It is clear he is uncomfortable being picked up. He could be growling because he is in pain while you are picking him up. Ensure you don't cause him pain by not supporting his body properly. Ensure you are being gentle with him.
To start, you can sit on the floor so that you don't appear too huge to him and make him insecure. Better still, lie on the ground and feed him small titbits so that he is comfortable. Touch him regularly on his back, fondle his ears etc, and play with him and while doing so, casually touch him below his stomach, and roll him. If he lets himself be rolled, he is giving in to you and has confidence in you. You can slowly pick him up or drag him closer to you.
If he is ok with that, you can graduate to lifting him on to your lap but not holding him too long. You have to be patient and give him the confidence that you are not hurting him. You also have to understand that its not all that nice to be picked up. You ask someone to lift you and however they do, it does cause some little amount of pain, muscles bunching up. So, its necessarily not a nice thing to be lifted up.
To start, you can sit on the floor so that you don't appear too huge to him and make him insecure. Better still, lie on the ground and feed him small titbits so that he is comfortable. Touch him regularly on his back, fondle his ears etc, and play with him and while doing so, casually touch him below his stomach, and roll him. If he lets himself be rolled, he is giving in to you and has confidence in you. You can slowly pick him up or drag him closer to you.
If he is ok with that, you can graduate to lifting him on to your lap but not holding him too long. You have to be patient and give him the confidence that you are not hurting him. You also have to understand that its not all that nice to be picked up. You ask someone to lift you and however they do, it does cause some little amount of pain, muscles bunching up. So, its necessarily not a nice thing to be lifted up.