For us Sai devotees, understanding the true essence of sharanagati (true surrender) is of utmost importance.

In a worldly context, surrender is often understood as a sign of weakness or a state of defeat.

However, in the spiritual realm, sharanagati (true surrender) carries a completely different and much deeper meaning.

Sharanagati or prapatti is a profound and transformative spiritual principle that literally means “taking refuge.” It reflects an inner attitude in which the seeker surrenders the ego, the sense of doership, and personal desires to Ishvara (God, the Divine, Brahman). This concept is central to many devotional paths, particularly within traditions like Vaishnavism.

Surrender in this context does not imply inaction; rather, it means engaging in action that is aligned with the divine will. Sharanagati is not blind faith — it arises from a deep wisdom and trust that Baba, who knows the past, present, and future, always acts with perfect insight. In contrast, decisions made from our limited perspective are inevitably flawed.

A careful reading of the Sai Satcharitra reveals numerous examples that beautifully illustrate this truth.

Though sharanagati is thought to be more associated with Bhakti marga, it is also associated with Adviata in the letting go of the ego and the false sense of individuality to realize the Self.

Sharanagati is not just submission — it’s liberation.

True surrender is freedom:

• From ego
• From anxiety
• From the illusion of control
• From the binding results of karma

It’s a letting go into something far greater than the individual self.

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Let us delve a little deeper and explore what the shastras have to say about sharanagati.

1. Hari bhakti vilasa (11.676) gives a clear definition of sharanagati:

   आनुकूल्यस्य सङ्कल्पः प्रातिकूल्यस्य वर्जनं ।
   रक्षिष्यतीति विश्वासो गोप्तृत्वे वरणं तथा ।
   आत्मनिक्षेपकार्पण्ये षड्विधा शरणागतिः ॥
   

   ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlya-vivarjanam |
   rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāso goptṛtve varaṇaṁ tathā ||
   ātma-nikṣepa-kārpaṇye ṣaḍ-vidhā śaraṇāgatiḥ ||
   

   Sharanagati has six aspects:
   

   1. Ānukūlya-saṅkalpa – To desire in accordance with the desire of God
   2. Prātikūlya-vivarjana – Don’t desire against the desire of God
   3. Rakṣiṣyatīti-viśvāsa – To feel that God is always protecting me
   4. Goptṛtva–varaṇa – To feel gratitude for all of His grace
   5. Ātma-nikṣepa – Think and know all that I have belongs to Him
   6. Kārpaṇya – When you do sharanagadhi, give up the pride of doing sharanagadhi (be hamble)
   It is important to note that sharanagati is considered complete only when all six aspects are fully present. There is no such thing as partial surrender — it is either total, at 100%, or it is not surrender at all. There is no middle ground.

2. Shrimat Bhagavata (7.5.23) mentions about nine fold bhakti (nava vida bhakti):
   श्रवणं कीर्तनं विष्णोः स्मरणं पादसेवनम् ।
   अर्चनं वन्दनं दास्यं सख्यमात्मनिवेदनम् ||

   Shravannam Kiirtanam Vissnnoh Smarannam Paada-Sevanam |
   Arcanam Vandanam Daasyam Sakhyam-Aatma-Nivedanam ||

   Here, Aatma-nivedanam (sharanagati) is considered highest form of bhakti.

3. In the Bhagavad Gītā 18.66, where Sri Krishna says:
   सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज |
   अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुच: ||
   

   sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śharaṇaṁ vraja |
   ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣhayiṣhyāmi mā śhuchaḥ ||
   

   Abandon all varieties of dharmas and simply surrender unto Me alone. I shall liberate you from all sinful reactions; do not fear.
   

   This verse requires careful understanding. Through dedicated sadhana, one ultimately reaches a stage of complete dependence on God, or total sharanagati — the pinnacle of spiritual practice — a final surrender into divine grace. It is essential not to abandon the prescribed dharmas prematurely.

   A great example of this is the episode of “Gajendra Moksha” from Srimad Bhagavata Purana.

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Let’s look at a few examples to better understand the concept of sharanagati:

The supreme example of sharanagati is Sri Hanuma from The Ramayana, whose surrender to Sri Rama is absolute. Sri Hanuma is constantly engaged in fulfilling Sri Rama’s will, with no trace of his own personal desires.

