Etymology and Core Meaning
Prapatti (Sanskrit: प्रपत्ति) derives from pra- (fully, completely) + pat (to fall) — literally, "falling completely" at the Lord's feet. The term captures the soul's absolute and unreserved surrender to Srīman Nārāyaṇa as its sole protector and goal.
The Six Limbs (Aṅgas)
According to Śrī Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, prapatti has six essential components (aṅgas): (1) Ānukulyasya saṅkalpa — resolving to do only what pleases the Lord; (2) Prātikūlyasya varjana — renouncing what displeases Him; (3) Rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāsa — unshakeable faith that the Lord will protect; (4) Goptṛtva varaṇa — choosing Him alone as one's guardian; (5) Ātma-nikṣepaṇa — complete self-offering; and (6) Kārpaṇya — deep humility born of recognizing one's utter helplessness.
Prapatti vs. Bhakti Yoga
While bhakti yoga is a gradual path requiring decades of disciplined sādhana and strict eligibility criteria, prapatti is a one-time act of surrender that is immediately efficacious. Pillai Lokācārya teaches in Mumukṣuppadi that prapatti is available to all souls — the most learned scholar and the most humble devotee alike — making it the supreme path of this age.
Significance in the Sampradāya
Prapatti is the crown jewel of Śrī Vaiṣṇava theology and the lived experience of every prapanna (one who has surrendered). The three rahasyas — Tirumantram, Dvayam, and Carama Śloka — all encode prapatti: Dvayam is literally the verbal articulation of prapatti performed under the mediation of Śrī (Pirāṭṭi). Once performed through an ācārya, prapatti is irrevocable — the Lord Himself becomes the soul's guarantor for liberation.