O Arunachala! Taking me as Your target, Thou hast released the arrow of Your Grace . You devoured me (the ego) along with my breath (prana).
Arunachala Aksharamanamalai - V. 92, page 88
In an Upanisadic text it is said:
“Pranava (Om) is the bow; the Self verily is the arrow; and Brahman is stated to be the target. It has to be hit unerringly, and like the arrow, one must become of the nature of that”.
The same thruth is implied in the present verse, only the relation is reversed, as the language employed is the language of bridal mysticism. The soul is the target; the arrow is the grace; and the one who takes the aim is the Lord. The Hound of Heaven comes hunting for prey, and will not leave the latter without destroying it completely. But, this destruction is what the devotee devoutly wishes for. She is only too willing to offer herself as food to be consumed by God. The consummation of joy lies in the complete annihilation of the ego.