Conversation with Srila Prabhupada Bombay, January 9, 1977...Meaning of Surrender:
Guest 10 (Indian Man) "Prabhupada, surrender, sar...,word, if you can give us a full explanation of the word surrender. What's the meaning of surrender and how one should do it? Basis of surrender."
Srila Prabhupada: "Surrender, this is surrender, that...First of all, why you surrender? You must know it perfectly well that "Krsna is master; I am servant." Otherwise there is no question of surrender. Then you have to believe that "Krsna says, aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami. So now I have surrendered. I have no more fear. Krsna will give me protection." To believe firmly..."Krsna is all powerful. Krsna is my master. He is not a fakir, that He's talking nonsense." We have to believe that. This is surrender. If you think, "Krsna is another fakir like me. He's talking nonsense," then that is not surrender. You have to believe that.
That is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta, that sraddha sabde visvasa niscaya. This is sraddha. Sraddha is the beginning. That sraddha means when you firmly believe in Krsna: "Yes, He'll give me protection." That is surrender. Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. When you come to this stage, firmly believe in the words of Krsna, that is surrender. First of all, you have to check yourself whether you firmly believe in the words of God. If you don't believe, there is no question of surrender. Then you remain where you are. This is firm belief:
"Krsna says that He will give me protection. So let me surrender. I have surrendered to maya. I have not become happy. So why not surrender to Krsna?" This is intelligence. You are not free. Then why you are declaring yourself as free? This is your disease. So intelligent means that I have no freedom actually. I am acting under the dictation of my senses. I am servant of my senses. So why not become servant of Krsna? This is intelligent. Everyone is acting under senses, order of the senses. Kamadinam kathidha na kathida palita durni-desah. Even I don't want to do it, something wrong, but my senses are dictating, so "All right, let me do it." So we are... I am servant of the senses. My position is twofold. Either I become servant of the senses or I become servant of Krsna. My position is the same. Simply I have to change it.
Jaya Srila Prabhupada.
Guest 10 (Indian Man) "Prabhupada, surrender, sar...,word, if you can give us a full explanation of the word surrender. What's the meaning of surrender and how one should do it? Basis of surrender."
Srila Prabhupada: "Surrender, this is surrender, that...First of all, why you surrender? You must know it perfectly well that "Krsna is master; I am servant." Otherwise there is no question of surrender. Then you have to believe that "Krsna says, aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami. So now I have surrendered. I have no more fear. Krsna will give me protection." To believe firmly..."Krsna is all powerful. Krsna is my master. He is not a fakir, that He's talking nonsense." We have to believe that. This is surrender. If you think, "Krsna is another fakir like me. He's talking nonsense," then that is not surrender. You have to believe that.
That is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta, that sraddha sabde visvasa niscaya. This is sraddha. Sraddha is the beginning. That sraddha means when you firmly believe in Krsna: "Yes, He'll give me protection." That is surrender. Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. When you come to this stage, firmly believe in the words of Krsna, that is surrender. First of all, you have to check yourself whether you firmly believe in the words of God. If you don't believe, there is no question of surrender. Then you remain where you are. This is firm belief:
"Krsna says that He will give me protection. So let me surrender. I have surrendered to maya. I have not become happy. So why not surrender to Krsna?" This is intelligence. You are not free. Then why you are declaring yourself as free? This is your disease. So intelligent means that I have no freedom actually. I am acting under the dictation of my senses. I am servant of my senses. So why not become servant of Krsna? This is intelligent. Everyone is acting under senses, order of the senses. Kamadinam kathidha na kathida palita durni-desah. Even I don't want to do it, something wrong, but my senses are dictating, so "All right, let me do it." So we are... I am servant of the senses. My position is twofold. Either I become servant of the senses or I become servant of Krsna. My position is the same. Simply I have to change it.
Jaya Srila Prabhupada.
Guest 10 (Indian Man) "Prabhupada, surrender, sar...,word, if you can give us a full explanation of the word surrender. What's the meaning of surrender and how one should do it? Basis of surrender." Srila Prabhupada: "Surrender, this is surrender, that...First of all, why you surrender? You must know it perfectly well that "Krsna is master; I am servant." Otherwise there is no question of surrender. Then you have to believe that "Krsna says, aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami. So now I have surrendered. I have no more fear. Krsna will give me protection." To believe firmly..."Krsna is all powerful. Krsna is my master. He is not a fakir, that He's talking nonsense." We have to believe that. This is surrender. If you think, "Krsna is another fakir like me. He's talking nonsense," then that is not surrender. You have to believe that.
That is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta, that sraddha sabde visvasa niscaya. This is sraddha. Sraddha is the beginning. That sraddha means when you firmly believe in Krsna: "Yes, He'll give me protection." That is surrender. Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. When you come to this stage, firmly believe in the words of Krsna, that is surrender. First of all, you have to check yourself whether you firmly believe in the words of God. If you don't believe, there is no question of surrender. Then you remain where you are. This is firm belief:
"Krsna says that He will give me protection. So let me surrender. I have surrendered to maya. I have not become happy. So why not surrender to Krsna?" This is intelligence. You are not free. Then why you are declaring yourself as free? This is your disease. So intelligent means that I have no freedom actually. I am acting under the dictation of my senses. I am servant of my senses. So why not become servant of Krsna? This is intelligent. Everyone is acting under senses, order of the senses. Kamadinam kathidha na kathida palita durni-desah. Even I don't want to do it, something wrong, but my senses are dictating, so "All right, let me do it." So we are... I am servant of the senses. My position is twofold. Either I become servant of the senses or I become servant of Krsna. My position is the same. Simply I have to change it.
Jaya Srila Prabhupada." height="186" width="328" />
Comments
Abhay Charan Das 1972 Correspondence If you think of me and work for me, then I am in your heart. If you love somebody he is in your heart. It is common thing, everyone understands it. Letter to Jadurani -- New Vrindaban 4 September, 1972 : Regarding your questions, second initiation is real initiation. First initiation is the preliminary, just to make him prepared, just like primary and secondary education. The first initiation gives him chance to become purified, and when he is actually purified then he is recognized as a brahmana and that means real initiation. The eternal bond between disciple and spiritual master begins from the first day he hears. Just like my spiritual master. In 1922 he said in our first meeting, you are educated boys, why don't you preach this cult. That was the beginning, now it is coming to fact. Therefore the relationship began from that day. If you think of me and work for me, then I am in your heart. If you love somebody he is in your heart. It is common thing, everyone understands it. If I hate somebody or if I love somebody he is also in my heart. Therefore simply by hating Krishna he gets salvation, like Kamsa. So if you want to hate, hate Krishna. There is no difference between me and my picture. Therefore we should honor and keep pictures in that spirit. If we throw pictures this way and that way, that is offense. The name and picture are as good as the person in spiritual world. In the material world either picture or person, everything is illusion. The spiritual master accepts the sinful activities of his disciples from the first initiation. I may give initiation very easily, but what can I do? I am prepared to go to hell for service of Lord Caitanya.