वसतो दण्डकारण्ये तापसान्धर्मचारिणः।
किंनु हत्वा महाभागान्फलं प्राप्स्यसि राक्षस॥
vasato daṇḍakāraṇye tāpasān dharmacāriṇaḥ
kiṁ nu hatvā mahā-bhāgān phalaṁ prāpsyasi rākṣasa
vasataḥ = residing; daṇḍakāraṇye = in Daṇḍakāraṇya; tāpasān = ascetics; dharmacāriṇaḥ = carrying out dharma; kim nu = what; hatvā = having killed; mahā-bhāgān = who were great personalities; phalam = benefit; prāpsyasi = can you attain; rākṣasa = O rākṣasa.
O rākṣasa, having killed ascetics residing in Daṇḍakāraṇya who were great personalities carrying out dharma, what benefit can you attain?1
1 This is a rhetorical question. It is implied that Khara will derive no benefit from his sinful activities. Sinful activities destroy oneself and the world and hence, by the will of the Supreme, there is an arrangement to punish conditioned souls who engage in them. Pious activities, on the other hand, benefit oneself and the world. Therefore, conditioned souls who engage in them are rewarded by the will of the Supreme Lord. Technical note: kiṁ nu phalaṁ subhogaṁ prāpsyasi. nety arthaḥ.
But how is it that many sinful people live on? Anticipating this question, Lord Rāmacandra speaks the following verse.