Р. Нараянан: человеческая жизнь — уникальный шанс для освобождения, который нельзя тратить впустую

If a person does not use his birth as a human being to attain liberation, then he may be said to have wasted his life. Being a human being has many advantages, which aid liberation, said R. Narayanan in a discourse. We can use our hands to offer flowers to God. We can use our hands to clean temples, as the Saivite sage Appar did. We should see our legs as the means to walk to temples, and to circumambulate the sanctum. Our eyes are intended for looking at the images of God in temples. Our mouths are for singing His praises. The head is given to us to bow prayerfully before the Lord. Appar says to his head, Thalaiye nee thalai vanangai (Oh head, bow before Lord Siva). But if we do not use our faculties as they should be used, then of what use is this life? If we pursue pleasures and have no time for God, how can we attain moksha? Something negative can be countered only by something positive. Birth leads to problems and unhappiness. Repeated births take place because of our ignorance. This ignorance is the negative aspect of our lives, and can be banished only if we worship God. Tirukkural verse 358 talks about getting rid of ignorance. Thiruvachagam says there are 84,000 possible births an atma can have. Manickavachagar says in Thiruvachagam that he has taken birth as a blade of grass, a worm, many kinds of animals and birds, snakes, stones, human beings, ghosts, sages and devas and has suffered in consequence. Avvaiyar says it is rare good fortune to take birth as a human being. She advises that we spend our time in the company of virtuous people. Being in the company of those with vices can lead to us picking up those vices. It is imperative that we pay attention to the words of principled people. We must talk about their good qualities and emulate them.