There is a story about a monkey, a tiger and a man that shows the importance of Saranagati, said Akkarakkani Srinidhi in a discourse.
A man was chased by a tiger and he clambered up a tree. The tree was a monkey’s residence and the monkey assured the man its protection.
The tiger, however, did not go away. The man was worn out after the chase and the monkey urged him to sleep and said it would keep awake to ensure he did not fall off the tree.
The tiger said to the monkey: “Man is your enemy. He hunts you down, doesn’t he? Why do have to protect him? Push him down, so that I can eat him.” But the monkey said that the man had sought refuge on its tree and it would not betray his trust.
After sometime, the man woke up and it was his turn to keep watch, while the monkey slept. Now the clever tiger said to the man: “Look, I will let you go. Push down that monkey. I will eat the monkey and spare your life.”
The man did not hesitate at all but tried to push the monkey off the tree. Luckily, the monkey woke up and saved itself.
Now the tiger asked the monkey why it should protect the man further when he had tried to get it killed. But the monkey said that no matter what the man had done he had sought its help and it would not let him be killed.
If a monkey has such an acute sense of the importance of Saranagati, one can imagine how much value the Lord attaches to it.
That is why we are urged to surrender at His feet.
