कृमिविड्भस्मसंज्ञान्ते राजनाम्नोऽपि यस्य च । भूतध्रुक् तत्कृते स्वार्थं किं वेद निरयो यत: ॥ ४१ ॥
kṛmi-viḍ-bhasma-saṁjñānte rāja-nāmno ’pi yasya ca bhūta-dhruk tat-kṛte svārthaṁ kiṁ veda nirayo yataḥ
- 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
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?