In Sharanagati, You Do Not Have to Take Decisions

You stop having a will of your own. Sri Hari’s will becomes your will. You no longer want to do things. You no longer want change happening in the world. You just follow the divine will — Sri Hari’s will.

When all your possessions are handed over to Him — including your father, mother, son, daughter and house — it is not that you abandon them. You start taking better care of them, because they are no longer yours; they are now Sri Hari’s.

You only change your role. From being the owner, you become a caretaker. That becomes your duty. You dedicate yourself to that duty.

You still continue to work, you still earn, but only to spend on taking care of Sri Hari’s possessions. You become a caretaker, but you don’t get paid for doing that job. You work and earn so that you can be a caretaker of His properties.

You don’t think about what is good and what is bad. You simply execute His will. It is up to Him to see what is good and what is bad.

Your senses become fully under His command. You see, hear, smell, taste and touch as He desires. You no longer take yourself to a movie hall because you want to enjoy watching a movie. You will enjoy whatever the Lord is showing before your eyes.

You no longer go searching for a beautiful song. You enjoy whatever Sri Hari plays in your ears.

You no longer look for a fragrance to delight your nose. You enjoy whatever smell Sri Hari takes to your nostrils.

You no longer desire mouth-watering delicacies. You enjoy whatever food Sri Hari gets, no matter how humble and simple they are.

You no longer differentiate between a feather-soft bed or a hard rock. You are comfortable with whatever Sri Hari gives you.

You stop looking for objects of pleasure because you know that it is Sri Hari who would enjoy through your sensory organs hereafter. He knows what to choose. He knows what He wants. You don’t have to tell Him.

In fact, nothing ever belonged to you. Everything always belonged to Sri Hari. You just went around thinking that they are yours.

When you are asked to relinquish your possessions, you are not actually relinquishing your possessions, because you never had any possessions. You are only relinquishing your false notion of ownership.

You realize that all your thoughts — like I am progressing, I am stagnating, I am falling — they were all false.

You also pray to Him that the notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ that you are discarding may never come back to you in future.

You should understand that Bhagawan Sri Hari knows all the bad deeds that you have done so far and also everything good that is done so far. Nothing is hidden from Him. He will decide whether to punish you or save you. That is His prerogative. You cannot lay claim that you promised to rescue, so you have to now. Let Him decide.

But you know very well that Sri Hari has pardoned those who have committed offences even against Himself.

You know very well that there is no shelter other than Him.

This surrender should make you feel light, offloaded, happy, joyful. The lotus feet should become your place for relaxation.

Even after surrender, you may meet with terrible obstacles while serving Him. You should enjoy them as well. It is for Him. These troubles and obstacles should raise within you a sense of pride and satisfaction, like how a soldier would get fighting for his country with the enemy. The joy comes because you are no longer working for yourself; you are working for Him.

You completely forget your past — what you were, where you were, how you were, what you did or did not do, what you could or could not do. It is a fresh beginning with nobody but Sri Hari in your life.

This is surrender. This is sharanagati.

• How do I know I am actually surrendering and not just avoiding decisions?
  You keep doing your duties with full effort, but you stop claiming ownership over results. Laziness is out; accountability stays.

• What changes first when someone truly lets go of ownership?
  The language in the mind changes from 'my' and 'mine' to 'entrusted to me'. Care deepens, anxiety drops.

• How do I balance family needs with surrender?
  Treat family as sacred responsibility from Bhagavan. Show up on time, listen well, provide wisely, and cut ego from the equation.

• What happens to ambition and long-term goals?
  You still plan and work hard, but you hold plans lightly. You accept redirection without drama.

• How do I handle money after surrender?
  Earn ethically, spend mindfully, avoid waste, and prioritise what serves dharma and genuine needs.

• What if loved ones oppose this path?
  Stay calm, be kind, and prove your sincerity through consistent, responsible action. Arguments reduce; trust grows.

• How do I deal with mistakes if everything is offered to the divine?
  Admit quickly, correct fully, learn fast, and move on. No self-pity, no blame games.

• How do the senses settle down without becoming dull?
  Craving reduces, sensitivity increases. You enjoy what is present rather than chasing what is absent.

• Does surrender kill personal identity?
  It dissolves ego, not uniqueness. Your strengths remain, now used cleanly for a higher purpose.

• How should I read suffering once I have surrendered?
  As training and service. You face it with courage, use it to purify motives, and keep walking.

• What is a reliable daily practice to stay surrendered?
  Morning sankalpa: 'I offer today and its outcomes to Bhagavan.' Evening review: note slips, give thanks, reset.

• How do I know this is working?
  Signs are steady: calmer mind, kinder speech, cleaner choices, resilient effort, and gratitude in both gain and loss.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi