SB 10.36.38 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

श्रीअक्रूर उवाच राजन् मनीषितं सध्र्यक् तव स्वावद्यमार्जनम् । सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्यो: समं कुर्याद्दैवं हि फलसाधनम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Verse text

śrī-akrūra uvāca rājan manīṣitaṁ sadhryak tava svāvadya-mārjanam siddhy-asiddhyoḥ samaṁ kuryād daivaṁ hi phala-sādhanam

Synonyms

śrī — akrūraḥ uvāca — Śrī Akrūra said ; rājan — O King ; manīṣitam — the thinking ; sadhryak — perfect ; tava — your ; sva — your own ; avadya — misfortune ; mārjanam — which will wash away ; siddhi — asiddhyoḥ — in both success and failure ; samam — equal ; kuryāt — one should act ; daivam — destiny ; hi — after all ; phala — the fruit, result ; sādhanam — the cause of achieving .

Translation

Śrī Akrūra said: O King, you have expertly devised a process to free yourself of misfortune. Still, one should be equal in success and failure, since it is certainly destiny that produces the results of one’s work.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Śrī Akrūra said: O King, you have expertly devised a process to free yourself of misfortune. Still, one should be equal in success and failure, since it is certainly destiny that produces the results of one's work. KB 10.36.38 After hearing this plan of Kaṁsa’s, Akrūra replied, “My dear King, your plan is very excellently made to counteract the hindrances to your diplomatic activities. But you should maintain equilibrium, for the result of your activities may be fruitful or may not be fruitful. After all, man proposes, God disposes. We may make very great plans, but unless they are sanctioned by the supreme authority, they will fail. Everyone in this material world knows that the supernatural power is the ultimate disposer of everything.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

You have thoroughly considered how to avoid your death. But now hear the words of niti sastra. In regards to success or failure, one should perform the action with cool head, since fate alone will determine the result.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

After hearing this, with a desire to accomplish seeing the Lord and as a result, to bring about the death of Kaṁsa which he long desired, he desired to announce his friendship with Kaṁsa by praising him. That is expressed in two verses. You have considered correctly because you are the king. It is permitted in the scriptures for the king to use force. “Why did Akrūra, follower of dharma, permit punishment?” Hearing all of Kaṁsa’s false words he hid his true intentions and simply repeated Kaṁsa’s views in praise. One should endeavor (kuryāt) for solutions to such problems by taking the advice of scriptures. If one ignores this, one becomes sinful. Without joy or sorrow (samaḥ), one should do this. Another version has samam instead of samaḥ. Then it is an adverb (do this with composure).

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

I am satisfied with this result, after acting favorably to this wicked person for so long. Actually it is done for my benefit. Therefor I should act for his benefit. In not saying it is benefical, he will worry that I am indifferent. If, not trusting me, he does not send me, my long-held desire will not be fulfilled. I will thus speak some encouraging words to him. This he does with two verses. O king, you should protect your body and your kingdom (rājan)! Or this act should follow nīti-śāstra for kings, not karma scriptures. One should perform actions whether successful or a failure. One should not rejoice on success and one should not feel pain on failure. Why? Your fate produces the result. What will effort accomplish? Samam acts as an adverb, or the word bhāvam should be added after samam. The meaning is the same.