Manickavachagar, in his Tiruvachagam, says that an atma is given a body so that it can use its birth to liberate itself from the state of ignorance in which it would have been lying otherwise. It is the great mercy of the Supreme One that has ensured that an atma is given a body. So an atma gets a body and becomes a part of samsaric life. It then has to work its way out of samsaric life. And getting out of samsara is possible only with His grace. One can smell the fragrance of a flower, but can one touch the quality of fragrance? Similarly, one can only experience God; one cannot touch Him, elaborated K.Sambandan in a discourse.
“Instead of trying to attain His feet, I am doing the same things repeatedly,” cries Manickavachagar. Pride is darkness and it is God’s mercy alone that can get rid of this darkness. Manickavachagar cries out that he did not join the virtuous who were engaged in doing good deeds. He had not even thought of good deeds. He had not plucked flowers for the Lord. He had not worshipped Him. He had wasted his life falling for the charms of women. Tiruvalluvar, in one of his couplets, says that doing what should not be done is wrong; equally, not doing what should be done is also wrong. Manickavachagar here says he has done what he should not have done — namely being charmed by worldly attractions. He has also not done what he should have done, namely worshipping Lord Siva.
But despite Manickavachagar’s indifference to Him, Lord Siva has saved him, says the saint. He says that Lord Siva with His feet angrily broke down three walls to save him. Lord Siva is said to have burnt down the three cities ruled by demons. Symbolically, Manickavachagar is saying that Lord Siva has broken down the three walls that have kept Manickavachagar from Him. The three walls which Siva has broken, so that Manickavachagar may get close to Him, are illusion, the effects of karma and pride.
