Concerning this, the sage declared: “While still in the womb, I came to know all the births of the gods. A hundred iron fortresses guarded me, yet like a swift falcon I broke free and flew forth.” This was spoken by the sage Vāmadeva while still abiding in the womb. The verse expresses the realization that true knowledge of the Ātman is not dependent upon physical birth or age. Even before birth, Vāmadeva attained insight into the divine origin of existence and the nature of the Self. The “hundred iron fortresses” symbolize the limitations and coverings of embodied existence, while the falcon's flight represents the liberated consciousness transcending those limitations through knowledge.