Saranaagathi means “Surrender Unto the Lord”. Surrender also called as “आत्मनिवेदन or AtmaNivedana”, is the highest form of Bhakti or Devotion, where the Self is surrendered to God in entirety. This Surrender is the culmination of the sadhana of Bhakti and Jnana.
Saranaagathi in its true sense is the ultimate aim of all branches of yoga – Karma, Jnana and Bhakti. In Saranaagathi, the devotee is just like a small child, barely months old, which surrenders itself completely and exclusively to the mother’s care, because the child is innately assured of mother’s caring for it. The child does not depend on its self even for a small work. The devotee also becomes completely child-like, entrusting everything into the hands of God.
In most of our day-to-day lives and actions, we have very little “ Saranaagathi” to the Divine. We act as independent beings, and perform all actions of grown-up adults, with the feeling that we have enough mental and physical capabilities to take care of ourselves. But, there is also a “Surrender” that we do here, but in the reverse direction. We surrender to the world around us. We surrender to our temptations, to our sensual pleasures, relationships, emotions, what to speak of big things, even to the smallest thing like “taste buds”, we surrender ourselves. We bend our inner nature for the outer-world. We take the first step towards “Saranaagathi”, in one Swamiji’s words, only when we bend the outer to the inner.
Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita Himself gives the gist of Saranaagathi or self-surrender in “Moksha Sannyasa Yoga or The Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation”. (Chapter – 18, Sloka: 66).
सर्व धर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज ।
अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ।।
“Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me alone; I will liberate thee from all sins. Grieve not.”
With the inspiration of our Revered Gurudev Sri Swami Sivananda Maharaj, we have named this effort of ours on the internet as “Saranaagathi – Surrender to the Divine”. We pray to God and Gurudev to bless us with his Grace in our journey towards “Saranaagathi”.
“Work ceaselessly for the Lord but surrender the fruits of all actions to the Lord. Take the Lord as your sole refuge. Live for Him. Work for Him. Serve Him in all forms. Think of Him only. Meditate on Him alone. See Him everywhere. Worship Him in your heart. Consecrate your life, all your action, feelings and thoughts to the Lord. You will rest in Him. You will attain union with Him. You will attain immortal supreme peace and eternal bliss.”
“True and sincere surrender unto the Lord is the essence of Bhakti (God-love). ‘I am Thine, All is Thine. Thy will be done, my Lord’ – This is the best Saranaagathi Mantra or prayer of self-surrender. Seek His will. Do His will. Surrender to His will. You will become one with the cosmic will.”
– Swami Sivananda
I posted a message under Hanuman chalisa thread. Please check.
My mail address is: kvp_1998@yahoo.com
Regards,
KVP
Namaste,
What a great site. I stumbled upon your site while browsing on the topic of surrendering oneself to the divine. Thank you for sharing your offerings to the Lord with all of us.
AA No Bhadrah Kratavo Yantu Viswataha. “Let noble thoughts come to us from every side.”
Shyam
Shyamji, if you are looking for spiritual material to help you surrender to God, then you can take benefit of Jagadguru Kripalu ji Maharaj books or websites. So many of my doubts have been erased by Kripalu ji Maharaj’s simple explaination of Vedic teachings. Link below may be of help
http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=surrender%2BJagadguru+Kripalu&meta=&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
Hari Bol
Dear Shyam ji,
Thank you very much for your kind comment !
Regards,
Aparna
Hari Aum,
This is a wonderful site especially the messages by our Gurus of Divine Life
Dear Aparna,
Was not able to get the pdf file to function correctly so am sending this contact info in the ‘formless’ state.
We live in Menomonie, Wi which is 60 miles east of Minneapolis, MN. We became involved with DLS way back in 1990 when we attended a one month retreat with H. H. Swami Chidananda. We then lived at the DLS branch in Maryland and became close with Swami Gurudevananda (Sita). Two years ago we stayed at Shivananda Ashram in
Rishikesh meeting up with long-time friends Swami Vimalananda and Swami Muktananda (Hans). What a wonder blessing that has been.
We are enthused to hear of a branch coming to Wisconsin and would be overjoyed to contribute in any way we can.
Hari Om,
Linda and Larry
1120 tenth street
Menomonie, WI
54751
715-235-7696
gufisufi@charter.net
(we are leaving for India in Jan for 2 months to become certified ayurveda massage and panchakarma therapists.)
Wonderful work, Aparna. Blessings
Satsang on march 30th with Swami Brahmarupnandaji at Jain Temple Hall 3:30pm to 5:30pm “Hurdles in Spiritual Journey”
Hi, I was wondering if you have a chapter close to Madison, WI? I would like to be involved in satsang activities if possible.
Thanks.
Dear Aparna,
Very good effort ! Please maintain !
I was trying to download the story of Shree Hanuman.
Please give details.
Dhanyavadams. [pl.try not to publish this reponse]
vasudeva rao
I got i doubt i.e. how to join as a member in this site.
Jai Sri Krishna,
This is a wonderful site. I am glad to have run across it.
I would like to let you know about my efforts as well since it may interest you Hindupedia which is an online Hindu Encyclopedia.
Jai Sri Krishna,
This is a wonderful site. I am glad to have run across it.
I would like to let you know about my efforts as well since it may interest you Hindupedia which is an online Hindu Encyclopedia.
Hari Om ,
Saranagathi is wonderful and amust
Thank you
Dear Aparna ji,
Jai Sri Krishna
Sharnagati is a wonderful site. I have managed to get the words of so many strotras and understand them better because of the translations.
Unfortunately the audio for the Govind Damodar strotra was unavailable. I read some mails where someone has mentioned about one sung by Sri Ramesh bhai Ojha. I was wondering whether you were able to get the CD or the Hari Bol CD that you mentioned about.
I would be delighted to get these CD’s and would greatly appreciate any help you could provide.
Thankyou.
Jai Sri Krishna.
Surabhi
Dear Aparna ji,
Jai Sri Krishna
Sharnagati is a wonderful site. I have managed to get the words of so many strotras and understand them better because of the translations.
Dear Aparna ji, please the contact Cell Number and E- Mail Address from my e-mail:-
shafaqat_dik@yahoo.com
thanks
I surrenderd to God, to The Param Atman,
in 2007.
Starting Updeshsara every other Sunday at 4:30 pm Jain temple hall
a widow & her physically disabled son ,
living at panvel , are desperately trying to
Have a meet with shri.Bhai shree , seeking his devine blessings only , just to
Have courage to carry on with their life
Where can they see H.H.bhai shreeji?
Please do reply .
Thanking you in anticipation.
Shishir.
Great, the only REAL THING
Saranagathi Ramanujacharya appointed 74 Simhasanapadhis where one can get saranagathi
visit this site for details:
http://www.saranagathi.org
Hari Om, after surrendering to Sriman Narayanan .. every moment i am surrennering to Him. can we continue doing meditation?
i am confused on this as i been practising mediation and involved into it and i feel restless if i dont do meditation. i need help on this.
where is lotus feet of GOD?
God is said to be omnipresent, how to surrender god? where to surrender the mind? How has two feet? Then why we have the two feet in all temples?
what does it symbolize?