SURRENDER The easiest path to self-realisation is the surrender of ego. Arjuna surrendered and so, the war in which he was engaged was transformed into a spiritual exercise!.

Surrender the ego, dedicate every moment and every movement to Him; He has assured mankind that He will ensure liberation from pain and evil. When asked where God is, people point towards the sky or some far distant region; that is why He is not manifesting Himself Realise that He is in you, with you, behind you, before you and all around you; and He can be seen and felt everywhere. Realise also that He is all mercy, eager and anxious to fulfil your prayers, if they arise from a pure heart. (091264)

There are three types of surrender:

In the first stage, 'I am Thine', the Lord is fully free and the devotee is fully bound, It is like the cat and the kitten; the cat shifts the kitten about as it wills; the kitten just mews and accepts whatever happens. This attitude is very gentle and is within easy reach of all.

In the second, 'You are Mine', the devotee binds the Lord, who is to that extent 'un-free'! Surdas is a good example of this attitude. "Krishna! You may escape from my hold, from the clasp of these arms; but you cannot escape from my heart, where I have bound you", challenged Surdas. The Lord just smiled and assented; for, "I am bound by My devotees", He asserts so without any loss of self respect. The devotee can tie up the Lord with his love; by devotion that overwhelms and overpowers his egoism. When man is full of this type of devotion, the Lord will Himself bless him with everything he needs. His Grace will fulfil all his wants. Remind yourself here of the promise made by the Lord in the Gita. "1 carry the burden of his welfare".

Next, about the third stage: 'Thou art I'. This is the inseparable devotion. The devotee offers all to the Lord, including himself, for he feels that he cannot withhold himself. That completes his surrender.

The 'Thou art I' feeling is the non-dualistic surrender, based on the realisation that all this is God and nothing less, nothing else. So long as the consciousness of the body persists, the devotee is the servant and the Lord is Master. So long as the individual feels that he is separate from other individuals, the devotee is a part and the Lord is the Whole. When he progresses to the state when he gets beyond the limits of the body as well as of 'I' and 'Mine', then there is no more distinction; devotee and Bhagavan are the same. (Study Circle for Divinity)

There is some justification for your talking of surrender when you are in full control of your mind, your words and your body. As soon as you are able to recognise the aspects of the omnipresence and the omnipotence of God, the feeling of ego, the feeling that there is an ' I ' which is a distinct thing. will disappear(SSB 72, 96)

Surrender to me only. When that surrender is complete and all acts, words, and thoughts are dedicated to the Lord along with all their consequences, then he has promised that he will free you from sin and sorrow. Sathya Sai Speaks 5,p, 54

1. What is surrender? See answer to question no - 2

2. Swami says “Our body is not in our control at all” then how we can say that we will take such a body and surrender it to God?

It is not a question of surrendering or giving to some other one. One surrenders to oneself Recognition that the Atma is oneself is surrender. Surrender really means the realisation that all is God, that there is nobody who surrenders, that there is nothing to be surrendered, nor is there anyone to accept a surrender. All is God. There is only God. Conversation p 93

3. What are the benefits of surrender? Will God take care of all our needs if we surrender to Him?

An example: In a house, each one does a particular job and divides the work. In the evening when the family has finished the work, nobody says ‘Father, I did such and such a work and you must pay me’. It is one house. So you don’t ask for payment, you just do the work. But when someone from outside comes, you fix up the rate and pay accordingly. When you pay them, that shows they are outsiders. But when they become your own, you don’t have to pay them. They work with interest and no pay is expected. Similarly with God. When you think God is nearest and dearest to you, like one family you don’t ask for pay. The one who surrenders like that, He is My own, he does not have to look for payment. But the who says. I have done so much SADHANA, and barters with God and says, ‘I have done so much SADHANA and you give m such and such a reward’, then that is the difference; he is the outsider. The child who is so small does not ask the mother, ‘I want milk. I want to be changed’, and so on, but the mother looks after every need of the child without its asking. When you have surrendered yourself completely to God and become God’s child , you don’t have to tell God what you want. He will give even more than you have asked for. But it is only by love that He is your dearest. Do SADHANA and there is a closeness to God, then you don’t have to tell Him that you want this or that. Because you are like a little child, He will come and give more than even you more than even what you ask for. Ego is what is prevents us from getting close to God. It is that ego, ‘I’ have to do this, ‘I’ have to get all this. You must see that ‘I’ am only the instrument of the Lord. Like the fan is an instrument, you are an instrument of the Lord. Now, is the fan making the fan rotate, or is the current making the fan rotate? The current is making the fan rotate. The current is God. so you are an instrument.

The word ‘surrender’, in English, is not quit correct, it is not the right word. The word ‘surrender’ in English does not quit explain. It is not the correct word Because, when, you say ‘surrender’, you are separate and God is not separate. That is the meaning you get. But God is not separate.

Conversations with Bhagavan, p, 6-7

4. How do we know if we have truly surrendered?

5. I am unable to surrender fully, then What has to be done?

Of course, it is hard to effect this full surrender. But if man makes but the slightest effort towards it, the Lord Himself will confer the courage to pursue it to the end. He will walk with him and help him as a friend; He will lead him as a guide; He will guard him from evil and temptation; He will be his staff and support.

6. What does surrender to the Lord mean?

Surrendering to the Lord is surrendering all thoughts and actions, not wishing for the fruits of the action, not doing action, to gain its fruit but doing the action because it is one’s duty. The act is dedicated to the Lord and the results, therefore, are borne by the Lord. Actions done-thus-fruits abandoned at the time of the action-such action is free of KARMA. Since the ego in this way, is not fed and cultivated, it disappears before long.

Conversations with Bhagavan, p, 15