एत आत्महनोऽशान्ता अज्ञाने ज्ञानमानिन: । सीदन्त्यकृतकृत्या वै कालध्वस्तमनोरथा: ॥ १७ ॥
eta ātma-hano ’śāntā ajñāne jñāna-māninaḥ sīdanty akṛta-kṛtyā vai kāla-dhvasta-manorathāḥ
- ete
- these
- ātma-hanaḥ
- killers of the self
- aśāntāḥ
- devoid of peace
- ajñāne
- in ignorance
- jñāna-māninaḥ
- presuming to have knowledge
- sīdanti
- they suffer
- akṛta
- failing to perform
- kṛtyāḥ
- their duty
- vai
- indeed
- kāla
- by time
- dhvasta
- destroyed
- manaḥ-rathāḥ
- their fanciful desires
The killers of the soul are never peaceful, because they consider that human intelligence is ultimately meant for expanding material life. Thus neglecting their real, spiritual duties, they are always in distress. They are filled with great hopes and dreams, but unfortunately these are always destroyed by the inevitable march of time.