Sharanagati By Swami Somananda — The Divine Art of Surrender, Spiritual Book PDF.
Title: Sharanagati (The Divine Art of Surrender),
Author: Swami Somananda,
Genre: Spiritual Book,
Format: PDF, Size: 7MB,
Pages: 208,
Reflections on Swami Somananda’s work and the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Deva
What Is Sharanagati?
The Sanskrit word “Sharanagati” (শরণাগতি) means complete surrender or taking refuge in the Divine. It comes from “sharana” — refuge or protection — and “agati” — moving towards or reaching.
Thus, Sharanagati literally means going to the Divine for refuge — placing oneself fully in God’s hands, depending not on personal strength but on His love, grace, and guidance.
It is not just an expression or a belief, but a spiritual state — a heartfelt offering of body, mind, and soul to the Divine Will. When one lives in Sharanagati, the burden of ego drops away, and a deep sense of peace and trust begins to bloom.
The Central Theme of Sharanagati
Sharanagati represents a transformation from self-reliance to God-reliance. It involves five key aspects:
- Faith (Śraddhā) – Believing that God alone is the protector and doer.
- Trust (Viśvāsa) – Accepting all that happens as His will.
- Offering (Samarpana) – Handing over all actions and their fruits to Him.
- Dependence (Āśraya) – Living without anxiety, like a child trusting its mother.
- Humility (Namratā) – Realizing that without His grace, nothing is possible.
In this spirit, every act becomes an offering, every moment a prayer, and every breath a quiet remembrance of the Divine.
Sri Ramakrishna’s Vision:
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was the living embodiment of Sharanagati. Every word, thought, and act of his life expressed total surrender to the Divine Mother.
He often said that true surrender is not weakness — it is the highest wisdom born from direct realization of God’s will.
Here are some of his illuminating teachings:
1. “Let Thy Will Be Done”
Sri Ramakrishna often prayed:
“O Mother, let Thy will be done — not mine.”
He taught that one who lives in this attitude feels no pride or anxiety. Both joy and sorrow are accepted as expressions of the Divine Play.
2. Childlike Dependence
He would explain surrender through a tender image:
“As a kitten cries ‘mew, mew’ and the mother cat carries it wherever she likes, so the devotee should cry to the Mother and then rest in Her care.”
This simple analogy captures the essence of Sharanagati — complete, childlike dependence on the Divine.
3. Freedom from Ego
Sri Ramakrishna said:
“He who says ‘I am the doer’ does not know the truth.
He who has surrendered everything to God, saying ‘Thou art the doer; I am Thy instrument,’ — he alone has peace.”
True surrender dissolves the ego, and in that freedom, peace arises naturally.
4. The Circle of Grace and Surrender
He beautifully revealed the divine paradox:
“Through surrender comes grace, and through grace comes surrender.”
When a soul bends in humility before God, grace begins to flow — and that grace, in turn, deepens surrender.
5. The Essence of All Paths
To Sri Ramakrishna, surrender was not confined to any one religion or philosophy.
He said:
“The more you advance, the more you will see that it is God who does everything. You are only the instrument. Then you will completely resign yourself to Him.”
All spiritual paths — devotion, knowledge, meditation — ultimately merge into the ocean of surrender.
The Heart of True Sharanagati
Living in Sharanagati means replacing tension with trust, resistance with acceptance, and fear with faith.
It is not passive resignation but active faith — working, loving, and serving while remaining inwardly calm, knowing that the results belong to God.
Sri Ramakrishna advised:
“Do your duty, but depend entirely on Him.
As long as you feel you are the doer, you must perform your duties.
But when you realize that He alone is doing everything, that is true Sharanagati.”
Swami Somananda’s ‘Sharanagati’ — A Work of Devotional Synthesis:
Swami Somananda’s book Sharanagati (শরণাগতি) arose from his deep reflection on this timeless truth.
While reading Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita, he observed how the ideal of surrender appeared again and again in Thakur’s words and life. This inspired him to gather teachings from scriptures, saints, philosophers, and mystics of many traditions to form a comprehensive vision of surrender.
In his introduction, Swami Somananda humbly writes that Sharanagati is not merely the state of the perfected soul but a distinct method of practice. His compilation demonstrates that the essence of every faith and philosophy is found in this single word — surrender.
With guidance and blessings from senior monks and scholars of the Ramakrishna Order, the Swami organized the material into thematic chapters, exploring the philosophy, practice, and inner experience of surrender.
He concludes that Sharanagati is both the path and the goal — the bridge between the seeker and divine grace.
Living the Spirit of Sharanagati:
To live in Sharanagati is to live in freedom. When one entrusts every action, thought, and outcome to God, life becomes lighter, simpler, and more peaceful.
Sri Ramakrishna’s life itself was a scripture of surrender. Every moment he breathed the prayer:
“Mother, I am Thine. Do with me as Thou wilt.”
When that prayer arises sincerely in our own hearts, Sharanagati ceases to be an idea — it becomes our way of living.
In the End
Sharanagati is the highest art of the soul — the art of letting go, the art of trust, and the art of love. Through surrender, we do not lose ourselves — we find our true Self in God.
As Sri Ramakrishna taught:
“When the ego dies, God shines.”
Read the Book:
Written with reverence to the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Deva and inspired by Swami Somananda’s devotional work “Sharanagati.” Interested readers can explore Sharanagati in full. The spiritual book is available for online reading and download: