Patinathar has been regarded has the greatest poet among the Shiddas. He is also considered the great relativist and the great pessimist of Tamil Literature . He was a poet who believed life was a tragedy and an eternal interplay of contradictions and âfairy tale told by some idiotâ .
His poems often express spiritual frustration and a passionate longing for peace, even in death.
This poem here expresses his helplessness in trying to end his cycle of birth and death. Unlike other poets who pray to god to take them out of this cycle and to grant them salvation, Pattinathar has pessimistic attitude even in idea. He has no hope that he would attain salvation and he is worried about his helplessness.
This poem of Pattinathar is a mix of cynicism and pathetic helplessness.