Surrender Yourself Unconditionally

Aum Sairam
May This Thursday [Baba's Day] Bring You Strength, Good luck, Happiness, Success And Joy

There are two aspects of God or Brahman: [1] the Un-Manifested [Nirgun] and [2] the Manifested [Sagun]. The Nirgun is formless, while the Sagun is with form, though both denote the same Brahman. The Vedas describe God as being Nirguna [free of qualities] and Niranjana [free of blemish]. The Advaita philosophy explains this concept:" God or Brahman does not have any gunas or qualities ". However, Vishishtadvaita philosophy explains that Nirguna does not mean that God has no qualities; it only means that God has no bad gunas or qualities. The entire principle of Vishishtadvaita veers around Sharanagati or Total Surrender to God.

God is all-powerful. Yet, He is generous and forgives those who seek forgiveness and surrender to Him, which ultimately leads to their salvation. The Lord's compassion is limitless. No wonder, then, He is also known as Karunasagar or the Ocean of Compassion. In Shri Bhagawad Purana, when Hiranyakashipu asks Prahalad, his son, what is the best thing that he has learnt, Prahalad enumerates nine ways of reaching God and one of them is Atma Samarpan or Total Surrender to God. In Shri Bhagawad Gita, Lord Krishna says " Leave everything and surrender to me, I will absolve you of all sins and lead you to salvation ". God does not differentiate between friend and foe, man and animal, caste and creed. He comes to the rescue of all those who surrender to Him with full faith and belief in Him. Various incidents in Hindu Mythology and our Puranas and Epics illustrate the concept of God as the One who always comes to the rescue of the helpless who care to remember Him.

The following incidents from the Mahabharata and Ramayana encapsulate wonderfully the principle of total surrender to the Lord: During the Vastrapaharan, when Draupadi's honor was at stake, as long as she tried to protect her honor with her hands, the Lord did not come to her rescue. The moment she raised both her hands in despair and called out to Krishna indicating that she believed Him to be the only savior; the Lord came to her rescue and saved her honor. Vibhishana, Ravana's brother came to surrender to the Lord and fight on the side of Rama. The entire army of Sugriva was against this, but Lord Rama accepted Vibhishana on his side and said that even if Ravana seeks forgiveness, he will pardon him. Lord Sainath said that He was Omnipresent, occupying land, air, country, world, light and heaven, and that He was not limited. To remove the misunderstanding of those, who thought that Sri Sai Baba was only His body - three cubits and a half in length, He incarnated Himself in this form and if any devotee meditated on Him day and night with complete Self Surrender, he experienced complete union [without any difference] with Him like sweetness and sugar, waves and sea, eye and its luster.

Sri Sai Baba asked many to remember His name and to surrender to Him. One who always engages himself in good actions, does his duties and surrender himself, heart and soul to Him, he need not then be afraid of anything. He who trusts Him entirely, hears and expounds His Leela's and does not think of anything else, is sure to attain Self-Realization. [Chapter XVII and XIX Shri Sai Satcharitra]. Surrendering Unconditionally to the Almighty is one way of expressing our confidence in the Divine, for faith works wonders.

Let us on this beautiful Thursday remind ourselves of that benevolent caretaker longing to lead us from the convenient facts to everlasting contentment, Truth!

Allah Malik