Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 8.20.5
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyFear Dishonesty More Than Personal Loss
“I do not fear hell, poverty, an ocean of distress, falldown from my position or even death itself as much as I fear cheating a brāhmaṇa.”
What the purport teaches
- Bali Mahārāja fears cheating a brāhmaṇa more than hell or poverty.
- Even an ocean of distress or the loss of his position does not frighten him as much as such cheating.
- He places avoiding dishonesty above even preserving his own life.
Try this today
Honor one commitment today even if keeping it requires a small inconvenience.
Ask yourself
Would fear of discomfort or loss tempt me to cheat someone?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.