यशो ह्यहं केवलराज्यकारणान्न पृष्ठतः कर्तुमलं महोदयम्।
अदीर्घकाले न तु देवि जीविते वृणेऽवरामद्य महीमधर्मतः।।
yaśo hy ahaṁ kevala-rājya-kāraṇān
na pṛṣṭhataḥ kartum alaṁ mahodayam
adīrgha-kāle na tu devi jīvite
vṛṇe ’varām adya mahīm adharmataḥ
yaśaḥ hi = of righteous fame; aham = I; kevala-rājya-kāraṇāt = for the sake of impiously gaining a kingdom; na pṛṣṭhataḥ kartum alam = cannot ignore; mahā-udayam = the great benefit; adīrgha-kāle = brief; na = not; tu = moreover; devi = O queen; jīvite = during this life; vṛṇe = I do want; avarām = insignificant; adya = now; mahīm = land; adharmataḥ = through adharma.
O queen, I cannot ignore the great benefit of righteous fame for the sake of impiously gaining a kingdom now. Moreover, I do not want this insignificant land through adharma during this brief life.
“During this brief life” indicates that it is flickering.