On this
auspicious day of Gita Jayanti, the day when Sanjaya narrates the Bhagavad Gita
to Dhritarashtra on the divine Song Celestial, a discourse between Krishna and
Arjuna, let us take a peek at one of the most simplest, yet very esoteric and
profound and also least understood thoughts in Indian Philosophy – Saranagati, also known as Prapatti and usually translated as Atma Nivedan or Self Surrender. It is essentially the central tenet of Sri
Ramanujacharya’s Visishtadvaita – Sri Sampradaya, but also Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu’s Goudiya Sampradaya, popularly known today as ISKCON.
Few months
ago, I was blessed with the privilege of listening to a great Vaishnavite
scholar who gave an in-depth understanding on Vaishnavism. At the end of the
few day talk series, the overwhelming feeling I got was, most of the
Vaishnavaite ideas seemed to be echoing in the statements of missionaries or
the Church. Not enthralled by the superficial similarities, a quick look into
the history of digestion, made the picture clear. Nothing could be a better
example of DIGESTION (a phenomenon studied and highlighted first by Rajiv Malhotra),
than usurping Saranagati and reviving ideas like Church as the body of Christ.
This prelude I think is important for us to wade into the original refreshing
ideas given by our great acharyas.
Though
Saranagati is primarily a core Vaishnavaite tenet, it will be hard to discard
the examples found in non Vaishnavite Hinduism. But the breadth and depth of
Saranagati in Vaishnavite literature will make this article more colored by it.
Saranam means end or conclusion and agathi
means coming to, implying Saranagati is coming to the end of
Samsaric cycle, liberation, moksha.
Vaishnavites have so many synonyms like Prapatti, Nyasam,
Atma Samarpanam, Atma Nivedanam etc as it forms the primary method of
approaching Narayana, Para Brahman.
Self
Surrender is an easy and sure way to God realization. It is not a mere pretense
of dumping our wishes to HIS feet, but it comes more as a cleansing of our ego
and thinning of our vasanas. Just like in Karma Yoga, the novice and the adept
are both termed as Karma Yogi, anyone on this path of liberation is said to
tread Saranagati. So with the exception of ourselves, our guru and Paramathma,
it will hard to fathom where we are. Luckily there are some external pointers
given by great acharyas which guide us along this wonderful journey.
Swami
Sivananda refers it as giving the Power of Attorney to God and letting HIM
guide you in whichever way HE prefers. There is no worry or anxiety. The elevated
mind feels whenever sorrowful events take place as a sign of karmic debt
erasing from one’s account and whenever joyful events happen as a blessing for
the past good karma. In either case, a Prapannan or Saranagatan feels detached
from the karma bondage. The mind is entirely occupied by Paramatma, Narayana
and there is no hankering for karma phala.
Qualities of a
Prapannan – One who Surrenders
Let us make
it clear as to who qualifies to surrender – Anyone who chooses to. There is no place or timing nor prerequisite
for Self surrender. Usually the ones who feel they do not qualify for the
regular paths of Bhakti, Karma or Jnana, either due to their guilt or lack of
commitment are the primary candidates, which makes most of us. In the
traditional method, one approaches a guru and gets diksha.
On the other
hand, if one has intense desire for Paramathma – sakara (with form) or nirakara
(formless), guided by the intensity, Saranagati comes naturally to a purified
mind. One cannot find a person who has done Saranagati without Yama and Niyama
or in vedantic parlance without Sama and Dama. These aid in increasing our
positive vasanas and help us gravitate to a Sadguru. In our Guru Parampara, a
realized Guru is the gateway to our efficient spiritual progress. The surrender
is complete and can never be partial, though the intensity of grace felt is
proportional to the degree of surrender.
