Tattva-viveka
Sri Guru and His Grace
Forrest - September 16, 2005 1:42 am
Recently I started to reread Swami Sridhar's Sri Guru and His Grace. I quickly found that I had several questions on some points. Then I thought that it would be wonderful to get the input of the devotees here to aid in developing my understanding.
One question that is prominent at the moment came up when reading the first chapter, entitled "Surrender to Sri Guru," where Swami Sridhar discusses Bg. 4.34:
tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
Sridhar Maharaja comments on pranipat, surrender:
Pranipat means that one approaches a spiritual master, saying, "I am finished with the experience of this external world; I have no charm for anything in this plane, where I have already traveled. Now I am offering myself exclusively at your altar. I want to have your grace." In this mood we should approach that higher knowledge.
That degree of surrender seems very, very elevated; yet Sridhar Maharaja makes this point in the section titled "Qualifications of a Disciple." How should the aspiring devotee understand this? It can seem almost discouraging to consider this sort of surrender a qualification of a disciple, as it is so elevated. I know for myself that there are plenty of things that charm me on "this plane." Is it a matter of developing this sort of surrender? How is it possible to develop such a high sense of surrender when one is currently charmed by this world?
Later in the same section when Sridhar Maharaja discusses sevaya, or service, he makes these points:
Finally, there is sevaya, or service. This is the most important thing. We are trying to gain this knowledge not so we can get the help of that plane, not so we can utilize that experience for living here; rather we must give our pledge to serve that plane. Only with this attitude may we approach that plane of knowledge. We shall serve that higher knowledge; we won't try to make it serve us. Otherwise, we won't be allowed to enter into that domain.
From this it seems that through selfless service to the "higher plane" one develops the sort of surrender discussed above. Is that accurate? How is it possible to perform such selfless service without the sense of surrender in discussion?
I won't mention much the third point in the verse that Sridhar Maharaja comments on, pariprasna (sincere, honest inquiry), as this is my attempt at that 
Syamasundara - September 16, 2005 6:37 am
I don't mean to overquote Suta Goswami (then again, why not?), but there you (and Margaret) have it :
munayah sadhu prishto 'ham
bhavadbhir loka-mangalam
yat kritah krishna-samprasno
yenatma suprasidati
TRANSLATION
O sages, I have been justly questioned by you. Your questions are worthy because they relate to Lord Krishna and so are of relevance to the world's welfare. Only questions of this sort are capable of completely satisfying the self. (SB 1.2.5)
All this to say that the last sentence or question of yours is the key to the answers. To some degree you have done pariprasna because to some degree you have done pranipat. If you had absolutely no curiosity or intention to end your material suffering you wouldn't even think of coming here and pariprasna away.
As to SSM's words, real surrender and the real first step on the path of bhakti will happen only if and when you don't want to look back, but this doesn't mean that you have to wait and feel better before going to see a doctor. GM says that some people wait the longest time before taking initiation, but when they do they advance very fast, whereas with others the guru gives it right away and they really initiate, or start from scratch.
I went and read Sri Guru and His Grace (thank you) and in that subchapter Maharaja was talking of the Absolute knowledge, so he seems to make the point that our efforts also should be nothing less than absolute. Also, he seems to stress what those terms mean by giving us the highest conception of them so that we don't misunderstand them for what they are not. Most of all, notice that he says very often "in this mood", "with this attutude", not like you have to be there... to go there.
Anyway, this is what I can say after sleeping 4 hours, but I am sure more nectar will descend from other posters because you have done pranipat and pariprasna, and watch out, soon some seva will come too
Madangopal - September 16, 2005 11:14 pm
"I have no charm for anything in this plane, where I have already traveled."
-It can seem almost discouraging to consider this sort of surrender a qualification of a disciple, as it is so elevated.
We have all felt this sentiment to some degree, and is one of the reasons we may approach guru. If we were complete in this realization- finished with material pursuit; we don't require guru. Or at least for pre-liberation stage we don't need much help.
Another way to think of it is how Arjuna is surrendering. He is not fully realized, he is more frustrated and bewildered and he surrenders to guru for help. Though we lack the vijnana we may have the desire to surrender to guru to learn of and pursue the ideal. With Sri Guru's grace we will pursue the path and reach the point of really being "done" with the material world and fully saranagata. Surrender to good instruction does not require full realization.
Regarding your second point, selfless service and surrender to guru work together. As we serve guru our inquiries are answered, and we surrender to guru more. Realization comes and the true surrender develops.