TEXT 3
bibhemi naham nirayat pada-cyuto
na pasa-bandhad vyasanad duratyayat
naivartha-krcchrad bhavato vinigrahad
asadhu-vadad bhrsam udvije yatha
SYNONYMS
bibhemiI do fear; nanot; ahamI; nirayatfrom a position in hell; pada-cyutahnor do I fear being deprived of my position; nanor; pasa-bandhatfrom being arrested by the ropes of Varuna; vyasanatnor from the distress; duratyayatwhich was unbearable for me; nanor; evacertainly; artha-krcchratbecause of poverty, or scarcity of money; bhavatahof Your Lordship; vinigrahatfrom the punishment I am now suffering; asadhu-vadatfrom defamation; bhrsamvery much; udvijeI become anxious; yathaas.
TRANSLATION
I do not fear being deprived of all my possessions, living in hellish life, being arrested for poverty by the ropes of Varuna or being punished by You as much as I fear defamation.
PURPORT
Although Bali Maharaja fully surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he could not tolerate being defamed for cheating a brahmana-brahmacari, Being quite alert in regard to his reputation, he thought deeply about how to prevent being defamed. The Lord, therefore, gave him the good counsel to prevent defamation by offering his head. A Vaisnava does not fear any punishment. Narayana-parah sarve na kutascana bibhyati (Bhag. 6.17.28).

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/8/22/3

Previous: SB 8.22.2     Next: SB 8.22.4

If you Love Me Distribute My Books -- Srila Prabhupada