तद्भूरिभाग्यमिह जन्म किमप्यटव्यां
यद्गोकुलेऽपि कतमाङ्घ्रिरजोऽभिषेकम् ।
यज्जीवितं तु निखिलं भगवान्मुकुन्द-
स्त्वद्यापि यत्पदरजः श्रुतिमृग्यमेव ॥
tad bhūri-bhāgyam iha janma kim apy aṭavyāṁ
yad gokule’pi katamāṅghri-rajo-’bhiṣekam |
yaj-jīvitaṁ tu nikhilaṁ bhagavān mukundas
tv adyāpi yat-pada-rajaḥ śruti-mṛgyam eva ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.14.34)
[A translation based on the commentary of Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda:] “May I have that great fortune in which a birth of any sort here in the forest in Gokula shall occur wherein I may also receive an ablution in the dust of the feet of anyone [there] whose entire life is Bhagavān, Mukunda, [he] whose footdust is verily an object to be sought by the Śrutis even to this very day.”
[A translation based on the commentary of Śrī Viśvanātha Carkavartīpāda:] “May I have that great fortune in which a birth of any sort here in the forest or even in Gokula shall occur wherein I may receive an ablution in the dust of the feet of anyone [there] whose entire life is Bhagavān, Mukunda, and whose footdust is verily an object to be sought by the Śrutis even to this very day.”
Commentary
ato mayā prārthitaṁ ‘tad astu me nātha sa bhūri-bhāgaḥ’ iti yat tad evety āha—tad bhūri-bhāgyam iti | kiṁ tat? iha manuṣya-loke, yat kim api janma, tatrāpy aṭavyāṁ yat, tatrāpi gokule yat | aho satya-lokaṁ vihāyātra janmani jāte ko lābhaḥ? ata āha—api katamāṅghri-rajo-’bhiṣekam iti | gokula-vāsināṁ madhye’pi katamasya yasya kasyāpy aṅghri-rajasābhiṣeko yasmiṁs tat | nanu kuto gokula-vāsina eva dhanyāḥ? tatrāha—yad iti | yeṣāṁ jīvitaṁ nikhilaṁ bhagavān mukundaḥ, mukunda-param eva jīvanam ity arthaḥ | durlabhatām āha—adyāpīti | śruti-mṛgyaṁ vedair api mṛgyata eva na tu dṛśyata ity arthaḥ |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā)
“[Brahmādeva says:] ‘Thus, what was prayed for by me [in SB 10.14.30], “O Lord, may I have that great fortune” (tad astu me Nātha sa bhūri-bhāgaḥ) is this specifically.’ Thus, he says tad bhūri-bhāgyam … [i.e., he speaks this verse to specify exactly what he prayed for earlier in SB 10.14.30]. What is that? [It is that] Which a birth (janma) of any sort (kim api) here (iha), that is, in the plane of human beings, therein, furthermore, which is in the forest (aṭavyām), and therein, furthermore, which is in Gokula.
“[An objection is raised:] ‘Aho! What gain is there in [taking] a birth here, leaving Satyaloka?’ Thus, he says api katamāṅghri-rajo’bhiṣekam: that [sort of birth] wherein an ablution in the dust from the feet of someone—anyone—also among the residents of Gokula shall occur.
“[An objection is raised:] ‘Why are only the residents of Gokula fortunate [i.e., why do you consider only the residents of Gokula so fortunate that you pray to bathe in their footdust]?’ To that, he says yad …: [the residents of Gokula are they] whose entire life is Bhagavān, Mukunda, meaning, [their entire] life is devoted to Mukunda alone. [Then,] He describes the difficulty of attainment [of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa of Gokula]: adyāpi …: [Bhagavān Mukunda is he the dust of whose feet is indeed] only an object to be sought by the Śrutis [even to this very day], meaning, [his footdust] is only sought after, and not, rather, [actually] seen [i.e., ever attained], even by the Vedas.”
