Saint Vallalar, in his Deiva Mani Maalai, speaks of the destructibility of the body and the worthlessness of being attached to it. This body is the result of our past karma and will one day perish. That is the irrefutable truth. Vallalar gives many examples to drive home this fact, said M.A. Manickavelu in a discourse.
Only a man who lacks jnana cares for the body. Manickavachagar said that he had taken many births and had been on this earth as a blade of grass, as a snake and as a demon. The body has been compared to an empty bag filled with air. The moment the air exits, the bag collapses. So also does the human body lose its value the moment life exits the body. And yet it is the comforts of this body that we are most concerned about.
Vallalar says that the human body is as temporary as the make up put on by an actor. When he has finished acting a role, he has to discard the make up and prepare for his next role. So do we live our lives on this earth. When one birth ends, we take another.
Vallalar also compares youth to the air in a goldsmith’s bellows. The goldsmith must handle the bellows with skill, to ensure air is supplied to the coals. If he does not exert proper pressure, the bellows will not supply enough air to keep the fire going. As impermanent as the air in these bellows is our youth.
But how will a young person realise all this? He is bound to be restless and playful and given to frivolous pursuits. The only way to guide youth in the proper direction is to educate them. Although we give students what we think is good education, we fail when it comes to teaching them ethics and morals. Philosophical knowledge is important. Gnanasambandar refers to such knowledge as — jnana oli — the lustre that dispels the darkness of ignorance.