Sharanagati-Surrender
In Scriptures being forced into submission is not surrender.
The meaning of the word surrender in the Dictionary is "to cease resistance and submit to the authority".
The dictionary definition doesn't mention whether the opinion and will of the surrendered one, are in congruence with the will of the authority or not. In spite of desisting in opinion and will, a surrendered one is bound to act according to the commands of his master. For instance if the soldiers of the surrendering-side unwillingly carry out the orders of the winning side, still it is called surrender.
The Sanskrit word for surrender is sharanagati (Devanagari: शरणागति ISO15919: śaraṇāgati) which in the spiritual realm has a much more profound implication. It means submission of spontaneity and total reliance on the refuge. This has an intense implication in the divine realm.
We don't have the ability to know thoughts of another person. As a result we have to assume intent of others, based exclusively on their actions and words. That’s why in the material realm, “physically not resisting and physically submitting to the wishes of the authority” is known as surrender.
Our assumptions, based on the external behavior, might be right or wrong. On the contrary God observes every thought and notes the intent behind them. He cannot be duped by physical actions of compliance. In the divine realm the real meaning of surrender implies surrendering of "self". This can apply only in spiritual realm and one can surrender ONLY to omniscient God and to His genuine saints.
Every living being is a concoction of 2 things - one is the the jeev and another one is physical body with all the karmendriya, five gyanendriyan (senses), one mind and one intellect.
Thus, complete surrender means sincere submission of senses, mind, intellect and self. All the senses are embedded in the mind. Further, jeev is a non-doer whereas its mind is the main doer. So in brief, we can say "complete submission of mind for the rest of eternity is complete surrender".
It’s worth mentioning here that there is one internal machinery (Devanagari: अंतःकरण ISO15919: aṁtaḥkaraṇa) or mind. When it performs different functions it is referred to by different names -
- mana (Devanagari: मन) or mind - When it thinks it is referred to as mana
- buddhi (Devanagari: बुद्धि) or intellect - when it takes decision it is referred to as buddhi
- citta (Devanagari: चित्त) or desirer - when it desires it is referred to as citta
- ahankar (Devanagari: अहंकार) or ego - when it is filled with ego it is referred to as ahaṃkāra.
Altogether, these 4 are also referred to as mana.
Most of us engage in devotional activities in our own way. So the thought, "I am already surrendered to God. Why didn’t I attain the grace of God?" might be perplexing us. To help you answer this question let us understand the symptoms of a surrendered mind. And then evaluate how we measure against those to understand why God hasn't showered His choicest blessings on us.
I have already been forced to kneel; why didn’t I attain the grace of God? What else do I need to do?
Symptoms of a Surrendered Mind
God knows the dilemmas we face. So, in the scriptures He has already mentioned the litmus test for surrender of mind. Let us understand those six symptoms of a surrendered mind then objectively reflect on "have I really surrendered"?
आनुकूल्यस्य संकल्पः प्रातिकूल्यस्य वर्जम्। रक्षिष्यतीति विश्वासो गोप्तृत्वे वरणं तथा ।निक्षेपणं ह्यकार्पण्यं षड्विधा शरणागतिः ॥ वायु पु. , अहिर्बुध्न्य सं. , ब. र. सिं.
ānukūlyasya saṃkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjam।rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāso goptṛtve varaṇaṃ tathā ।nikṣepaṇaṃ hyakārpaṇyaṃ ṣaḍvidhā śaraṇāgatiḥ ॥ vāyu pu., ahirbudhnya saṃ., ba. ra. siṃ. |
- ānukūlyasya saṃkalpaḥ (Devanagari: आनुकूल्यस्य संकल्पः) - Always discern in favor of your refuge.
- prātikūlyasya varjam (Devanagari: प्रातिकूल्यस्य वर्जम्) - Avoid being antithetical towards the ideology of your Guru.
- rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāso (Devanagari: रक्षिष्यतीति विश्वासो) - An unyielding faith that Guru always protects me.
- goptṛtve varaṇaṃ (Devanagari: गोप्तृत्वे वरणं) - Never hide anything from Guru.
- nikṣepaṇaṃ (Devanagari: निक्षेपणं) - Surrender oneself. This includes surrender of everything one has and also giving up the feeling "I gave everything".
- hyakārpaṇyaṃ (Devanagari: ह्यकार्पण्यं) - Submit everything without any reservation.
Scriptural definition means willingly complete submission of the mind, body and soul
In a nutshell, surrender means complete resignation of body, mind and the surrendering entity without any inkling of having given up those aforementioned things. This is the true definition of surrender. Then all gracious God bestows divine grace on that jeev. This grace includes the following and much more eternal freedom from bondage of Maya and its vices like panchklesh, panchkosh, trikarma, trisharir, tritaap, tridosh,
• beholding divine vision of God,
• serving God,
• attaining divine knowledge, living in divine abode and every other form of bliss that can be there.
But the question arises, one epithet of God is ‘Causeless Merciful’ , Then why did he put the condition of "surrender" to bestow His grace?
Then why is He called Akaran-Karun?
As I explained before, surrender means complete submission of mind including self. Hence, from the moment a jeev surrenders and realizes God, his mind (only doer in our being) is controlled by the Master. It is impossible to perform any physical or mental action without using mind. It confirms, surrender means doing nothing and receiving all what God owns [4]. More on this can be found in Why is Shri Krishna Called Akaran Karun .
Does the result of surrender entice you?
If so, evaluate where does your level of surrender stands against the aforementioned symptoms of surrender. Then land on what you are willing to do to move towards your desirable state. To attain this goal the only way is to do Sadhana - Daily Devotion [5]and do it diligently. At a regular cadence (say monthly), measure yourself against this yardstick