Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 33: Śūrpaṇakhā Criticizes Rāvaṇa
Text 3.33.18
शुष्कैः काष्ठैर्भवेत्कार्यं लोष्टैरपि च पांसुभिः।
न तु स्थानात्परिभ्रष्टैः कार्यं स्याद्वसुधाधिपैः॥
śuṣkaiḥ kāṣṭhair bhavet kāryaṁ loṣṭair api ca pāṁsubhiḥ
na tu sthānāt paribhraṣṭaiḥ kāryaṁ syād vasudhādhipaiḥ
śuṣkaiḥ = dry; kāṣṭhaiḥ = wood; bhavet = may be; kāryam = useful; loṣṭaiḥ api = a lump of earth; ca = and; pāṁsubhiḥ = dust; na = no; tu = but; sthānāt = from their post; paribhraṣṭaiḥ = who have fallen; kāryam syāt = are of use; vasudhā-adhipaiḥ = kings.
Dry wood, a lump of earth, and dust may be useful, but kings who have fallen from their post are of no use.