Srila Govinda Maharaj Australia

Expressions of Saranagati in Srimad Bhagavatam

Continuing our series on saranagati, this post presents a selection of verses from Srimad Bhagavatam cited by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj in his introduction to Saranagati.

tasmāt tvam uddhavotsṛjya chodanāṁ pratichodanām
pravṛttiṁ cha nivṛttiṁ cha śrotavyaṁ śrutam eva cha
mām ekam eva śaraṇam ātmānaṁ sarva-dehinām
yāhi sarvātma-bhāvena mayā syā hy akuto-bhayaḥ
      (11.12.14–15)
[Krishna says:] “Oh Uddhav, totally abandoning the Vedas and their auxiliaries, all of their prescriptions and prohibitions, and everything you have ever heard or may come to hear, with all your heart take exclusive shelter of Me, the life of all beings; by My grace you will become completely fearless.”

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ
na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī cha rājan
sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ
gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam
     (11.5.41)
[Karabhajan Rsi says to Maharaj Nimi:] “Oh King, one who, having completely abandoned all worldly duties, surrenders wholeheartedly unto the ultimate shelter, Mukunda, is neither a debtor to, nor a servant of, the demigods, the sages, other living entities, relatives, mankind, or ancestors.”

martyo yadā tyakta-samasta-karmā
niveditātmā vichikīrṣito me
tadāmṛtatvaṁ pratipadyamāno
mayātma-bhūyāya cha kalpate vai
     (11.29.34)
[Krishna says to Uddhav:] “When a mortal being completely rejects all pursuit of mundane enjoyment and liberation, surrenders themself unto Me, and serves Me according to My desires, they obtain immortality (amrtatva)—they awaken to their eternal spiritual form like My own, with which they are able to relish the nectar of their intimate loving relationship with Me.”

yeṣāṁ sa eva bhagavān dayayed anantaḥ
sarvātmanāśrita-pado yadi nirvyalīkam
te dustarām atitaranti cha deva-māyāṁ
naiṣāṁ mamāham iti dhīḥ śva-śṛgāla-bhakṣye
     (2.7.42)
“If one wholeheartedly takes shelter of the feet of the Infinite Supreme Lord, He bestows His true mercy upon them and they thereby transcend the insurmountable maya of the Lord. The Lord does not bestow His mercy upon those who ascribe the conceptions of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ to the material body, which is nothing more than food for jackals and dogs.”

kaḥ paṇḍitas tvad aparaṁ śaraṇaṁ samīyād
bhakta-priyād ṛta-giraḥ suhṛdaḥ kṛta-jñāt
sarvān dadāti suhṛdo bhajato ’bhikāmān
ātmānam apy upachayāpachayau na yasya
     (10.48.26)
“Oh Lord, You are the truthful, grateful, and affectionate friend of Your devotees. What learned person would ever take shelter of anyone but You? You fulfil all the desires of Your friends who serve You, You even give Your very self to them, and yet You are neither augmented nor diminished thereby.”

aho bakī yaṁ stana-kāla-kūṭaṁ
jighāṁsayāpāyayad apy asādhvī
lebhe gatiṁ dhātry-uchitāṁ tato ’nyaṁ
kaṁ vā dayāluṁ śaraṇaṁ vrajema
     (3.2.23)
[Lamenting in separation, Uddhav marvels:] “How wonderful! Even though the wicked Putana nursed Krishna with her poison-smeared breasts, intending to kill Him, He granted her a position befitting His mother! Of what merciful Lord shall we take shelter other than Him?”

kiṁ durāpādanaṁ teṣāṁ puṁsām uddāma-chetasām
yair āśritas tīrtha-padaś charaṇo vyasanātyayaḥ
     (3.23.42)
“What remains unobtainable for even persons of agitated mind, if they surrender unto the feet of the Supreme Lord, which destroy all material attachment?”

nāham ātmānam āśāse mad-bhaktaiḥ sādhubhir vinā
śriyaṁ chātyantikīṁ brahman yeṣāṁ gatir ahaṁ parā
     (9.4.64)
[Narayan declares to Durvasa Muni:] “Oh brahman, without My devotees, those sadhus for whom I am the only shelter, I desire neither the bliss of My own nature nor My six eternal opulences.”

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām
     (10.14.58)
“For those who have taken refuge in the supreme shelter of the boat of the lotus feet of Sri Murari, whose glories are purity’s own self, the ocean of material existence becomes as insignificant as the water contained in a calf’s hoof-print. Their destination is the supreme abode, where there is no danger—never this world, where there is danger at every step.”

chiram iha vṛjinārtas tapyamāno ’nutāpair
avitṛṣa-ṣaḍ-amitro ’labdha-śāntiḥ kathañchit
śaraṇa-da samupetas tvat-padābjaṁ parātman
abhayam ṛtam aśokaṁ pāhi māpannam īśa
     (10.51.57)
“Oh Supreme Soul, for so long in this world I have been tormented by sin, burned by remorse, constantly harassed by my six insatiable enemies, and have never obtained peace. Oh Bestower of shelter, somehow I have come before Your lotus feet, which are the abode of fearlessness, sorrowlessness, and nectar. Oh Lord, please protect me, who am in danger.”

tan me bhavān khalu vṛtaḥ patir aṅga jāyām
ātmārpitaś cha bhavato ’tra vibho vidhehi
mā vīra-bhāgam abhimarśatu chaidya ārād
gomāyu-van mṛga-pater balim ambujākṣa
     (10.52.39)
[A letter of appeal from Rukmini Devi to Sri Krishna:] “Oh lotus-eyed Lord, I have chosen You as my husband and offered myself fully unto You. Therefore, oh Almighty One, please come swiftly and take me as Your wife, before Sisupal, like a jackal plundering a lion’s prey, touches me, who am to be enjoyed by You alone.”

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