First Limb of Śaraṇāgati
Ānukulyasya saṅkalpa (Sanskrit: आनुकूल्यस्य सङ्कल्प — 'the resolve of the favorable') is the first of the six constituents (aṅgas) of śaraṇāgati enumerated in the Ahirbudhnya Saṃhitā and other Āgamic texts.
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.