śrī-nanda-vraja-jana-sadṛśa-bhaktīcchayā tat-pāda-pallava-niṣevecchayā vā tat-pratikūla-mukty-ādi-pañcakam ihety ādi-pada-pañcakena nirastam—tatra janmeti muktiḥ, iheti svargādi, kim apīti brāhmaṇādi, aṭavyām iti pura-grāmādi, gokula iti tapovanādi | kim apīti kṣudratara-tṛṇatvam abhipretaṁ tatraivāṅghri-rajasaḥ samyag-abhiṣeka-siddheḥ | abhiṣeka-śabdena śira ārabhya sarvāṅga-snapanam abhipretaṁ mahālobhāt sarvāṅga-sāphalyāpekṣayā vā | yad va, rajasaikenāpy abhiṣekam, tataś ca rajasaḥ sarva-tīrthamayatvaṁ sarva-pada-sthāpakatvaṁ ca dhvanyate | yasya pada-rajaḥ śrutibhir apy adyāpi tvayi sākṣād atrāvatīrṇe’pi mṛgyate eva na tu prāpya ity arthaḥ yato bhagavat-prāpty-artham eva ‘brahma pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā’ iti śruteḥ, ‘tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam’ iti bhagavat-padatvenaiva brahma praśasyate, jñāna-karmādikaṁ ca prabodhyate, anyathā prāptau satyāṁ sādhya-siddhyā sādhana-tyāga-nyāyena tat-praśaṁsā-jñānādi-bodhanānupapattiḥ | sa mukundaḥ—mādṛśa-durlabha-bhakti-dātā viśeṣataś ca bhagavān nijākhilaiśvarya-prakaṭana-paraḥ | yasya gokulasya sarveṣām api tatratyānām ity arthaḥ, nikhilaṁ jīvitaṁ kṣaṇam api tvāṁ vinā yair na jīvyata ity arthaḥ | iti parama-prema-viśeṣa uktaḥ | anyat tair vyākhyātam eva | yad va nanu gokula-vāsināṁ kasyāpi pāda-rajaḥ-sparśi kim api janma prārthyate, na kathaṁ sākṣād-gopādi? tatrāha—yaj jīvitam iti | arthaḥ sa eva | parama-prācīna-mādṛśa-sarva-jñāna-prada-śruti-durlabhasya tvat-pāda-rajaso’pi prārthanā me’nupayuktā, kutas tu prema-bhara-vaśīkṛta-tvat-pādābjaka-śrī-gopādi-janma-prārthaneti bhāvaḥ |
(Bṛhad Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā)
“Out of desire for bhakti similar to that of the people of blessed Nanda’s Vraja, or, out of desire for service to the blossoms of his [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s] feet, five elements unfavorable to that [attainment] beginning with mukti are rejected by [the use of] five words beginning with ‘here’ (iha): mukti [is rejected] by [the mention of] ‘birth’ (janma) there [in Vraja], [birth in] Svarga and so forth [are rejected] by [the mention of] ‘here’ (iha) [i.e., on earth], [birth as] a brāhmaṇa and the like [is rejected] by [the mention of] ‘any sort’ (kim api), [birth in] a city, village, and the like [is rejected] by [the mention of] ‘in the forest’ (atavyāṁ), and [birth in] a grove for asceticism [is rejected] by [the mention of] Gokula. Being a blade of very insignificant grass is intended by [the mention of] ‘any sort’ (kim api) because of the attainment of a complete ablution in the dust from the feet [of the residents of Gokula] can occur only in that [type of birth].
“A bath of the entire body starting from the head is intended by the word ‘ablution’ (abhiṣeka), or [such is intended] of out consideration of the [occurrence of the] successfulness of the entire body [as a result of receiving a full body ablution] because of great greed [on the part of Brahmā to attain bhakti akin to that of the residents of Gokula and thee service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s feet made possible by such bhakti]. Alternately, an ablution [done] with even one speck of dust [is intended]. In this case, furthermore, that dust being constituted of all tīrthas [i.e., its being possessed of the power found throughout all holy places] and [its] being an establisher of all positions [i.e., its having the ability to grant a seeker any position they so desire] is implied.
“[Regarding, ‘Whose foot-dust is verily an object to be sought by the Śrutis even to this very day’ (tv adyāpi yat-pada-rajaḥ śruti-mṛgyam eva)] ‘Whose foot-dust is only sought after by the Śrutis, and not rather, attainable [by them], even to this day, that is, even when you have descended here directly,’ is the meaning since as per the Śruti [i.e., the statement in Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.5.1], ‘Brahman is the tail, the basis,’ Brahman is praised [by the Śrutis] specifically as having the position of Bhagavān [in Ṛg-veda], ‘That is the supreme position of Viṣṇu’ (tad Viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam) specifically for the sake of attaining Bhagavān, and, furthermore, jñāna, karma, and so forth are taught [by the Śrutis]. Otherwise [i.e., if it were not the case that the Śrutis only seek and do not actually attain Bhagavān], in the [hypothetical] case of the occurrence of attainment [by the Śrutis of Bhagavān], there would be an non-occurrence of [their] praising that [i.e., Brahman] and [their] teaching of jñāna and so on as per the principle of relinquishment of a means of attainment (sādhana) with the attainment of the object to be attained (sādhya-siddhi) [i.e., if the Śruti did ever actually attain Bhagavān, then it would not be observed that they teach the path of jñāna and so on and praise Brahman, because they would not do so if they had ever actually attained Bhagavān].
“He is Mukunda, that is, the bestower of bhakti which is difficult to attain for someone like me, and, in particular, [he] is Bhagavān, that is, he given to manifestation of all his own powerfulness (aiśvarya). [The word yat preceding jīvitam means] Of which, that is, of Gokula, meaning, even of all present there [i.e., he prays for an ablution in the dust of the feet of anyone amongst all in Gokula]. ‘Entire life’ (nikhilaṁ jīvitaṁ) means they [i.e., the residents of Gokula] cannot live with you for even a moment. Thus, a special form of paramount prema is mentioned. The rest was already explained by him [i.e., by Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda].
“Alternately, [Śrī Kṛṣṇa may raise a question:] ‘Well, you are praying for a birth of any sort that touches [i.e., wherein you attain a form that comes in touch with] the footdust of anyone among the residents of Gokula. Why not [pray] for [a birth as] a cowherd or otherwise directly?’ To that, he says, ‘Whose life [is Bhagavān, Mukunda]’ (yaj jīvitam …). The meaning [in this alternate interpretation of the context] is that specifically [i.e., it is the same as aforestated, that is, that the entire life of the residents of Gokula is Bhagavān, Mukunda]. A prayer even for your footdust when [even] knowledge [of you] is difficult to attain for the Śrutis, who are paramount ancient givers of knowledge to all like myself, is inappropriate for me, much less is a prayer for a birth as a blessed cowherd or otherwise [there in Gokula] that causes captivation of your lotus feet by means of an abundance of prema. This is the purport [i.e., out of a feeling of unworthiness of the fortune of the residents of Gokula, Brahmādeva prays not for a birth as one of them but rather for a birth as a blade of grass that shall be blessed with the touch of the dust of their feet].”
tad evaṁ teṣāṁ mahāmāhātmyam anuvādan jāta-dainyas tvaj-janāntaḥpatitayā tac-caraṇa-sevecchām api dhārṣṭyenaivākaravam iti vyañjayan yat kiñcit taj-jana-caraṇa-raja eva bahumanyamānaḥ prārthayate—tad iti | tat-pratikūlaṁ mukty-ādi-pañcakam ihety-ādi-pada-pañcakena nirastam | tatra janmeti muktiḥ, iha mathurā-maṇḍala iti, vaikuṇṭhādikam apīti sārūpyādi, aṭavyām iti mathurādi, gokula iti madhuvanādi, tatrāpi kim apīti dūrvādi-mṛdu-tṛṇatvam ity abhiprāyaḥ, tatraivāṅghri-rajobhiḥ samyag-abhiṣeka-siddheḥ, tac-caraṇa-sevāyām antarīṇābhilāṣāc ca | abhiṣeka iti sarvāṅga-sāphalya-lobhād uktam | anyat taiḥ | nanu kathaṁ sākṣād gopālādi-janmaiva na prārthyatām? tatrāha—yad iti, yasya gokulasya tad-vāsi-māstrasya nikhilaṁ jīvitaṁ bhagavān mukunda eva, tatra yaḥ svayaṁ bhagavān parātparatvāt sādhayitum aśaktya ity arthaḥ | sādhito’pi yo mukundaḥ prāyaśo muktim eva dātā, na tu bhakti-yoga-mātram api, tam etaṁ vinā maj-janaḥ kṣaṇam api na jīvituṁ śaknotīty arthaḥ, iti parama-prema-viśeṣavattvam uktam | āstāṁ tāvad anyair duḥsādhyatvaṁ durlabha-premavattvam ca, yasya pāda-rajaḥ śrutibhir adyāpi tvayi sākṣād atrāvatīrṇe’pi dṛśyata eva; katamaṁ rajaḥ kiyan mahimeti jñātum iṣyata eva, na tu tad-antaḥ prāpyata ity arthaḥ ‘yato vācaḥ’ ity ādi-śruteḥ | ataḥ parama-prācīna-mādṛśa-sarva-jñāna-prada-śruti-durlabha-jñāne tvat-pāda-rajasyāpi prārthanā me’nupayuktā, kutaḥ punaḥ prema-bhara-vaśīkṛta-tvat-pādābjaka-śrī-gopādi-janma-prārthaneti bhāvaḥ |
(Excerpt from the Laghu Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā)
“Thus in this way recounting their [i.e., the Vraja-vāsīs’] tremendous greatness, becoming filled with humility (dainya), and highly regarding even just any of the dust of the feet of those persons [i.e., the Vraja-vāsīs] so as to suggest, ‘Only out of audacity did I desire even the service of your feet as one included among them who are your own [here in Vraja],’ Brahmādeva prays tad … [i.e., he speaks SB 10.14.34]. Five elements unfavorable to that [object for which he prays] beginning with mukti are rejected by [the use of] five words beginning with ‘here’ (iha): mukti [is rejected] by [the mention of] ‘birth’ (janma) there [in Vraja], [birth in] Vaikuṇṭha and so forth [is rejected] by [the mention of] ‘here’ (iha), meaning, in district of Mathurā, sārūpya and so on [i.e., and other particular forms of mukti are rejected] by [the mention of] ‘any’ (api), [birth in] Mathurā and so on [i.e., the town itself and other villages like it is rejected] by [the mention of] ‘in the forest’ (atavyāṁ), and [birth in] Madhuvana and other forests [is rejected] by [the mention of] Gokula. Therein, furthermore, being a soft blade of dūrvā or another type of grass is intended by [the mention of] ‘any sort’ (kim api) because of the attainment of a complete ablution in the dust from the feet [of the residents of Gokula] can occur only in that [type of birth] and because of internal desire [on the part of Brahmādeva] for the service of his [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s] feet [which he would attain becoming a soft blade of grass and thus receiving the grace of the residents of Gokula].
