One of the first religious texts that helped me express my longing for God was the song “Saranagati” by the band Shelter, released in 1992. I read the lyrics recently to one of my friends whose body is failing due to ALS, and it made me think that it might be beneficial to share with the wider world:
people in this world try to claim they possess
land and sky and water, but they try to forget
that everything that they build and everything that they kill
was handed to them by Your free will
second hand gods, that’s all we are
not creating, manipulating, and leaving the scars
robbing from the earth and stealing from the trees
not out of need but greed and false prestige
but it’s all yours, what can we own
not family, property, it’s all on loan
but our miserly minds of “I”, “ME”, and “MINE”
fight in wars for what’s not ours so here’s my plea for
saranagati, surrender
i’m trying to understand you’re the Supreme Friend
You’re beside me and You guide me like no one else can
help me see You in everything and everything in You
when will I appreciate all that You do
even pain in this world is to help us see
the reality of material misery
please help me transcend, i want it to end
happiness apart from You, I can just pretend
and ’cause You’re so kind, You give us a mind
to choose to love You or leave you behind
forgetting reality, we create this duality
i’m sick of this fallacy
saranagati, surrender
You’re the roots of creation and we’re just some leaves
by fufilling Your desire, we find our relief
enjoyment apart from You creates just more grief
these leaves become dry, we cry, and drop with the breeze
i’ve tried to gratify my senses, but what have I gained
this so-called pleasure is just a cessation of pain
fooled myself with love, again and again
attracted by romance and smashed in the end
surrounded by people, but left all alone
and even amongst friends, i felt far from home
we’re one with each other, but You’re different from me
Like a drop from the sea, if we want to be free
saranagati, surrender
A Mercy Case 
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