Surrender: The Key to Eternal Life

Surrender: The Key to Eternal Life is a deep meditation on topics such as the cultivation of humility and selflessness, as well as on the detrimental effects of envy, anxiety, and boredom. As usual, Bhakti Tīrtha Swami’s work contains specific and practical ways to engage in spiritual life. Mahārāja wants us to look at our weaknesses. Instead of leaving us to wallow in the muck of our anarthas, he encourages us to take inventory of them so that we can make genuine changes and advancement. He was especially compassionate in his approach to anartha-nivṛtti, understanding that many of us have a hard time relinquishing bad habits that we have carried with us lifetime after lifetime, even while trying sincerely to chant and hear the Lord’s holy name. Through his compassion, he listened to devotees, asked questions, and took care to pinpoint the exact nature of the problems that often trouble the individual and the community of devotees. He would address such concerns in person, in his lectures, and in his books.

Reading Surrender, you will experience the palpable presence of Bhakti Tīrtha Swami as he continues to push us forward, encouraging us to look at ourselves so that we can reach deeper levels of devotional experience and practice. It can be frightening to introspect with such brutal honesty, and indeed, it takes great courage. For this reason, Mahārāja consistently uses the term “spiritual warrior.” It takes strength and valor to battle the mind and senses, but it is a battle that we do not have to face alone. Bhakti Tīrtha Swami, a true spiritual warrior, is present and available to us throughout these pages, encouraging us and coaching us as we read. His spirit will no doubt guide us as we apply this wisdom to our lives.