You are here: SriPedia - SriRangaSri - Archives - Jul 2004

SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00207 Jul 2004

 
Jul 2004 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]


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





------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> 
Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar.
Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/VkWolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 

 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    SriRangaSri-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
 


[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
srirangasri-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list