Description
A MOVE TO SURRENDER (ŚARAṆĀGATI) usually conjures ideas of defeat and loss, as in surrendering to an enemy or surrendering one’s driver’s license. In spiritual life, however, surrender brings victoriesand gains. The victories include conquering the pride, lust, fear and anger that tend to dominate our minds. The gains of surrender include purpose, clarity and peace of mind.
The author of Śaraṇāgati, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (1838–1914), guides us through six triumphant stages of surrender as he experienced them in his own journey. By describing his own spiritual surrender, he guides us in ours, from the gain of humility to the loss of self-defeating addictions and behaviors.
The steps on this joyous journey, originally described in simple, poetic Bengali, are translated herein to simple English poetry. Through this work, my good friend and Bengali translator Swarupa Kṛṣṇa Prabhu and I seek to discover and share insights into the brilliant mind of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura as he reveals to yet another new generation the deeply mystical and eminently practical teachings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Jeremy Tingle –
Finally, an English translation that captures the Bengali poetic meter or Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur!
What an absolute treasure this book is. Traditionally, when we receive English translations of bhajans, they always lose their poetic meter. While we can appreciate these translation efforts for clearly delivering the messages of these bhajans, they lose the essence of the qualities that make them bhajans/songs/poetry. Not only has the author been able to deliver the message clearly and efficiently to his audience, but he has also magnificently captured the poetic Bengali nature and essence of these beautiful bhajans. The author goes a step further by delivering his thoughtful commentaries so that we can fully understand the mood, have a better comprehension, and a deeper appreciation of what Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur is trying to teach us in each one of these bhajans. The layout of the book makes for such a smooth read as well, as I’ve read this book a few times since owning it. Overall, the effort by the author as a whole brought a much better understanding of Saranagati, front to back, and a much deeper appreciation for Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur. It was an absolute joy to read and I look forward to further translations like this on other Vaisnava works from Kalakantha Prabhu in the future!
Sankarshan Das Adhikari –
What an amazing job Kalakantha has done making these Bengali songs now singable in English.