aho ubhayatah praptam

lokasya vyasanam mahat

daruny ubhayato dipte

iva taskara-palayoh

 

Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 

 

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.