Devanagari
मनोरथान् करोत्युच्चैर्जनो दैवहतानपि ।
युज्यते हर्षशोकाभ्यां तथाप्याज्ञां करोमि ते ॥ ३९ ॥
Verse text
manorathān karoty uccair
jano daiva-hatān api
yujyate harṣa-śokābhyāṁ
tathāpy ājṣāṁ karomi te
Synonyms
manaḥ
—
rathān — his desires
;
karoti
—
carries out
;
uccaiḥ
—
fervently
;
janaḥ
—
the average person
;
daiva
—
by Providence
;
hatān
—
thwarted
;
api
—
even though
;
yujyate
—
he is confronted
;
harṣa
—
śokābhyām — by happiness and distress
;
tathā api
—
nonetheless
;
ājṣām
—
order
;
karomi
—
I will do
;
te
—
your .
Translation
An ordinary person is determined to act on his desires even when fate prevents their fulfillment. Therefore he encounters both happiness and distress. Yet even though such is the case, I will execute your order.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
An ordinary person is determined to act on his desires even when fate prevents their fulfillment. Therefore he encounters both happiness and distress. Yet even though such is the case, I will execute your order.
KB 10.36.39
“One may make a very great plan with his fertile brain, but he must know that he will be subjected to the fruits, misery and happiness. But I have nothing to say against your proposal. As a friend, I shall carry out your order and bring Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma here, as you desire.”
Purport
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains that although what Akrūra said was courteous and encouraging, his hidden meaning was far different. What he really meant was this: “Your plan is not fit to execute, yet I will carry it out since you are the King and I am your subject, and in any case, you are about to die.”
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Living entities (low forms, not you) perform activities with expectations that are sometimes fulfilled and sometimes unfulfilled, leading to happiness and distress. But I will carry out my orders so that you will be happy. This is the external meaning.
Another meaning is: "Though it is not proper to carry out an order of you who desire to die, I will do so, because you are the king and I am a citizen."
Another meaning is: "Though your desires will not be fulfilled, mine will be fulfilled, so I will carry out your order".
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
A person like me dedicated to dharma without attachment should not do this. But I will follow your order since you are the king, the embodiment of all devatās. He shows devotion to Kaṁsa in order to hide his true intentions. Being defeated by fate, or even being successful (api), one endeavors for fulfilling desires and must experience joy and sorrow. He is not like a detached person who is happy. Though this is the case, I will follow your order. He indicates the future. You will rid yourself of misfortune since you will be liberated, for (hi from the previous verse) Kṛṣṇa (daivam) is the giver of all results. You cannot do anything independently. People like you struggle against fate. If the lord is the doer, then I am insignificant. Thus I will do what is favorable for him as a devotee. After the killing Ariṣṭa, Kaṁsa spoke to the Yadus in an enflamed manner and criticized Vasudeva. They also condemned Kaṁsa. Kaṁsa spoke like a blind person. This is the opinion of Hari-vaṁśa.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
He illustrates this. On attaining one’s desires one rejoices and on not attaining one’s desires, one laments. Thus nothing is certain since the force of karma is dominant. Therefore one should not be attached to the result. Fate overrides human effort. Thus nīti-śāstra is rejected. In his statement he places lamentation after rejoicing (harṣa-śokābhyām). This indicates that Kaṁsa will not attain his desire and will ultimately lament.
Thus though it is not proper for me to act at this time, because I am under your control, I will follow your order. According to your order I will go to Vraja, not by my choice. He hides his true feelings.