God is One, and He is Supreme. The jivatmas are many, and the jivatmas are bound by pride, karma and illusion. The jivatmas are bound by their deeds, whether good or bad. These atmas are not even aware that there is a Supreme One who will save them. In their ignorance, they remain like helpless children. Our pride is like the darkness which we see. Darkness shows itself, but shows nothing else to us. But our pride is worse than darkness, because it remains hidden from us. It does not even show itself to us, so that we remain ignorant that we are proud. Thus pride is a defect in us, which keeps us from realising the Supreme One. But this pride, can, fortunately, be conquered and driven away. When we become the recipients of God’s grace, pride loses its potency and remains suppressed.
God takes pity on the helpless souls, and provides them with the opportunity to save themselves, said K. Sambandan, in a discourse. He gives the atmas a body, and gives them a world to live in. Pride is a defect, and we must realise that we must get rid of it, in order to be liberated.
The Lord’s first task is to create. His next is to protect this world He has created until it is time for Him to end its life. This does not imply destruction. It just means that this Universe which came from ‘maya’, returns to maya. To God, creation, protection and destruction are like child’s play. In fact, the important tasks of God are referred to as various types of dances! God ensures that the past of an atma, which has now taken birth, is kept hidden from it. The Supreme One also has the important task of granting liberation to the atmas.
The bodies, which the jivatmas are endowed with, are composed of maya. But the Lord’s body is indicative of the fact that He is the embodiment of knowledge. It is also said that mantras like Om Nama Sivayah and Sivaya Namaha are represented by His body. But a better description of His body, would be to describe it as the embodiment of grace and mercy. One should realise how blessed one is to have the capacity to worship God, and one should use the opportunity provided by Him to worship Him, in order to be liberated.
