# SB 8.20.12 > यद्यप्यसावधर्मेण मां बध्नीयादनागसम > तथाप्येनं न हिंसिष्ये भीतं ब्रह्मतनुं रिपुम ॥१२॥ ## Text > yadyapy asāv adharmeṇa > māṁ badhnīyād anāgasam > tathāpy enaṁ na hiṁsiṣye > bhītaṁ brahma-tanuṁ ripum ## Synonyms *yadyapi*—although; *asau*—Lord Viṣṇu; *adharmeṇa*—crookedly, without reference to the straight way; *mām*—me; *badhnīyāt*—kills; *anāgasam*—although I am not sinful; *tathāpi*—still; *enam*—against Him; *na*—not; *hiṁsiṣye*—I shall take any retaliation; *bhītam*—because He is afraid; *brahma-tanum*—having assumed the form of a *brāhmaṇa-brahmacārī*; *ripum*—even though He is my enemy. ## Translation **Although He is Viṣṇu Himself, out of fear He has covered Himself in the form of a brāhmaṇa to come to me begging. Under the circumstances, because He has assumed the form of a brāhmaṇa, even if He irreligiously arrests me or even kills me, I shall not retaliate, although He is my enemy.** ## Purport If Lord Viṣṇu as He is had come to Bali Mahārāja and asked him to do something, Bali Mahārāja certainly would not have refused His request. But to enjoy a little humor between Himself and His devotee, the Lord covered Himself as a *brāhmaṇa-brahmacārī* and thus came to Bali Mahārāja to beg for only three feet of land.