अहो उभयतः प्राप्तं लोकस्य व्यसनं महत् दारुण्युभयतो दीप्ते इव तस्करपालयोः
aho ubhayataḥ prāptaṁ lokasya vyasanaṁ mahat dāruṇy ubhayato dīpte iva taskara-pālayoḥ
Synonyms
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.