Text 24] King Yayati Achieves Liberation 79
mumuce—gave up; nidam—nest; jaéta-paksah—one that has grown its
wings; iva—like; dvijah—a bird.
TRANSLATION

Having enjoyed sense gratification for many, many years, O
King Pariksit, Yayati was accustomed to it, but he gave it up en-
tirely in a moment, just as a bird flies away from the nest as soon as
its wings have grown.

PURPORT

That Maharaja Yayati was immediately liberated from the bondage of
conditioned life is certainly astonishing. But the example given herewith
is appropriate. A tiny baby bird, dependent fully on its father and
mother even to eat, suddenly flies away from the nest when its wings
have grown. Similarly, if one fully surrenders to the Supreme Per-
sonality of Godhead, one is immediately liberated from the bondage of
conditioned life, as promised by the Lord Himself (ahari tua sarva-
papebhyo moksayisyami). As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.4.18):

kirdta-hiinandhra-pulinda-pulkasa
abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah
ye “nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah
Sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah

“Kirata, Haina, Andhra, Pulinda, Pulkaga, Abhira, Sumbha, Yavana and
the Khasa races and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by
taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, for He is the supreme power. I
beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.” Lord Visnu is so
powerful that He can deliver anyone at once if He is pleased to do so. And
Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, can be pleased
immediately if we accept His order by surrendering unto Him, as
Maharaja Yayati did. Maharaja Yayati was eager to serve Vasudeva,
Krsna, and therefore as soon as he wanted to renounce material life, Lord
Vasudeva helped him. We must therefore be very sincere in surrender-
ing ourselves unto the lotus feet of the Lord. Then we can immediately
