In Bhagavad Gita 18.66, often called the final teaching of the Gita, Krishna asks Arjuna to set aside every other support, take refuge in Him alone, and promises to free him from all sins.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य
मामेकं शरणं व्रज
अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो
मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ॥ १८-६६ ॥
sarvadharmānparityajya
māmekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja
ahaṃ tvā sarvapāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
English transliteration sarvadharmaanparityajya
maamekam sharanam vraja
aham tvaa sarvapaapebhyo
mokshayishyaami maa shuchah ॥ 18.66 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Abandoning all dharmas, take refuge in Me alone. I shall liberate you from all sins; do not grieve.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| सर्वधर्मान् sarvadharmān | all dharmas, all duties and supports sarva (all) + dharmān (dharmas) |
| परित्यज्य parityajya | abandoning, setting aside |
| माम् mām | in Me |
| एकम् ekam | alone |
| शरणम् śaraṇam | refuge |
| व्रज vraja | go, take |
| अहम् aham | I |
| त्वा tvā | you |
| सर्वपापेभ्यः sarvapāpebhyaḥ | from all sins sarva (all) + pāpebhyaḥ (sins) |
| मोक्षयिष्यामि mokṣayiṣyāmi | shall liberate |
| मा mā | do not |
| शुचः śucaḥ | grieve |
Word-wise Chanting
- sar–va–dhar–mān–pa–rit–yaj–ya 8 syllables sar-va-dhar-maan-pa-rit-yaj-ya
- mā–me–kaṃ śa–ra–ṇaṃ vra–ja | 8 syllables maa-me-kam sha-ra-nam vra-ja
- a–haṃ tvā sar–va–pā–pebh–yo 8 syllables a-ham tvaa sar-va-paa-pebh-yo
- mo–kṣa–yiṣ–yā–mi mā śu–caḥ || 18-66 8 syllables mo-ksha-yish-yaa-mi maa shu-chah
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 18 Verse 66
Context
Near the close of the final chapter, Krishna calls this the most secret teaching of all (18.64) and asks Arjuna to fix his mind on Him (18.65). This verse is the culmination of the Gita; a few verses later Arjuna declares that his delusion is gone (18.73).
Meaning
After eighteen chapters of teaching on action, knowledge, meditation and devotion, Krishna gathers everything into a single surrender. “Abandoning all dharmas” does not mean abandoning goodness or responsibility; Arjuna still goes on to act. It means letting go of the anxious belief that we can secure our own freedom by calculating every duty, method and merit. All these supports are relinquished as the ground of security and replaced by one refuge: the Divine itself.
The verse ends where the Gita began, with grief. Arjuna’s sorrow opened the dialogue in Chapter 1 and Chapter 2; here it is finally answered with mā śucaḥ, “do not grieve.” Refuge is not passivity but a complete shift of center, from the small self that strives and fears to the infinite that holds all things. In that surrender the burden of past mistakes is lifted, and action becomes light, free and whole.
In Practice
At the end of the day, name one worry you are carrying. Set it down consciously as an offering, and rest without it for one breath, then another.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 18: Moksha Sannyasa Yoga (Liberation and Renunciation). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.