SB 8.22.4
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 4
- puṁsāṁ ślāghyatamaṁ manye
- daṇḍam arhattamārpitam
- yaṁ na mātā pitā bhrātā
- suhṛdaś cādiśanti hi
SYNONYMS
puṁsām — of men; ślāghya-tamam — the most exalted; manye — I consider; daṇḍam — punishment; arhattama-arpitam — given by You, the supreme worshipable Lord; yam — which; na — neither; mātā — mother; pitā — father; bhrātā — brother; suhṛdaḥ — friends; ca — also; ādiśanti — offer; hi — indeed.
TRANSLATION
Although a father, mother, brother or friend may sometimes punish one as a well-wisher, they never punish their subordinate like this. But because You are the most worshipable Lord, I regard the punishment You have given me as most exalted.
PURPORT
Punishment meted out by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is accepted by the devotee as the greatest mercy.
- tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇo
- bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam
- hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
- jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk
"One who seeks Your compassion and thus tolerates all kinds of adverse conditions due to the karma of his past deeds, who engages always in Your devotional service with his mind, words and body, and who always offers obeisances to You is certainly a bona fide candidate for liberation." (Bhag.10.14.8) A devotee knows that so-called punishment by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is only His favor to correct His devotee and bring him to the right path. Therefore the punishment awarded by the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be compared to even the greatest benefit awarded by one's material father, mother, brother or friend.