भ्रान्तं देशमनेकदुर्गविषमं प्राप्तं न किंचित्फलं
    त्यक्त्वा जातिकुलाभिमानमुचितं सेवा कृता निष्फला ।
भुक्तं मानविवर्जितं परगृहेष्वाशङ्कया काकव -
    त्तृष्णे जृम्भसि पापकर्मपिशुने नाद्यापि संतुष्यसि ॥

BrAntaM deSamanekadurgaviShamaM prAptaM na kiMcitPalaM
    tyaktvA jAtikulABimAnamucitaM sevA kRutA niShPalA ।
BuktaM mAnavivarjitaM paragRuheShvASa~gkayA kAkava -
    ttRuShNe jRumBasi pApakarmapiSune nAdyApi saMtuShyasi ॥

I have wondered in many nations and climbed many forts (mountains). But that was all in vain. I gave up all pride I had about my caste and religion and served with humility. Still no use. I tried to let go of my ego and eat shamelessly in some stranger’s house like a crow. But Oh greed who is involved in wicked and sladerous activities, you still reign supreme and remain unsatied.

उत्खातं निधिशङ्कया क्षितितलं ध्माता गिरेर्धातवो
    निस्तीर्णः सरितां पतिर्नृपतयो यत्नेन संतोषिताः ।
मंत्राराधनतत्परेण मनसा नीताः श्मशाने निशाः
    प्राप्तः काणवराटकोऽपि न मया सकामा भव ॥

utKAtaM nidhiSa~gkayA kShititalaM dhmAtA girerdhAtavo
    nistIrNaH saritAM patirnRupatayo yatnena saMtoShitAH ।
maMtrArAdhanatatpareNa manasA nItAH SmaSAne niSAH
    prAptaH kANavarATako&pi na mayA sakAmA Bava ॥

This shloka is an example of what greed can make a person do. I digged the earth all around to find gold. I blew up the mountains (to search for gems). I crossed mighty rivers. I pleased the king with lot of difficulties. I tried to master the verses (mantras) and then later went to practice rituals at the grave yard at the night. Even after all these, I could not get enough wealth equalling a defective cowry shell.

खलालापाः सोढाः कथमपि तदाराधनपरै-
    र्निगृह्यान्तर्बाष्पं हसितमपि शून्येन मनसा ।
कृतो वित्तस्तम्भप्रतिहतधियामञ्जलिरपि
    त्वमाशेऽमोघाशे किमपरमतो नर्तयसि माम् ॥

KalAlApAH soDhAH kathamapi tadArAdhanaparai-
    rnigRuhyAntarbAShpaM hasitamapi SUnyena manasA ।
kRuto vittastamBapratihatadhiyAma~jjalirapi
    tvamASe&moGASe kimaparamato nartayasi mAm ॥

Some how I overcame the torturing words of the wicked people around me. I contained my tears and put up an smile with a blank mind. I even made the begging gesture with palms closed, and standing like a pillar in order to earn money. Oh greed, the unsatiable greed why are you making me dance like a person devoid of wits.

अमीषां प्राणानां तुलितबिसिनीपत्रपयसां
    कृते किं नास्माभिर्विगलितविवेकैर्व्यवसितम् ।
यदाढ्यानामग्रे द्रविणमदनिःसंज्ञमनसां
    कृतं म्लानव्रीडैर्निजगुणकथापातकमपि ॥

amIShAM prANAnAM tulitabisinIpatrapayasAM
    kRute kiM nAsmABirvigalitavivekairvyavasitam ।
yadADhyAnAmagre draviNamadaniHsaMj~jamanasAM
    kRutaM mlAnavrIDairnijaguNakathApAtakamapi ॥

Our life is as fragile as a water drop on a lotus leaf that is floating. We do not realize it. What do we not do out of lack of knowledge (of right and wrong)? We humiliate ourselves in front of those rich and powerful who have lost the ability of judging right from wrong. We let ourselves weakened by their insults. We praise ourselves (in order to get noticed) in front of them. Self praise is a sin. Greed of wealth makes us do all these.

