न चिरं पापकर्माणः क्रूरा लोकजुगुप्सिताः।ऐश्वर्यं प्राप्य तिष्ठन्ति शीर्णमूला इव द्रुमाः।।।।
na ciraṃ pāpakarmāṇaḥ krūrā lokajugupsitāḥ |
aiśvaryaṃ prāpya tiṣṭhanti śīrṇamūlā iva drumāḥ ||
Ceux qui commettent des actes peccamineux, cruels et méprisés par le monde, ne restent pas longtemps dans la prospérité, tout comme des arbres dont les racines ont pourri.
Cruel people, who are despised by the world for their sinful deeds, will not be prosperous for long just like trees with decayed roots.
Power without dharma is unstable. Sin corrodes one’s foundation, so prosperity gained through wrongdoing cannot endure.
A moral warning is being given that cruel, sinful conduct leads to the collapse of one’s status, like a tree falling when its roots decay.
Dharma-grounded conduct—building one’s life on righteous foundations rather than cruelty and exploitation.