Atmasamarpana is the complete surrendering of the self to the deity one worships. Atmasamarpana can be said to be common to all traditions in Hinduism. Yet this is considered to be a special aspect of the Vaishnava tradition.
Every system of Hindu philosophy advocates certain upayas
(means) for the attainment of moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and
death), the highest goal of human endeavor. The Vedanta systems uphold either
jnana (knowledge) or bhakti (devotion), as the sole means of attaining that
supreme goal.
The Srivaishnava tradition, propagated by Ramanuja, in
addition to bhakti, admits atmasamarpana as an alternative means of achieving
the desired end. This atmasamarpana is also denoted by the popular terms
saranagati, prapatti and bharanyasa. The practice of bhakti yoga requires
certain rigorous disciplines like viveka (discrimination), vimoksha (freedom
from desire and anger) and the practice of yama (moral discipline and
non-violence), niyama (self-purification, austerities, study) and asana
(posture which must be firm and pleasant for meditation on God).
A rigorous practice of karma yoga must precede the practice
of bhakti yoga. Since bhakti yoga demands certain rigorous disciplines
according to the state and stage of life, not all become uniformly eligible to
practice it. In contrast, the other means, atmasamarpana, is easier to practice
and more importantly, all are eligible to practice this means.
Though atmasamarpana is not mentioned explicitly in Vedas,
yet a scattered reference to this could be noticed in them. Rig Veda passages I.189.1
and VI.29.3 can be cited in this connection. These Upanishads make a clear
statement about surrender by using the expression sharana. Notable among them
are Chandogya Upanishad (II. 22.3-4), Svetasvatara Upanishad (VI.17), Mundaka Upanishad
(II.ii.4) and Mahanarayana Upanishad (24). The epics or itihasas, namely, the Ramayana
and the Mahabharata and the Puranas specifically mention this concept.
But long before the time of epics and Purana literature, the
doctrine of self surrender could be found in the Pancaratra Agama tradition. In
fact, the Srivaishnava tradition owes much to this agama literature for this
doctrine. Of these, Ahirbudhnya Samhita and Lakshmitantra are seen to be advocating
this doctrine.
Atmasamarpana has five accessories or limbs these are
- Anukulyasya sankalpah – a resolve to perform activities that are agreeable to Bhagavan
- Pratikulyasya varjanam – a resolve not to perform activities that displeases Bhagavan
- Mahavishwasa – intense faith in Bhagavan as the savior
- Karpanyam – a feeling of utter helplessness to practice any other protection
- Goptritva Varanam – seeking the protection of Bhagavan.
When one is possessed of these entirely, he can then
surrender himself to Bhagavan (atmanikshepa or atmasamarpana). Of the five
accessories, the third one, that is mahavishwasa is pivotal to this doctrine.
The word samarpana literally means ‘to offer’, that is, offering
an object to a person. Since atman or self cannot be taken out and offered like
an object, the expression atmasamarpana should mean that the self or atman should
imagine itself as offering to God, that is, he should have such a mental attitude
towards God.
The Srivaishnava preceptors of southern India propagated
this concept of saranagati throughout India. Stotraratna, a poem par excellence
of Yamunacharya, was the first independent work to explain this concept. Next
in order, Ramanujacharya elaborated this idea in his Saranagati-gadya.
Following him, Vedanta Desika, who wrote many independent works on this doctrine,
elaborated the concept in his magnum opus Rahasyatrayasara. These preceptors
cite many mythological stories on the concept of surrender, such as, the
surrender of Vibhishana to Bhagavan Sri Rama, and the surrender of Draupadi to
Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Another important source to the concept of atmasamarpana
is the Bhagavad Gita passage (XVIII.66) – in this verse, the expression saranam
vraja (surrender unto me) clearly expresses this concept of surrender. Thus
from the 11th century onwards this doctrine has struck deep roots in
the Sri Vaishnava tradition.