SB 4.14.8
Devanāgarī
अहो उभयत: प्राप्तं लोकस्य व्यसनं महत् । दारुण्युभयतो दीप्ते इव तस्करपालयो: ॥ ८ ॥
Text
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.