“‘Ablution’ (abhiṣeka) is stated out of intense desire for the successfulness of the entire body [which would occur as a result of receiving a full body ablution in the dust of a resident of Vraja’s feet]. The rest is as per him [i.e., as per the commentary of Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda].
“[Śrī Kṛṣṇa may raise a question in this regard:] ‘Well, why don’t you pray specifically for a birth as a cowherd or otherwise directly?’ To that, he says yad … [i.e., he speaks the third line of the verse]: the entire life of whom, that is, of Gokula—of every resident therein—is Bhagavān, Mukunda, alone, meaning, a person of his own cannot live for even a moment without him, he Svayaṁ Bhagavān who cannot be attained [by anyone by their own efforts alone] by virtue of [his] being greater than the greatest [of all beings] and who even when attained is Mukunda, meaning, a bestower in general only of mukti and not, rather, also of bhakti-yoga specifically. Thus, [the residents of Gokula’s] being possessed of a special form of paramount prema is mentioned.
“Let alone [his] being difficult to attain for others and [the residents of Gokula] being possessed of [such] difficult to attain prema, [he is said here to be he] whose footdust is only seen by the Śrutis even to this day, that is, even when he has descended here directly, meaning, they only desire to know how great is one speck of this dust [in Gokula touched by the feet of his bhaktas], and do not, rather, reach the end of that [greatness thereof], as per the Śruti [i.e., the statement in Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.4.1], ‘[The bliss of Brahman is that] From which speech returns along with the mind without ever having reached its end.’ Therefore, a prayer even for your footdust when [even] knowledge [of it] is difficult to attain for the Śrutis, who are paramount ancient givers of knowledge to all like myself, is inappropriate for me, much less is a prayer for a birth as a blessed cowherd or otherwise [there in Gokula] that causes captivation of your lotus feet by means of an abundance of prema. This is the purport [i.e., out of a feeling of unworthiness of the fortune of the residents of Gokula, Brahmādeva prays not for a birth as one of them but rather for a birth as a blade of grass that shall be blessed with the touch of the dust of their feet].”
