In a pond or in a natural pool of water, it is mostly impossible to see the bottom due to water being dirty with suspended particles and other solid pollutants as well as liquid contaminants. Such a water is compromised in quality and content, unfit for human consumption.
If we substitute pond with our physical body and pool of water with our pool of Chetana, contaminants and pollutants are Sanchit Karma-s i.e. unredeemed acts whose Karmaphala is yet to be realised and undergone. Sanchita Karma-s transform into Prarabdha Karma-s in due course subject to facilitative circumstances and ambience as and when attained.
If quality and content of water is compromised owing to presence of variety of pollutants and contaminants rendering it unfit for human consumption, it is excessive load of unredeemed Karma-s enacted earlier with the sense of affinity for eventual proceeds i.e. Sakama Karma-s that cloud our Chetana, thereafter entire existence.
Presence of enormous quantum of Sakama Karma-s in our Chetana, hinder normal functioning of our faculties of cognition and action, propel us to compromise with quality of our decisions and actions. Consequently, we lose heavily in terms of impartiality, morality, ethics and forthrightness in our lives. Even perspicuity in thoughts too, is severely compromised or completely lost eventually.
In numerous instances we have observed, even conscientious and resolutely upright people gradually indulge in compromises with advancing age due to accumulation of Sakama Karma-s and this mellowing down is in general perceived as 'growing old' in common parlance.
On the contrary, those who act and enact imbued with utter sense of detachment towards proceeds of their Karma-s i.e. Nishkama Karma-s, do not accumulate newer subtle 'contaminants' and 'pollutants' in the form of Sanchita Karma-s at all.
On the other hand, they dissolve quite a considerable amount of Sanchita Karma-s yet to become Prarabdha Karma-s by virtue of pursuit of Nishkama Karma-s. As these subtle 'pollutants' and 'contaminants' do not accumulate, pristine glory of Chetana undergoes augmentation, it's mellowing down with advancing age ceases and the noble Soul refuses to compromise on basic principles and values, remains his / her Chetana comprising of mind / intellect, young and fresh as ever before.
They do run the risk of being at the receiving end of epithets like 'too strict' / 'strict like young blood' etc. albeit all these entirely fail to deter him at all. In addition to pursuit of Nishkama Karma-s, rigorous daily Pranayama for at least 60 minutes is enormously effective in purifying our inner Chetana of imprints pf past Karma-s as well as infirmities like Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha and Ahamkara from inside.
Innumerable instances are available to buttress these facts. Is it possible for anyone to say, Prime Minister Modi or Swami Ramdeva has grown old mentally or psychologically? There lies hidden the most enigmatic riddle of life desisting from growing old which has just been resolved !!
As we have perceived, growing old of our mind and intellect can be halted and original Ground Zero in terms of age of our infinite and eternal Chetana is very much attainable as well as sustainable. Is it possible to order our body 'to cease and desist' from growing old?
However, it is certainly possible to instruct our body to delay growing old or decelerate pace of growing old. That is possible and attainable only through pursuits of Brahmacarya and Yoga–Sadhana. Brahmacarya is the foundation of Yoga–Sadhana that includes 12 postures of Surya–Namaskara too. Surya–Namaskara is so effective and mystical that almost 90% muscles and brain are physically exercised with that. There is no other means to render physical exercise of brain when all mental exercises of mind / intellect are misunderstood as physical exercise of brain.
When our Chetana remains pristine pure bereft of all Samskara-s of Karma-s, we discover ourselves absolutely young and cheerful even at the age of 90, or even 100!! And when we maintain our physical manifests Brahmacarya-compatible and Yoga-healthy, we incessantly experience every moment of our existence, we have not grown old at all!!