The poet Vidyapati tells our predicament of having surrendered unto various entities in our sojourn of material world.

tātala saikate bāri-bindu-sama
suta-mita-ramanḍi-samāje
tohe visari mana, tāhe samarpala
ab majhu habo kon kāje
O Lord, completely forgetting You, I have offered my mind unto the society of women, children, and friends—but this experience has been just like offering a drop of water unto the burning hot sands of the beach. How can I possibly be relieved of this great misery?

The only result Vidyapati has obtained for his total surrender without reservations is Misery.

Surrendering to Maya “Without Reservations”

There is one such example of a king who spent his life surrendering wholesale to a beautiful heavenly damsel.

The king’s name was Pururava. When Urvashi came to his assembly, he was so enchanted by her beauty that he surrendered to her without any reservations. She put three conditions for him – she would eat edibles cooked in ghee, she would not want to see Pururava naked at any time except for the time of sexual intercourse, and Pururava must protect her lambs. Pururava, being overjoyed, readily accepted all the conditions.

A few days later, the lambs were being taken away by some Gandharvas in the dead of the night. Urvashi yelled at Pururava for being a eunuch, not being able to take care of the lambs. Pururava ran from his bedroom, and caught those lambs that were left in the garden by the Gandharvas. But Urvashi saw him naked. As a result, she left him. Pururava ran naked behind her, pleading her not to go. But she didn’t agree.

Thereafter, Pururava’s only goal in life became to search for Urvashi. Finally, he met her. After telling the nature of women in general, she dissuaded Pururava from pursuing her. Pururava was attached. He anyhow wanted her association. She agreed to have union with him once a year. Pururava would wait for that one night every year. And at the end of his life, he even worshipped the Lord to be united with Urvashi in her planet.

Shrila Prabhupada writes, “When one is absorbed in lust and the influence of sex, one surrenders to the feet of a woman without reservations.” SB 5.2.16 P

A long time later, he came to his senses, understood his folly, and repented gravely for his blunder. He lamented for having spent so much time in surrendering uselessly to a woman. Then, he took whole-hearted shelter of the Supreme Lord.

It took this much for Pururava to surrender ultimately to the Supreme Lord. And the only result of Pururava’s rendezvous was again misery. Yet, he wished to partake of the same misery repeatedly. How greatly he came under the sway of illusion!

Result of “Offering” Ourselves to Maya

Just like Pururava, we have offered totally many lifetimes to different agents of maya. We have given many lives to many people and things of this world. One lifetime we might have given to fulfilling the dreams of our parents. Another lifetime went in becoming a great person in this world. Yet another birth, we were focused in creating a bright future for our children. Yet, we haven’t obtained the desired result. We haven’t attained real happiness.

How to find real happiness? Real pleasure can be obtained by surrendering to the lotus feet of Krishna and His representatives without reservations.

Will one get any different result than what Vidyapati has mentioned? Yes, definitely. Surrendering unto Krishna is the sweetest experience for the soul. It can fulfill one to such an extent that one doesn’t feel the need of anything else. One is totally satisfied in the soothing shade of Krishna’s lotus feet.

Glory of Surrendering to Krishna without Reservations:

Following Spiritual Path Becomes Easy:

The mind will create unlimited troubles for one who has his or her whims for advancing in spiritual life. Mind will tell one thing one day, and it will tell the completely opposite thing another day. Krishna says that the uncontrolled mind is one’s greatest enemy. Imagine living with your enemy 24 x7! We are doing so. Yet, we may not be aware of it most of the times. The mind offers countless reasons for not surrendering without reservations. To the degree one serves the mind without reservations, advancing in spiritual life becomes difficult.

Shrila Prabhupada writes, “The regulative principles will be easier for one who has served the spiritual master without reservation.” BG 13.8-12

One can Know Krishna:

Surrender can bring revelations in spiritual life. Unreserved devotional service is the cause of knowing Krishna.

SB 1.3.38 states,
sa veda dhātuḥ padavīṁ parasya
duranta-vīryasya rathāṅga-pāṇeḥ
yo ‘māyayā santatayānuvṛttyā
bhajeta tat-pāda-saroja-gandham
Only those who render unreserved, uninterrupted, favorable service unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who carries the wheel of the chariot in His hand, can know the creator of the universe in His full glory, power and transcendence.

One can Cross this Material Ocean:

Not only can one know Krishna, but one can also cross this unsurpassable ocean of material existence by surrendering without reservations.

SB 2.9.27 states,
yeṣāṁ sa eṣa bhagavān dayayed anantaḥ
sarvātmanāśrita-pado yadi nirvyalīkam
te dustarām atitaranti ca deva-māyāṁ
naiṣāṁ mamāham iti dhīḥ śva-śṛgāla-bhakṣye
When a person takes shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without reservation, the unlimited, merciful Lord bestows His causeless mercy upon him. Thus he can pass over the insurmountable ocean of nescience.

If surrender to Krishna is so sweet, if it can offer us such glorious results, then why not to give up all reservations and surrender to Krishna’s lotus feet? Generally, we have reservations in doing some services, we put “conditions apply” in our surrender to Krishna. On the contrary, we offer maya our whole existence for naught. But if we simply understand the importance, the glory, and the urgency of surrendering unto Krishna, then we can create a masterpiece from this short life we have been awarded with.

Uddhava says to Krishna,

tasmād bhavantam anavadyam ananta-pāraṁ
sarva-jñam īśvaram akuṇṭha-vikuṇṭha-dhiṣṇyam
nirviṇṇa-dhīr aham u he vṛjinābhitapto
nārāyaṇaṁ nara-sakhaṁ śaraṇaṁ prapadye
Therefore, O Lord, feeling weary of material life and tormented by its distresses, I now surrender unto You because You are the perfect master. You are the unlimited, all-knowing Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose spiritual abode in Vaikuṇṭha is free from all disturbances. In fact, You are known as Nārāyaṇa, the true friend of all living beings. SB 11.7.18