The three Charamaslokas in Vaishnavism

The three Charamaslokas in Vaishnavism..

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When we talk of Charama Slokam, we tend to think of some mantrams we utter in the ears of a person who is on the throes of death.. Of course, the word is used that way too..

But Vaishnavism... of Vishista Advaitam school, envisaged complete Surrender to Narayana.. and to be a Vaishnava, many qualities are considered bindingly essential..

In this context the complete faith in three Slokas variously contained in Bhagavat Gita ( Mahabharatham) Valmiki Ramayanam and Varahapuranam is considered to be one of the cardinal tenets.. These three Slokas actually signify the ultimate essence of Surrender to God.. or Sharanaagathi.. and are called the three Charma Slokas..

They are..

1,Charamsloka in Bagavat Gita

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सर्वधर्मान् परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज।

अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः॥

sarvadharmān parityajya māmekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja|

ahaṁ tvā sarvapāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ||

"After discarding all your worldly duties you come to Me treating me as the sole refuge.. I shall deliver you from all your worldly sind.. Do not Grieve..

The Blessed Lord promised Arjuna.."

Comple surrender to God is not mere running away from ones duties.. The word parityajya says a lot.. One can give up something he already possesses and practices.. If a person was not aware of his dharmas, and he did not ever care to know about it and to follow those dharmas, he cannot give up those Dharmas.. The Lord implies that one should live a life in this world obeying all the rules of propriety, but a clean life by itself cannot lead to final union with the Supreme. If that union is to occur, the Lord has to accept.. The best way to gain His acceptance is to declare with utter humility that I have lived my life in the worldly way following all the rules prescribed, but still my existence would have some meaning only if I finally unite with you, My Krishna.. and I am unconditionally surrendering myself at your lotus feet after giving up all my worldly desires and connections.. Please accept me..

Then the Lord will definitely accept us and deliver us of all our bondages and, sure, he will assure us and ensure that we have no reason to grieve..

2. Charama Sloka in Valmiki Ramayanam..

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सकृतेव प्रपन्नाय तवास्मीति च याचते | अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो ददाम्येतद् व्रतं मम ||

sakruteva prapannaaya tavaasmeeti cha yaachate abhayam sarvabhootebhyah dadaamyetad vratam mama

സകൃത് ഏവ പ്രപന്നായ തവാസ്മീതി ച യാചതെ അഭയം സര്വ ഭൂതേഭ്യഃ ദധാമ്യേതദ് വ്രതം മമ

This is the Charamasloka of Rama Avataram found in Valmiki Ramayanam..

Charamasloka as per Vaishnava Sampradayam..

Charama sloka does not mean sloka about death.. It only means that the sloka of ultimate importance as pronounced by the Lord Himself in that Avataram'

Here, Vibheeshana, being driven away by his elder brother Ravana for having spoken in favour of release of Sita honourably to Rama, had to flee from the wrath of the mighty Rakshasa and has landed up near the abode of Rama where Rama is finalizing his strategies of the war against Ravana to redeem Sita

Vibheeshana is seeking protection and his entreaties to the aides of the Lord is.

raaghavam sharanam gataH .sarvalokasharanyaaya raaghavaaya mahaatmane nivedayata maam praaptam vibheshanam upasthitam

राघवं शरणं गतः. सर्वलोकशरण्याय राघवाय महात्मने निवेदयत मां प्राप्तं विभीषणं उपस्थितं

I have come to surrender myself to lord Raghava.. Please convey to the Lord that I am here seeking the protection who is the ultimate source of succour to the whole world ,,

Rama is surrounded by all his advisers and kinsmen like Lakshmana, Sugriva, Aanjaneyaswamy, Jambavaan, Angada etc..

When the question of giving shelter to Vibheeshana is taken up for discussion, all the aides, with the exception of Anjaneyaswamy are suspicious of the Intentions of the younger brother of the Demon King and they suggest that Vibhishana should be driven away and at any cost he should not be granted refuge..

The Lord of Lords, the Majestic Emeperor Sri Ramachandra makes the following declaration..

"For the one who has come to me just once for refuge and who is entreating and begging before me that he is mine, I have to grant succour and protection..

The sole vow of my life is that I shall grant protection and relief from fear to all beings."

That precisely is our Emperor Lord Ramachandra for us

3.Charama Sloka in Varaha Puranam

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स्थिते मनसि सुस्वस्थे शरीरे सति यो नरः धातुसाम्ये स्थिते स्मर्ता विश्वरूपं च मामजम्॥१॥

ततस्तं म्रियमाणं तु काष्ठापाषाणसन्निभं अहं स्मरामि मद्भक्तं नयामि परमां गतिम्॥२॥

sthite manasi susvasthe śarīre sati yo naraḥ dhātusāmye sthite smarthā viśvarūpaṁ ca māmajam||1||

tatastaṁ mriyamāṇaṁ tu kāṣṭhāpāṣāṇasannibhaṁ ahaṁ smarāmi madbhaktaṁ nayāmi paramāṁgatim||2||

The solemn promise of Narayana... so sacred for every Vaishnava.

when a devotee is in good health with all his faculties in good shape..

thinks of My Cosmic form and realize that I am the One with no birth or death,

then when he is on the door of death with his body made immobile like a stone or a wooden log( and He is not capable of remembering Me,)

at that time I SHALL REMEMBER HIM AND LEAD HIM TO THE ETERNAL STATE