Another remarkable example of sharanagati can be found in the life of Sai devotee S. B. Dhumal of Nasik. During a plague outbreak in Nasik, where his ancestral home was located, dead rats were discovered in the house. Before deciding to leave, Dhumal wrote to Shirdi, seeking Baba’s permission. He waited for Baba’s response before vacating the house. Fully trusting in Baba’s protection, he felt safe staying until he received the reply, knowing Baba’s words, “At every step I am guiding you,” were true. With complete faith in Baba’s powers and love, Dhumal stayed amidst the plague, confident that Baba would protect him until he was instructed otherwise. Baba, being omniscient, knew everything happening in every moment, whether in Nasik or elsewhere. As long as Dhumal placed his childlike trust in Baba, no harm would come to him.

For 29 years, from 1907 to 1936, Baba’s protection never failed Dhumal. In every situation, his faith was unwavering. When Baba gave permission to move to a bungalow in Nasik, Dhumal did so. On the very night he moved in, a dead rat was found. Dhumal immediately wrote to Baba, asking if he should leave. Baba’s response was no, so he stayed. Though the health authorities and neighbors criticized him for disregarding safety, Dhumal’s faith in Baba was always rewarded. He continued living in the bungalow, and eventually, more dead rats were found in the servants’ quarters, neighboring houses, and even in the bungalow where all the water for cooking was drawn. At that point, Dhumal wrote to Baba again, asking for permission to move, confident that Baba’s reply would come.

As he packed his belongings to leave for his house in Bazaar street, the postman arrived with Baba’s letter, which read, “Why should we give up our residence?” Immediately, Dhumal turned back and returned to the bungalow, continuing to live there boldly, taking care to avoid the infected water where the rat had been found. He sourced all his water from the Godavari river. Despite the plague, which claimed 14-15 lives daily in Nasik, no harm came to Dhumal. His faith in Baba’s guidance and protection proved unwavering and true.

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Complete surrender to the Guru is not an easy achievement; it represents the highest form of bhakti. We must purify ourselves through dedicated sadhana, and the grace of the Guru is essential. At times, the Guru may use our karmas to test the depth of our surrender. In essence, it is a long and challenging journey, and there are no shortcuts on the path of spirituality.

One may wonder what happens to someone whose surrender has not yet fully ripened. It is natural for the human mind to have doubts in the early stages of sadhana. Will such a person not receive any protection from Baba?

The answer to this question is that a devotee may experience suffering due to not aligning with Baba’s will. In such moments of downfall, it is important to reflect on one’s own mistakes and make the necessary corrections. This is a learning process, and spiritual progress depends on how quickly we, as devotees, learn to correct ourselves. Often, a devotee may mistakenly believe that Baba did not offer protection, and may consider turning to another Guru or tradition, or even lose faith in spirituality altogether. In doing so, they risk missing out on a great opportunity and hinder their spiritual progress.

Baba, like a loving parent, is always watching over us and offering the help we need, even when we stumble. As long as we remain sincere, honest in our efforts, and are willing to persevere, success will ultimately be ours.

One can understand this concept by looking at the relationship between a child and parent in everyday life. Sometimes, children ignore the wise counsel of their parents and fall into temptation. The parents feel sad, but when the children face the consequences of their wrong choices and realize their mistakes, the parents are always ready to extend a helping hand. While this causes pain and delays the children’s progress, the only way forward is for them to correct their course and follow the right path. This is part of the growing process, and children should be wise enough to learn from both their own mistakes and the mistakes of others, so they can advance more quickly. However, this is a time-consuming process, and we, as devotees, must cultivate patience (sabhuri). In this context, one can recall Poojya Bharadwaja Master’s words: “Even after finding a samartha sadguru like Baba, it is rare to find a devotee who attains moksha in just one or two lifetimes”.

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The next natural question is: how can we discern the right course of action or understand the will of God? Unlike Dhumal, we do not have the blessing of writing a letter to Baba and receiving a timely reply. So how do we navigate situations in life ?

The short answer to this question is: dharma.

Refer to this link to know more about dharma

Om Sairam _/\_