pramattam uccair itikṛtya-cintayā
pravṛddha-lobhaḿ viṣayeṣu lālasam
tvam apramattaḥ sahasābhipadyase
kṣul-lelihāno 'hir ivākhum antakaḥ
pramattam -- thoroughly deluded; uccaih -- extensive; iti-kritya -- of what needs to be done; cintaya -- with thought; pravriddha -- increased fully; lobham -- whose greed; vishayeshu -- for sense objects; lalasam -- hankering; tvam -- You; apramattah -- not deluded; sahasa -- suddenly; abhipadyase -- confront; kshut -- out of thirst; lelihanah -- licking its fangs; ahih -- a snake; iva -- as; akhum -- a mouse; antakah -- death.
A man obsessed with thoughts of what he thinks needs to be done, intensely greedy, and delighting in sense enjoyment is suddenly confronted by You, who are ever alert. Like a hungry snake licking its fangs before a mouse, You appear before him as death.
We may note here the contrast between the words pramattam and apramattah. Those who are trying to exploit the material world are pramatta: "deluded, bewildered, maddened by desire." But the Lord is apramatta: "alert, sober, and unbewildered." In our madness we may deny God or His laws, but the Lord is sober and will not fail to reward or punish us according to the quality of our activities.
