"Upaayeshu Prapattishyaat" is one of the six phrases given by Kanchi Devaperumal to Thirukkachi Nambi, in response to Swami Ramanuja's questions to Him. Yalgnavakya smriti that lists 12 upayas for moksha, mentions "nyasa" as the 12th. Nyasa is the same as Prapatti.
Having recognized that He is the only Swatantran, and that all Jeevatmas are paratantrans, we surrender that little-bit swatantryam that we thought was ours at the feet of the Lord. This is Sharanagati/Surrender. However, this is an institutionalized process in Swami Ramanuja's Srivaishnava Sampradayam which is mostly followed in the South of India. What we are indirectly saying to the Lord is - "I have understood Moksham is the final destination of the Jeevatma, but based on the criteria you have established for the Jeevatma to reach that destination by its effort, it is near to impossible (viz. exhausting all karma - positive and negative), therefore Lord, please accept my inability to go any further down the paths of Karma, Jnana, and Bhakthi - you are what I want, and you are the means for achieving it - please grant me Moksha".
Deciding to perform this Sharanagati/Surrender is only the first step. Having decided, we need to identify a suitable Guru/Master that can take us to the Lord, introduce us to Him, and be the mediator in the process. Swami Ramanuja appointed 74 Simhasanadipati's that were empowered to perform this mediation on behalf of a jeevatmas that drop by their Ashrams/Mutts. They go by the name of "Jeeyar" in tamil.
The ceremony for sharanagati is called "pancha samskaram". During the ceremony, the Jeeyar does everything needed on our behalf. We only need to follow his instructions. Once the samskar is done, it establishes the first relationship the Jeevatma acquires in its millions of years of existence - that with the Acharyan. The relationship with the Acharyan does not end even after attaining Moksha.
In Swami Ramanuja's tradition, the Moksha is a result of the relationship we establish through the Acharyan with Swami Ramanuja's holy feet.
Having recognized that He is the only Swatantran, and that all Jeevatmas are paratantrans, we surrender that little-bit swatantryam that we thought was ours at the feet of the Lord. This is Sharanagati/Surrender. However, this is an institutionalized process in Swami Ramanuja's Srivaishnava Sampradayam which is mostly followed in the South of India. What we are indirectly saying to the Lord is - "I have understood Moksham is the final destination of the Jeevatma, but based on the criteria you have established for the Jeevatma to reach that destination by its effort, it is near to impossible (viz. exhausting all karma - positive and negative), therefore Lord, please accept my inability to go any further down the paths of Karma, Jnana, and Bhakthi - you are what I want, and you are the means for achieving it - please grant me Moksha".
Deciding to perform this Sharanagati/Surrender is only the first step. Having decided, we need to identify a suitable Guru/Master that can take us to the Lord, introduce us to Him, and be the mediator in the process. Swami Ramanuja appointed 74 Simhasanadipati's that were empowered to perform this mediation on behalf of a jeevatmas that drop by their Ashrams/Mutts. They go by the name of "Jeeyar" in tamil.
The ceremony for sharanagati is called "pancha samskaram". During the ceremony, the Jeeyar does everything needed on our behalf. We only need to follow his instructions. Once the samskar is done, it establishes the first relationship the Jeevatma acquires in its millions of years of existence - that with the Acharyan. The relationship with the Acharyan does not end even after attaining Moksha.
In Swami Ramanuja's tradition, the Moksha is a result of the relationship we establish through the Acharyan with Swami Ramanuja's holy feet.
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