एवं निष्फलमारब्धं केवलानर्थसंहितम्।
न कश्चित्साधु मन्येत यथैव गुरुतल्पगम्॥
evaṁ niṣphalam ārabdhaṁ kevalānartha-saṁhitam
na kaścit sādhu manyeta yathaiva guru-talpagam
evam = such; niṣphalam = a fruitless; ārabdham = endeavor; kevala-anartha-saṁhitam = that simply leads one to disaster; na kaścit = nobody; sādhu = as being appropriate; manyeta = would consider; yathā eva = it is like; guru-talpagam = the activity of approaching an elder’s wife 3.
“Nobody would consider such a fruitless endeavor that simply leads one to disaster as being appropriate. It is like the activity of approaching an elder’s wife.1
1 Guru-talpagam literally refers to approaching the bed of one’ s guru. In Dharma-śāstras, there is a list of personalities who are referred to guru in this context. In addition to one’s own spiritual master, it also refers to various authorities and superior relatives. It is one of the most grievous sinful activities for which one is very severely punished. Therefore, this ascetic is pointing out that killing him is equivalent to such a grievous sin and it will only lead to disaster.