Fly unto Him for refuge with all thy being, O Arjuna; by His grace thou shalt obtain supreme peace (and) the eternal abode.
In simple words
Krishna gives the supreme instruction: "Go to that Lord for refuge with everything you have, Arjuna — with your whole being. By that Lord's grace, you will find supreme peace and an eternal home."
Word-by-word meanings
तम्to Himएवevenशरणम् गच्छtake refugeसर्वभावेनwith all thy beingभारतO Bharataतत्प्रसादात्by His graceपराम्supremeशान्तिम्peaceस्थानम्the abodeप्राप्स्यसि(thou) shalt obtainशाश्वतम्eternal
18.62 तम् to Him? एव even? शरणम् गच्छ take refuge? सर्वभावेन with all thy being? भारत O Bharata? तत्प्रसादात् by His grace? पराम् supreme? शान्तिम् peace? स्थानम् the abode? प्राप्स्यसि (thou) shalt obtain? शाश्वतम् eternal.Commentary Do total and perfect surrender to the Lord. Do not keep any secret desires for silent gratification. Desire and egoism are the two chief obstacles that stand in the way of selfsurrender. Kill them ruthlessly.Run to the Lord for shelter with all thy being for freeing thyself from the troubles? afflictions and sorrows of Samsara. Take the Lord as the sole refuge. Then by His grace? thou shalt obtain supreme peace and attain to the supreme? eternal Abode.
Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.
This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.
# BG 18.62
The essential meaning of the first mantra of the Isha Upanishad is that this entire universe is pervaded by the Divine. Therefore, withdraw your vision from the distinctions of name and form, and experience the bliss of the infinite Supreme Self. Covet not the wealth of another. The very essence of the Bhagavad Gita's teaching is also this: Renounce ego and perform your duty. This is, as it were, the fundamental mantra of the Gita itself.
The sense of doership and pride arises from the false identification between the Self and the non-self. This individual being, caught in this delusion, continues to experience the sorrows of the world. Therefore, one must abandon ego for one's own liberation. A question may arise here: How does one renounce ego? In answer to this, the teaching of offering all actions to the Divine has been described. In the previous verse, the nature of the Divine was revealed. Therefore, now Lord Sri Krishna tells Arjun: Take refuge in that Divine dwelling in your heart.
To take refuge means to abandon pride and attachment to results, and to perform action while constantly remembering the Divine—the witness of all action and the bestower of all fruits. Through this, the mind becomes purified, which aids in Self-knowledge. From the perspective of Self-knowledge, refuge means abandoning identification with all non-self limitations and experiencing unity with the Divine, which is one's true nature. This surrender must be with one's entire being (with all one's heart), not with a divided heart. Radha, Hanuman, and Prahlad are examples of such devotees.
The purification of the mind and the realization of the Self constitute the grace or blessing of the Divine. To the extent that our identification with the non-self ceases, to that very extent shall we receive this grace of the Divine.
Bharat: Arjun was called Bharat because he was born in the dynasty of Bharat. According to etymology, it means one who is absorbed in Bha—that is, light (knowledge). This land is called Bharat because of the sages who dwell in the radiance of spiritual knowledge.
Concluding this discourse, the Lord speaks: