Surrender

Kuresh, the famous, intimate disciple of Srila Ramanujacharya once asked his guru the meaning of the well-known Bhagavad-gita verse 18.66:

sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto me. I will deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.”

Ramanuja replied to him, “A person who gives up all independent desires and serves his guru absolutely for an entire year can fully understand the meaning of this verse, and no one else.”

“But life is so uncertain,” said Kuresh, “How can I know whether or not I will live for another year? Please bestow your mercy upon me by making the meaning of the verse manifest in my heart even now.”

Ramanuja considered his request for a while and then replied, “If you live for one month by begging alms from door to door, without knowing where your next meal will come from, then you will begin to realize the meaning of full surrender. At that time, I will instruct you in all the meanings of this glorious verse.”

For one month Kuresh lived as his guru had instructed. When the month had passed, he gained realized knowledge from Ramanuja about the nature of surrender to Krishna.