> Efficacy of the method of Self-surrender

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> Efficacy of the method of Self-surrender

>

> 01-10-1997 :: Pg: 24 :: Col: c

>

> Cl: Religion

>

> CHENNAI, Oct. 1.

>

> The path of Self-surrender (Prapatti, Saranagati) is unique

> to Srivaishnava religion in that it is given the same status,

if

> not, the supreme one among the means to liberation. There

> are three paradigmatic instances oft-quoted by both the

> Alwars and the Acharyas of the tradition, of assurances

> given by the Lord in His various incarnations that He would

> give protection to anyone who surrenders to Him.

>

> The first and perhaps the most well known among them is

> the Gita Caramasloka which is interpreted in the tradition

> as the last teaching of Lord Krishna to Arjuna after He had

> expounded all the other means to Moksha. ``Resigning all

> your duties to Me, the all-powerful and all supporting

> Lord, take refuge in Me alone, I shall absolve you of all

> sins,'' promised the Lord in the Bhagavad Gita.

>

> But, does this mean that one can give up all duties after the

> performance of surrender? Certainly not. The Acharyas

> have in their commentaries clarified that the performance of

> dharma according to the scriptural injunctions must not be

> done with the intention of enjoying its fruit (as means to

> Moksha). Instead they should be performed as service to

> the Lord. The word ``ekam'' (alone) in the Caramasloka

> further shows that the Lord alone is the refuge, but while

> surrendering to Him even the thought that He is the means

> to liberation should not arise, though He alone is capable of

> liberating man from rebirths.

>

> In his lecture Sri M. A. Venkatakrishnan said, the

> assurance given by Rama when Vibishana surrendered to

> Him was cited by the preceptors while elucidating the

> efficacy of Saranagati. In this instance His auspicious

> qualities, like compassion, came to the fore, because, even

> when Sugriva and the others pointed out that Vibishana's

> surrender must not be accepted by Him as he came from

> the enemy's side, Rama overruled it by pointing out that

> since he had come as a friend, He would accept him.

>

> The assurance given by the Lord in His incarnation as a

> boar (Varaha) to Mother Earth that He would protect one

> who took refuge in Him even once and also bless him with

> the highest beautitude at the time of death, even if he failed

> to remember Him, was the most solemn promise given by

> the Almighty.

>

> The repeated mention in the works of the Acharyas that

> Prapatti need be performed only once is to highlight the

> efficacy of surrender to the Lord. It should never be

> misinterpreted to mean that after the performance of

> Saranagati one need not perform one's duties according to

> the scriptural injunctions. Performance of one's dharma

> must be done as service to the Lord, which is the end in

> itself.

>

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