TEXT 20
rahugana tvam api hy adhvano ’sya
sannyasta-dandah krta-bhuta-maitrah
asaj-jitatma hari-sevaya sitam
jnanasim adaya tarati-param
SYNONYMS
rahugana—O King Rahugana; tvam—you; api—also; hi—certainly; adhvanah—of the path of material existence; asya—this; sannyasta-dandah—having given up the king’s rod for punishing criminals; krta-bhuta-maitrah—having become friendly to everyone; asat-jita-atma—whose mind is not attracted to the material pleasure of life; hari-sevaya—by the means of loving service to the Supreme Lord; sitam—sharpened; jnana-asim—the sword of knowledge; adaya—taking i n hand; tara—cross over; ati-param—to the ultimate end of spiritual existence.
TRANSLATION
My dear King Rahugana, you are also a victim of the external energy, being situated on the path of attraction to material pleasure. So that you may become an equal friend to all living entities, I now advise you to give up your kingly position and the rod by which you punish criminals. Give up attraction to the sense objects and take up the sword of knowledge sharpened by devotional service. Then you will be able to cut the hard knot of illusory energy and cross to the other side of the ocean of nescience.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna compares the material world to a tree of illusion from which one must cut oneself free:
“The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination, one must cut down this tree with the weapon of detachment. So doing, one must seek that place from which, having once gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything has begun and in whom everything is abiding since time immemorial.” (Bg. 15.3–4)

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