Grandson of Brahma and son of Uttanapadha; as a child, he performed severe penance and attained self-renunciation. (Glossary for the Vahinis)
Extract taken from (Dhruva: An example of Selfless love and firm faith)
Dhruva was the only son of Suniti and Uttanapada. Uttanapada had a second wife by name Surichi. He had a son called Uttamam hy her.Both Dhruva and Uttama used to move like own brothers.(Beacons of Divine Wisdom, Part 1, p. 157)
(Dhruva)
Dhruva was five years old and Uttama, four-and-a-half. Once both were playing in the garden. Their father, Uttanapada, was watching them indulgently and enjoying himself.
After some time Uttama became tired. He ran and sat in his father’s lap. Uttanapada was extremely fond of Suruchi, the mother of Uttama. Suniti’s son, Dhruva, also ran forward to do the same. Suddenly Suruchi ran forward and flung Dhruva away from his father. As if that wasn’t enough, she hurt his tender heart with harsh words: ‘Dhruva! You may be the King’s son, but not mine. Only a son born of me has the right to sit on the King’s lap. If you want to sit on your father’s lap, the only way is for you to take another birth as my son! This is your fate for being Suniti’s son. In this manner, Suruchi unleashed arrow-like words at Dhruva.
Dhruva walked back to his mother’s palace. He entered and sat down silently in a corner. Tears were coursing down his cheeks. Some maids noticed his condition and informed Suniti.
Even when asked by his mother, Dhruva sat quietly with a tear-stained face. Suniti came to know of the incident from her maids. She lamented her plight, ‘Dhruva, you had the misfortune of being born to me. I am treated like a maid by everyone in the palace because the King favours the other queen. So how can my son get any respect?’ She told Dhruva, ‘My son, pray to God and be born to Suruchi.’ (SSB 1995, pp. 82-83)
Dhruva was taken aback by his mother’s advice and told her, ‘I have lost all desire to live in this world because of this great humiliation I suffered. He grew angry and started abusing his step mother in ever so many ways. Immediately his mother tried to prevent him saying, ‘Dear son! one should not revile others; for, we will suffer the consequences of such action. In fact, Suruchi’s humiliating words will help you in future. You must always think that everything is for your good only. Do not therefore indulge in criticism against others. Particularly, you please do not abuse your step mother,’ (Beacons of Divine Wisdom, Part 1, p. 160)
Suniti went close to him and said, ‘My son, whatever anyone may say is for your good. Do not blame your stepmother. She has shown you the path of your destiny.’ Will any mother advise likewise today? But Suniti was different. Her name was Suniti, meaning ‘embodiment of virtue (niti)’. She passed on those morals to her son also. (SSB 1995)
Dhruva said, ‘So what do you want me to do, mother?’ Suniti replied, ‘Son! No one can really help another. It is God alone who is the sole refuge of everyone. He alone can fulfil all your wishes. ‘Go to the forest and seek Lord Narayana to achieve your desires.’ Are there such mothers today, who send their five-year-old sons to the forest for penance?
She placed her hand on Dhruva’s head as blessing and said, ‘Whether you are in the forest, city, village, mountains, or sea, God is the only refuge of the forlorn. Instead of suffering in the palace, it is much better to delight in thoughts of God in the forest. Wherever you may be, I am not in a position to help you. God will take care of you. Don’t think of the forest as a forest but as God’s abode. Go and seek Him, my son.’ (SSB 1995)
Dhruva accepted his mother’s words as command, prostrated at her feet. (SSB 1995)He took his mother’s blessings saying, ‘Mother! I shall obtain the grace and blessings of the Lord and then only return.’(SSB 2002, p. 154)
A mere five-year old boy! He did not know what a forest was, the way leading there, how to pray, what pleases God...nothing! Yet, he didn’t pause to worry about these issues. ‘I must follow my mother’s command. I must undertake penance. I must achieve the Lord’s Vision.’ There was no thought in his mind besides his goal.
By the power of Suniti’s blessing, the Divine sage Narada met Dhruva midway. Narada divined Dhruva’s intentions. He asked the lad, ‘Where are you going, young Dhruva? Are you going to play?’ Dhruva said, ‘Yes, O Divine Sage, I am going to play with God.’ Narada asked, ‘Where is God?’ Dhruva answered, ‘My mother told me to go to the forest and seek Him.’
Narada exclaimed, ‘O foolhardy child! Don’t you know that most renunciates and knowers of scriptures cannot attain the Lord even after centuries of penance? You are a child. You have no worldly experience. You don’t know about God. How can an innocent, ignorant child like you achieve God? It is impossible!’
