This article refers to the ‘Health Capsule’ published in Star of Mysore dated April 14, 2016 under the caption: ‘Who is the oldest person who ever lived?’ The name of the oldest verified person was stated to be a French woman Jeanne Calment, who lived to be 122 years and 164 days old and died on Aug. 4, 1997.

In this connection, I would like to mention about Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi, who is presently staying in Jayanagar 5th Block, Bengaluru, and celebrated his 124th birthday on Ramanavami Day (April 15, 2016). This reminded me of Babasaheb Ambedkar whose 125th birth anniversary was celebrated on Apr.14, 2016. Charlie Chaplin was also his contemporary for he would have been 127 years old on Apr. 16, 2016.

I personally spoke to the Pandit and wished him on his birthday. An article has appeared in the Kannada Magazine ‘Taranga’ (dated Apr. 21, 2016) giving a brief account of his life. My wife and I met him about two years ago when he was invited to a function and stayed at the Mysore University Guest House and presented a book on my father. A bachelor, the Pandit has witnessed three centuries during his lifetime and yet his vigour never runs short. Even now, on every Saturday between 5.30 and 6.30 in the evening, he meets people in his house for Satsang to disseminate Vedic knowledge.

His ancestors hailed from Moghul Sarai near Kashi and settled down in Kyathasandra in Tumakuru district. Here are some excerpts from the aforementioned article:

Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi is a master of the four Vedas and has published the same in 20 volumes. He was drawn by Mahatma Gandhi’s credo and had a very intimate association with him. Gandhiji, recognising his keen intellect, invited Pandit to work with him and that is how he stayed in Gandhiji’s Sabarmathi Ashram.

He was a person of independent mind and would quote the authority of Veda for everything. In fact, he made it clear to Gandhiji that his first calling was spreading Vedic knowledge and that he would work without compromising his focus on it.

Pandit has participated in the freedom struggle, served the cause of Dalits, helped remove caste discrimination, overseen thousands of inter-caste marriages (under the aegis of Arya Samaj) and has spread Vedic knowledge in Kannada, Sanskrit, Hindi and English. In short, he is a multi-dimensional personality with knowledge of Veda, Upanishad, grammar, ganitha, astrology, yoga etc. Though he has slowed down due to advanced age but while reciting Veda he will not stumble. He can recall facts with encyclopedic memory. The Pandit, who has spent 13 years in jail, is a very simple person and follows a simple life-style. Whoever comes to meet him he talks to them with a smiling face and will not fail to impress them with his humorous quotes.

It is hard to tell that this man, convivial in every sense of the word, has suffered from a heart problem twice and has only one working kidney. During the freedom struggle he also had to suffer Police brutalities which only compounded over his jail term.

During his association with Gandhiji he met many eminent personalities. There are many interesting incidents connected with his life and the following few facts would serve to highlight a measure of his personality.

1. He was the sole person who performed the last rites of all those who were massacred during Jallianwala Bagh firing in 1919. At that time, he was just 24-years-old.

2. In Sabarmathi Ashram, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan and his son Wali Khan were staying for a week as his guests. On the fourth day of their stay, Gandhiji was in a dilemma and called Pandit Chaturvedi and said, ‘Poor chaps without non-vegetarian food their meals might not be satisfying, shall I call a butcher and arrange for non-vegetarian food?’ In reply, Chaturvedi said, ‘I will bring them what they want, just ask them.’ The guests, however, said that they would abide by the rules of the Ashram.

3. What Chaturvedi says on dharma is noteworthy: It is believed that in Krutha Yuga there was respect for dharma and it is getting reduced gradually in other Yugas and in Kali Yuga there is no dharma. Chaturvedi says this is sheer bunkum. Adharma existed in all Yugas.

4. Pointing out certain contradictions, he says that Bhagavad Gita has changed to suit the times but the original version was not like this. How it has changed only the scientists can unravel.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Artices / April 22nd, 2016