Text 50] Pṛthu Mahārāja's Meeting with the Four Kumāras
957
karmāṇi ca yathā-kālam yathā-deśam yathā-balam yathocitam yathā-vittam akarod brahma-sāt-kṛtam
karmāṇi —activities;  ca —also;  yathā-kālam —befitting time and circumstances;  yathā-deśam —befitting the place and situation;  yathā-balam —befitting one's own strength;  yathā-ucitam —as far as possible;  yathā-vittam —as far as one can spend money in this connection;  akarot —performed;  brahma-sāt —in the Absolute Truth;  kṛtam —did.
TRANSLATION
Being self-satisfied, Mahārāja Pṛthu executed his duties as perfectly as possible according to the time and his situation, strength and financial position. His only aim in all his activities was to satisfy the Absolute Truth. In this way, he duly acted.
PURPORT
Mahārāja Pṛthu was a responsible monarch, and he had to execute the duties of a  kṣatriya , a king and a devotee at the same time. Being perfect in the Lord's devotional service, he could execute his prescribed duties with complete perfection as befitted the time and circumstance and his financial strength and personal ability. In this regard, the word  karmāṇi  in this verse is significant. Pṛthu Mahārāja's activities were not ordinary because they were in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has advised that things which are favorable to devotional service should not be rejected, nor should activity favorable for devotional service be considered ordinary work or fruitive activity. For example, an ordinary worker conducts business in order to earn money for his sense gratification. A devotee may perform the same work in exactly the same way, but his aim is to satisfy the Supreme Lord. Consequently his activities are not ordinary.
Pṛthu Mahārāja's activities were therefore not ordinary but were all spiritual and transcendental, for his aim was to satisfy the Lord. Just as Arjuna, who was a warrior, had to fight to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, Pṛthu Mahārāja performed his royal duties as king for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, whatever he did as emperor of the whole world was perfectly befitting a pure devotee. It is therefore said by a  Vaiṣṇava poet, vaiṣṇavera kriyā mūḍha vijñe nā bujhāya : no one can understand the activities of a pure devotee. A pure devotee's activities may appear like ordinary activities, but