Kulasekhara Azhvar in one of his verses says that whatever problems the Lord gives him, he will still continue to seek refuge at His feet. While the fact is that we are rewarded or punished according to our actions, the One giving us the results for our actions is Lord Narayana. But if the Lord gives him problems, why does Kulasekhara Azhvar say in the very next line that he will seek solace at His feet?
Kulasekhara Azhvar explains why. If a mother angrily pushes away her child, the child starts to cry. But it will still seek the mother out to cry on her shoulders, said Akkarakkani Srinidhi in a discourse.
Likewise, even if the Lord were to torment Kulasekhara Azhvar, he would continue to seek the Lord as a child seeks its mother.
The parental bond is strong and parents continue to think about their children even when the children are far away. But this bond lasts only in this life. In the next birth, they may be totally unconnected. Any bond in this world, therefore, is a limited one, dying out when this life ends. But that is not the case with regard to our bond with the Lord. There are many connections between the Lord and a jivatma.
The Lord is the father of all jivatmas. He is the protector of all jivatmas. He is the chief whom all jivatmas have to serve. All jivatmas are like spouses to Him. He is the only One worthy of being known by every jivatma. He is the owner of every jivatma. He is the foundation that supports all jivatmas. He orders the atma. He is the One entitled to enjoy everything. The Lord is connected to jivatmas in many ways, while one jivatma is connected to another only in one way.