Dhruva replied, ‘Narada, age is not important to the Lord. My mother’s blessing and my determination will take me to the goal.’ Narada tried to dissuade Dhruva by talking of discomfort, fear and failure. ‘There are many animals in the forest. Dangerous snakes will pursue you everywhere. Ghosts and evil spirits abound as well. You are accustomed to royal comforts, having no experience in the ways of the world. No, what you have determined is too much.’ But Dhruva was firm. ‘I will never return to the palace. My resolve is a divine one, not a wicked one. God dwells in a pure heart. A decision that emerges from my heart is, therefore, a Divine decision! I will never give it up.’
Dhruva did not give heed to Narada’s words. ‘It is my mother’s command. I should follow it even at the cost of my life and prove the value of a mother’s word. I must, and will, succeed. As soldiers are the life of a fort, as a signature is the life of a promissory note, similarly Truth is life to our faculty of speech. I will never give up Truth. Sathyam Naasti Paro Dharmah—there is no dharma higher than Truth. I am the grandson of Manu, who was a great proponent of dharma. I must be the embodiment of sathya and dharma.’ These were the lofty thoughts chasing each other in Dhruva’s mind.
Narada finally admitted defeat. Narada said, ‘Dhruva, How are you going to contemplate on God? In what form will you meditate on Him?’ In this manner, Narada asked many questions. Dhruva smiled and replied, ‘O sage, the idea that I should do penance was planted by Him. The seed of thought becomes a sapling due to Him. The sapling grows into a giant tree because of Him. And He it is who also makes the tree to bear fruits. I have no doubt that the very same God will take care of me. I have not studied the Upanishads or other sacred texts. I know only the Name of God.’ Narada asked, ‘What Name will you chant?’ Dhruva thought for a while and replied, ‘I shall chant: Gopijana Vallabhaya Namaha.’ Here, the word Gopidoes not just refer to the gopikas of Brindavan. Gopa means the Earth, the Vedas, the Word, and cows. The root-word for all these four words is Go. Gopisare those who worship and take care of these four sacred entities. They worship the Earth, they foster the Vedas, they are true to their word, and they also protect the cows. In essence, the gopikas of Brindavan did all these. God does not have any names per se, but various names are given to Him. Dhruva said to Narada, ‘I am one among the Gopis. I am a part of the Earth, a part of the Vedas, etc. In short, I am one among the many created by the Lord. Who protects and sustains the many? God. That is the One I am worshipping with this chant.’(SSB 2000)
He admired Dhruva’s resolve and felt pity for him. He said, ‘Son! Your determination and purity have deeply affected me. I will come with you for a while.’ They went to the banks of River Yamuna. There, Narada instructed Dhruva, ‘Dear child, if one chants the Name of the Lord with a purified mind, the Lord appears soon.’
They had a bath in Yamuna and Narada whispered into the ear of Dhruva, the great dwadasi (twelve-syllable) Mantra: Om! Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya.’
The all-comprehensive nature of God’s Name
After Narada left, Dhruva soon entered into a forest named Madhuvanam.(Beacons of Divine Wisdom, Part 1, p. 161)Dhruva found a shady part in the forest, fixed his seat and began chanting the Mantra. He chanted Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya without interruption. He forgot his body. However, because of his tender age, he felt hungry and thirsty at times. During the first month, he ate fruits fallen on the ground. In the second month, he ate only tubers and leaves. In the third month, he subsisted on water. In the fourth month, he survived on air. His body was reduced to a skeleton. That is natural for the body.The body is born of food. It is called annamaya kosha—sheath of food. Within this physical sheath are praanamaya kosha(sheath of life), manomaya kosha(sheath of mind), vijnaanamaya kosha(sheath of knowledge) and finally, Anandamaya kosha(sheath of bliss). Dhruva neglected only the Annamaya kosha. He merged the name of the Lord with his pranamaya kosha. With inhalation and exhalation, he repeated Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya.
Next, manomaya kosha. Dhruva clearly pictured in his mind the form of the Lord as described by Narada, which was imprinted in his heart. What is the inner meaning? He recited the Lord’s Name while picturing His Form. And he pictured the Lord’s Form while reciting His Name. Name and Form—this became Dhruva’s penance. Name + Form = penance (tapas)
One filled with Divine Love will be fearless
The whole forest became hot due to Dhruva’s one-pointedness. Sages dwelling there could not bear it. They were astonished that a five-year-old boy could sustain such iron control over the mind. They tried to obstruct his concentration in manifold ways. They created snakes, which circled his body. They sent wild animals and evil spirits to trouble Dhruva. But nothing could disturb him, much less harm him. Dhruva thought, ‘My mother said that God is the refuge of the helpless. So the Lord will take care. I need not worry!’ What deep faith he had! When nothing could even distract Dhruva, the Gods in heaven went to Narayana to intervene on Dhruva’s behalf.
