Shraddha - what is it?

çästrasya guruväkyasya satyabuddhyavadhäraëam |

sä çraddhä kathitä sadbhiryayä vastüpalabhyate || 25||

Accepting the statements of the scriptures and the instructions of the Guru to be completely true is called Shradda, through which the Truth is understood, according to the knowers of Truth.

Accepting the statements of the Scriptures and the Guru as completely without any error and true to the core is called Shraddha. Shraddha is loosely translated as faith or trust or acceptance. But a faith or trust or for that matter acceptance can be negated and turned into unfaith, distrust or non-acceptance. Therefore, by shraddha what is meant is complete surrender. When there is surrender there cannot be any change in that stance.

And this Shraddha is said to be the foremost of all the other pre-requisites, because only when one has the complete shraddha he will be able to follow the instructions. That is why Bhagavan in Gita says “Shraddhavan labhate gnanam” (a man with shraddha gains the knowledge). And “Ashradhdhanasya na matim dadyat” one who does not have shraddha, to him the knowledge should not be imparted)

In yoga there are different kinds of samyama (meditative practice) is explained to gain the supernatural powers. Though, later the sutrakara Patanjali maharshi himself negates such accomplishment as a hindrance to the knowledge. Then why is is explained, for this the explanation is given by bhashyakara Vyasa mahrshi, only when one gains something at a grosser level he will have the shraddha to practice the subtler instructions of the Yoga.

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