Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 12 - Chapter 1 - Verse 3-4

Sanskrit:

पूर्वं निर्जित्य षड्‌वर्गं जेष्यामो राजमन्त्रिण: ।तत: सचिवपौराप्तकरीन्द्रानस्य कण्टकान् ॥ ३ ॥एवं क्रमेण जेष्याम: पृथ्वीं सागरमेखलाम् ।इत्याशाबद्धहृदया न पश्यन्त्यन्तिकेऽन्तकम् ॥ ४ ॥

ITRANS:

pūrvaṁ nirjitya ṣaḍ-vargaṁjeṣyāmo rāja-mantriṇaḥtataḥ saciva-paurāpta-karīndrān asya kaṇṭakān

Translation:

“Kings and politicians imagine: ‘First I will conquer my senses and mind; then I will subdue my chief ministers and rid myself of the thorn-pricks of my advisors, citizens, friends and relatives, as well as the keepers of my elephants. In this way I will gradually conquer the entire earth.’ Because the hearts of these leaders are bound by great expectations, they fail to see death waiting nearby.

Purport:

To satisfy their greed for power, determined politicians, dictators and military leaders undergo severe austerities and sacrifice, with much self-discipline. Then they lead their great nations in a struggle to control the sea, land, air and space. Although the politicians and their followers will soon be dead — since birth and death are all inevitable in this world — they persist in their frenetic struggle for ephemeral glory.