The Verse
Carama-śloka (Sanskrit: चरमश्लोक — 'the final/ultimate verse') is the third of the three rahasyas. The verse is Bhagavad Gītā 18.66:
Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja |
Ahaṃ tvāṃ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ ||
'Abandoning all dharmas, take refuge in Me alone. I shall free you from all sins — do not grieve.'
Why 'Final'?
This verse is called carama ('last' or 'ultimate') not merely because it appears near the end of the Gīṭā, but because it represents the ultimate teaching — after the Lord has expounded all paths (karma, jñāna, bhakti yoga), He reveals the supreme and most direct means: simple surrender (śaraṇāgati) to Him.
Śrī Vaiṣṇava Interpretation
Ācāryas provide a distinctive reading:
- 'Abandon all dharmas' — set aside even the prescribed spiritual paths (bhakti yoga, karma yoga etc.) as upāyas (means created by the soul); recognize the Lord as the only upāya
- 'Take refuge in Me alone' — perform prapatti through the intercession of Pirāṭṭi
- 'I shall free you from all sins' — the Lord's personal guarantee, overriding all karmic logic
- 'Do not grieve' — the prapanna need have no anxiety: the Lord Himself has assumed responsibility
The Lord's Promise (Abhaya-dāna)
Piḷḷai Lokācārya treats this verse as the Lord's formal abhaya-dāna — the gift of freedom from fear. Once the soul has performed prapatti, the carama-śloka assures: the Lord is bound by His promise to protect. The prapanna can live without fear of karma, samsāra, or death.