Maintenance of parents

Indian Parliament recently passed a law providing for three months' imprisonment for those who abandon their parents. Everyone knows how well this will work in reality. Can a Govt. hope to coerce its people into caring for elders? How do Parliamentarians find time to make such legislations at all?

Some twelve hundred years ago, Adi Shankaracharya had also talked about the aged in "Bhaja Govindam."

Yaavadvittopaarjana saktah
Taavannijaparivaaro Raktah
Paschaajeevati Jarjjaradehe
Vaartaam Kopi Na Prichchati Gehe

which translates to "As long as one is fit and able to earn and support one's family, all the kith and kin and dependents attached are affectionate to him, no sooner one becomes old and infirm and one’s earnings cease, no one cares to enquire of his well-being even in one's own home."

Adi Shankaracharya advises that one should not misunderstand and live in illusion that popularity, consideration, affection and even reverence of other human beings is permanent or the very goal of life.


Incidentally, Jamuna Rani, a yesteryear play-back singer was saying today that very few among her generation people in movie business saved something for their old age. A single woman all her life, eloquently put forward a case for saving for one's own old age.