What is surrender?

[jayaisvara 0]

I have a few questions that I hope someone can spread light over:

 

1) What is saranagati/surrender?

 

2) How do you surrender to your spiritual master?

 

3) What are the symptoms of one who is surrendered to his spiritual master?

 

4) How long does it take to surrender to the spiritual master?

 

5) Even if one reads the purports and books of the spiritual master, but, somehow or another is not able to follow the injunctions, is this surrender?

 

6) Does surrendering to the spiritual master happen in stages or at once?

 

7) What are the steps towards surrendering to the spiritual master?

[Guest guest]

I'll try one of those.

 

First let's consider a simple definition for surrender. From Webster on-line:

 

2 entries found for surrender.

To select an entry, click on it.

surrender[1,verb]surrender[2,noun]

 

Main Entry: sur·ren·der

 

Function: verb

1 a : to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand <surrendered the fort> b : to give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favor of another

2 a : to give (oneself) up into the power of another especially as a prisoner b : to give (oneself) over to something (as an influence)

intransitive senses : to give oneself up into the power of another : YIELD

synonym see RELINQUISH

 

So what is there to surrender? Our desiring(willingness) to forge an act or direction of actions that is opposed to the will of the Lord.

 

Not to extinquish our will and become a lifeless tool of the Supreme, or to kill the will and merge with the Supreme, but rather to become a willing servant of God and those who are presently established in His service. Our will is our animating force. Our drive.

 

In a war two armies are opposed, an opposition of wills. Ultimately one is forced to admit defeat and surrender to the superior force.

 

This forced surrender is considered most distasteful as one must swallow great pride to accomplish it. The loser must humble himself before the foe.

 

In our present war of wills against God we find that we must play it out in a proper battlefield. The material world. The world of winners and losers, victor and vanquished. Here in this virtual reality game we envision an every changing array of friends and foes to help or hinder us in our quest.

 

We lose one battle after another,occasionaly appearing on the brink of victory, only to suffer another ignoble defeat in the end.

 

Not even clearly seeing who our foe is we march on. At some point knowledge begins to appear and we begin to realize that our real foe is non-other than insurmuntable time. When this knowledge becomes mature we admit defeat.

 

But who do we surrender to? How does one surrender to time which appears to be an impersonal force? From such a position one can only choose to die and leave the battlefield forever. At this point when may turn to the expert philosphies of suicide as taught by Buddha or Sankara.

 

But there is another type of surrender which this material experience is meant to bring us to. The surrender of love. This is the only surrender Krsna is really interested in. This is a dovetailing of one's will with His. "Not my will O'Lord but Thy will be done."

 

A surrender in which we willingly place our will at the service of God for no reason other than His pleasure. We begin by learning how to dovetail or present perverted wills with his Supreme Will.

 

Now we have come to bhakti-yoga in practice and the need for the instructions of someone who knows His will and can help through the reformation(reforming) process of our own.

 

That person then is accepted and served as the ambassador of God to us, the one who makes God's will known to us. In this case what the terms of surrender are and how they must be carried out.

 

In this case I am hearing we are being asked to surrender to the King of Love, the Supreme Conqueor(in time) of all. I am also hearing that mercy is to be granted to all who will bow their crown at His feet in willfull and loving defeat.

 

I'm just a tired warrior and need help from others on the other points.

 

Defeated

 

[yasodanandana 0]

1) What is saranagati/surrender?

 

surrender is to do our duty of practising vaishnavas that is chanting regularly hare krsna having taken shelter in a pure spiritual master

 

2) How do you surrender to your spiritual master?

 

essentially chanting everyday without distraction the number of mahamantra rounds assigned at initiation.. better if more

 

3) What are the symptoms of one who is surrendered to his spiritual master?

 

one who's really surrendered to a pure devotee is a pure devotee. I, having a materialist mind, cannot recognize purity... Maybe one who's really surrendered is steadily fixed in krsna consciousness. He has not moments in maya and moments in good consciousness. But only he, the guru and the pure vaishnavas can recognize his state.

 

4) How long does it take to surrender to the spiritual master?

 

if we execute our duty of chanting hare krsna avoiding more as possible the ten main offences we will be soon fully surrendered (and free from maya)

 

5) Even if one reads the purports and books of the spiritual master, but, somehow or another is not able to follow the injunctions, is this surrender?

 

no it is maya..

 

two points : 1)the spiritual master teachs general principles but he has also particular instructions for everyone of us. So, in doubt, we have to ask...... 2)when we chant hare krsna we are asking for pure devotional service.. so if we chant without offences we will be soon able to execute pure and effective devotional service pleasing sri guru and sri vaishnavas

 

6) Does surrendering to the spiritual master happen in stages or at once?

 

more often in stages, but depending exclusively by guru's mercy it is possible to be blessed to achieve the liberation in a moment

 

7) What are the steps towards surrendering to the spiritual master?

 

our quality of surrendering depends on the quality of our chanting...

 

 

(all this preaching is first of all for me)

[jayaisvara 0]

Is it necessary for someone to live amongst the devotees to learn how to properly surrender to the spiritual master? Is it possible for one who lives in the middle of material society to chant purely?

[Guest guest]

Is it necessary for someone to live amongst the devotees to learn how to properly surrender to the spiritual master?

