Charama Sloka is the final and definitive message delivered by a sage or an incarnation. It is of great importance in Hinduism. Varaha Charama Sloka and Bhagavad Gita Charama Slokam are of great importance. This type of sloka is mainly associated with Lord Vishnu. The three important Charama Sloka are those in the Ramayana, the Bhagavad Gita and the Varaha Purana.
Charama Sloka in Ramayana
Sri Rama Charama Sloka occurs in the context of the surrender of Vibhishana to Sri Rama before the commencement of the war against Ravana. It says that those who surrender to Sri Rama and pray or help get his protection. This is Sri Rama’s vrata (assurance) declared in Vibhishana Saranagati section as explained in the seventeenth canto of Yuddha Kanda. Vibhishana was given refuge after this surrender. The abhaya applies to everyone who recites the sloka after initiation by an acharya (preceptor). It is an indicative of God’s willing help to those who are in distress.
The main point of the sloka is Abhayam Sarva Bhutebhyoh Dadhaami – Take refuge in me.
Varaha Charama Sloka
This Sloka is narrated by Lord Varaha incarnation of Vishnu to Lakshmi, his consort. The Lord declares that whoever remembers and meditates on Him even when they are in good health will be emancipated from the bondage of life.
The main point of the sloka is Aham Smaraami Madbhaktam – Always remember me.
Bhagavad Gita Charama Sloka
The Charama Sloka of the Bhagavad Gita is the most often quoted. The Shloka is the 66th in Chapter XVIII of the Bhagavad Gita. It says “renouncing all dharmas take refuge in me alone. I shall free you from all inauspicious acts. Therefore, do not grieve.”
Various commentators have interpreted this verse in consonance with their own philosophical predilections.
According to Adi Shankaracharya, neither devotion nor fiction directly leads to emancipation. He expounds the first part of the verse at length that enjoins abandonment of action. The theistic ideas implicit in the verse are not elaborated.
Madhusudana Saraswati (15th century AD), a monist, in his independent commentary on Bhagavad Gita, says that though actions have to be transcended, it is by surrendering to God that all activities become superfluous.
Bhagavad Gita verse finds a pre-eminent place in Vishishtadvaita philosophy, which holds that salvation is possible only through the free bestowal of grace by Lord Narayana, who takes repeated incarnations as Krishna Vasudeva; he is regarded as enjoining prapatti (total surrender to the Lord) as a means of salvation. It is one of the three secret and sacred mystic syllables, i.e, rahasya mantras revered by Sri Vaishnavas. Vedanta Desika (13th century AD) has elaborated on the Gita Charama Shloka in his Rahasya Traya Saram.
The main point of the sloka is Maam Ekam Saranam Vraja– I am alone the One who can give moksha.