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OHM:

Padaravindame Sharanam, Guruvayoorappa Sharanam

Sharanagathy
(MPRNair)

Saranagati is to think that the Lotus Feet of Bhagvan alone is the means and asylum, for obtaining Moksham
for us in this janma. Charanam + iti + Aagati = Saranagati. ( or Bhagvat Charaname gathy). A Person, who comes
to the Lord and prays that He is the only means and He is the only destination, is called Saranagata.

Sharanagathy is the Porul of Veda. Porul means Artham, Truth, Tiraviyam; Iruporul means Truth and
wealth; Mupporul means Brhma, Vishnu, Maheswarara and so on. In other words, Veda teaches us, various ways
of Sharanagathy. Sharanagathy is not Surrender. According to Sri Shirdi Sai Baba and devotees, the word
surrender has been misinterpreted and people promote idleness in the name of surrender. We say that we have
surrendered our mind and body to the Lord. Our mind is not under our control, how then can we hold it and give
it to the Lord? We have no control over our body too. So, to say that we have surrendered our mind and body to
the Lord is untrue! The Flute is a very good example of an instrument close to the lord, and the great quality of
the Flute is its complete surrender. There is nothing left inside the flute- it has no residual desires and is completely
hollow. Like the Flute has nine holes, our body also has nine holes. If we successfully remove the pulp of desire
from our body, then there is no doubt that our Body Flute will also become nearer and dearer to the Lord. Pure
Sharanagathy, means, always one with the Lord. Being devoid of desire for anything of this world (akinchana),
maintaining genuine faith (Sraddha), within the heart, and taking shelter (Asraya) of the lotus feet of Lord Sri
Krishna, in all respects, can be said to be Saranagathy.

Isavasya Upanishad says:

Om Isavasyamidam sarvam yatkica jagatyam jagat |

tena tyaktena bhujitha ma grdhah kasyasvid dhanam. 1

This entire universe is pervaded by the Lord Hari, for the reason that it is dependent upon primordial nature,
which in its turn is also pervaded by Him. He alone is thus independent. For this reason, enjoy whatever is given
to you by Him, and do not seek wealth from any other source (since Hari alone is independent, do not worship
others such as kings in hopes of wealth etc). Compare this verse with Bhagavata Purana VIII.1.10 :

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Atmavasyamidam viswam, yatkinchijjatyam jagat,

tena, tyktena bhujitha ma grdhah kasyasvid dhanam.

Here also, the same meaning is conveyed clearly. People possessing nothing of their own are called Akinchana.
What can they give to God? In the statement that I have surrendered everything to God, there is Ahamkaram.
That I should also go. That is the real Akinchanatwam. Akinchanas reside in God. Kunthee Devi addresses
Bhagavan, Namo Akincanavithaya, Nivritha Guna Vrithaye..

Bali Maharaja submitted his whole Being at the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan. His whole body,- his Shtoola
Shareera, Sookshma Shareera, and Karana Sareera-which is supposed to be the seat of Ahamkara, along with his
mind and spirit. He became a Jeevan Muktha.Kinng Prahlada is another example.

The Scriptures explain, that Saranagathy has six integral aspects or limbs:

Anuklyasya sakalpa:, prtiklya-vivarjanam,

rakhihyateeti vivso gopttve varaa tath,

tma-nikepa, krpaye ,ha-vidh Saragathy:.(Vaishnava-tantra): what are they:

1)Resolute conviction to execute everything favorable to the service of Krishna, to His devotees and to surrender,
is called anukulyasya-sankalpahacceptance of the favorable.

2)Pratikulya Vivarjanam: Rejecting anything that is an obstacle on the way to obtaining Krishna. Resolute
conviction to abandon everything that is opposed to the service of the Lord, to His devotees and to surrender, is
called pratikulya-vivarjanamrejection of the unfavorable.

3)Rakshishyateeti Visvasa: Faith that Sri Krishna will assuredly grant His protection. Certainly Krishna will
protect me, because He is the true friend of the devotees. He will definitely bless me with all good fortune.
Herein, such faith is sustained.

4)Goptritve Varanam: embracing the Lords guardianship. He is my one and only Guardian. Accepting everything
favorable to devotion to Krishna, rejecting everything unfavorable to the devotion to Krishna, being confident
that Krishna will grant His protection, embracing Krishnas guardianship.

5)Atma-nikshepa: Self-dedication. Atma-nivedanam is known as the condition of having offered ones self to
Krishna (solely to satisfy Him), while being devoid of possessiveness and false egotism,, and,

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6)Karpanye: Fully offering ones self to Krishna, experience of ones own lamentable condition, crookedness,
not being straight forward, frank, fair-minded, and righteous. Realizing ones lamentable lowliness (crookedness)
kudilabudhi- and limitations, are the six limbs of Saranagathy.

Again, Oh Krishna, please protect me! Oh Lord, kindly accept me as Your own. This prayer to obtain Sri
Krishna as ones Master is the supreme source of satisfaction for the hearts of the pure devotees, and is known by
them as goptritve-varanam, embracing the Lords guardianship. Because it expresses one and the same ideal as
Saranagathy, goptritve-varanam is accepted as the basis (angi) of surrender, and the other five elements are
considered its limbs-(angas). Praying thus in a mood of distress, while remembering in all respects the greatness
of the mercy of the Supreme Lord, the unparalleled ocean of compassion, and remembering in particular ones
own extremely lamentable lowlinessthis distressed condition of the devotees, is described by the learned as
karpanya dosham

In short, the six limbs of Saranagathy are: (1) humility, (2) self-submission, (3) embracing the Lords
guardianship, (4) maintaining the faith that Krishna will surely protect me, (5) engaging only in activities which
are favourable to devotion, and (6) utterly rejecting everything unfavourable to devotion. Theses six limbs of
Sharanagathy, elevate us to the three steps of Jnana. The first Bhoomika is that I feel that I belong to Bhagvan.
I am not an orphan, I have an owner, Yajamaman/Master/Boss. Second step is that I will realize that Bhagavan is
mine and the third is that Bhagvan and I, are one and the same. This may be the reason why the Rithwiks
repeatedly ask the Yajamanan to say at the Yaga or Yajna, na mama, meaning , this is not mine. Jeevan will
feel real Bhakthi, if every Karma is done unto the Lord, because such karmas always contain Adwaita bhava. In
that case Karma Phala will not be attached to us, with the result that eventually we will be liberated from Bhava
Dukha, the sorrow from the cycle of birth and death.

Bhagavan wants Sharanagathy only, from Jeevan and nothing else. Bhagvan didnt appear before
Droupadi, until she raised both her hands as an Ananya-Sharana. Jeevan should be silent, inquisitive of noble
things, and peaceful, rather than torturing itself, with severe penance. The simple Smarana of Bhagvan, gives
us Mukthy from all dangers. ( Srimad Bhagavatam 8-10- 55)

A typical example of Sharanagathy from Ramayanam (There are so many) is that of King Vibhishana, the
brother of Lankeswara, who when prayed to Him for shelter, Sree Rama Chandra Prabhu, proclaimed before
Hanumanji and all His devotees, Anyone who even once sincerely surrenders unto Me, declares, I am Yours,
and prays for fearlessnessit is My vow, that I will always supply, that (Sharanagathy) to them.

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In Srimad Bhagavatam, there are plenty of instances of Sharanagathy, throughout its course. Let us pick
some from the 8th Canto:

8th canto is unique in having three instances of Sharanagathy in one and the same canto. The first one that
of Gajendra, the mighty elephant, in the beginning of the canto, second one that of Devas to revive their lost
divinity after the Devasura War, and third, that of Bali Chakravarthy, really consecrating as a whole at the lotus
feet of Lord Sree Hari. Again we have witnessed the utter helplessness of Devas at the time of Palazhi Matthanam.
(Churning of the Milky Ocean)

As we all know, Gajendra fought with the crocodile for thousand years, none of his kith and kin could
help him from the teeth of the cruel crocodile. At the end he was thoroughly exhausted. Entrapped thus in the
snare of Providence, Gajendra cried out to the Lord, submitting a lotus flower at His Feet: (canto 8, chapter 3,
verses 32, 33 etc) Gajendra was liberated by Lord Sri Hari.

Because of the curse of Sage Durvasa, Devas were divested of their splendor, tejas and divinity. Devas
along with Brahmaji, who is the Adhishtana Devata of Buddhi, went to Vaikunta and supplicated to the Lord in
Sharanangathy: Here is the most beautiful Brahma Stuti in 26 slokas from verse 50 onwards, in the 5th chapter, in
8th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. Bhagavan gave them Sharanagathy.

Another instance of typical Sharanagathy is that of Bali Chakravarthy. It is in the penultimate chapter of
8th canto. Three full chapters are allotted for Sree Mahabali. In the 23rd chapter in 8th canto, Prahlada Maharaja
glorifies the lord, for giving Sharanagathy to both of them, grandpa (Prahlada Maharaja) and grandson (Maha
Bali), together. They were given Sutala Samrajya and Mahabali was made Chakravarthy there and Bhagvan
guarded them, day and night.

Sarva-dharmn parityajya mm eka araa vraja;

Aha tv sarva-ppebhyo mokhayihymi m ucha:(Bhagavans own words from Srimad Bhagavad-gita:


18.66)

Abandoning all forms of religion, surrender exclusively unto Me. I will liberate you from all sin. Do not despair.
We can gather from these various instances that the feeling of Sharanagathy really starts, when the Jeevan comes
face to face with the Lord. I think then only our Ahamkara obliterates. It is continued by Sakshy bhava or
Sharana bhava, and eventually it ends in Adwaita bhava. We identify ourselves with God, only at that point.
It is really the beginning Atma Sakshatkara which gradually enables us to be a Jeevan Mukta.. ..Subham

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