________________ 21 Each one of these constitutes an important component of Saranagati and bears farreaching ethical and theological significance. The first two angas have ethical significance since they involve right conduct by way of strictly obeying the commands of the Lord. The sacred texts have prescribed the religious acts to be performed by an individual and prohibited certain acts. These are like the commandments of God and by strictly following the dictum of sastra one incurs the pleasure of God and doing the prohibited acts one incurs His displeasure. An individual being subservient to God i becomes imperative for him to please God by doing the right things and avoid His displeasure by refraining from prohibited acts. The third anga karpanya or humility is an important mental trait to be developed by the aspirant for moksa. It helps to arouse the compassion of God. The fourth anga, mahavisvasa or unshakable faith in God as the only saviour is the most important part of Saranagati. Such a conviction enables an aspirant to perform prapatti without entertaining any doubt regarding its effectiveness to secure moksa for him. The fifth anga, goptrtva-varana implies that the individual who seeks liberation should make a formal request to God to grant him moksa, following the general principle that one grants the desired object only when it is asked for. The sixth part, atma-niksepa or the act of surrendering the self to the care of God is the principal component of prapatti (angi). It is not to be understood as handing over one's soul to the care of God like offering a commodity to another person. The individual caught up in bondage from beginning-less time due to ignorance had assumed that the self belongs to him and that he enjoys full freedom, thereby developing a sense of egoism. After gaining philosophic knowledge through a preceptor, regarding the true nature of jivatman and its relation to Paramatman, he realizes that the self belongs to Paramatman and that he is solely dependent on Him, that it is the property of God and that he does not have any power or capacity to protect it. Atma-niksepa or self-surrender is thus a specific mental state (mati-visesa) qualified by the three important notions a) The self is not mine, but the property of God (svarupa-samarpana), b) That its protection is the responsibility of God (bhara-samarpana) and c) That the happiness derived from its protection is that of God (phala-samarpana). Along with such a mental attitude, the
