Three Score and Ten?

That is not to denote a paltry cricket score of three runs for ten wickets down, or all out! I am referring to the biblical age that one is supposed to live. A score being twenty, the life expectancy is meant to be seventy years. Was that not too long for the biblical times? Did they not have cholera, malaria, diphtheria, gonorrhea, smallpox etc in those times?

According to genesis in the Old Testament, the ten patriarchs from Adam to Noah lived for many centuries. Adam lived 930 years, Seth 912 years, Methusaleh 969 years and so on. But after the patriarchs, the longevity declines – Abraham lived 175 years, Isaac 180 years, Jacob 147 years etc. And in due course it came down to between seventy and eighty. Thus you find “And the days of our years in them are three score and ten years” (Psalm 89.10). The mythical interpretation of the long ages of the patriarchs is that it was the will of god to enable early men to multiply and set up traditions. The metaphorical interpretation is that each patriarch’s life span was really a dynastic span. The literal interpretation would have us believe that the long lives came out of godliness and primeval innocence.

What makes me bring up the above? I am not a Christian. I am a Hindu by birth (and not ‘belief’). You see, the reason I have brought in this matter is that I am 66 years and just four years from the biblical limit! Having worked full-time like a donkey till last year, I as a retired man now am freely indulging myself in the pastimes of learning vocal music, doing cartoons, painting, writing, reading etc. I think a favour would be done to every living human being if an amendment were to be carried to the ancient texts to make life span four score and ten! I have an uncle who wants to die before he is too old. His definition of “too old” is a hundred years. He therefore probably wants to say quits on reaching ninety nine. Today he is ninety five, quite hale and hearty.

Is it not amazing that the biblical age is now so close to the present world’s reality? Out of 227 countries named, I found that the total life expectancy is just above 80 years only in Japan, Singapore, Macau (now integrated in China), San Marino and Andorra. It is said to be 62 in India, and in most richer countries, in the seventies. Is not the biblical age uncanny?

Just consider three great Greek philosophers of pre-Christian era. Socrates lived for 70 years (of course the poor man was killed). Plato lived for 81 years and Aristotle lived for 62 years. Does not their average age come uncannily close to 70?

Lord Buddha who lived before them died at the age of eighty. Prophet Muhammad lived for sixty three years. The Middle Ages must have been quite a calamity in terms of life expectancy even apart from fires, Black death etc. Studies of landholding Englishmen in the fourteenth century (Black death excluded) have revealed that a new-born child could expect to live an average life of 31 only.

The old Latin saying goes “Quim di diligent, adolescens moritur” meaning “Whom Gods love die young”. That is also considered to be a saying of the Greeks and ascribed to Herodotus, and quoted in Don Juan. The brilliant mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan died at 33. The great seer Sankara died at 32. Their fame is enormous. Sometimes god seems to give a choice between fame and longevity. Bhakta Markandeya was allowed only 16 years with immortal name or he could live very long without fame. The former was the choice. In the case of Greek Achilles, he too had a similar choice of short life with glory as against long life without merit. He chose the former which proved to be his Achilles’ heel!

Personally I have survived life-threatening situations. Before I was twenty, I have had severe typhoid and also double-pneumonia (affecting both lungs). Then have followed ailments such as chickenpox, malaria, flu and may be a few others I cannot immediately recollect! Living in Bombay (now Mumbai) and suffering from chronic bronchitis/asthma due to heavy city pollution, once I asked the famous doctor L.H.Hiranandani in great desperation, a few years ago, as to whether I should quit Mumbai. I was very concerned about pollution which was always on my mind. He simply said :”Forget that pollution exists! Take pollution completely out of your mind! You have antibiotics and an array of modern medicines now. Irrespective of pollution levels, these medicines would force you to live very long whether you like it or not! Just fifty years ago that was not the case, you would have been gone!” Ever since, I have stopped thinking about pollution, and the inhalers are always there!