The entire being, mind, intellect, Chitta and egoism,
must be surrendered to the Lord. OFFERING the body, mind and soul EXCLUSIVELY
to the service of God is Saranagati (self-surrender) – Swami Sivananda
Desire and egoism are the two biggest
obstacles in the path of Self surrender. Vaishnavite acharyas have codified these
traits wonderfully as
ANUKULASYA SANKALPAH PRATIKULYASYA
VARJANAM
RAKSISYATY ITI-VISVASO GOPTRTVA
VARANAM TATHA
ATMA NIKSEPA KARPANYE SADVIDHA
SARANAGATIH
Saranagati
or Self Surrender has six aspects or facets. These are not steps or stages or
parts. Anukulasya sankalpah - Accepting
the path of unalloyed bhakti. This unwavering, unerring stubborn sticking to
the path conducive to bhakti, saranagati is the key to keeping the Saranagatan
on track.
Pratikulasya Varjanam – Rejecting all
things not favorable to Saranagati. These two are directly per Yama’s advice to Nachiketas in
Kathopanishad, where
he talks or Shreyas and Preyas, the path of good and pleasant.
Raksisyaty iti visvaso - Unshakeable
faith, even when the entire surface we stand is crumbling. Most of us can hold
upto maximum 90%, and then we question our own fallacy on leaning on God. This
takes Prahlad like belief as God is the ONLY protector.
Goptrtva Varanam – Having a sense of
100% dependency on God. This does not mean one sits and does nothing, expecting
God to spoon feed, but doing all the karmas will the clarity that the karma
phala data, giver of the fruits of our actions knows the best to give. Knowing
that even though we are the doers, having total clarity that the motive, energy
and fruit of action are all provided by HIM.
Atma niksepa – Complete total
surrender.
Karpanye – Feeling meek and humble.
This never happens as long as ego is dancing like a hooded serpent. Just if we
realize when compared to even a town or country or even this planet how
insignificant we are, not to mention the solar system or the milky way or the
Universe. Having the perspective of humility gives us two advantages in this
path – constant reminder that we need HIS protection and also the feeling of
universal love as we can relate to other’s needs.
From a brief analysis of the facets
of Saranagati, it is very obvious Saranagati is not like some copy cat
Abrahamic telling we surrender to the will of God. Unless desire and ego are
surrendered, it is impossible to do anukulasya
sankalpah or pratikulasya varjanam. The
idea of still hankering for desires and expecting God to take care of them, be
it via prayers or a false idea that magically they will happen due to the
belief in the Higher, is the most absurd degradation of Saranagati. The
digesting forces of Abrahamism, keen only on market footprint and not
theological holism, are constantly ready to imbibe any fresh idea to patch up
its hollow and shallow theology. Read more in Jehovism Deconstructed.
The best role model for being a Prapannan or Saranagatan is Prahlad. We
see the epitome of Bhakti that effuses all over his actions that is ripened in
deep Jnana and yet all his actions are exemplar karma yoga. Despite all these
attributes, Prahlad wants nothing from Bhagwan in return. All he seeks is his
company. We find the same behavior in Dhruva, who begins with the desire of
sitting on his father’s lap, but is extremely merged into the divinity and
seeks nothing. As a beginner we will be stumped by our own desires and ego, but
as we mature in this path, we will see the thinning of the same and eventual
complete self surrender occurs.
In
Saranagati, our actions do not determine the grace nor does it amount in
proportion. To begin with one finds more clarity and progress in proportion to
the degree of surrender. As one advances in this path, one realizes that even
those actions are due to the Grace of Paramathma. One perceives everything as
Grace and Bhagwan as mere Grace Personified. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used
to give this wonderful analogy of a salt doll trying to fathom the depths of
the ocean, akin to a surrendered ego trying to fathom the depth of divine
grace.
The mind is
more malleable when the ego is shed in surrendering. Since Divinity is a very
high ideal and there is a strong emotion to merge with it as a fundamental
nature of a Jeeva, devoid of ego, Saranagati happens as a natural process. The
progress is very rapid in this seemingly simple path for the one who can
challenge their vasanas and ahamkara, riding on the power of divinity.
