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In Vaishnava traditions it's often emphasized that Sharanagati or self surrender to Lord Vishnu is the key concept in Hindu dharma. The sum and substance of devotional life is that thing called Sharanagati.
It is exactly Sharanagati the means to attain the ultimate goal of life, namely Lord Vishnu, and when finally the Lord is attained Sharanagati is the goal itself, namely Sharanagati or self surrender to Lord Vishnu is to be maintained forever.

The concept or an idea of Sharanagati is seen in many verses in Smriti scriptures. For example the famous charama verse of the Bhagavad gita 18.66 sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender (śaraṇam) unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear." Vaishnava traditions often say represents the most important or the key verse of the Gita.

Since Sharanagati is so much important concept to the Hindu dharma it is supposed to be based on Sruti. So, I wonder where in Sruti do we find the concept of Sharanagati or jiva soul's self surrender to the Lord Vishnu.

Please specify any verse from Sruti in which you recognize the concept of Sharanagati to the Lord, even if names "Vishnu" or "Narayana" are not seen in the verse. Also please explain why you think the verse that you quote is about Sharanagati, ie what do you see in the verse makes you think it's about Sharanagati. This is especially important if in the verse some words or expressions such as "surrender" or "I take shelter (in the Lord)", etc, are not seen.

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  • Good question..
    – Ikshvaku
    Dec 7, 2017 at 2:00
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    @Ikshvaku Yeah, I know it's a good one, ... :) ... especially because everyone knows that there are plenty of verses in Smriti on Sharanagati to Lord Vishnu where He is explicitly mentioned, but it's not at all so easy to find such a verse in Sruti. So I'm aware that it can be challenging to many of our members to answer this one. Dec 7, 2017 at 2:27

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Taking refugee under Supreme Lord (Sharanagati) is based on shruti sources also. Svetasvatara Upanishad (4.21) states:

अजात इत्येवं कश्चिद्भीरुः प्रपद्यते ।
रुद्र यत्ते दक्षिणं मुखं तेन मां पाहि नित्यम् ॥ २१॥

It is because Thou, O Lord, art birthless, that some rare souls, frightened by birth and death, take refuge in Thee. O Rudra, may Thy south facing face (DakshinaMukham) protect me for ever!

Also in Taittariya Aranyaka of YajurVeda 10.17.1 where there are PanchaBrahman Mantras we find this mantra:

सद्योजातं प्रपद्यामि सद्योजाताय वै नमो नमः ।
भवे भवे नातिभवे भवस्व माम् । भवोद्भवाय नमः ॥  (YajurVeda Taittariya Aranyaka 10.17.1)

I take refuge in Sadyojata. Verily I salute Sadyojata again and again. O Sadyojata, do not consign me to repeated birth; lead me beyond birth, into the state of bliss and liberation. I bow down to Him who is the source of transmigratory existence.

The above mantra is also found in AtharvaVeda Parisistas. Also in Svetasvatara Upanishad 6.18:

यो ब्रह्माणं विदधाति पूर्वं
               यो वै वेदांश्च प्रहिणोति तस्मै ।
तं ह देवं आत्मबुद्धिप्रकाशं
               मुमुक्षुर्वै शरणमहं प्रपद्ये ॥ १८॥

Seeking Liberation, I take refuge in the Lord, the revealer of Self−Knowledge, who in the beginning created Brahma and delivered the Vedas to Him.

Also in the Durga Sukta which is from Taittariya Aranyaka of YajurVeda:

तामग्निवर्णां तपसा ज्वलन्तीं वैरोचनीं कर्मफलेषु जुष्टाम् ।
दुर्गां देवीँशरणमहं प्रपद्ये सुतरसि तरसे नमः ॥२॥

I take refuge in her , the goddess Durga ,who is fiery in luster and radiant with ardency , who is the power belonging to the supreme who manifests herself manifoldly , who is the power residing in actions and their fruits rendering them efficacious (or the power that is supplicated to by the devotee for the fruition of their work). O though goddess skilled in saving , thou takest us across difficulties excellently well. Our salutations to thee.

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