Pujya Ramsukhdasji Maharaj

[Guest guest]

Meaning of Sharanagati - Taking Refuge in Bhagwaan

 

" Na Vidyaa yeshaam shreern sharanampeeshan cha gunaah

parisyaktaa lokkairapi vrajinyuktaah shrutijadaah

sharanyam yam tepi prasrutgunamaashrit ya sujanaa

vimuktaastam vande yudupatimaham krushammalam. "

 

" He who does not possess any skill, nor wealth, nor has any support; in whom

there are no qualities, nor knowledge of Vedas or scriptures; He who has been

abandoned by the world being regarded as sinful, such

beings too, that take refuge under the One that is the Ultimate

Protector, Prabhu (God, Lord), he can become a saint and can attain

salvation. I prostrate in front of That One whose qualities have

attained recognition around the world, the pure Soul, the father of the Yadu

dynasty, Shri Krishna Bhagavaan.

 

" Sarva Dharmaanparityajya maamekum sharanam vraja

Aham tvaa sarvapaapebhyo mokshayishyaami maa suchah. " Gita 18:66

 

" Abandoning dependence on all duties (dharma), take refuge in ME, alone. I will

liberate you from all sins, therefore grieve not. (Gita 18:66)

 

Comments -

 

" Sarva Dharmaanparityajya maamekum sharanam vraja " - Bhagwaan says

that leave the dependency on all dharma, the decisions pertaining to

dharma, in other words, what to do and what not to do - leave these as

well, and only take refuge in ME.

 

The Self (swayam) has to take refuge - this is the essence of all

spiritual disciplines. In this the devotee that has taken refuge, for

him nothing more remains to be done; just like a pativrata (chaste

wife) has no work of her own. She takes care of her body also due to

her relation with the husband and for the husband only. The house, the

family, the things, the son-daughter and the so called her body too she does not

consider her own, but rather considers it to be her husband's (patidev) alone.

The point here is that just like a chaste wife merges her gotra (subdivision of

same caste group) into the gotra of her husband, thereafter living in husband's

home, similarly a devotee who has taken refuge in Bhagwaan, surrenders all

assumed and known relations with the body (the caste group, race, name, etc) at

the Lotus feet of Bhagwaan, thereafter being free of all worries, fear, doubts,

sorrows and regrets.

 

Here in the Gita, the term " Dharma " stands for Duty. the reason is that from

Gita 18-41 to 18:44, the term " Svabhaavaja Karam " (duties born of their nature)

have been used. In Gita 18:47 the term " Svadharma " (one's own duty) has been

used and again in Gita 18:47 and 18:48 the term " Karma " (Duty) has been used. It

means that in this context at the beginning and the end the term " Karma " (Duty)

has been used, while in the middle the term " Svadharma " (one's own duty) has

been used, therefore the term " Dharma " stands for " Duty " .

 

Now the question arises from the words " sarvadharmaaparity ajya " whether one's

" dharma " in other words, " duty " should be understood to be abandoned in essence?

The answer is that it is actually not proper to abandon one's duty, nor does

this fit well with the current topic and the relevance to it. Arjuna on

listening to this point from Bhagwaan did not forsake his duties, rather he said

" Karishye vachanam tava " (Gita 18:73) - " I shall act according to your word " ,

and accepted to obey and follow the instructions given by Bhagwaan to fulfill

his duties. Not only did he accept, but he carried out his order and waged war.