Can the grace of God be won by abdicating all our duties and responsibilities? Bhagawan clarifies a statement from the Bhagawat Gita that is often misunderstood.

Reading that Krishna advises in the Gita to give up all Dharmas, an enthusiastic devotee gave up all obligations and limits, but he had to be told that one obligation still remained and could not be given up, if the grace of God had to be secured: Mam Ekam Sharanam Vraja - Surrender to Me alone. When that surrender is complete and all acts, words, and thoughts are dedicated to Him, along with all their consequences, then the Lord has promised that He will free you from sin and sorrow. The Ashrama Dharma (duties related to one's stage of life), the Varna Dharma (duties related to one's profession) and the various Kula Dharma (duties related to one's lineage) and Desha Dharma (laws of the land) — are all means and methods of fostering this attitude of dedication and surrender. Just as you prescribe minimum qualifications for every profession, the minimum qualification for grace is surrender of egoism, control over senses and regulated ahara and vihara (food and recreation).