"Why should a God, the almighty create all these beings and expect them to surrender to Him/Her/It?
What does a devotee surrender? Why does he surrender - because he is afraid? The whole 'philosophy' of total surrender does not make sense.
Somehow surrender is then a belief. Kind of anti-climax because every religion has their pet beliefs.
"My christian friend think that we are destined to go to hell if we do not believe in Jesus to get rid of some original sin.
There is also talk about ego, merging with god etc. So I am wondering if there are other reasons or beliefs.
Wonder what Mr Iyer thinks."
-- Sri a-TB
"So as many think surrendering to God does not mean one is fearful about something but seeking help for guiding his life."
-- Sri Srinivasan Vaidyaraman
My dear highly respected Sri a-TBNot being a "God man" (Sri Sravna's words) or even pretending to be one, may I, at your most kind invitation, say what I think?
The much-bruited-abroad word "surrender" has different meanings and shades of meaning for different people, depending perhaps on their perceptions of themselves and their God, on their levels of devotion and of sophistication, on their needs spiritual and material, even on their moods when using that word.
God the Creator does not expect anyone to surrender tn him or to anyone else. It is the surrenderor's decision.
First and foremost, surrendering to someone, a human, is totally different from surrendering direct to God Himself or Herself. Humans are fallible, even the Pope when pronouncing ex cathedra on faith and morals. Why else are there so many different mutually hostile and warring faiths, all claiming to teach and spread the Word of One Universal God? Even over-sensitive sub-sects of Hinduism claiming paramountcy? All led by humans but claiming to be messengers, prophets, even incarnations of God?
"Mea culpa, mea culpa," cries the devout Christian in the confessional, surrendering to the mercy of his God.
"Yeh Allah!," invokes the faithful Muslim, with tears in eyes, bowing his head till it touches the ground, surrendering to his chosen Almighty.
"Kaayena vaacha manasaa indriyairvaa budhyaa aathmanaava prakruthe svabhaavaath karomi yadyad sakalam parasmai sreeman naraayanaayethu samarppayaami," chants the Brahmin before prostrating full-length on the ground in front of his ishta-devathaa in total surrender.
The devotee is a devotee, I suppose, because he realises sooner or later in life that there is a Power greater than himself or his fellow-humans. He realises that he is weak and seeks the aid of this greater Power. His feelings of devotion deepen, his psyche expands to accept and to submit totally to this Power of his: he sublimates his own intellect, he suppresses his questioning, his rationalising, and his inquisitive human mind.
He surrenders. He unloads on to the Power all that troubles him.
It brings psychological catharsis, a feeling of relief, an emptying of the accumulated tension within himself. "No more my problem. The problem is yours," he rejoices. He is at peace. He does not maintain a one-man fight against the world anymore. He accepts all challenges with his head up, his chest out, for he knows that he has God on his side.
It is a precious personal triumph he has achieved -- opened up a direct communication channel to God. Any time. Anywhere. He is not cowed any more. He now has a solid anchor in stormy seas, a bright beacon in former mental darkness, a companion, a guide, a trusty confidant, a powerful protector.
Surrender is not a belief. It is a demonstrative act of one who has faith in a superior Power, in God.
Does "surrender" in the psychological sense, NOT the philosophical sense, make sense?
Thanks and regards,
S Narayanaswamy Iyer