Dhruva’s eyes were closed. He didn’t even want to look at the world. ‘I do not desire anything belonging to this world,’ he had decided at the outset. ‘This body is composed of the five elements. It is bound to collapse one day. But the In-dweller has neither birth nor death. That In-dweller is God. I have assumed this body for the sole purpose of seeing that In-dweller.’
Gradually, he became so weak that his voice was no longer audible. He repeated Om Namo Bhagavate Vaasudevaaya in his mind. (SSB 1995) . He was engrossed in the tapas. Lord Narayana then manifested before him.(Beacons of Divine Wisdom, Part 1)
As the Lord came closer and closer, His effulgence intermingled with Dhruva’s aura and Dhruva shone brighter and brighter. Suddenly, finding his heart empty of the Lord’s Form, Dhruva opened his eyes. He saw the Lord standing in front of him. Smiling, Dhruva said, ‘O Lord, as long You were in my heart. Now You are outside me. Are You trying to leave me? I won’t allow it.’ Dhruva had recognized that what we see outside is a reflection of our own hearts. If you feel that someone is bad, that bad is not in him, but only a reflection of your heart. Your own thoughts, both good and bad, appear to you outside as reflection, reaction, resound.
Even Lord Narayana was taken aback at Dhruva’s ideal qualities! The Lord mused, ‘How surprising that these eternal feelings have entered this young boy! He is enjoying the benefits
of many past lives spent in the divine Quest.’ Thinking thus, the Lord laughed within Himself. Dhruva had lost his voice but still, he started extolling the Lord. He described all the ten Avatars of the Lord and His exploits. He gazed upon the Lord continuously, without blinking. He held the Lord’s Lotus Feet tightly.
The Lord asked him, ‘Child, what do you want?’ Dhruva could not produce any sound. He appealed to the Lord mentally. The Lord touched his cheeks with His Conch and fresh energy coursed through his body, restoring his speech.
Then the Lord stood back, clenching His Hands together. Dhruva approached the Lord, closer and closer. The Lord asked him again, ‘Dhruva, tell Me what you desire.’ Dhruva was so enraptured that the Lord had to repeat the question many times. Finally Dhruva said, ‘My Lord! Why do You insist on drowning me in maya? You knew where I was, what I was doing and who I was praying to. Otherwise You could not have come here. Knowing all this, don’t You know what I desire? Of course, You do!’
Dhruva was talking high philosophy! But God had read two books more on spirituality than Dhruva! Lord Narayana replied, ‘Child! The thought that prompted your penance was the desire to sit in your father’s lap. You put this thought into action by performing this penance. But it remains to be seen what your word will be.’‘You resolved upon a goal. You acted as per your resolve. Now, I want to hear from your lips: What do you seek?’ the Lord clarified.
Dhruva replied, ‘Dear Lord, in ignorance I desired my father’s affection. Unable to bear an ordinary insult, I sought to sit in my father’s lap and enjoy my rightful privileges as his son. I acted upon that resolve. Now that I’ve seen You, touched You and talked to You, I want only You. I craved a drop of water and found Divine Nectar itself. I desired a piece of glass and found a diamond.’(SSB 1995)
Once I got this diamond why should I desire the glass piece? I had come to do penance with a great desire that I become a prince and sit on my father’s lap. Now I don’t have any such desires. I want only you.’ (SSB 2002)
The Lord saw the contradiction between Dhruva s original resolution, his penance and his present desire. The Lord told him that he should stick to his original wish for which he had performed the penance. (SSS Vol.29)Lord Narayana laughed at Dhruva and said, Dear Son! Your thought and deed coincided, but your word differed. Hence you may return to your kingdom and sit on the lap of your father, thus making your mother happy. You rule your kingdom for some time and then come to Me.’(Beacons of Divine Wisdom, Part 1)
Finally Dhruva said, ‘I offer everything to You,’ and left the decision to Narayana. The Lord said, ‘Son, obey My command. Till now, you followed your mother’s command. Now, I am your father, mother and everything. There is no lasting happiness in the world.
Janma Dukham, Jaraa Dukham, Jaaya Dukham
Punah Punah Antya Kaale Maha Dukham,
Tasmaat Jaagrata Jaagrata!
Birth, old age and death are full of sorrow.
The final moments are most pathetic.
So beware, beware!
I am sending you back so that you fulfill your initial resolution. You must return without hesitation,’ said the Lord. Having said this, the Lord waited for Dhruva’s response.
