Chapter 14
अहो उभयत: प्राप्तं लोकस्य व्यसनं महत् । दारुण्युभयतो दीप्ते इव तस्करपालयो: ॥ ८ ॥
Transliteration
aho ubhayataḥ prāptaṁ lokasya vyasanaṁ mahat dāruṇy ubhayato dīpte iva taskara-pālayoḥ
Synonyms (Word-for-Word)
aho — alas; ubhayataḥ — from both directions; prāptam — received; lokasya — of the people in general; vyasanam — danger; mahat — great; dāruṇi — a log; ubhayataḥ — from both sides; dīpte — burning; iva — like; taskara — from thieves and rogues; pālayoḥ — and from the king.
Translation
“When the great sages consulted one another, they saw that the people were in a dangerous position from both directions. When a fire blazes on both ends of a log, the ants in the middle are in a very dangerous situation. Similarly, at that time the people in general were in a dangerous position due to an irresponsible king on one side and thieves and rogues on the other.”