Arjuna was in a dilemma. Although being a kshatriya, he was faced with his relatives as the most formidable opponents. All the while, Krishna had been urging Arjuna to fight. However, as soon as Arjuna saw Drona and Bhishma, he became overwhelmed. The Gandiva bow slipped from his hands. His limbs quivered. He was unable to follow Krishna’s instruction.

It took Arjuna the entire Gita recitation to come to the platform of total surrender without reservation. Initially, Arjuna had many reservations – “What about my relatives?”, “What about my enjoyment?”, “What about the sins I’ll incur?”, and so forth.

When Shrila Prabhupada met his guru Srila Saraswati Thakura for the first time, the very first thing Srila Saraswati Thakura spoke was – “You are young, educated men. Why don’t you go the West and preach the message of Mahaprabhu?”

Prabhupada had his own reservations – “Who will hear Mahaprabhu’s message? First we need to be independent.”

Srila Saraswati Thakura permeated through Prabhupada’s veneer. With firm conviction, he stated that Mahaprabhu’s message cannot wait for anything. Today, someone is ruling us, tomorrow our own country men will rule us.

Why does surrender without reservations appear difficult at times?

1] Attachment to our own Things, Desires, Plans and Opinions:

Arjuna, due to his attachments, could not surrender fully to Krishna. His journey from the first chapter to the eighteenth chapter depicts his predicament. In the Third Chapter, he accuses Krishna of wanting to engage him in the ghastly welfare of war. In the Fifth Chapter, the same question is toned down wherein he asks the worthier option between fighting and renouncing. His questions grow in their depth and purpose as he proceeds, ranging from controlling the mind to the destination of the unsuccessful yogi. In the Tenth Chapter, he glorifies Krishna as the Supreme. Finally, in the Eighteenth Chapter, he promises to do the will of Krishna.

Our attachments make us give excuses, convince us that we are not meant for a particular service, and prevent us from taking progressive steps. Arjuna’s attachments slackened by Krishna’s instructions and his association. Similarly, our attachments can be curbed by the right knowledge and the right association. When we become devoid of attachments, then we can surrender without reservations.

2] Lack of Faith in Krishna:

Also, if we possess complete faith in Krishna, then surrender becomes easy. How surrendered little Prahlada was! His faith was a testimony of his total dependence and surrender unto Krishna without any reservations.

Recently, an example that I spoke in a class made me reflect on my faith in Krishna. A child, when thrown in the air by his father, smiles, laughs, and even waves his hand. He is cent percent sure that his father will catch him at the right time. When we, as sadhakas, are tossed above by Krishna, when we encounter various situations in life, do we smile and laugh just as the small child? Do we have that faith that Krishna will hold us, protect us, and not let us fall down?

A devotee having firm faith in Krishna will give up all reservations to serve Krishna. Madhavendra Puri travelled thousands of miles just to get sandalwood for Lord Gopala.

To the degree we lack faith in Krishna, to that degree we will put faith in our endeavors and goals. And to that degree we will have our reservations to surrender unto Krishna.

Moving Towards Surrender without Reservations:

By hearing knowledge of the soul, Arjuna understood where his real attachment lay. And, by understanding Krishna’s omnibenevolence, omnipotence and omniscience, Arjuna understood that Krishna’s will is Supreme. He was convinced that complete surrender to Krishna is the be-all and end-all of his existence. When Krishna spoke the epitome verse, BG 18.66 – to surrender everything unto Him, Arjuna fully believed it. And it executed his instructions without reservations.

When Prabhupada was in vanaprastha ashram, he dreamt of his guru urging him to take sannyasa. Prabhupada was fearful of taking that giant step. But ultimately, he surrendered to the will of his guru. When Prabhupada was told by his spiritual master to preach in the West, he could not immediately execute that order. But he always carried that instruction in his heart, and executed it with complete faith.

Prabhupada’s immense faith is seen through his purports.

He writes,
“In the preaching work of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we, as the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, fully believe in the words of Kṛṣṇa and His servants, the disciplic succession [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. In this way we are presenting the words of Kṛṣṇa throughout the world. Even though we are neither a rich man nor a very learned scholar, and even though we do not belong to any aristocracy, this movement is still being welcomed and is very easily spreading all over the world. Although we are very poor and have no professional source of income, Kṛṣṇa supplies money whenever we need it. Whenever we need some men, Kṛṣṇa supplies them.” CC Madhya 5.76

At another place, Shrila Prabhupada mentions,
“Within the society we must try to serve the predecessors by preaching Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s cult and spreading His name and fame all over the world. If we attempt this seriously within the society, it will be successfully done. There is no question of estimating how this will happen in the mundane sense. But without a doubt, it happens by the grace of Kṛṣṇa.” CC Madhya 4.79

Prabhupada’s faith is not only seen through his writings, but also through his actions. When he travelled to the West, he had nothing but the order of his spiritual master. When he got two heart attacks on the Jaladuta, he had only Krishna! When he was in Bowery, he only had the Holy Name.

Prabhupada’s surrender without reservations has made it possible for us to take to the path of Bhakti. Not only us, millions of people all over the world are practicing Krishna Consciousness simply because Prabhupada surrendered to the will of his spiritual master. If we take our baby steps in that direction, we can also have the greatest opportunity of being utilized as a small instrument in the hands of guru parampara.