The Three manthras-3.charamasloka

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Jai Srimannarayana!

 

Charmasloka

sarvadharmaan parithyjya maam ekam saranam vraja

aham thvaa sarvapaapebhyaha mokshayishyaami maa Suchaha

 

This is the sloka with which the discourse on Gita ends and hence it is

known as charamasloka , charama meaning the end. The meaning of the sloka is,

 

Completely relinquishing all dharmas, seek Me alone for refuge. I will

release you from all sins. Do not grieve.

 

Sarvadharmaan parithyajya- relinquishing all dharmas

 

Relinquishing all dharmas means complete relinquishment of all sense of agency,

fruits etc., whatever may be the path pursued, jnana, karma or bhakthi.

 

If one practices such abandonment, the Lord says that He will be released from

all sins, meaning the sins which results from time immemorial due to past

karma, because once a man becomes a devotee giving up agency and fruits of

action no sin can accrue to him any more.

 

When one despairs over his inability to perform rites, as prescribed in

bhakthiyoga such as worship and other rituals, the Lord ordains another means of

attaining Him, namely, prapatthi. It is said that prapatthi is even superior to

bhakthi yoga because the latter destroys all sins other than prarabdha which has

to be experienced in order to exhaust it. But prapatthi destroys even those sins

which have begun to operate. This is the real purport of the charamasloka.

 

What is intended by the word dharma here is the various methods of

upasana prescribed in the vedas like sadvidhya, dhaharavisdya etc. and

not the nithya naimitthika karma which have to be done but as an

offering to the Lord. The rites need not be abandoned by a prapanna but should

be done as kainkarya.

 

Hence prapatthi or surrender may be adopted by :

 

1. Those who do not know any other upaya or means of attaining the Lord;

 

2. Those who have a clear undsrstanding of what should be done but lack the

ability to perform any other upaya.

 

3. Those who have the knowledge and ability but cannot brook any delay

and cannot exist without attaining Him. This is the meaning of

`sarvadharmaan parithyajya.'

 

 

maam ekam saranam vraja- seek me alone as refuge.

 

This shows that the Lord is the sole upaaya or means of attaining Him.

The word maam shows that he is the goal to be attained and the word

ekam denotes that there is no other means to attain Him except by

resorting to Him. Thus he both the upaaya, the means and upeya, the

goal.

 

The phrase Saranam vraja means giving up the sense of agency and do

everything as an offering and service to the Lord knowing that he is

the Saranya, the one to resort to as he possesses all the qualities to

be so, being the abode of mercy and grace.

 

 

Aham and thvaa

By the first half of the sloka , so far explained, the Lord has

conveyed what is to be done by one seeking mukthi. The second half

states what the Lord as the savior, who has accepted the

responsibility to protect, will perform and comforts the one who has

done prapatthi. This is what is denoted by the words `aham=I `

and `thvaa=you.' It means " I have accepted the responsibility of protecting you

who has given up all the other means and surrendered to Me alone. " .

 

sarvapaapebhyaH-from all sins

To attain the Lord one should be free from both good and bad deeds.

Hence the plural paapebhyah, denoting their multitude.

 

Mokshayishyaami- will release you

This denotes the infinite mercy of he Lord as he has said in the Gita `api cheth

sudhuraacharo bhajathe maam ananyabhaak; saadhureve cha manthvyah,' meaning, "

even a great sinner if he resorts to Me he is to be considered as good.

 

 

maa suchaH

 

These words reveal the certainty of what has been stated before, that is " I will

release you from all sins, " and means the canceling of all causes of grief

including the effects of the karma which has already begun to operate.

 

 

Jai Srimannarayana!