tasmāj jagad-aiśvaryāya prāptāya prāptavyāya mokṣāya ca mayā jalāñjalir dattaḥ kena prakāreṇaiṣāṁ vraja-vāsināṁ caraṇa-dhūlayo labhyanta iti vibhāvya saniścayam āha—tad eva me bhūri-bhāgyaṁ bhavatv iti śeṣaḥ | yadi śrīmat kṛpā-kaṭākṣā udārā bhavantīti bhāvaḥ, kiṁ tat? iha aṭavyāṁ vṛndāvane yat kim api komala-tṛṇa-dūrvādi-janma yad upari tvat-priya-sakhādi-vraja-vāsi-jana-caraṇa-vinyāsa-saubhāgyaṁ sambhavet | nanv asminn atidurlabhe lobhaṁ vihāya sva-yogyam anyat prārthayasveti cet tarhi gokule’pi tvan-nagara-prāntādāv api katamasya tvadīya-saucika-kāru-haḍḍipādy-ekatarasyāpy aṅghri-rajaso’bhiṣeko yatra tathābhūtaṁ śilā-pīṭha-paṭṭakādi-janma bhavatu | nanv eṣāṁ vraja-vāsinām etāvan māhātmyavattve ko hetuḥ kathaṁ vā jagat-pūjyasya jagat-sraṣṭuḥ parameṣṭhunas tavaiṣāṁ nīca-jātīnāṁ pāda-dhūli-lipsāyāṁ nāsti lajjeti tatrāha—yeṣāṁ jīvitaṁ bhagavān ‘bhagaḥ śrī-kāma-māhātmye’ ity amara-nānārtha-vargāt saundarya-sausvaryādi-guṇa-viśiṣṭo bhagavān, mukundaḥ mukhe kundavad dhāsya yasya saḥ iti tvat-saundaryādi-manda-hasitādy eva jīvanopāyaḥ, tena vinā sadya evāmī mriyante ity eteṣām asādhāraṇas tvayi mahāpremaiva sarvotkarṣe hetur iti bhāvaḥ | nikhilam iti kiñcid api jīvitaṁ na bhojana-pānādi-hetukam ity arthaḥ | ato’dyāpi yeṣāṁ pada-rajaḥ śrutibhir mṛgyate eva na tu prāyaḥ prāpyata ity ato’haṁ brahmāpi kiṁ vedebhyo’py adhiko yata etat prārthane mama lajjā syād iti bhāvaḥ | ato mayā ‘tad astu me nātha’ iti yat pūrvaṁ prārthitaṁ tat svasya vaidha-bhaktimattve eva yadi vraja-janānugatimattvena māṁ rāgānugāmṛtāmbhodhau nimajjayati tad evaṁ prārthitam |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“‘Therefore, a cupped palmful of water [i.e., a ritual offering of last rites] has been offered by me to the mastership (aiśvarya) of the universe that I have attained, to that [mastership of the universe] which is attainable [i.e., still unattained by me], and to mokṣa; [no longer interested in these things whatsoever, I only seek to know] by what means is the footdust of these residents of Vraja attainable?’ Reflecting thus, Brahmādeva speaks with certainty [i.e., he speaks this verse]. ‘Let me have that great fortune alone’ is the remainder. ‘If a blessed, munificent sidelong glance of grace comes about’ [i.e., if you so wish to munificently bestow such grace upon me] is the purport. What is that [great fortune being prayed for]? Here (iha), in the forest (atavyām), that is, in Vṛndāvana, any sort (kim api) of birth as a soft blade of dūrvā or another type of grass upon which is possible the fortune of placement of the feet of the people residing in Vraja such as your dear friends.
“If [Kṛṣṇa replies], ‘Well, you should give up this intense desire for that which is very difficult to attain and pray for something else suitable for yourself,’ then [he prays], ‘Even in Gokula, that is, even on the extremity or otherwise of your town, let me have the birth of stone slab or stand whereupon shall occur ablution in the footdust even of anyone among those who are your own [there in Gokula], such as one such tailor, artisan, or sweeper.’
“[Kṛṣṇa may further ask:] ‘Well, what is the cause in regard to these residents of Vraja being possessed of so much greatness? And why aren‘t you, the foremost of the devas who are the emanator of the universe and worshipable for [everyone in] the universe, embarrassed to have desire for the footdust of these persons of [such] low birth?’ To this, Brahmādeva says, ‘[They are they] Whose life is Bhagavān, Mukunda.’ Bhagavān indicates he who is possessed of the qualities of beauty, euphony, and so on as per the Nānārtha-varga section of the Amara-kośa, ‘[The word] Bhagaḥ is used in the sense of beauty, desire, greatness, and so on.’ Mukunda indicates he the smile on whose face (mukha) resembles a jasmine flower (kunda). ‘Your beauty and so on, and your mild smile and so on, are alone the means of livelihood [for these residents of Vraja]. Thus, they indeed immediately die without that [means of livelihood, meaning, the sight of you], and therefore the cause in regard to their excellence above all is verily their extraordinary, superlative prema for you.’ This is the purport. ‘Entire‘ (nikhilam) means even a little of [their] life is not caused by eating, drinking, and so on. Thus, even today their footdust [i.e., that of these residents of Vraja] is only sought after by the Śrutis, and not rather, generally attained. Thus, [Brahmādeva’s worrying,] ‘Am I, although Brahmā, beyond even the Vedas since my embarrassment shall occur in regard to this prayer?’ is the purport. Therefore, if that which was prayed for previously by me [in SB 10.14.30], ‘O Lord, let me have that great fortune …’ (tad astu me Nātha sa bhūri-bhāgaḥ) only because of my being possessed of vaidha-bhakti immerses me in the ocean of the nectar of rāgānugā [-bhakti] on account of being endowed with [the quality of] following the people of Vraja, that is in this way prayed for [by me].”