Dhruva said, ‘It is Your command and I will obey it. No matter what I may experience by leaving You and returning, no matter how disappointing, I will follow Your command.’ Only after he made this promise, the Lord came forward and took Dhruva in His embrace. Holding him close, the Lord spoke endearingly to the young lad. ‘Dhruva! For God to be earned by such a young boy as you—this has never happened in the world.’
The Lord continued, ‘Dhruva! You have to teach much to the world about the glory of the Divine Name. Now I will enter you.’ A light emerged from the Lord and entered Dhruva.
The boy who was so frail for the past few months was filled with energy and brightness. He jumped up and touched the Lord’s Feet. The Lord disappeared.
The Lord’s ethereal voice continues
The Lord continues speaking to Dhruva. ‘Dearest child! You must rule the world as an ideal emperor for many years yet. Your father is repentant. He looks forward to your return, moment to moment. He has given up food and sleep and wants only you. Go back, go back, go back. After you complete the task of ruling the kingdom, I have set aside an exalted position for you. The Polaris Star situated in the midst of the Sapta Rishis(Seven famous Sages), the Sun and the Moon shall henceforth be called Dhruva Star. All celestial bodies circle the Dhruva Star. Even Polaris itself may change but you will be eternal. You are an embodiment of immortality. Your life will be an expression of Bliss.’ The Lord also promised that Dhruva would reach Him at the end of his life span. (SSB 1995, pp. 82-) Just look at how much Grace overflowed to Dhruva when he agreed to follow the Lord’s command! Dhruva obtained immortal fame, the Lord’s constant presence within himself and the Lord’s love. Much,much more than what he originally desired. That is why it is not necessary to ask God for your desires. Just follow the Lord’s commands and His Grace will overflow, unasked.
Dhruva started back toward his father’s kingdom. Uttanapada was informed. In great excitement, Uttanapada sat in a palanquin with Suniti, Suruchi, and Uttama and set out to welcome Dhruva. As Dhruva walked through the forest he looked like a luminous star. He had so much brightness! He was only five years old. Skipping and jumping, he laughed in pure joy as he ran home.
Uttanapada jumped down from his chariot and ran forward to embrace Dhruva. He lifted Dhruva in his arms and said, ‘Forgive my faults, son. To me you are Narayana Himself. Falling prey to attachment, I was unfair with you. I made your mother suffer in many ways.’ Dhruva replied, ‘Who am I? Who are you? You are not the father, I am not the son. I am Narayana, you are Narayana, everything is Narayana. Where is the question of pardon?’ Speaking of unity of the Atma, Dhruva melted his father’s heart. He taught Atma Vidyaeven to his father!
Uttanapada said, ‘Enough time has been wasted already. Come now.’ He sat in the palanquin and took Dhruva on one thigh and Uttama on the other. In this manner they reached the kingdom full of joy and excitement. Suniti witnessed this scene. She had been away from her husband, and her son was in the forest. She had endured a lot of pain. She had spent the many months wondering, ‘I don’t know what sins have brought upon me this suffering—the pain of separation from my husband and my son. Which woman can live in this manner?’ This Suniti, who had been submerged in despair, could not contain her joy and excitement on this day. She also took Dhruva in her arms and played with him joyously.
Dhruva’s penance had lasted five months. He came home when he was five years and five months old. And he was crowned as the emperor when he was only six years old! Uttanapada rightly realized that for one who had realized God, it was not a big task to rule over a kingdom. (SSB 1995)
During the coronation, Uttama held the royal umbrella over Dhruva’s head while Uttanapada and his wives sat on either side of him. The parents felt, ‘If our son, so tender and young, could achieve God’s Grace, why should we waste our time? Human life is not for enjoying wealth and comfort, but to reach God.’
Only then did Uttanapada recognize the true meaning of the term Manuja(man). Manuja = Manu + Ja (born of), meaning, child of Manu. After Dhruva’s coronation, that very day, his father and mothers left for Skanda Ashram to spend the remainder of their lives in solitude and meditation. (SSB 1995, 1995)
Dhruva ruled for a long time very wisely and well, maintaining justice and peace. When his sojourn in the world came to an end, a celestial chariot came to take him to God s Abode. He told the charioteer that God was everywhere and so the question of taking him to God s place did not arise. (SSS Vol.28)
Dhruva told the charioteer, ‘Where do I need to go? Why do I need to go, when God is everywhere?’ He taught the Supreme Truth even to the charioteer sent by God! ‘You expect me to go to God in this chariot. That is meaningless. God is here, as He is everywhere. I will merge into Him now,’ he said. He sat down in the chariot and chanted Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya. The light in him merged into the Lord. (SSB 1995)