Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 66

Gita 18.66

सर्वधर्मान्, परित्यज्य, माम्, एकम्, शरणम्, व्रज,
अहम्, त्वा, सर्वपापेभ्यः, मोक्षयिष्यामि, मा, शुचः।।66।।

Gita 18.66

Sarvdharmaan’, parityajya, maam’, ekam’, sharnam’, vraj,
Aham’, tva, sarvpaapebhyaH, mokshyishyaami, ma, shuchH ||66||

Translation: The Supreme God in whose refuge it has been directed to go in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 62, regarding Him only is said in this Verse 66 too that (Mam’) my (sarvdharmaan’) all the religious practices (parityajya) relinquishing (ekam’) of that one unique i.e. Complete God (sharnm’) in the refuge (vraj) go (aham’) I (tva) you (sarvpaapebhyaH) from all the sins (mokshyishyaami) will release, you (ma, shuchH) do not grieve. (66)

Translation: Relinquishing all my religious practices in me, you go in the refuge of only that one unique i.e. Complete God. I will release you from all the sins. You do not grieve.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 66 - Important

The other translators of Gita have written the meaning of “vraj” as “to come”, which is wrong. The meaning of “vraj” word is ‘to go’, ‘to depart’.

Gita 18.66 Purport

Gita 18.62 - 18.66

The meaning of Gita Chapter 18 Verse 63 is that the giver of the knowledge of Gita, Brahm is saying that O Arjun! I have imparted this extremely confidential knowledge of Gita to you. Then in Verse 64, the narrator of the knowledge of Gita says another most confidential of all the secrets that the Supreme God about whom there is mention in Verse 62, that Supreme God is my (the speaker of the knowledge of Gita) revered deity i.e. venerated God. This evidence is also mentioned in Gita Chapter 15 Verse 4 that I am also in the refuge of that Supreme God. It is evident from this that there is some other Most Superior God than the speaker of the knowledge of Gita. He alone is worthy of being worshipped. This evidence is also in Gita Chapter 15 Verse 17. God, the speaker of the knowledge of Gita, states that the Supreme God superior to Kshar Purush (Brahm) and Akshar Purush (ParBrahm) mentioned in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Verse 16 is someone other than the above-mentioned two. He only is called Parmatma (God) in reality. He only is actually immortal.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 66 - Incorrect Translation

Gita Press Gorakhpur (Hindi)

Commentary: In verse 66 above by Gita Press Gorakhpur, the word "Vraj" (व्रज) has been translated as "come". The meaning of Vraj is "to go" or "go".

• Incorrect translation: व्रज = आ जा (come)
• Correct translation: व्रज = जा (go)

Hence the meaning of Gita Chapter 18 Verse 66 by Gita press Gorakhpur is incorrect.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 66 Commentary by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (ISKCON) 

Swami Prabhupada has committed the same mistake of translating the word Vraj wrongly as come.

Translation: Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.

Comment: The above translation of Bhagavad Gita 18 Verse 66 by Prabhupada is wrong. This verse 66 has a direct correlation with verse 62, where again Arjun is being instructed to go in to the refuge of some other Supreme God. In 18.66 it has been reiterated that Arjun seeks the refuge of some other God. However due to his poor understanding of Supreme God, Swami Prabhupada could not translate the verse correctly. Read more on 18.66

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 66 - Correct Translation

Conclusion: The truth is that in Gita 18.66, Brahm (the knowledge giver of Gita) is asking Arjun to go into the refuge of some other God. As a matter of fact, everyone besides Sant Rampal Ji has translated 18.66 incorrectly.