hindu article-the efficacy of surrender

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Efficacy of surrender

 

 

CHENNAI, OCT.7 . One of the paradigmatic scriptural

sources for the doctrine of Self-surrender to God

(Saranagati, Prapatti) as the means to liberation is

the Ramayana. The crux of this method is the devotee's

inability to adopt other means and so he turns to God

and transfers the responsibility of his spiritual

welfare to Him totally. The hymns of the Azhwars are

replete with references to Saranagati in the epics and

the Puranas. In His Varaha (boar) manifestation the

Almighty has assured humanity that it is enough if an

individual surrenders to Him even once during his

lifetime.

 

Rama sought the advice of His counsellors when

Vibhishana along with four of his attendants

surrendered to Him. Sugriva and the others were not

unanimous in their opinion and finally the Lord said

that even an enemy should not be turned away and

guaranteed before them, "I vouchsafe security against

all living beings to him who comes to Me only once and

seeks protection from Me saying, `I am Yours'; such is

My vow." This assurance of the Lord during His

incarnation as Rama was an eternal hope for mankind,

said Srimathi Jaya Srinivasan in her discourse.

 

The Lord saving Draupadi's modesty during His

manifestation as Krishna is an important example of

efficacy of surrender to God. Till she struggled to

protect herself and appealed to one after another in

the august assembly of elders with her valiant

husbands helpless witnesses to the outrage of

Dussasana disrobing her, nothing happened. But, the

moment she remembered Lord Krishna who was in Dwaraka

she gave up all efforts and instead appealed to Him,

"Krishna, Vasudeva, they say You are the last refuge

of the helpless. You are everything to me. They say

that You are everywhere, that You are present where

Your devotee sings your praises. You must be here. I

surrender to You. It is up to You to save me." The

Lord intervened by providing an endless stream of

cloth.

 

The surrender of the king of elephants, Gajendra,

highlights that worldly relations however loving and

close they may be will ultimately be of no avail and

only the Almighty is the dependable relation not only

in this birth but in births to come also. He never

abandons the devotee who calls out to Him in distress.

Gajendra's surrender is evocative of the Upanishads,

as it hailed Him as the ultimate cause and the

Bhagavata Purana states that the Lord rushed to His

side without any delay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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