लोकबन्धुषु मेघेषु विद्युतश्चलसौहृदा: । स्थैर्यं न चक्रु: कामिन्य: पुरुषेषु गुणिष्विव ॥ १७ ॥
loka-bandhuṣu megheṣu vidyutaś cala-sauhṛdāḥ sthairyaṁ na cakruḥ kāminyaḥ puruṣeṣu guṇiṣv iva
- loka
- of all the world
- bandhuṣu
- who are the friends
- megheṣu
- among the clouds
- vidyutaḥ
- the lightning
- cala-sauhṛdāḥ
- fickle in their friendship
- sthairyam
- steadiness
- na cakruḥ
- did not maintain
- kāminyaḥ
- lusty women
- puruṣeṣu
- among men
- guṇiṣu
- who are virtuous
- iva
- as
Though the clouds are the well-wishing friends of all living beings, the lightning, fickle in its affinities, moved from one group of clouds to another, like lusty women unfaithful even to virtuous men.