--we are followers of arjuna.. he has not left his duties in the society but he, surrendering to krsna, have transformed his karmic activities in yogic ones.

We have only ourselves to offer to krsna, with our propensities and our qualities.. if we try to live a life that's not our life, nothing remains to offer to krsna.. so it is impossible to perform devotional service.

Association with devotees is essential.. devotees are also the ones who live outside the temple.. better to live all week for the moments when we meet vaishnavas at the sunday feast than living frustrated some years at the temple then abandone krsna consciousness

 

Is it possible for one who lives in the middle of material society to chant purely?

--prabhupada, krsna and arjuna say a big YES.... we have only to follow the procedure:

 

chanting

initiation

chanting

 

 

(that's my opinion.. what do you think?)

[Guest guest]

....by yasoda nandana dasa.. not logged.. sorry

[Pankaja_Dasa 1]

 

 

WOW

 

I needed them questions answering as well.

[Guest guest]

Jiva souls are considered individual parts of Krsna's "marginal energy", because we are forced to surrender either to His external or internal potency, due to our infinitesmal size. Thus we are already surrendered to this material world.

 

Gurudeva brings us the opportunity of changing to a higher, more satisfying, spiritual attachment which is in line with our real eternal natures. Any contact with pure devotees is always helpful in this regard, but guru accepts the role of teacher/father and gives specific instructions relevant to our own situations, according to the time and space he/we appears in.

 

The process basically involves developing a "higher taste" that automatically causes our now unwanted attachments to fall away. Depending on our desire and sincerity, this can happen relatively quickly. Often though, we may try to run before we can walk, thereby enduring numerous fall-downs. No worry since there is never any loss on this path, even if it may sometimes appear so to us.

 

Once under the personal influence of Krsna's internal potency, initiated or not, success is assured -- however many lifetimes it may take. Our faith in His Divine Grace increases in proportion to directly perceived results from our following his guidance. Still it will take time and that means patience, with both ourselves and perhaps even more importantly, others.

 

Association with similarly motivated devotees can certainly be encouraging for most, but no it is not essential for all. God and guru are always present transcendentally and we should try very hard to perceive them on that level, in our heart-of-hearts through the Holy Names, developing a deeper personal relationship.

 

The devotion we seek is not a "thing", but a person. She is not obtainable simply by following rules or formalities, including rituals. Surrender ultimately must be extemely personal, beginning with the recognition of our absolute need for mercy in all circumstances. We can never earn that which is priceless, nor should we ever feel we deserve Her.

 

Love comes only from being loved...something we may find hard to trust or believe in until we've been overwhelmed, by what is presently almost inconceivable to us. In the end, Love alone will conquer the fear that keeps us trapped in limited consciousness, selfishly identifying with our bodies.

[gHari 0]

Who moves that foot, that hand, that tongue?

 

Who moves those fingertips?

 

Who directs those senses, that mind?

 

The answer explains surrender.

 

When you are not attached, you will be with guru. He will direct that foot, hand, tongue, those fingertips, senses and the mind. He will take you to Krsna.

 

 

[Guest guest]

For the sweetest answer to your question go to the spiritual dictionary called Sri Sri Prapanna Jivanamrtam. Nectar in the lives of the surrendered souls. By Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaj. A garland of beautiful realizations by inumerable saints gathered together by his Divine Grace for all those asking the same question as yourself.

[Guest guest]

Saranagati is a very high stage.... Bhaktivinode Thakura in his song book Saranagati sings all about this topic his verses are heart-felt and sincere.

 

How do you surrender to you guruji? Surrender and real initiation takes place in the heart not externally it may take one life time it may take many it is not instant. (We are talking about the stage Bhaktivinode Thakura was on and our other great Acaryas) It is 'cultivated' in the heart by sincere endevour to give oneself fully to the

 

spiritual master with words, body, mind. Not half hearted!

 

And it does not come by chanting and reading alone. It is not cheap and such stipulations should not be put upon such a serious subject.

 

You have to establish a relationship with your gurumaharaja not externally, but internally and that is a long process, but it depends upon your sincerity, and eagerness and your guru's purity to give you it in an instant should he wish you to be so, so qualified.

 

The symptoms of one who is surrendered to the spiritual master, he will basically walk through fire on his guru's command, he is 'tadatmik' at one with his guru's heart.

his guru thinks I want water and just by the disciple looking at his guru's face he knows instantaneously what his gurumaharja wants, needs, feels, thinks. (even though his guru will not mention to him verbally.)

 

If you are not following the Spirtual master's instructions implicitly, then no, of course it's not surrender. Surrender is executing the will of the guru implicitly, no half measures, or in betweens.

 

It happens in stages depending upon your surrender and your sradha, faith. if you have firm conviction, firm faith then easily things will come and happen. If you deviate then naturally, your efforts will be hampered, and it will take longer.

 

Follow his orders. implicitly! Believe in him. Be prepared to lay down your life for him. But if you cannot follow the simple orders he is already giving you then what is the point in jumping like a monkey for the fruit. Be patient it will come in time. Keep practacing and always keep good association sadhu sanga is the birthplace of bhakti! You should be happy and want to serve your gurumaharaja in a pleasing mood in your mind, not morose. Don't be depressed by all this, it is not an overnight process, Prabhupada said this! So be patient, carry on.