As atom merges in the vast, jIvA merges in siva - mantrA 137

srigurubhyO namahA |

The 137th mantrA points out that eventually the individual embodied soul (jIvA) will merge into the supreme siva, like the microcosm merges into the macrocosm. This union of jIvA and siva is attained when the jIvA loses his false identity and gains spiritual maturity.

அடங்குபேர் அண்டத்து அணுஅண்டம் சென்றங்கு
இடங்கொண்டது இல்லை இதுவன்றி வேறுண்டோ
கடந்தொறும் நின்ற உயிர்க்கரை காணில்
திடம்பெற நின்றான் திருவடி தானே. I.2.25.137

The tiny atom, swimming the Universe vast,
Merges in the Vast--no separate existence knows;
So the Spirit's plastic stress sweeping through bodies all,
At sight of His Holy Feet, discovers its Ancient Home. I.1.25.137

 

Com - Merges in the Vast Into the incredibly expansive Lord who’s limitless spread contains everything within it; The tiny atom, swimming the Universe vast, the limit of the jIvA’s universe is merged. no separate existence knows; Could there be any other eventuality, any other natural resting place for the jIvA apart from siva? There isn’t.  So the Spirit's plastic stress sweeping through bodies all, If we were to search for the final place or realm unto which all beings in so many different bodies eventually attain to At sight of His Holy Feet, discovers its Ancient Home. We would come to realise that it is the holy feet of siva, the ancient originator (of worlds and universes) of all.

*Here the word ‘anu’ or atom in the original refers to the jIvA and the word ‘andam’ or universe refers to siva. An illustration of the connection between the microcosm and the macrocosm. The sage indicates that as the limit of each individual being living within this universe, or indeed other universes, is the limit of the universe itself. And the universe(s) will eventually at some point merge into that limitless siva, who is verily the originator of all. Thus in the end, all the beings, though variegated in the world due to name and form, will eventually attain to the holy feet of the supreme lord and earn their rest there.This mantra is not a statement that encourages the disciple to just sit and wait it out till that eventual point in time. For, truth be told, such a time will never arrive by itself. The wheels of karma keep one forever caught in the cycle of birth and death. Instead what is intended here is for us to be aware of the fact that after ridding all the innumerable bodies, the jIvA will finally merge into the siva – i.e. attain mukti or liberation. This is indicated by the word ‘karai’ in the original – it refers to muktI, the karai or the limit of the ocean of samsArA. With this awareness in mind, the disciple must endeavour to develop the required spiritual maturity to be ready for merging into His holy feet.

When taken together with other mantrAs the condensed meaning of this verse is that the spiritually mature jIvA, will remain merged in siva. Within the vyApakA or the pervasiveness of siva, the mature jIvA will remain as the vyApyA or the pervaded.

thirucchitrambalam|