hariḥ om̐
~~~~~~


namaste and hello,

I was asked by a member to offer some insights to the term is śaraṇāgati. Let’s look at some of its meanings before ferreting out more knowledge on surrender and seeking protection.

The term śaraṇāgati is to seek protection; it is another way of also saying surrender. When taken apart there is much to learn:
śaraṇ+āgati or śara+ṇa+āgati.

Note too that this term is a compound¹ ( or samāsa). There are all different kinds of compounds, but from a macro point of view compounds fit into 4 general groups :
· dvandva - both members of the compound are principle
· avyaībhāva - the 1st member is principal
· tatpuruṣa - the 2nd member is the principal part of the compound
· bahuvrīhiḥ - neither member is principal
Since I am not offering ‘samāsa’ as the main topic of discussion, let’s just leave it as the terms here are compounds.

One way to look at this
  • śaraṇ + āgati
    • note that 'n' becomes an 'ṇ' when it is preceded by an 'r'; this is a rule of grammar that is applied and used in the next bullet point.
    • we have śaraṇ which was śaran and is defined as śarad , meaning ‘time of ripening’.
    • agati = halting, and āgati = arriving.

When viewed in this manner śaraṇ + āgati is the arrival, or , arriving at the time of ripening.

Another view
  • śara + ṇa + āgati
    • śara = to destroy; it also means an arrow ( or shaft) , used on occasion to mean ‘ to hit the mark’ as we do with an arrow.
    • ṇa = knowledge; it also means nirvṛti , or complete satisfaction or happiness , bliss , pleasure , delight. One other definition of ṇa= nirvṛti =
    • emancipation and extinction. ‘Extinction’ is that of ignorance. To the astute reader we find this ‘ṇa’ within kṛṣṇa for the exact same reasons just offered i.e. he that brings or is emancipation, of which is pleasure and delight, complete satisfaction.
    • āgati = arriving.


When viewed in this manner śara + ṇa + āgati is arriving, hitting the mark of ‘ṇa’ or emancipation; or arriving at ṇa (knowledge) the destruction (śara) or extinction (nirvṛti) of ignorance. We can see this is the final ‘ripening’.

This is a start... so with the next post we can consider the notion of surrender, & seeking protection.

इतिशिवं
iti śivaṁ



1. Samples of English compounds you may be familiar with:
noun + noun bedroom
water tank
motorcycle
printer cartridge
noun + verb rainfall
haircut
train-spotting
noun + adverb hanger-on
passer-by
verb + noun washing machine
driving licence
swimming pool
verb + adverb lookout
take-off
drawback
adverb + noun onlooker
bystander
adjective + verb dry-cleaning
public speaking
adjective + noun greenhouse
software
redhead
adverb + verb output
overthrow
upturn
input