Sharanagati

Dasyam means we should become servants; we should have service mood. Service mood means that you are very attentive and want to make Krishna happy. This is the great secret of the devotees – their personal happiness depends on His satisfaction. Therefore they want to make Krishna happy and in this way they will be automatically happy. Happiness is just like energy of Krishna. We cannot possess the energy without serving the Lord of the energy. But if we serve the source of the energy, then we shall have the blessings of that energy also.

That service is not an obligatory service, but loving service. This is like friendship. Krishna is our best friend. Different conceptions, different rasas (relations) are mentioned here. This is sakhyam – friendship.

Finally there is atma-nivedanam. This means to give yourself totally. Atma – means your soul – depends on Him totally. We should dance according to Krishna’s desire. Atma-nivedanam is the crown of devotional services.

Who will show us what it means to listen, to sing, to remember, what does it mean to give ourselves totally? The spiritual master will help us. Therefore we pay our due obeisances to our spiritual master, because he is just like a servant. He serves us by showing what to do, for example how to offer incense or how to chant on our japa (rosary)[1]; gives some hints what it means total surrender. Therefore we are very fortunate to have such elevated friends and helpers and well-wishers as the members of the parampara (the line of teachers). This is a very glorious way, so we shall feel very fortunate to be part and members of that.

[1] Japa (chanting mantras/prayers on a rosary) – a core practice in Bhakti yoga.