Chapter 2
कृमिविड्भस्मसंज्ञान्ते राजनाम्नोऽपि यस्य च । भूतध्रुक् तत्कृते स्वार्थं किं वेद निरयो यत: ॥ ४१ ॥
Transliteration
kṛmi-viḍ-bhasma-saṁjñānte rāja-nāmno ’pi yasya ca bhūta-dhruk tat-kṛte svārthaṁ kiṁ veda nirayo yataḥ
Synonyms (Word-for-Word)
kṛmi — of worms; viṭ — stool; bhasma — and ashes; saṁjñā — the designation; ante — in the end; rāja-nāmnaḥ — going by the name “king”; api — even though; yasya — of which (body); ca — and; bhūta — of living beings; dhruk — an enemy; tat-kṛte — for the sake of that body; sva-artham — his own best interest; kim — what; veda — does he know; nirayaḥ — punishment in hell; yataḥ — because of which.
Translation
“Even though a person’s body may now have the designation “king,” in the end its name will be “worms,” “stool” or “ashes.” What can a person who injures other living beings for the sake of his body know about his own self-interest, since his activities are simply leading him to hell?”