JR
Hare Krishna
From Facebook / Ramapriya Ramanuja Dasi:
The theme of Surrender is a constant thread throughout the Vedic and Yoga literatures. Great personalities in the India's classics (Itihasas) like Sita, Bharat,... Hanuman, Lakshmana and Vibheeshana in the Ramayana all performed Prapatti, or surrender, to the Lord in His incarnation as Sri Rama. In the Mahabharata all the Pandavas performed Prapatti to Sri Krishna.
Perhaps Draupaudi's was the most famous in that work when, dragged by her hair by the infamous Dushasana before the leering assembly of Kurus when menstruating, she called upon Krishna when Duryodhana called for her to be stripped naked. Holding her sari tightly she called on Krishna, but to no avail. As The huge Dushasana pulled again at her sari she raised a hand and again called upon Krishna. Yet again Dushasana tugged at her sari and this time, releasing her sari, she called upon Krishna who, seeing her full surrender and helpless condition, He immediately appeared on the scene and confounded Dushasana by providing unlimited cloth to the Pandava queen.
In the Bhagavat-Purana there are a wealth of stories where the devotees abandon all self effort to attain moksha and simply surrender to Sriman Narayana. Perhaps the most celebrated is the story of Gajendra, the elephant king who, when facing defeat by the mighty crocodile (in reality the Gandharva king Huhu) he surrendered and Sriman Narayana arrived on the back of Garuda with such haste that it is said that His jewellery was in disarray and His hair was dishevelled!
In Sri Patanjali's Yoga classic, the Yoga Sutras, the fifth Niyama is "Isvara-Pranidhana": surrender to the Supreme Controller. "Controller" implies attributes, which is very interesting. Many construe the Yoga Sutras as a work built around the Advaitin belief that the Supreme has no form, personality or attributes. However, Patanjali's use of the the term "Ishvara" can only imply that he understand that the source of all the form and personality in the manifestation which exists before us must also have form and personality. The interconnection of the Yamas and Niyamas draws us to the conclusion of surrender to that Personality.
The conclusion of the Bhagavad-Gita (18.66) is to abandon all other means - all dharmas: yogas, chanting mantras, taking vows and austerities, charities, pilgrimages, etc., and surrender to Sri Krishna. One of the most powerful moments in the Ramayana is the surrender of Ravana's brother, Vibheeshana, where Sri Rama declares: "To all those beings who fully seek my shelter and plead for my mercy, and say 'I am yours', I shall certainly offer my protection to all of them. This is my vow." - Yuddha Kanda 18.33
Here, we examine just what is "surrender" and how to manifest this in our lives, according to the Srivaishnava tradition. We understand the power of Samskara and the certainty of our surrender after undergoing "Samashrayanam" or the "Pancha Samskara". This ceremony culminates in the surrender of the Prapanna (the seeker) at the feet of the Personality of Godhead, Sriman Narayana.
It should be known that the act of surrender itself is not the means by which we attain to moksha. Surrender is the resignation to His will and His mercy and the acknowledgement of our helpless condition in samsara. We are simply following in the footsteps of the greatest devotees and then leading our lives for the pleasure of the Lord to the best of our abilities, free from notions of "bargaining for moksha" or notions of acquiring "purity as the means".
I have created a "Prapatti Infographic", which comprises all these images. It can be viewed here: http://tastypixels.com.au/prapatti-dharma.jpg simply click on the image to view it full size. If you have a devotional centre of some kind or are involved in Vaishnava education and would like these images or the infographic in print resolution, please message me and I will make all arrangements for you. Please note that images cannot be made available for commercial ventures.
The theme of Surrender is a constant thread throughout the Vedic and Yoga literatures. Great personalities in the India's classics (Itihasas) like Sita, Bharat,... Hanuman, Lakshmana and Vibheeshana in the Ramayana all performed Prapatti, or surrender, to the Lord in His incarnation as Sri Rama. In the Mahabharata all the Pandavas performed Prapatti to Sri Krishna.
Perhaps Draupaudi's was the most famous in that work when, dragged by her hair by the infamous Dushasana before the leering assembly of Kurus when menstruating, she called upon Krishna when Duryodhana called for her to be stripped naked. Holding her sari tightly she called on Krishna, but to no avail. As The huge Dushasana pulled again at her sari she raised a hand and again called upon Krishna. Yet again Dushasana tugged at her sari and this time, releasing her sari, she called upon Krishna who, seeing her full surrender and helpless condition, He immediately appeared on the scene and confounded Dushasana by providing unlimited cloth to the Pandava queen.
In the Bhagavat-Purana there are a wealth of stories where the devotees abandon all self effort to attain moksha and simply surrender to Sriman Narayana. Perhaps the most celebrated is the story of Gajendra, the elephant king who, when facing defeat by the mighty crocodile (in reality the Gandharva king Huhu) he surrendered and Sriman Narayana arrived on the back of Garuda with such haste that it is said that His jewellery was in disarray and His hair was dishevelled!
In Sri Patanjali's Yoga classic, the Yoga Sutras, the fifth Niyama is "Isvara-Pranidhana": surrender to the Supreme Controller. "Controller" implies attributes, which is very interesting. Many construe the Yoga Sutras as a work built around the Advaitin belief that the Supreme has no form, personality or attributes. However, Patanjali's use of the the term "Ishvara" can only imply that he understand that the source of all the form and personality in the manifestation which exists before us must also have form and personality. The interconnection of the Yamas and Niyamas draws us to the conclusion of surrender to that Personality.
The conclusion of the Bhagavad-Gita (18.66) is to abandon all other means - all dharmas: yogas, chanting mantras, taking vows and austerities, charities, pilgrimages, etc., and surrender to Sri Krishna. One of the most powerful moments in the Ramayana is the surrender of Ravana's brother, Vibheeshana, where Sri Rama declares: "To all those beings who fully seek my shelter and plead for my mercy, and say 'I am yours', I shall certainly offer my protection to all of them. This is my vow." - Yuddha Kanda 18.33
Here, we examine just what is "surrender" and how to manifest this in our lives, according to the Srivaishnava tradition. We understand the power of Samskara and the certainty of our surrender after undergoing "Samashrayanam" or the "Pancha Samskara". This ceremony culminates in the surrender of the Prapanna (the seeker) at the feet of the Personality of Godhead, Sriman Narayana.
It should be known that the act of surrender itself is not the means by which we attain to moksha. Surrender is the resignation to His will and His mercy and the acknowledgement of our helpless condition in samsara. We are simply following in the footsteps of the greatest devotees and then leading our lives for the pleasure of the Lord to the best of our abilities, free from notions of "bargaining for moksha" or notions of acquiring "purity as the means".
I have created a "Prapatti Infographic", which comprises all these images. It can be viewed here: http://tastypixels.com.au/prapatti-dharma.jpg simply click on the image to view it full size. If you have a devotional centre of some kind or are involved in Vaishnava education and would like these images or the infographic in print resolution, please message me and I will make all arrangements for you. Please note that images cannot be made available for commercial ventures.