Chapter Six — The Six Limbs of Surrender
The preceding verse teaches surrender. Six ascending steps form the path by which the soul approaches the Lord:
- Resolve to do what is favourable to him.
- Abandon what is contrary to him.
- Trust that he will protect you.
- Accept him as your sole protector.
- Entrust your entire responsibility to him.
- Cry out to him in helpless longing—especially with longing for his service.
Through these six steps Bhagavan accepts the soul, which then becomes fit to live according to Bhagavat-dharma. A Vaishnava offers to Bhagavan whatever has come through the unfolding of prior karma, feeds the devotees from it as grace, and only then eats. Faith is placed in true scriptures that reveal Bhagavan’s qualities. This is called the devotee’s means of attaining Bhagavan while embodied. (44, completed)
Prārabdhaṃ paribhujyātha bhittvā sūryādi-maṇḍalam,
Prakṛter maṇḍalaṃ tyaktvā snātvā tu Virajāmbhasā. (45, continues)
After the soul has exhausted the karma that produced the present body, it pierces the regions of the sun and the other celestial spheres, leaves behind the domain of material nature, and bathes in the waters of the Viraja.
Having described the means within the five truths, the commentator distinguishes ordinary religious liberation from the liberation of Bhagavat-dharma. The luminous path is described in Bhagavad Gita 8.24–26. Even while knowing both the bright and dark paths, the surrendered yogi does not become confused; established in the relation of servant and served, such a soul relies upon surrender. The Lord himself quickly raises those who surrender to him, as taught in Bhagavad Gita 12.6–7.
When the destined body falls away, the soul passes beyond the five elemental coverings, the coverings of ego and the cosmic intellect, and then the innumerable transformations of the three qualities of nature before bathing in the Viraja. (45, continues)