The meaning of surrender

“Do with me what you will. Only give me ever increasing love for your feet.” This is how Raman Maharshi described surrender. We crystallise a separate individuality with our thoughts as ‘I’. This ‘I am the body ‘ belief has to disappear in total surrender.

When a wave tries to be the ocean, does it really need to do so? Should it not remain as it were, because it is the very ocean! Does it matter if the wave rises, falls or breaks?

Self will and surrender cannot go together. Surrender, is that of a child, who walks confidently and happily, clutching his mother’s finger, and going wherever she takes him. The Bible also says ‘Thy will be done, not mine’.

We go to temples with a self will list. We think that the intelligent Creator of this universe, who ordains the perfect movements of stars , planets and galaxies, has somewhere made mistakes in planning out our life situations! We then have the audacity to advise him how to do it better!

Surrender is a complete joyful acceptance of His will and belief in His protection. If you agree that you stand in the protective shade of His umbrella , then how come you still feel the scorching heat of the sun? You cannot have Him obey you and still claim that you have surrendered!

Your worries are His, the moment you put them at His feet. Let go, let Him handle His world, He knows best, or do you know better?

Be completely one with His design , as the wave with the ocean. Then the ocean carries the burden.The struggle against sorrow or the resignation to it, don’t both lose meaning when sorrow dissolves ? Sri Ramana says it beautifully, “As snow in water melts, let me dissolve as love in you…”

Prarthna Saran, President Chinmaya Mission New Delhi, can be contacted at prarthnasaran@gmail.com