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Shloka · Bhagavad Gita 18.66

Bhagavad Gita 18.66 “Sarva dharman parityajya”: the meaning of surrender

Near the very end of the Gita, Krishna gives what he calls his most secret teaching: surrender — and do not grieve.

Verses checked against the source texts · Drafted with AI help and reviewed before publishing · Last reviewed 2026-11-12 · How we write

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज ।
अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ॥

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvā sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

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Bhagavad Gita 18.66

Meaning

Let go of every other support and take refuge in me alone. I will free you from all wrongs. Do not grieve.

हिंदी में अर्थ

सब धर्मों को छोड़कर केवल मेरी शरण में आ जाओ। मैं तुम्हें सब पापों से मुक्त कर दूँगा, शोक मत करो।

Word by word

सर्वधर्मान् · sarva-dharmānall dharmas — duties, paths, supports
परित्यज्य · parityajyagiving up, setting aside
माम् एकम् · mām ekamme alone
शरणम् · śaraṇamrefuge, shelter
व्रज · vrajago, come
अहम् · ahamI
त्वा · tvāyou
सर्वपापेभ्यः · sarva-pāpebhyaḥfrom all sins and wrongs
मोक्षयिष्यामि · mokṣayiṣyāmiwill free
मा शुचः · mā śucaḥdo not grieve

The context

The verse comes at the climax of chapter 18. Krishna has just called this teaching sarva-guhyatamam — the most secret of all (18.64) — and asked Arjuna to fix his mind on him (18.65). After seventeen chapters of action, knowledge and meditation, the Gita gathers everything into one word: śaraṇam, refuge.

How it is understood

“Give up all dharmas” has been read in different ways by the great commentators:

SurrenderIn the Sri Vaishnava tradition, which follows Ramanuja, this is the carama śloka — the final verse — and the call to complete surrender (prapatti).
KnowledgeShankara reads it as giving up all action and resting in knowledge of the one Self, which brings liberation.
Not giving up dutyKrishna has just told Arjuna to do his duty, so many readers understand it as giving up the burden of carrying everything alone — not the duties themselves.

In your life

The verse ends with two of the most comforting words in the Gita: mā śucaḥ — do not grieve. When you have done everything you can, and still can’t carry the weight, this is the verse for setting it down.

  1. Do your part fully.Surrender isn’t passivity. Arjuna still fights.
  2. Then hand it over.Say inwardly: “I’ve done what I can. The rest is in your hands.”
  3. Let mā śucaḥ be heard.When guilt or worry returns, repeat the last two words of the verse slowly.

Questions people ask

What is the meaning of “sarva dharman parityajya”?

“Setting aside all dharmas” — the opening of Gita 18.66, where Krishna asks Arjuna to take refuge in him alone and promises to free him: “do not grieve”.

Why is Gita 18.66 called the carama shloka?

In the Sri Vaishnava tradition it is called the carama (final) shloka, because it is seen as the Gita’s final and highest teaching: complete surrender.

Does Gita 18.66 mean we should give up our duties?

Most readers say no — Krishna has just told Arjuna to do his duty. It is usually understood as giving up reliance on our own efforts alone and taking refuge in the Divine.