Self-surrender: From Self-reliance To Self-surrender  

By T G L Iyer  

Self-surrender: From Self-reliance To Self-surrender  

Weak people say: "I resign myself to God because I am helpless to proceed further". But such words are not convincing for they reveal that there is, still, a trace of the crude ego left.

The exhibition of humility is only a pretence, a cover. And this is misinterpreted by others as piety. Hanuman says in the Ramayana: "I have surrendered everything to Rama and I have installed Him firmly in my heart. I am His faithful servant". Such a statement is convincing because it comes from a strong, fearless and intelligent person.

Thich Nhat Nahn, the Vietnamese monk and author of Touching Peace, writes: "We do not have to die to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. If we are fully alive, we are in Heaven. When we are fully alive we can see that everything is part of Heaven including ourselves. God is trying to reveal this to us but we are out of touch and want to be separate from everything even from our family members. When we are connected with the Divine, we are in Heaven. It is a small journey from self-reliance to self-surrender".

Ralph Waldo Emerson said: "The only gift is a portion of thyself", for, self-surrender is a gift.

Recall the story of Lord Krishna and Arjuna. The two disguised themselves as Brahmins on a mission to prove what is total surrender or Saranaagati.

It was a lesson the Lord wanted to teach Arjuna. On a hot day, the two Brahmins trekked a long distance and after many hours reached a village. They approached the richest person in the village for quenching their thirst.

The big gate was closed. There was a watchman guarding the gate. When they approached him for some water, he said: "This is not a poor-house catering to the needs of travellers. Take yourself to some other destination".

When this dialogue was going on, the owner of the house appeared on the terrace and inquired why two strangers were disturbing the peace of his house. He ordered the watchman to drive them away.

When the two friends continued their journey, Lord Krishna said in a tone of benediction, "Let the rich man become more and more prosperous". Hearing this Arjuna was surprised but he kept quiet. They continued their journey despite the hot sun and entered a small village.

An old Brahmin saw them approaching. He came running, prostrated before them and took them to his hut.

After seating them on a tattered mat he went outside, milked the cow, heated the milk and gave the warm milk to his two visitors who consumed it with great relief and satisfaction.

After taking leave of the Brahmin and travelling some distance Lord Krishna said, "Let the Brahmin's cow die".

Arjuna was perplexed because the rich man in the other village who had driven them away has been blessed with more prosperity whereas the poor Brahmin who entertained them was cursed with the death of his only belonging, the cow.

When Arjuna questioned this contradiction, the Lord turned round and said: "There is no contradiction here. The rich man was greedy. By becoming more prosperous he will ruin himself with sensual pleasures. The poor Brahmin was good and devoted, but he had a trace of attachment to the cow. If that attachment is snapped, he will transcend everything and discover his higher self. That is the transition from self-reliance to self-surrender".

There are three stages in our spiritual life. In the first stage, we seek to find expression in outward acts of worship like visiting the temple, church, masjid, gurudwara and so on.

We resort to fasting and pilgrimage. At this stage, we try to tread the path for our union with the Divine. It leads to the second stage of inward contemplation. Here, we feel the presence of God within.

The external is slowly shut out and the internal begins to manifest. In this way, when greater refinement takes place the soul enters the third stage, in which, we can achieve fullness of realisation. The seeker sees the God within in contemplation, meditation and also in the field of action.

Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita (VII.3): "Out of thousands of people only a few strive for perfection; and out of thousands that so strive, only a few realise the truth of my true Being". In verse 19, the Lord says "Striving through several births, the wise one realises Me as existing in every being; such a Mahatman is rare to come across".

That explains self-surrender, the surrender to the supreme self, the ultimate reality, the joyous journey towards bliss and ecstasy.

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More from same author see: T G L Iyer  

See also: Self-surrender, Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)