क्षान्तं न क्षमया गृहोचितसुखं त्यक्तं न संतोषतः
    सोढा दुःसहशीतवाततपनक्लेशा न तप्तं तपः ।
ध्यातं वित्तमहर्निशं नियमितप्राणैर्न शंभोः पदं
    तत्तत्कर्म कृतं यदेव मुनिभिस्तैस्तैः फलैर्वञ्चिताः ॥

kShAntaM na kShamayA gRuhocitasuKaM tyaktaM na saMtoShataH
    soDhA duHsahaSItavAtatapanakleSA na taptaM tapaH ।
dhyAtaM vittamaharniSaM niyamitaprANairna SaMBoH padaM
    tattatkarma kRutaM yadeva muniBistaistaiH Palairva~jcitAH ॥

We forgive. We give up all household luxuries. We have lived through harsh, cold and windy weather. We have set our minds and meditated. We have done all the saints do but not have got the same results. The reason is – we forgave not out of compassion, but we were just not capable of retaliation. We left the luxuries only because we could not afford them. We tolerated harsh weather because we could not find a shelter to go under. We meditated, not about God, but about wealth and ways to attain it.

भोगो न भुक्ता वयमेव भुक्तास्तपो न तप्तं वयमेव तप्ताः ।
कालो न यातो वयमेव यातास्तृष्णा न जीर्णा वयमेव जीर्णाः ॥

Bogo na BuktA vayameva BuktAstapo na taptaM vayameva taptAH ।
kAlo na yAto vayameva yAtAstRuShNA na jIrNA vayameva jIrNAH ॥

We did not consume any luxuries. We were ourselves consumed by worries (in the process of affording the luxuries). We did not do any penance (punishing ourselves for our sins). Our fears and despair punished us any way. Time did not pass by itself. We wasted it. We could never weaken the greed in us. The greed only weakens us.

वलिभिर्मुखमाक्रान्तं पलितैराङ्कितं शिरः ।
गात्राणि शिथिलायन्ते तृष्णैका तरुणायते ॥

valiBirmuKamAkrAntaM palitairA~gkitaM SiraH ।
gAtrANi SithilAyante tRuShNaikA taruNAyate ॥

The face is filled with wrinkles, the hair have all ripened (turned gray). All organs are slowly becoming old and inefficient… Still, greed is young and spirited.

निवृत्ता भोगेच्छा पुरुषबहुमानोऽपि गलितः
    समानाः स्वर्याताः सपदि सुहृदो जीवितसमाः ।
शनैर्यष्ट्युत्थानं घनतिमिररुद्धे च नयने
    अहो दुष्टः कायस्तदपि मरणापायचकितः ॥

nivRuttA BogecCA puruShabahumAno&pi galitaH
    samAnAH svaryAtAH sapadi suhRudo jIvitasamAH ।
SanairyaShTyutthAnaM Ganatimiraruddhe ca nayane
    aho duShTaH kAyastadapi maraNApAyacakitaH ॥

I have given up on all the luxuries. I have given up the huge pride (ego) of being a man. All my friends, well-wishers, wife and other contemporaries have all reached heaven. My movements (getting up) is very slow. Thick darkness encompasses my eyes. The whole body is wrecked. Yet, this fear of dying is not yet gone.

आशा नाम नदी मनोरथजला तृष्णातरङ्गाकुला
    रागग्राहवती वितर्कविहगा धैर्यद्रुमध्वंसिनी ।
मोहावर्तसुदुस्तरातिगहना प्रोत्तुङ्गचिन्तातटी
    तस्याः पारगता विशुद्धमनसो नन्दन्ति योगीश्वराः ॥

ASA nAma nadI manorathajalA tRuShNAtara~ggAkulA
    rAgagrAhavatI vitarkavihagA dhairyadrumadhvaMsinI ।
mohAvartasudustarAtigahanA prottu~ggacintAtaTI
    tasyAH pAragatA viSuddhamanaso nandanti yogISvarAH ॥

Desire is the name of the river. Wishes are the water in it. Greed are the waves created in the river. Passion is the collection of all the dangerous marine animals (like the crocodiles). Doubt is the bird, so strong that it can destroy the tree of courage. Delusions/Infatuations are whirlpools. The river itself is very very deep. Its banks are very high mountains of worries. Once you are in the river, it is so difficult to cross it. Still, those yogis who do cross the river of desire with the help of their pure mind, enjoy unique happiness.