Surrender

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, advises, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: “Give up all other varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me.” The common man does not appreciate such a statement by the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he thinks that during his lifetime his family, society, country, body and relatives are everything. Why should one give up any one of them and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? But from the behaviour of great personalities like Prahlada Maharaja and Bali Maharaja we understand that surrendering to the Lord is the right action for an intelligent person. Prahlada Maharaja took shelter of Vishnu against the will of his father. Similarly, Bali Maharaja took shelter of Vamanadeva against the will of his spiritual master, Sukracarya, and all the leading demons.” (SB 8.22.9)

In the Bhakti-rasamrita Sindhu (1.2.265) Rupa Goswami delineates the nine processes of devotional service, and the various personalities who perfected those practices. When he comes to atma-nivedanam, the act of complete surrender, he establishes Bali Maharaja as the shining example (sarvasvatma-nivedane balir). This is the ultimate goal established by Krishna at the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita, where he implores Arjuna to abandon all religious duties (dharma) and embrace complete surrender. Bali Maharaja fully embodied this spirit of a Vaisnava that Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings of: “Mind, body, and family, whatever may be mine, I have surrendered at Your lotus feet, O youthful son of Nanda!” (Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Saranagati)