is the reason why sinful acts are increasing throughout the world and unrest is prevalent everywhere. Those who harbor selfishness tend to have a shorter lifespan.

A traitor to a friend

A betrayer, i.e., a person who betrays his friend, is considered a lowly person in the scriptures. Friends are vital in human life. Friendship creates a new power that even enemies fear. Friends have uplifted many men from their downfall. The life of a betrayer of friends is like hell. To avoid the sin of betrayal, sacrifice and serving others are essential.

The six defects described by Mahatma Vidurji that shorten lifespan are largely interdependent. Therefore, these defects should be avoided.