Saranagathi and Bhakti
Vivek Sadananda Pai
Haribol,
I read an earlier post (Eswar Prabhu's forwarding of
someone else's message, I believe), which spoke of
Saranagathi and Bhakti. However, it was not entirely
clear to me what the demarcation between the two was.
I got the impression that Saranagathi amounted to total
surrender at the feet of the Lord, but this doesn't seem
all that different from Bhakti.
Would someone like to elaborate? I'm also a bit curious
about Saranagathi in relation to Bhakti, because I vaguely
recall some reference to Saranagathi in the Gaudiya
philosophy, but I'm not totally clear about it, since it
came from a punk song (no kidding).
ys,
Vivek
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Mani Varadarajan
>
> Haribol,
>
> I read an earlier post (Eswar Prabhu's forwarding of
> someone else's message, I believe), which spoke of
> Saranagathi and Bhakti. However, it was not entirely
> clear to me what the demarcation between the two was.
>
> I got the impression that Saranagathi amounted to total
> surrender at the feet of the Lord, but this doesn't seem
> all that different from Bhakti.
This is because of a misunderstanding of the meaning
of the term bhakti. The general concept of bhakti in the
sense of devotion or love of God is common to many religions,
especially to the Vaishnava traditions. However, bhakti
as a specific discipline for moksha is a unique
term that refers to a rigorous spiritual discipline that
must be practiced continuously for one's whole life,
until total liberation is attained.
This bhakti as a means for moksha is described in the
Gita as ``bhakti-yoga'' to emphasize the strict discipline
that it involves. Do not be fooled into thinking that this
is the easy bhakti mentioned in the Puranas and other texts.
[That form of bhakti is more properly termed Saranagati or
Prapatti, which I will get to down below.] Rather, bhakti-
yoga involves not only the love inherent in bhakti, but also
the physical and mental disciplines described by Patanjali
as the ashTAnga-yoga. It is preceded by the learning
of the Vedas, including a fundamental understanding of
Vedanta philosophy, and requires the continual practice
of Vedic and other duties such as sandhyAvandanam, in addition
to the meditation on God that forms the primary part of
bhakti-yoga.
The Upanishads refer to bhakti-yoga by many different terms,
including jnAna, vedana, dhyAna, dhruva-smriti, nididhyAsana,
upAsana, as well as bhakti itself. A basic Upanishad vAkya
concerning the meditational process is:
AtmA are drashtavyah Srotavyao mantavyo nididhyAsitavyaH |
My dear, the Self is to be seen -- to be heard about,
thought about, and contemplated upon.
The ``seeing'' mentioned here constitutes the fruition of bhakti,
where the loving meditation the aspirant has practiced
for so long has deepened so much that he or she is blessed
with a vision of God so direct that it is like sight itself.
This vision, when unbroken like a continuous stream of
oil, is a sure sign that the aspirant will attain moksha
very soon.
This Upanishad here also describes the preparatory stages
of bhakti-yoga: SravaNam (listening to the Veda and Vedanta
from a teacher), and mananam (thinking about their comments on
the nature of God). In other places in the Vedas, performance
of Vedic duties is declared to be an absolute must in the
practice of upAsana.
The Upanishads describe 31 modes of bhakti-yoga, whereby
Brahman (God, the Self, whatever name you wish to assign
the Supreme) is described in various ways as being the
cause of the universe and the Self of all. Any one of these
meditations, when performed daily with the utmost love,
along with the corequisites as described above, leads
to the vision of God and the showering of His grace.
This difficult yogic practice is bhakti-yoga. It is
AtmajnAna in its highest form (bhakti-rUpa-panna-jnAna)
and constitutes the means to moksha that is most often
described in the Upanishads.
It should strike the reader that this is indeed an arduous
path to moksha. Although we have heard that there were
great bhaktas of years past who trod this path, such as
Krishna Dvaipaayana Vyaasa, Prahlada, Dhruva, and others,
it is beset with pitfalls, especially since none of us
even approach the competence of these characters.
Even Arjuna, who by all accounts was mentally and physically
fit for bhakti-yoga and was instructed in the practice
by God Himself, expressed grief at his inability to
practice bhakti-yoga and his fear at not attaining the
feet of the Lord.
At this stage, the Lord spoke once again and elaborated
on the practice of SaraNAgati, only hinted at in the Vedas,
constituting as it does only one of the 32 brahma-vidyas.
This nyAsa-vidya is the teaching that is Vaishnavism's highest
doctrine and most expressive of its spirit, and is epitomized
in the Lord's immemorial words to the grieving Arjuna:
sarvadharmAn parityajya mAm ekaM SaraNam vraja |
ahaM tvA sarvapApebhyo mokshayiSyAmi mA SucaH ||
Having abandoned all other means, come to Me alone
for refuge. Do not grieve; I will release you
from all your sins.
