Complete Surrender to God
(Sharanagati)
(continued…)
For a devotee that has taken refuge in the Lord, who is firmly grounded and determinate about the sentiments - "I am God's and God is mine", his worries, fear, doubts, regrets and various other flaws are rooted out. In other words, the life support of those evils is cut off. Because all defects are sustaining due to turning away from God, i.e. due to having a disinclination for God.
After surrendering yourself to God, never put yourself to a test that you do not seem to possess the characteristics of a surrendered devotee, so actually how could you have surrendered?
In this manner, if you are free from these three things - doubt, testing and contrary feelings - it is an indication that you are firmly grounded and determinate in your relationship with God. It means you have accepted your true relationship with God. In a surrendered devotee these things perish from the very beginning.
When a devotee surrenders himself to God, he is not afraid of creatures and other obstacles etc. No one can make him scared in anyway. No one can harm him in anyway.
A person can attain God-Realization only by the grace of God. In doing spiritual disciplines and aspirant is merely an instrument, a means, however in fulfillment of one's spiritual discipline, grace of God is the most important. In this manner establishing any sort of relationship with God, is bound to lead to a person's welfare. Thus the establishment of relationship with Him leads to God-Realization. Those who have not connected themselves with Him and remained indifferent, have been deprived of God-Realization.
God possesses boundless prosperity, sweetness, beauty and divine manifestations. But the surrendered devotee takes no heed of His attributes and magnanimity. He only feels that he has surrendered himself to God and only God is mine. A devotee that has surrendered to God, his eyesight should remain on God only, not on his qualities, magnanimity, radiance etc.
As a being gives up his dependence on the worldly things, his dependence on God enhances and he experiences the grace of God. When he completely depends on God, he attains God's full grace.
In the fifty-seventh couplet of the eighteenth chapter in the Gita Lord Krsna says to Arjuna, "Mentally resigning all deeds to Me, have Me as your highest goal and resorting to even-mindedness fix your mind always on Me."
Chetasaa sarvakarmaani mayi sanyasya matparah |
Buddhiyogamupaashritya machchittah satatam bhava ||
In this couplet Lord Krsna has mentioned four points — (i) Mentally resign all deeds to Me (ii) Offer yourself to Me (iii) Detach yourself from the world by being even-minded (iv) Have and unshakable, and permanent relationship with Me. These are the important ingredients of surrender.
In the process of spiritual discipline a devotee has to face the problem of earning livelihood, suffering from diseases, and other impediments and obstacles etc., but in spite of them coming, on having dependence on the grace of God, an aspirant does not lose heart and patience, rather he experiences an exceptional grace of God in facing those problems.
Narayana ! Narayana!! Narayana !!!
From "Jivanopayogi Pravachan" in Hindi and "Art of Living" in English by Swami Ramsukhdasji
Ram Ram
*********************************************************
If in doubt regarding the translation, please read the original Hindi message by Swamiji.
FOR MESSAGE IN HINDI PLEASE VISIT Date : 20th May, 2012 "Sharanagati"
****************************************If in doubt regarding the translation, please read the original Hindi message by Swamiji.
FOR MESSAGE IN HINDI PLEASE VISIT Date : 20th May, 2012 "Sharanagati"