Contemplating on the Lord and His endless effulgence is sure to bring about a humbling effect in every being in whom the sense of ‘I and Mine’ is dominant. The fundamental teaching of the sastras is that by renouncing this feeling of ‘I and Mine’ one can gradually get liberated. But this is a difficult ideal and goal for all embodied beings, including those who have renounced the world, says Appayya Dikshitar in the Atmarpana Stuti, pointed out Sri R. Krishnamurthy Sastrigal in a discourse. The plea is therefore to the Lord to loosen the knots that tie one to this cycle of birth.
Siva alone grants the Purusharthas, dharma, artha, kama and moksha for all. He is fit to be meditated upon by all and He grants release by making them aware of their true nature. In the realised state, the sense of ‘I and Mine’ becomes irrelevant. The confessional tone adopted is on behalf of all those struggling in this cycle of birth. For, living in this world entails one to be under the sway of the senses and it is not easy to escape the world and its attractions that are powerful tempters and make us think that these are important. Many of us spend our time chasing these objects and repeat the wrongs.
Though we do puja and worship, the pull of the indriyas holds sway all the while. At times, the performance of yagas and yagnas is with aim of attaining worldly gains. But realised souls seek Him for gaining Vairagya.
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So the poet prays to the Lord to guide him in the right path and turn his entire self away from ephemeral pursuits. One does the greatest harm for himself, that is, his own atma, when he leads a life steeped in worldly aims. There is no greater adverse situation for a jivatma than failing to remember the Lord.