Surrender - To Whom, How, Why ?

Most of the religions and spiritual practices advocate surrender. In one form or the other. It is easy to say "Surrender to God", But what does that even mean?

In the context of the Bhagavad Gita, surrender is not about giving up in the conventional sense but is about submitting oneself to the divine presence within and around us. My interpretation emphasizes that the "ME" mentioned in the Gita—where Krishna advises Arjuna to "abandon all duties and come to ME the only refuge"— does not refer to the person Krishna, but to the ever-abiding consciousness within every individual. This is the divine essence or the Atman, the Supreme Self.

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 18, Verse 62

तमेव शरणं गच्छ सर्वभावेन भारत |तत्प्रसादात्परां शान्तिं स्थानं प्राप्स्यसि शाश्वतम् || 62||

tam eva śharaṇaṁ gachchha sarva-bhāvena bhāratatat-prasādāt parāṁ śhāntiṁ sthānaṁ prāpsyasi śhāśhvatam

tam—unto him; eva—only; śharaṇam gachchha—surrender; sarva-bhāvena—whole-heartedly; bhārata—Arjun, the son of Bharat; tat-prasādāt—by his grace; parām—supreme; śhāntim—peace; sthānam—the abode; prāpsyasi—you will attain; śhāśhvatam—eternal

tam eva sharanam gachchha sarva-bhavena bharatatat-prasadat param shantim sthanam prapsyasi shashvatam

Translation

Surrender exclusively unto Him with your whole being, O Bharat. By His grace, you will attain perfect peace and the eternal abode.

To whom do you surrender?

You surrender to this divine essence within you, the Supreme Self or Him or God or consciousness who/that resides in every being. This is not just a passive act but an active one that involves recognizing and aligning with this divine presence.

How do you surrender?

Surrender involves selfless action, detachment from the fruits of your actions, and an unwavering devotion to performing your duty without attachment. It’s about living your life in alignment with what your true self wants, being aware of desires dictated by the conditioned body and mind and slowly letting go of them, and trusting in the intent and direction shown by the inner divine consciousness. This means offering all your actions, thoughts, and even your sense of self to this higher purpose, allowing the divine to guide you in every aspect of life.

In essence, surrender is about recognizing that the divine is the true doer and that by aligning yourself with this truth, you find peace and purpose.

So what is this "Divine" thing inside us ?

The concept of the divine in the context of the Bhagavad Gita, is profound and multifaceted. The divine, often referred to as Krishna in the Gita, is not just a historical or mythological figure but represents the Supreme Consciousness or Supreme Reality, the Universal Self, or call it the God that pervades everything.

The Divine as the Universal Self

The divine is described as Atman (the inner self or soul) and Brahman (the ultimate reality or cosmic spirit). It is the essence of all living beings, the eternal, unchanging truth that resides within each of us. This divine presence is not limited to a particular form or name but is the underlying reality (consciousness) that connects all existence. Lets call it a universal operating system. The human mind cannot grasp that this consciousness was always there and shall always be. The human mind reasons and wants to know how and whom this got created and by whom. But that is neither the right query , not the right approach to understand. What is not of the 5 senses and of the mind ( cumulatively referred to as 6 senses), cannot be understood by them. Just like our 5 senses are not equipped to see or feel the waves of bluetooth or a wifi network, the 'experience' of this operating system is beyond the grasp of the 6 senses.

The Divine as Krishna

In the Gita, Krishna is the personification of this divine principle. He represents the Supreme Being who guides, protects, and sustains the universe. However, Krishna in the Gita is more than just a deity or a historical figure. He is symbolic of the Parmatman or Supreme Self the Univeral Operating System, that exists in everyone. Krishna’s words in the Gita are seen as the voice of this inner divine, the guiding force that speaks to us through our conscience and intuition.

The Divine as the Source and Sustainer

The divine is also seen as the source of all creation, the force that sustains the universe, and the ultimate goal of all spiritual endeavours. It is the Purushottama (the Supreme Person), who is beyond the physical and the metaphysical, beyond time and space, yet immanent in every particle of existence. Just like a painter's art is an extension of the consciousness of the painter, manifested in a 'physical form' , all matter and energy of the universe ( The Creation ) is an extension of this all pervading consciousness. And it is dynamic.

Surrender in Practice

When one start objectively observing, one becomes aware of the sensations arising on the body and the associated emotions in the mind , learns what is the reaction to each event, what is the habit pattern, what is the pre-programmed instinctual response; this is where one starts the process of surrender. As the process moves further, one effortlessly starts weilding power over this 'reaction' and slowly gets rid of this habit pattern.

When one fully takes up the role of the observer, a transition occurs: the observer and what is being observed merge . The sense of separation of these 2 entities dissolves, and one realizes that whatever was being observed - thoughts, emotions, or external situations —are not separate from themsevels. They are part of the unified field of consciousness.

In this state, the observer dissolves into pure awareness, and experiences a deep sense of peace and presence. The mind’s chatter ceases, and one enters a state of being where there is no judgment, no resistance ; just a serene acceptance of 'what is'. This is the state of complete surrender. In this state, all actions are noble. But this is a stage far away for many of us. So the start of the journey is with objective observation and an attempt towards of resistance to 'what is'