tad-avadhyāna-visrasta-
puṇya-skandhasya bhūri-da
artho 'py agacchan nidhanaḿ
bahv-āyāsa-pariśramaḥ
tat -- of them; avadhyana -- because of his neglect; visrasta -- depleted; punya -- of piety; skandhasya -- whose portion; bhuri-da -- O magnanimous Uddhava; arthah -- the wealth; api -- indeed; agacchat nidhanam -- became lost; bahu -- much; ayasa -- of endeavor; parisramah -- which consisted only of the labor.
O magnanimous Uddhava, by his neglect of these demigods he depleted his stock of piety and all his wealth. The accumulation of his repeated exhaustive endeavors was totally lost.
The brahmana's stock of piety became like a withered branch that no longer gives fruits or flowers. Srila Jiva Gosvami comments that the brahmana had a trace of piety directed at the Supreme Lord with hopes of liberation. That pure portion of the branch of his piety remained unwithered, eventually giving the fruit of knowledge.