In Hindu
philosophy, two pathways are often highlighted – marjala kishora nyaya –
the way kitten gets transported by the powerful female cat which holds it with
their sharp teeth or markata kishora nyaya – the way little
monkey clings on to its mother, which is busy jumping from tree to tree.
Sarnagati is the former method, where Bhagwan does all the heavy lifting for
the Saranagatan. Now the busy digesting Christian missionary needs
to know this logical flaw if they try digesting Saranagati. This is
not like dumping all our karma on poor Son of God who is busy suffering for
you. Karmaphala is not subject to bankruptcy or cannot be transferred. Note in Saranagati, the Prapannan is evolving beyond the reach of
Karmas. There is no substitutional atonement, but a complete takeover of the
Jeeva by Paramatma’s grace. There is no silly account tallying and hence trying
to copy Saranagati into Christianity is not only untenable, but also starts
exposing more holes in Jehovism. Perhaps the poor copycats can first
start eating food for their beloved ones, ingesting medicines for others,
before trying to peddle substitutional atonement in this modern world, to
anyone who can use their intellect.
Exemplary role models
Sanatana
Dharma scriptures are replete with stories and incidents of great exemplars
whom we can role model for Saranagati. In fact, Vaishnavites view Ramayana as
Saranagati Shastra as every Kanda has one or more examples. Let us briefly see
a few examples from our scriptures:
Prahlad:
On numerous occasions, the little boy did not give up, questioning “Why Me,
God”, but was more than content to ignore the catastrophes he was hurled into,
by his own father. Prahlad’s complete Saranagati is highlighted by Krishna in
Bhagavad Gita as Krishna himself is Prahlad amongst Daityas. When the Jeeva is
totally devoid of vasanas and ahamkara, the Jeeva functions as a mere part of
Paramatma. Prahlad’s Saranagati, as we will see in other Saranagati’s almost
forces Divinity to act and intervene or is it the divinity created that
opportunity to shine light on the character of the devotee?
Gajendra: This is the best example to show
that there are no qualifications needed for Saranagati, even an elephant could.
Gajendra wrestled with its ahamkara when battling a crocodile that was trying
to pull it inside water. Once the ego got depleted, paving way for complete
Saranagati, words or thoughts are not needed, nor are special language.
Gajendra thinks of Adimoola, and Vishnu comes running to its aid, carrying even
the Garuda as the divinity rushes to the aid of a Prapannan. The Bhagavatam details
on a lighter note that Vishnu had to bring all the paraphernalia like Garuda,
shanka, so that Gajendra will believe its savior to be the one it worships.
Draupadi: During the vastra haran episode
when she was totally helpless, with all her five husbands in their own moral
bind, the elders like Bhishma and Drona bound by their illogical loyalty,
Dritarashtra blinded by his love for his son, Duryodhana. Karna taunts her as a
prostitute (something none of the Karna fans can ever argue for his case). Duryodhana
launches the beast in Dushasana to disrobe the mensurating Draupadi clad in
single cloth in public. Draupadi tries her best to seek the help of the
onlookers, even tries her best to fend off Dushasana with her hands and
clasping the cloth with her teeth. When
she came to a point of total realization that only Bhagwan is the sole refuge,
only HIS support sustains everything, she lifts both her hands in her
realization and exhibition of Saranagati. As long as she was fending for
herself, no divine intervention came. A very important lesson in Saranagati is
total surrender of ego – 100%.
Ramayana is
studded with so many gems of Saranagathas that it may need special attention at
some other time. Lakshmana does
Saranagati and pleads Rama to take him to the forest. It also might appear that
Bharata’s Saranagati went in vain,
but in reality Bharata is the example Rama takes all the time as a good devotee
and follower over even Lakshmana who follows his like a shadow. Bharata’s
Saranagati shows that the divine actions and preferences naturally overpower individuals’.
