In the Vaishnava tradition, Saranagati is shown to be not only easier than karma, jnana and bhakti, but also more efficacious. The reason is that surrender at the feet of God is allied to acharya bhakti. The main thrust is on Maha Vishwasa, total faith in the fact that God will never let down the truly faithful, and this is strengthened when the acharya accepts and recommends the seeker’s plea to the Lord, pointed out Gomadam Sri Mukundachariar in a discourse.
There are instances in the scriptures, the Itihasas and the Puranas to show that birds, insects or animals, and even inanimate objects, have become eligible to attain Vaikunta through some association with a Vishnu devotee, as in the case of the mud pot belonging to one Dadipanda, a playmate of Krishna in Gokula. From the accounts of the Poorvacharyas’ stories of Krishna’s Bala leelas, it is seen that Dadipanda is a nickname for a Brahmin boy Madhumangala, who is realised by nature and would often go into deep meditation. He knew Krishna to be the Supreme Lord incarnate, whom yogis and rishis seek through penance and meditation. He would not miss an opportunity to play with Krishna.
Once, when the boys played the game of ‘hide and seek,’ Krishna entreated Dadipanda to allow Him to hide in a mud pot that was beside him. Dadipanda sat onit and feigned no knowledge of Krishna’s whereabouts when the boys came looking for Him. Krishna became breathless and wished to come out. Dadipanda extracted two boons from Krishna before releasing Him — that Krishna should henceforth not call him by his nickname and also to grant moksha to the pot that was instrumental in getting the boon for him. .
It is held that the celestial beings watched the spectacle of the pot being escorted to Vaikunta by the divine attendants.
