This post is taken from a vaisnava forum, it's interesting to note
the infleunce of srivaisnavism on the gaudiya tradition.
Saranagati?the Heart of Bhakti
I am not actually sure of the difference in these two terms, as both
Prapatti and saranagati are understood as the act of self-surrender
to God. In prapatti and saranagati one genuinely understands his
incapacity to save himself and thus gives himself fully to the Lord.
This is summarized in the following verse, written by Vedanta Desika,
a celebrated 14th century acharya of the Ramanuja sampradaya.
"Lord, I, who am nothing, conform to your will and desist being
contrary to it, and with faith and prayer, submit to you the burden
of saving my soul (Nyasadashaka 2)."
In Gaudiya Vaisnavism saranagati is mentioned in Sri Sanatana
Goswami's Hari-bhakti-vilasa, as well as in Jiva Goswami's Bhakti-
sandarbha but it is understood that the term has been introduced into
Gaudiya Vaisnavism from the writings of the Ramanuja Sampradaya.
Also taken from the works of the Sri Sampradaya, Gaudiya acharyas
write that the six limbs of Saranagati are: i) acceptance of the
favorable; ii) rejection of the unfavorable; iii) full confidence in
the Lord's protection; iv) embracing the Lord's guardianship; v) full
self-surrender; and, vi) surrender in humility.
In Vaisnavism the path of surrender (prapatti / saranagati) serves as
an alternative to certain forms of smarta brahmanism where moksa is
thought to be attained by the perfection of various techniques and
mantras. As a jiva in his conditioned state is considered unfit for
pure bhakti (para bhakti or suddha bhakti) prapatti / saranagati is
said to be the means to attain these high devotional states which
grant moksa or liberation.
In essence saranagati requires that a person feel humble and helpless
before God and in this state it is believed that God gives them the
inner means and resolve to attain him. In Gaudiya Vaisnavism the
means to attain the goal of suddha or pure bhakti is sadhana bhakti
or devotional service in practice. Gaudiya Vaisnava acharyas teach
that the essence of sadhana bhakti is saranagati or surrender.
Without saranagati-self surrender, sadhana bhakti could be viewed as
little more than following rules and regulations which would make the
practice akin to smarta brahmanism. Thus in Gaudiya Vaisnavism
saranagati is considered the innermost heart of sadhana bhakti.
Bdas
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