Old age awaits like a tigress
2022 क्षमी दाता गुणग्राही स्वामी पुण्येन लभ्यते । अनुकूलः शुचिर्दक्षः कविर्विद्वान् सुदुर्लभः ॥ Only after much pious action does one attain a master or husband who is forgiving, generous, and a taker of one's virtues. Even more rare is one who is favorable, pure, expert. wise and learned. Bhoja-prabandha 93 व्याघ्रीव तिष्ठति जरा परितर्जयन्ती रोगाश्च शत्रव इव प्रहरन्ति देहम् । आयुः परिस्रवति भिन्नघटादिवाम्भो लोकस्तथाप्यहितमाचरतीति चित्रम् ॥ Old age awaits like a tigress, threatening, menacing; diseases, like enemies, attack the body, Life is slipping away like water from a burst jug, and even so people engage in evil acts... is it not astonishing? Vairāgya-śataka 38 यावत्स्वस्थमिदं शरीरमरुजं यावज् जरा दूरतो यावच्चेन्द्रियशक्तिरप्रतिहता यावत् क्षयो नायुषः । आत्मश्रेयसि तावद् एव विदुषा कार्यः प्रयत्नो महान् सन्दीप्ते भवने तु कूपखननं प्रत्युद्यमः कीदृशः ॥ When the body is still healthy, when old age is far away, when all the senses are working with peak efficiency, when there are stil...