May you live a hundred years / जीवेत शरदः शतम्।

जीवेत शरदः शतम् – is a common blessing in Samskrita given usually by an elder person to a younger one, say when you touch someone’s feet or on your birthday and so on. A variation of one of the chants from अथर्व वेद (Atharva Veda), it means, literally, “May you live for a Hundred शरद ऋतु (Sharad Ritus /Autumn Seasons)”.

The ऋतु चक्र (Ritu Chakra / Cycle of Seasons) in Hinduism consists of six Ritus – Vasant, Greeshma, Varsha, Sharad, Hemant, Shishir. This Sharad Ritu falls in the months of Ashwin and Kartik, around the months of September/October or October/November as per the English Gregorian Calendar.

But why the reference to the Sharad Ritu, you may ask. Well, our ancestors believed that in this season there is higher likelihood of taking ill and even dying.

It is now established in Ayurveda that post the rainy season (Varsha in the Ritu Chakra), there is more humidity (October heat!!) causing discomfort and illnesses. Additionally, the Pitta dosha (Pitta element imbalance) is as its peak leading to digestive disorders and associated afflictions.

Hence in the olden times, it was said that if you survive the Sharad Ritu, you will survive the rest of the year easily! Thus the blessing, May you live for a Hundred Sharad Ritus meaning May you live a hundred years!

As we are currently living through this Samvatsara's (Year's) Sharad Ritu, I would like to introduce you to two Subhashitams on Arogya that you may commit to memory.

The first one is -

पुनर्वित्तं पुनर्मित्रं पुनर्भार्या पुनर्मही। एतत्सर्वं पुनर्लभ्यं न शरीरं पुनः पुनः।।

It means –

पुनर्वित्तं पुनर्मित्रं - once again wealth, once again friend

पुनर्भार्या पुनर्मही - one again wife (life partner), once again Kingdom (assets, property)

एतत्सर्वं पुनर्लभ्यं - all these can be obtained again

न शरीरं पुनःपुनः - (but) body/health cannot be obtained again and again.

In other words, Wealth, Friends, Wife (spouse/partner) and Kingdom (Assets) can be regained even if lost.

But our body/health can never be regained.

For example, if we don’t follow say, dental hygiene and end up with losing a tooth in our 20s or 30s itself, even though we may get an artificial tooth installed, it will never work like the original one!

If we commit this Subhashitam to memory, and recite it from time to time, it will serve as a reminder to us to prioritize taking care of our body so that we don’t regret in our middle and old age.

Another Subhashitam on the benefits of Exercise and Good Health goes as follows:

व्यायामात् लभते स्वास्थ्यं दीर्घायुष्यं बलं सुखं। आरोग्यं परमं भाग्यं स्वास्थ्यं सर्वार्थसाधनम्॥

It means -

स्वास्थ्यं दीर्घायुष्यं बलं सुखं - Good health, long life, strength, and happiness

व्यायामात् लभते - are obtained from Exercise.

आरोग्यं परमं भाग्यं - Being healthy is the greatest fortune

स्वास्थ्यं सर्वार्थसाधनम् – with good health, anything can be accomplished.

When it comes to realizing your goals, having good health is like getting half the job done.

For a person who has poor health or is unwell most of the times, completing even simple tasks takes a huge effort, doesn’t it?

Both these subhashitams are very easy to learn and emphasise on the importance of Health, its benefits and caution that once lost, Good Health is very difficult to regain.

While you go about conquering the world and realizing your dreams, don’t forget to exercise, meditate and take care of your body.

Because you are going to have just one of it in this lifetime!