How long will you remain a slave to this vile and petty world? Either renounce it completely like an ascetic, or conquer and rule it like a king.

This couplet is a stirring wake-up call urging us to cast off mediocrity and passive compromise. The poet asks how long we will remain trapped in petty subservience to worldly demands, when our true nature is meant for greatness. The path to dignity lies in extremes of conviction: either detach completely like an ascetic in pursuit of spiritual truth, or rise with fierce determination to master the world like a king—never settle for a spiritless, half-hearted existence.