Text 39
manorathān karoty uccair
jano daiva-hatān api
yujyate harṣa-śokābhyāṁ
tathāpy ājñāṁ karomi te
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; ājñām — order; karomi — I will do; te — your.
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.
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.”