Prapanna-Jīvanāmṛtam 1st Chapter, Continued.

श्री प्रपन्न-जीबनामृतम्

Śrī Prapanna-Jīvanāmṛtam

by
His Divine Grace

Jagat-Guru

Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara deva Goswāmī

In a new translation
compiled and edited with Sanskrit, Bengali
and Roman transliteration
by 
Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

प्रथमो ऽध्यायः

Prathamo’dhyāyaḥ

First Chapter

बस्तु-निर्णयः

vastu-nirṇayaḥ

Theme and Purpose of the Work

bhagavad-bhaktitaḥ sarvvam, ity utsṛjya vidher api

kaiṇkaryyaṁ kṛṣṇa-pādaikā-, śryatvaṁ śaraṇāgatiḥ [35]

Having faith that bhagavad-bhakti is everything,  that dedication to Kṛṣṇa is the path to perfection, even leaving aside the rules of dharma, and taking refuge of the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa everywhere and anywhere is called Śaraṇagati or surrender.  (35)

[Translator's comment: Sharanagati means surrender, the path of taking refuge, or dedication. Here, Shridhar Maharaja is giving a more specific definition. Following Rupa Goswami’s verse: anusankulyasya sankalpa… Shidhar Maharaja defines Sharanagati as accepting what is favorable and rejecting what is unfavorable to devotion. Having faith that surrendering completely before God is enough; it’s everything, it’s all that one needs for perfection. Trusting completely in His protection; taking shelter of Krishna. 

Offering oneself completely to him. Considering oneself low, fallen, and unfit to receive the mercy of the Lord. These six principles mentioned by Rupa Goswami are the point of departure for our discussion of Sharanagati. In his Sanksrit verse, Shridhar Maharaja also follows the analysis brought out by Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Bengali book of songs, called Sharanagati. Since this theme is revisited again and again it is useful to understand the nomenclature here. A deeper discussion of the meaning of Sharanagati follows. Now that we have defined Sharanagati, we shall favor the use of this term over such words as surrender, rendition, or giving one’s all. In Sanskrit, Shridhar Maharaja favors the word “prappana” to represent Sharanagati. The book might well have been called Sharanagata-jivanāmṛta as Sharanagati and Prapanna are in some ways synonymous. 

Sharanagati: Meaning

सर्ब्बान्तर्यामितं दृष्ट्बा हरेः सम्बन्धतो ‘खिले

अपृथग्-भाब-तद्-दृष्टिः, प्रपत्तिर् ज्ञान-भक्तितः

sarvvāntaryāmitaṁ dṛṣṭvā, hareḥ sambandhato ‘khile

apṛthag-bhāva-tad-dṛṣṭiḥ, prapattir jñāna-bhaktitaḥ [36]

The idea of surrender to God, or Śaraṇāgati, has been seen differently in different religious traditions. Some see surrender as God consciousness in general: Surrender to the Divine. In this sense, surrender is seen as realisation of One-ness.

This is superficial. 

Others see God as Paramātma, the indwelling divinity.  But both undifferentiated divinity and indwelling divinity are  conceptions limited and tinged with jnāna-bhakti, the tendency to "know."  Neither of these may be considered as true surrender for they are devoid of śuddha-bhakti, pure devotion.  (36)

नित्यत्बञ् चैब शास्त्रेषु, प्रपत्तेर् ज्ञायते बुधैः

अप्रपन्नस्य नृ-जन्म, बैफल्योक्तेस् तु नित्यता

nityatvañ caiva śāstreṣu, prapatter jñāyate budhaiḥ

aprapannasya nṛ-janma, vaiphalyoktes tu nityatā [37]

The eternal position of Śaraṇāgati has been established in scriptures by erudite savants, who  refer to Śaraṇāgati as "Prapanna." According to their version, life without true surrender is worthless. (37)

नान्यद् इच्छन्ति तत् पाद-, रजः-प्रपन्न-बैष्णबाः

किञ्चिद् अपीति तत् तस्याः साध्यत्बम् उच्यते बुधैः

nānyad icchanti tat pāda-, rajaḥ-prapanna-vaiṣṇavāḥ

kiñcid apīti tat tasyāḥ sādhyatvam ucyate budhaiḥ

Since the great Vaiṣṇavas want nothing more than surrender, the learned sādhus have affirmed that this must be the highest goal.  (38)

भब-दुःख-बिनाशश् च, पर-निस्तार-योग्यता

परं पदं प्रपत्त्यैब, कृष्ण-सम्प्राप्तिर् एब च [३९]

bhava-duḥkha-vināśaś ca, para-nistāra-yogyatā

paraṁ padaṃ prapattyaiva, kṛṣṇa-samprāptir eva ca [39]

Śaraṇāgati is positive and progressive immortality. Through surrender, not only does one realize true freedom from birth, death, old age and disease, but the ability to deliver others. Not only does one realise freedom from material existence; one gains entrance into the highest abode and the service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.  (39)