First Limb of Śaraṇāgati
Ānukulyasya saṅkalpa (Sanskrit: आनुकूल्यस्य सङ्कल्प — 'the resolve of the favorable') is the first of the five angas of śaraṇāgati in Pillai Lokāchārya's Mumukṣuppadi (the Teṅkalai framework). Note: some Āgamic texts enumerate six constituents (including ātma-nikṣepa as a separate anga), but the standard Teṅkalai pramāṇa is five.
Meaning
Ānukulya means 'that which is favorable to the Lord' — actions, thoughts, and intentions that align with Bhagavān's pleasure. Saṅkalpa means a firm resolve, a deliberate mental commitment.
Ānukulyasya saṅkalpa thus means: 'I firmly resolve to do only what is pleasing and favorable to Bhagavān.' This is the positive aspiration component of prapatti — committing to what is good (as opposed to prātikūlya-varjana, which commits to avoiding what is bad).
What 'Favorable to the Lord' Means
Ācāryans clarify: 'favorable to the Lord' does not mean the prapanna tries to guess what the Lord wants and perform it. Rather, it means:
- Following the Lord's śāstric injunctions and the ācāryan's guidance
- Engaging in kainkaryam — service to the Lord, His devotees, and His temple
- Cultivating the attitudes (humility, gratitude, surrender) that express the soul's true nature as śeṣa
- Avoiding what the Lord has prohibited
The Internal Attitude
The deeper dimension: ānukulyasya saṅkalpa is not external compliance but an internal reorientation — the prapanna's entire will aligns with Bhagavān's will. This is the positive expression of the ātma-nikṣepaṇa (self-offering): the soul's will is now subordinated to and harmonized with the Lord's.