shhashhtyaabdapurti - significance in Hindu tradition

[Gummuluru Murthy]

60th birthday is considered a significant event in a human's life span.
In Hindu tradition, 60th birthday celebration - shhashhtyaabdapurti -
is considered an auspicious event. I am asked to say a few words at
a forthcoming shhashhtyaabdapurti celebration for a friend. I would be
most grateful if knowledgeable List-members provide some background
for this event and the significance of the celebration. Is the event
considered important because of the 60-year cycle of the Hindu
calendar and the person who is celebrating 60 years is going to go
through the year cycle for the second time round ? I am sure there
are other importances attached to it. Even a reference where the
significance is discussed is appreciated. I would be most grateful
for either private e-mail or discussion on the List.

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
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Yadaa sarve pramucyante kaamaa ye'sya hr^di shritaah
atha martyo'mr^to bhavatyatra brahma samashnute   Katha Upanishhad II.3.14

When all the desires that dwell in the heart fall away, then the mortal
becomes immortal, and attains Brahman even here.
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>From ADVAITA-L at TAMU.EDU Tue Jul 29 17:51:41 1997
Message-Id: <TUE.29.JUL.1997.175141.1000.ADVAITAL at TAMU.EDU>
Date: Tue, 29 Jul 1997 17:51:41 +1000
Reply-To: "Advaita (non-duality) with reverence" <ADVAITA-L at TAMU.EDU>
To: "Advaita (non-duality) with reverence" <ADVAITA-L at TAMU.EDU>
From: Martin Gifford <marting at NSWCC.ORG.AU>
Subject: Re: advaitam and Kashmir shaivam
Comments: To: "Advaita (non-duality) with reverence" <ADVAITA-L at TAMU.EDU>
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Hi All !

At 04:13 PM 28/07/97 EST, Anand wrote:

> Again, there might be some misunderstanding about how Kashmir Shaivism
> views the world. Abhinavagupta was reportedly vague and ambiguous about
> the question as to whether the world is real or not. There is a considerable
> amount of de-emphasis of this question in Kashmir Shaivism. Prof. Mishra
> opines that one of the main reasons for this de-emphasis could be to
> discourage a "negative" attitude towards life, whereas, according to him,
> advaita "encourages" such a negative attitude by dismissing the world as
> unreal. Now, this allegation against advaita is itself based on a
> misunderstanding!


        The physical universe is Brahman - so says Ramana Maharshi. He said
that he only denies it's reality for beginners. I think what he is really
denying is the imposed ideas on physical reality that dualistic thinking
people have; not the reality itself.

Regards,

Martin.