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1. He was free from vice (anagha). (SB 1.1.6)
2. He has studied (adhītāni) religious scriptures (dharma-śāstrāṇi), supplementary (Puranic) scriptures (purāṇāni) and histories (itihāsāni ca) under guidance.(SB 1.1.6)
3. He has also (api) explained (ākhyātāny) them to others. (SB 1.1.6)
4. He was the most senior (śreṣṭho) scholar of the Vedas (veda-vidāṁ) and knew (viduḥ) all great learned scholars (parāvara-vido) including Śrīla Vyāsadeva (bhagavān bādarāyaṇaḥ), the composer of the Vedas. (SB 1.1.7)
5. Since he was a gentle (saumya) and submissive (snigdhasya) disciple (śiṣyasya), he was, in fact (tattvatas), endowed with (uta) all the secrets (guhyam) of the Vedas by his teachers (guravo) as a result of their favor (tad-anugrahāt) upon him. (SB 1.1.8)

One day, the king’s thumb got cut and he shared the news painfully with Birbal. Birbal, maintaining his own devotion to God, responded confidently, “Whatever God does, He does it only for good.” The king angrily threatened Birbal to punish him if he did not change his stance. However, Birbal maintained his position and as a result the king became furious. The king got so annoyed that he threw Birbal into the prison.

The next morning the king went into a dense forest for hunting. While he was chasing a deer, he got separated from his retinue. Suddenly a group of tribals attacked the king and then forcibly carried him blind-folded to a temple for offering him as a human sacrifice. The chief of the tribals took a gigantic sword ready to behead the king. All of a sudden, he stopped and noticed the bruised thumb of the king. The chief announced that the king was not fit for the offering and therefore ordered his men to release him.

The king ran for his life and came straight to the prison where Birbal was kept incarcerated. King Akbar begged for forgiveness and released Birbal. The king narrated the whole story to Birbal concluding himself that whatever God does, He does it only for good. However, the king still had one doubt that he placed before Birbal. He said, “I understand that my bruised finger saved my life today. But, how could God be good in having you thrown inside the prison?” Birbal immediately responded, “If I was not put in the prison, I would have accompanied you on the hunting excursion. Seeing you unfit for sacrifice, they would have me instead for the human sacrifice. So, by God’s grace, I was put in the prison and my life got spared.” Akbar exulted at Birbal’s remark and they both repeated the conclusion in unison, “Whatever God does, He does only for good.”

Sanjaya (ahaṁ) acknowledges that he has thus (ity) heard (aśrauṣam) this (imam) wonderful (adbhutaṁ) dialogue (saṁvādam) between Krishna (vāsudevasya) and (ca) the great soul (mahātmanaḥ), Arjuna (pārthasya). Out of ecstasy, his hair is standing on end (roma-harṣaṇam). (BG 18.74)

Sanjaya does not consider himself qualified to become privy to this sacred conversation. He gives full credit to his spiritual preceptor, Vyasadeva. Sanjaya’s words of gratitude are very specific. Sanjaya expresses that by the grace of Vyāsa (vyāsa-prasādāc), he (ahaṁ) has heard (chrutavān) this (etad) supreme (param) secret (guhyam) of yoga (yogaṁ), spoken (kathayataḥ) directly (sākṣāt) by the Lord and Master of yoga (yogeśvarāt), Krishna (kṛṣṇāt) Himself (svayam). (BG 18.75)

What is the overall impact on Sanjaya? Repeatedly remembering (saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya) this (imam) wonderful (adbhutam) and sacred (puṇyaṁ) dialogue (saṁvādam) between Krishna (keśava) and Arjuna (arjunayoḥ), he is experiencing thrill (hṛṣyāmi) again (muhur) and (ca) again (muhuḥ). (BG 18.76) And also (tac ca ), repeatedly remembering (saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya) the extraordinarily wonderful (aty-adbhutaṁ) form (rūpam) of Lord Krishna (hareḥ), he (me) is greatly (mahān) wonder-struck (vismayo), and (ca) rejoices (hṛṣyāmi) [the vision] again and again (punaḥ punaḥ). (BG 18.77) Thus, there are two sources of impact for Sanjaya: Krishna’s transcendental form and His transcendental words.

Sanjaya concludes his realization as follows. In his opinion (matir mama), wherever there is (yatra) the Lord and Master of yoga (yogeśvaraḥ), Krishna (kṛṣṇo), and wherever there is (yatra) Arjuna (pārtho), the carrier of the bow (dhanur-dharaḥ), there is (tatra) certainly (dhruvā) fortune (śrīr), victory (vijayo), power (bhūtir), and morality (nītir). (BG 18.78)

So, the secret of receiving fortune, victory, power, and morality lies in not chasing after them but instead in inviting Krishna into our life. The process of inviting Krishna into our life is already stated in the most confidential section of the Gita – that is cultivating devotional service (or bhakti) for Krishna alone.

Lord Krishna gives an encouraging response. He first states an important principle: “A transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with evil either in this life or next. One who does good is never overcome by evil.” (BG 6.40) Then, Krishna elaborates further by considering two kinds of unsuccessful yogis – one who is unsuccessful after a short period of practice, and the other who is unsuccessful after a prolonged period of practice.

The yogi who gives up after a short span of practice becomes fortunate to be born into a pious and rich family, where one does not have to struggle for bare necessities of life and the conditions are suitable for reactivating the spiritual journey. (BG 6.41) A yogi is even more fortunate if he or she had practiced for a long period but desisted. Such a fortunate soul takes birth in a family endowed with transcendental wisdom by dint of culture and practice. Such a birth is indeed very rare and one gets the highest opportunity for the revival of spiritual consciousness. (BG 6.42)

What does it mean by being unsuccessful on a spiritual journey? It means that we stop inquiring into the Absolute Truth (e.g. asking fundamental questions like, “who am I?”, “What is the goal of life?”, “Who is God?”, “What is my relationship with God?”, “Why am I suffering?”, “How can I eradicate suffering once and for all?”, “What is the significance of this world?”, “What is the relationship between God and this world?”, etc.). The success of human life is dependent on the liveness of this spirit of inquiry. Upon getting a fortunate birth in a wisdom-equipped family, one revives the divine consciousness (buddhi-saṁyogaṁ) of the previous body (paurva-dehikam), and again (bhūyaḥ) endeavors for perfection (saṁsiddhau). (BG 6.43) One is innately attracted (hriyate) to the previous life’s practices (pūrvābhyāsena) and restores one’s inquisitive spirit (jijñāsur). (BG 6.44) In this way, there is no dearth of opportunity for us to make our life successful.

May the entire universe be blessed with peace and hope.
May everyone, driven by envy and enmity, become pacified and reconciled.
May all living beings develop an abiding concern for the welfare of others.
May our own hearts and minds be filled with purity and serenity.
May all these blessings flow naturally from this supreme benediction:
May our attention become spontaneously absorbed in the rapture of pure love unto the transcendent Lord.

(SB 5.18.9, Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur commentary)