Even in the
case of Kakasura, a crow that hurts
Sita, trying to escape Rama’s arrow, goes around the world, but when it does
Saranagati at the feet of Rama, is forgiven for its horrendous acts. A
wonderful example of a grave sinner qualifying for mercy. We are all aware of Hanuman’s Saranagati. Sundara Kanda is
filled with numerous instances of Hanuman’s actions depicting complete
Saranagati. We also saw that one of the primary reasons behind Vaali vadam is Vaali’s ignoring the pleas of surrendered saranagata in Sugreeva.
Vibhishana is perhaps one of the best
exemplary Saranagata’s. He had to overcome his natural asuric tendencies and
his affinities to his own brother to stand against Ravana. Standing for Dharma,
he did not hesitate to sacrifice his country, his people and everything at his disposal.
Foolish western interpreters and braindead mythologists busy feeding the sepoy
army will rather claim that this was treachery to defect to the enemy camp for
potential gain. Nothing can be more illogical and demeaning. Vibhishana’s
Saranagati provides a lot for us to emulate.
Maa Sita is perhaps the best of the
best Saranagati examples; usually that escapes most of us. Maa Sita gives two
concrete examples of her ability to control agni – when Hanuman’s tail is set
on fire, her prayers keep his tail untouched by the fire, which seemed to burn
everything in Lanka but Hanuman’s tail; also during agni pravesha episode where
she comes unscathed despite entering fire. Though she is fully capable of
reducing Ravana to ashes, she prefers to play a mere causatory role in his
death not a direct one. She prefers Rama to be the ONLY actor. A Saranagata
prefers to let Divinity be the ONLY guide. It does not imply they will quit
their karmas.
Meera is a historical example from few centuries ago. She consumed the poison given by the family, who thought her Krishna Bhakti was causing dishonor and infamy to the clan. The poison had no effect and is recorded in her own words in bhajans. She did not rush to die or wish away, went through the motions without any emotion or commotion, knowing fully well it is only the will and grace of Sri Krishna that prevails, not human efforts.
Satchitananda’s
Microscope:
The final
words of Krishna in Bhagavad Gita gives a clear direction as to how one can
approach HIM. The Dharmas of our plane are different from the Cosmic and
Universal Divine Dharma. If we abandon ours, by shedding our ahamkara, and by
accepting HIS complete direction, no conditions attached, Saranagati becomes a
reality. We can map ourselves against this golden standard how far we are.
सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज।
अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः।।18.66।।
sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah
Abandoning all Dharmas (of the body, mind and intellect), take refuge in Me alone; I will liberate thee from all sins; grieve not.
Saranagati
gives us a simpler way to fine tune our body, mind and intellect. In our
scriptures where using divyastras are described, there is only one antidote for
Narayanastra – Surrendering unconditionally. An episode occurs when Aswaththama
deploys it against the Pandavas. Krishna and Arjuna have tough time trying to
convince Bhima that surrendering is the only option, which he believes is worse
than even death or capture by enemies. We need to educate the Bhima in us.
In Vishnu
Sahasaranama, Parvati’s request for a shortcut to the entire Vishnu
Sahasaranama fetches a response from Shiva as Rama Nama. Along the same lines,
Saranagati can be viewed as a shortcut for doing Bhakti, Jnana and Karma Yogas
all rolled into one. Bhagwan is bound due to Saranagata’s attitude, as only HIS
actions are reflected in Sarnagata’s.
May we all
surrender our egos and vasanas to the Lotus feet of Sriman Narayana. May HIS
GRACE descend upon us that we can even see this wonderful path that is a
shortcut to rise above samsara. The only trump card we humans have in this game
is Sadhana. This one card we are allowed to multiply as much as we want.
Sadhana purifies our mind and intellect enabling us to do complete Self
Surrender or Saranagati at HIS feet. Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6, Sloka 5 lays out
the path of how we can aid ourselves in this wonderful inner journey. A travel
where there is no destination, only realization. A good mantra to keep chanting is "Sree Krishna Saranam Mamah". May HIS Lotus feet guide us in
this endeavor.
Om Tat Sat
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