________________ - 19 The Doctrine of Sadanga-yoga or Saranagati According to the Pancaratra treatises, which constitute one of the important sources of authority for Vaisnavism, there are only two ways to attain moksa. It is either bhakti-yoga or prapatti-yoga. Thus it is stated in the Pancaratra samhifa34: bhaktya paramaya va'pi prapattya va mahamate; prapyo'ham na'nyatha prapyo mama kainkarya lipsubhih' - "There are only two ways, either through the means of parama-bhakti or prapatti, that I can be attained by those who crave to do divine service to Me. There is no other way". Both are important means for moksa and have been advocated as alternative methods intended for two different categories of individuals having different capacities and conditions of eligibility. The Upanisads and the Vedanta-sutra have given greater emphasis to bhakti-yoga, also known as upasana, whereas the Vaisnava treatises have accorded greater prominence to prapatti. The Bhagavad-gita has provided details of bhakti-yoga and also briefly mentioned saranagati in a single verse in the concluding portion of the last adhyaya. But the details of the prapatti-yoga, which is more relevant to the present age because of its easy observance by those who are incapable of following any other method and who yet desperately crave for the attainment of God, are developed in the pancaratra treatises by the mystic saints of South India who have themselves adopted this method and in other religious treatises of Ramanuja. CS Both have been sanctioned by the Sruti and Smrti texts. Bhakti-yoga which is a rigorous discipline, is restricted to certain class of individuals. On the other hand, prapatti is recommended as an easier path intended for all, without any restriction of caste, creed and status of the individuals. In view of this, the Vaisnava acaryas right from the time of Nathamuni (9th cent), have given preference to prapatti and advocated it as the easier means of moksa. Prapatti has therefore assumed great significance in Vaisnavism of Ramanuja. The term prapatti is derived from the words 'pra-pad'. Pad' means to move and 'pra' means in the best manner. In the context of upaya, the term implies total self-surrender to God as the sole refuge. A more appropriate Sanskrit term for prapatti is Bharanyasa or atma-niksepa, that is, to place the burden of protection of the self in the care of God. 34 Quoted by Vedanta Desika in his Rahasya-traya-sara. Chapter XXIX
