When Brahmaji, after his bold attempt to steal the cowherd boys and calves of Krishna understands his mistake, he surrenders to the lotus feet of Krishna without any reservations. His prayers form one of the most beautiful prayers in the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Brahmaji is cautious in his prayers about what he desires to ask Krishna. He has realized his folly, and he is eager to rectify it. He also understands his disqualification to serve in the higher rasas of vatsalya rasa etc., and therefore he takes joy in simply appreciating those moods.
He prays when can he consider himself most fortunate.
tad astu me nātha sa bhūri-bhāgo
bhave ‘tra vānyatra tu vā tiraścām
yenāham eko ‘pi bhavaj-janānāṁ
bhūtvā niṣeve tava pāda-pallavam
My dear Lord, I therefore pray to be so fortunate that in this life as Lord Brahmā or in another life, wherever I take my birth, I may be counted as one of Your devotees. I pray that wherever I may be, even among the animal species, I can engage in devotional service to Your lotus feet. SB 10.14.30
In the previous verse to this, he prays for just a particle of mercy – prasada lesa anugrhita. What will be the result if the Lord’s little mercy is shown? Then I can be counted amongst one of the Lord’s followers. Lord’s little mercy is the devotees’ greatest fortune!
He is not eager to be born anywhere else, but in Vraja he is ready to take any position. He is just happy to lick the limbs of the Lord in affection in Vraja. He is even ready to be born as a new devotee, and just serve the Lord’s associates. The creator of the entire universe is ready to forsake his reputation and position to achieve this fortune.
The word “bhuri-bhaga” means unlimited fortune. Devotees of the Lord consider themselves unlimitedly fortunate when they become recipients of the grace of the Lord in any capacity. Mukunda was told by Lord Caitanya that he would be able to see Lord Caitanya after a million lifetimes, and Mukunda started dancing in ecstasy!
Yudishthira Maharaja, after hearing about Narsimhadeva’s reciprocation with Prahlada, felt himself totally insignificant. Narada then told about Yudishthira’s unlimited fortune.
Narada says,
yūyaṁ nṛ-loke bata bhūri-bhāgā
lokaṁ punānā munayo ‘bhiyanti
yeṣāṁ gṛhān āvasatīti sākṣād
gūḍhaṁ paraṁ brahma manuṣya-liṅgam
Nārada Muni continued: My dear Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, all of you [the Pāṇḍavas] are extremely fortunate, for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, lives in your palace just like a human being. Great saintly persons know this very well, and therefore they constantly visit this house. SB 7.10.48
The word “bhuri-bhaga” can be defined in the following ways:
1] The Pāṇḍavas’ good fortune is bhūri, virtually unlimited.
2] The word bhāga means “good fortune” (bhāgadheyam), and it also means “worship” (bhajanam). In this second sense, bhūri-bhāgāḥ means that the Pāṇḍavas’ worship of Kṛṣṇa is exceptionally exalted.
3] Another meaning of bhāga is “part.” The Pāṇḍavas enjoy a small share of the Supreme Lord’s special favor, since the Lord has many other devotees besides them, but even that small part of His favor is great beyond measure. (Brhad Bhagavatamrta 1.5.7 P)
Even for Brahmaji, for him it’s the greatest achievement, but from the Lord’s side, it’s just a small favor to grant him a position in Vrndavana.
Ultimately, everyone from Brahma down to an ant is insignificant as compared to the Lord. When we see that the Lord is personally interfering in our lives, when we observe and realize we are getting association of so many devotees, when we feel gratitude for all the gifts that Krishna is giving us in bhakti, for us that is unlimited good fortune (bhuri-bhaga) being received by His grace. Sometimes, that good fortune may not be realized by us. And just as Yudishthira needed Narada Muni to make him understand his fortune, we need the vision of devotees to help us understand how fortunate we are.
In bhakti, there is no little or no greater fortune. Everything is Absolute. Krishna leaving Vrndavana was considered by the Vrajavasis as the greatest misfortune, but Krishna wanted to give them the greatest fortune of the experience of love in separation. Narada boy considered himself unfortunate when the vision of the Lord of his heart disappeared, but that was a fortune awarded to him to increase his bhakti. The curse on Parkisit was the greatest fortune since it enabled him to take shelter of Krishna.
Even the “prasada-lesa”, a drop of mercy of the Lord is sufficient to drown us in the nectar of bhakti and make us the greatest fortunate person in the entire creation. We just need the vision to see it, or some vision that can help us see it.
