SARANAGATI

They are able to see with their physical eyes the great truth declared by the Sastras that the Divya-Dampatis together are the Supreme Godhead.

On one such Panguni Uttaram day, Sri Ramanuja went to the shrine to worship Lord Ranganatha and Sriranga Nacciyar. The vision of the Divine Couple on the same couch sent him into raptures and gave rise to a stream of thoughts in his mind. He concluded that it would be a good opportunity to perform Saranagati at the feet of the Divya Dampatis as laid down by the scriptures. The next moment the Saranagati was performed by Sri Ramanuja and Saranagati-gadya was born of him for the benefit of the humanity at large. It is a complete record first hand of all that happened on that memorable occasion a record of Ramanuja’s seeking refuge at the feet of the Divya-Dampatis, his prayer to Them and Their own reply blessing him with all that he prayed for.

Saranagati-gadya is in the form of a dialogue, first between Sri Ramanuja and Lakshmi (here Sriranga Nacciyar) and later between him and Narayana, (here Ranganatha). At the outset Sri Ramanuja performs Saranagati at the feet of Lakshmi and prays that She must bless with success his desire to perform Saranagati to the Lord. Lakshmi not only grants his prayer at once, but also blesses him that he will obtain all the boons resulting therefrom.

Then Sri Ramanuja invokes Bhagavan in impassioned language making special reference to His essential nature, personal features, auspicious qualities, sentient ornaments and weapons, Divine Consorts Sri Bhumi and Nila, His retinue of Nityasuris or eternally free Angles, and His Glory in the form of the two Vibhutis of Enjoyment and Sport (Bhoga and Lila).