Gita 18.66
SaraNAgati involves a complete surrender of one's self
to God. It even involves an abandonment of other means,
such as bhakti-yoga, rituals aiming at moksha, etc.
After the surrender, the responsibility for moksha
lies entirely with God, whereas in bhakti-yoga it lay
with the individual. Is it not better to rely on the
infinite power and mercy of the Lord, than to rely on
one's own efforts?
SaraNAgati need only be performed once, as one can only
give oneself up to the Lord only once. Bhakti, on the
other hand, is a discipline that must be practiced every
day, and even then one may be unsure as to how effective
the practice has been. In SaraNAgati, the surrender of
the self overcomes the egoism of the individual that
heretofore rejected the freeflowing grace of the Lord
Now that it can flow unobstructed, the jIva is destined to be
released, and there is no more worry.
Of course, the attitude of a true SaraNAgata involves
a great deal of bhakti, in the popular sense of the term.
Love of God is important here as well, but it should
be obvious that technically, one can be SaraNAgata
without having a deep, abiding love of God (such as
kAkAsura in the Ramayana). Such persons, however
are very rare, and the typical SaraNAgata will be
filled with devotion. The primary characteristics
are Akincanyam (helplessness to achieve moksha) and
ananyagatitvam (having no other refuge but the Lord).
Saint Yaamunacharya declares:
na dharma-nishto 'smi, na ca Atma-vedI
na bhaktimaans tvac caraNAravinde
akincano ananya-gatiH SaraNya
tvad pAda mUlam SaraNam prapadye
I do not practice (the Vedic) dharma,
nor do I know the nature of the self,
nor am I filled with devotion to your lotus feet;
I am helpless and without another path,
O Lord who is my refuge!
I am surrendering myself at your feet.
Note that SaraNAgati is also more in line with the
true nature of the individual self as one that belongs
to God. While this element is also there in bhakti,
it is not the *primary* element. This being a big
difference, SaraNAgati is usually praised as the best
and surest way, not only because it is easy but because
it is reflective of the true relationship between God
and the individual. This eulogy of the process of
SaraNAgati has gone so far that the popular usage of
``bhakti'' has become synonymous with the spirit of
surrender.
We have several examples of ideal SaraNAgatas. The story
of Gajendra, the elephant who surrendered to Lord Vishnu
is the first that comes to mind. Saint Nammaazhvaar is
another:
agala killEn iRaiyum'en
RalarmEl mangai yuRaimaar_paa,
nigaril pugazhaay! ulagamoon
Rudaiyaay! ennai aaLvaanE,
nigaril amarar munikkaNangaL
virumpum thiruvENG kadaththaanE,
pugalon Rillaa adiyEnun
adikkee zhamarndhu pugundhEnE.
thiruvaaymozhi 6.10.10
O Lord who bears the inseparable Lakshmi on His chest!
O my master of matchless fame bearing the three worlds,
O Lord of Venkata, desired by the devas and great sagees!
Being without any other refuge, I have found my refuge
at your feet.
Mani
Eswar Josyula
<ma...@srirangam.esd.sgi.com> wrote:
>
>> I got the impression that Saranagathi amounted to total
>> surrender at the feet of the Lord, but this doesn't seem
>> all that different from Bhakti.
>This is because of a misunderstanding of the meaning
>of the term bhakti. The general concept of bhakti in the..
Not a misunderstanding, but the relative placement of Bhakti with
respect to Prapatti(sharanagati) by different Vaishnava acaryas. The
scope of the term bhakti also, naturally undergoes some changes. The
slightly different flavors assigned to the word dharma in BG 18:66 by
different acaryas is an important consideration in appreciating the
differences.
In the Sri Ramanuja school Bhakti is considered only to be the means
and prapatti the end. In the Gaudiya school prapatti is the stepping
stone of a Bhakta (not the end) climbing it from where his life
becomes a continuous succession of acts of devotional service rendered
to his Lord.
In the prapatti doctrine of Sri Ramanuja school, one must give up
paths of karma, bhakti and gyaana and look upon the Lord Himself as
both upaaya and upeya, the means and end of salvation. In the Gaudiya
school, the scope of the term bhakti does not allow one to give up
bhakti.
The wonderful feature of Gauidya school is that under the guidance of
Caitanaya Mahaprabho, the Hara Krsna Mahamantra which can be chanted
by anyone and everyone is the means as well as the end. All glories
to the Sri Krishna sankirtana movement of Sri Chaitanya.
The rest of the Mani's most beautiful post had to be deleted due to
constraints of auto mod. Still could not delete the following.
> thiruvaaymozhi 6.10.10
>
> O Lord who bears the inseparable Lakshmi on His chest!
> O my master of matchless fame bearing the three worlds,
> O Lord of Venkata, desired by the devas and great sagees!
> Being without any other refuge, I have found my refuge
> at your feet.
Beautiful! Give us more of the thiruvaaymozhi, Mani. Thanks.
Haribol
Eswar Josyula