Srimadbhagavatham-skandha4-chapter8-Dhruvacharitham

January 21, 2009

Chapter8-Dhruvacahrithram-Dhruva leaves for forest

Of the two sons of Svayambhuva Manu, Utthanapadha and Priyavratha, the story of Utthanapadha is taken up by Maitreya next. Utthanapadha was the father of Dhruva who became the pole star.

Utthanapadha had two wives Suneeti and Surichi. Dhruva was the son of Suneethi and Utthama was the son of Suruchi. Once Utthama was sitting on the lap of his father and when Dhruva started to climb there the mother of Utthama, Suruchi, who was the favourite of the king, stopped him, saying that he could not climb to the throne in the lap of his father since he was not born to her and if he wanted to do that he had to do penance so that he would be born to her.

Dhruva was hurt by her words and hissed like a serpent beaten with a rod and left his father who was looking on helplessly without a word and went to his mother in anguish.

Suneethi was pained to see the grief of her son who told her what happened and said , the good soul as she was, `maa amangalam thaatha pareshu mamsThaaH bhunkthe janaH yath paradhuhkhadhaH thath,' meaning, "Do not wish ill for others. The one who gives sorrow to others comes to experience it himself." Then she said there was nothing wrong in what Suruchi said because the king ignored her and not even considered her as a servant. She advised him to do as Suruchi told him, that is to go and worship the Lord Narayana.

Listening to her words, Dhruva left the kingdom and proceeded to forest to do penance as suggested by his mother. Narada knowing this came to bless him. Narada always used to be present when a soul is destined to obtain the grace of the Lord, which is of course by the , will of the Lord, who, the goal, upeya, also shows the devotee the way, upaya, to reach Him. This proves that when we take a step towards Him He takes ten towards us.

Narada started dissuading Dhruva. He said that one should learn to take what comes according to karma and should not worry on honour or dishonour because whatever happens is according to the will of The Lord. Moreever the Lord is not attainable even by the sages and Dhruva was too young to do penance. But seeing the determination of Dhruva, who asked Narada to show him the way to achieve the most exalted place in all the three worlds, which had never been attained by any, Narada instructed Dhruva to got to the sacred Madhuvana on the banks of Yamuna, where the Lord Hari is ever present. Narada also instructed him the manthra `Om namo vasudevaya,' and gave him a detailed description of the Lord so that he would recognize Him when He appears. Narada also gave detailed instructions to Dhruva as to the mode of worship and meditation. Dhruva went to Madhuvana and did penance as told, by doing japa and eating fruits every three days for one month, in the second month eating only leaves dropped off and grass every 6days, in the third month taking only water every 9 days. In the fourth month he had only air as food every twelve days and during the fifth month stopped breath completely standing on one leg like log, motionless.

When Dhruva was contemplating on the form of the Lord in his heart he was completely transformed and with the presence of the Lord within and his whole being was pervaded by he Lord and when he stopped breathing the whole universe was suffocated which made the devas tremble with fear and run to the Lord for rescue. The Lord reassured them and told them that He would go and grace Dhruva and stop him from further penance.

In the meanwhile Narada approached the king Uttnapadha who was stricken with remorse on his treatment of Dhruva and his mother and expressed his fear for his son who was only five year old and gone to forest to do penance. Narada reassured him that Dhurva would not come to harm and his glory had already become known to all the three worlds.[ The sage said that not only Dhruva would return safely after acquiring the grace of the Lord but the name of Utthnapadha was also going to be glorified because of his son.