सम्भोगाशनमात्रेण राज्यादिषु सुखेषु ये । सन्तुष्टा दुष्टमनसो विद्धि तानन्धदर्दुरान् ॥ २६ ॥
sambhōgāśanamātrēṇa rājyādiṣu sukhēṣu yē | santuṣṭā duṣṭamanasō viddhi tānandhadardurān || 26 ||
Translation
Those of foul mind who are content with mere enjoyment and food in kingship and such pleasures: know them for blind frogs.
Word by word
- sambhōga
- enjoyment
- aśana
- and food
- mātrēṇa
- with mere
- rājya
- in kingship
- ādiṣu
- and such
- sukhēṣu
- pleasures
- yē
- those who
- santuṣṭā
- (santuṣṭāḥ) are content
- duṣṭa
- foul
- manasō
- (manasaḥ) of mind
- viddhi
- know
- tān
- them
- andha
- blind
- dardurān
- frogs
Meaning
The commentary explains the joke. A frog in a well cannot see beyond the well; a blind one cannot see even that. The pleasure of ruling is singled out, and this is to a prince. Note sambhoga-aśana-mātreṇa, mere consuming: the fault is not in the kingship. It lies in thinking one has got all there is.