Answer: This quote of Ashoka tries to lay emphasis on the need of taking the right steps even if they are difficult. The society that chooses or prefers to follow the easy path, avoiding the difficult decisions, soon plunders into darkness.

•     Humans by nature are a comfort loving species, with necessities like food and shelter met comfort is being increasingly sought, but this comes with dwindling importance of hard work, moral and values.
•     History is dotted with examples of societies and civilizations avoiding the tougher path and choosing the easy one had brought darkness in near future. For example, it was the feeble voice of masses against the church in Europe during medieval ages, which led to the dark age in Europe.
• Similarly, a person who regularly seeks comfort faces challenges later in life, like parents who give their children phones and tablets to control them. Soon they find their children immersed in the digital world and are later difficult to control.

•     It's often said one must undergo pain and discomfort to become tough and be able to face the arrows of life. The same is true for whole societies or communities which strive to take the right steps even in wake of struggle.
•     Our freedom struggle is a very appropriate example. Had our leaders and larger public chosen comfort and not stood up against oppressive British regime, India might still be in chains. It was only due to courageous and fearless freedom fighters who endured huge hardships to drive the enemy out.
• The same applies to the upbringing of a child, or in pursuit of excellence if one does not go through the hardships, rigor and is not tested, hardships may soon follow.

Thus, these golden words of Ashoka are highly relevant in this world even today and are applicable to almost all aspects of life, it directs us to choose the right path no matter how tough it is and asks us to desist from choosing comfort more often.