न तानविदुष: स्वार्थं भ्राम्यतो वृजिनाध्वनि । कथं युञ्ज्यात् पुनस्तेषु तांस्तमो विशतो बुध: ॥ २५ ॥
natān aviduṣaḥ svārthaṁ bhrāmyato vṛjinādhvani kathaṁ yuñjyāt punas teṣu tāṁs tamo viśato budhaḥ
- natān
- submissive
- aviduṣaḥ
- ignorant
- sva-artham
- of their own interest
- bhrāmyataḥ
- wandering
- vṛjina
- of danger
- adhvani
- upon the path
- katham
- for what purpose
- yuñjyāt
- would cause to engage
- punaḥ
- further
- teṣu
- in those (modes of sense gratification)
- tān
- them
- tamaḥ
- darkness
- viśataḥ
- who are entering
- budhaḥ
- the intelligent (Vedic authority)
Those ignorant of their real self-interest are wandering on the path of material existence, gradually heading toward darkness. Why would the Vedas further encourage them in sense gratification if they, although foolish, submissively pay heed to Vedic injunctions?