The journey of devotion finds its culmination in Atmanivedanam, or self-surrender, a state where the devotee offers not only his body and mind but his very soul to the divine. In the Vishnu-Sahasranama, it is said that the heart of one who has taken refuge in Vasudeva is purified and led to Brahman, the eternal essence. This ultimate surrender is the highest form of bhakti, where the devotee becomes one with God by shedding all attachments and ego, recognizing himself as an instrument in the hands of the Lord. Through this complete immersion in divine will, one moves beyond personal identity and finds true liberation.
In Atmanivedanam, the devotees relinquish any sense of independent existence, viewing themselves as a mere extension of the divine. They surrender all ownership, allowing the Lord to direct their life. Here, pain and pleasure are accepted as divine gifts, experienced with detachment, as the devotee’s heart overflows with faith that God will take care of them. With unwavering devotion, the devotee discards any distinction between friend and foe, remaining fearless and unaffected by worldly fluctuations. His deepest desire is not even salvation but the bliss of remaining in God’s presence. Such complete surrender leads to a profound transformation, where divine grace flows effortlessly, bringing rejuvenation, a sense of fulfilment, and spiritual growth that was once unimaginable.
An infant monkey wraps itself around its mother and clings to his mother while the mother moves across the ground or swings from one tree to another. The entire responsibility rests with the infant in clinging on his mother. If the infant monkey leaves its mother, then the chances of dying, while the mother is on the move is high. On the other hand, a mother cat will grab its kitten firmly behind its neck with its teeth. The little kitten just allows itself to be picked by the scruff of the neck and taken wherever its mother goes. For the movement to be smooth, the kitten should only surrender to its mother completely. A true bhakta’s nature should be to completely surrender to God, just like a kitten to its mother.
Surrender and divine grace are intimately related. With surrender, the heart is purified, creating the space for divine grace to complete the devotee’s journey. In this purified state, the bhakta’s mind, heart, and actions align with divine consciousness. They come to recognise that God resides within and that, in truth, they are inseparable from Him. The greater our surrender to Him, the more He shall come to express Himself through us. While self-surrender does not imply inaction, it does involve dedicated, conscious effort in pursuing divine will. As the Bhagavad Gita reminds us, action is an inevitable part of human life. The journey is like that of a bird riding the wind; while the currents of divine grace lift the devotee higher, sincere effort in self-offering is still necessary. This effort is likened to the sincere flapping of wings that enables the bird to soar.
King Mahabali, known for his generosity, came to a point of complete self-offering when he encountered Lord Vishnu in His form as Vamana. Despite knowing that Vamana was a divine form, Mahabali kept his word and offered all he had, ultimately placing his very head at the Lord’s feet. In doing so, he shed his last traces of ego, attaining supreme consciousness and being granted immortality and divine guardianship over the netherworld.
Similarly, the Gopis’ love for Krishna transcended worldly attachments, as they offered themselves entirely to Him without fear of rebuke. They did not seek anything but Krishna Himself, experiencing the highest form of devotion. Their love was so intense that it became their sole identity, with Krishna becoming the sole object of their thoughts, emotions, and actions.
In today’s world, possessiveness and ego have entrenched themselves in every aspect of human life. People are often drawn into a false sense of ownership over things that, in truth, belong to no one. The surrender of ego, as shown in Bali’s story, symbolizes a realisation that nothing is ours. Everything is a divine gift that we are temporarily granted. This realization helps the devotee to let go of selfish desires, understanding that they are here to serve the divine purpose. The devotee treats himself as a divine instrument, existing solely for the pleasure of God. Worldly challenges may arise, yet the devotee is unperturbed, for in God, he finds an all-encompassing refuge. His prayer, therefore, becomes simple: “I am Thine; all is Thine. Thy will be done.”
Atmanivedanam ultimately leads the devotee to absolute love for God. In this state, individuality dissolves, merging with divine consciousness, the wave merges back into the ocean, the spark into the fire, and the individual soul becomes one with the Universal Spirit. What remains is divine bliss, an experience of supreme love, where everything in creation appears as a manifestation of divine joy. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna explains that only through complete surrender can one transcend the limitations of worldly consciousness. This surrender brings one to a state of Mahabhava, or the highest love, where the bhakta becomes a channel for God’s infinite grace, experiencing the world as divine bliss.
Atmanivedanam is the path of complete self-surrender, a journey of returning to the divine source by shedding all attachments and ego. Through this surrender, the devotee experiences a transformation that aligns his soul with the ultimate truth, leading to the absolute perfection that is God Himself. This is the essence of divine love, the supreme joy that transcends all worldly attachments, revealing that the greatest gift we can offer is, indeed, our very self.
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