Our Gemara quotes the same position of Rav Nechunya Ben HaKanah that we discussed earlier on Daf 29.  His position is that the concept of קים ליה בדרבה מיניה applies to even chiyuv kares (excision), and not merely a chiyuv misa biydei shamayim (heavenly death decree). To review, קים ליה בדרבה מיניה is the following principle: If someone does a prohibited action that entails both a mortally severe punishment (such as heavenly death decree) and a financial penalty, he is exempted from the financial penalty. For example, say someone commits an act of theft while simultaneously taking the object from a private domain to a public domain, since he is mortally liable for violating the Sabbath, we exempt him from the additional financial penalty. There is something similar but not identical under in secular law known as the Multiple Punishment Doctrine. 

We also find another famous teaching of Rav Nechunia ben HaKanah in Pirke Avos 3:5

רַבִּי נְחוּנְיָא בֶּן הַקָּנָה אוֹמֵר, כָּל הַמְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עֹל תּוֹרָה, מַעֲבִירִין מִמֶּנּוּ עֹל מַלְכוּת וְעֹל דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ. וְכָל הַפּוֹרֵק מִמֶּנּוּ עֹל תּוֹרָה, נוֹתְנִין עָלָיו עֹל מַלְכוּת וְעֹל דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ:

Rabbi Nehunia ben Hakkanah said: whoever takes upon himself the yoke of the Torah, they remove from him the yoke of government and the yoke of worldly concerns, and whoever breaks off from himself the yoke of the Torah, they place upon him the yoke of government and the yoke of worldly concerns. 

The Nachalas Avos asks why the reward of removing yokes of worldly and government concerns is stated, as opposed to many other fine rewards?  The Midrash Shmuel notes some discrepancies in the language of the Mishna:  Why is the reward for accepting the Yoke of Torah described as removing the yoke of etc, but the the punishment for breaking the yoke of Torah described as placing the yoke of government and worldly affairs?  Logically, does it not make more sense to say that if one does not bear the Yoke of the Torah, he will remain with the yoke of government and worldly affairs. After all, it is a given in life that there will be normal burdens unless somebody does something specifically to merit miraculous exemption.

To answer this, the Nachalas Avos Explains that there are actually three levels. The first level is ordinary day to day burdens of life. The second level is the removal of those burdens at the current state that they exist. If one maintains his Torah study but does not grow it, he will maintain that level of exemption from worldly burdens, but not free himself from new ones as they arise. The final level of achievement is to constantly be growing and taking on more Torah responsibilities.  Such a person will constantly merit exemption from ongoing and new burdens that might befall him. 

I wonder if we may relate this teaching of Rav Nechunya Ben HaKanah to his teaching about קים ליה בדרבה מיניה.  Namely, as he holds from the most lenient view that one cannot be burdened with multiple punishments, certainly G-d in His abundant mercy and kindness, would not burden a person more than necessary just as he would not punish more than necessary. Therefore, the Torah sage who takes on the burden of Torah study pro-actively, will be exempted from other worldly duties