Canto 4 - Chapter 9: Dhruva returns home after receiving a boon from the Lord ...

Discourse IX

Dhruva returns home after receiving a boon from the Lord

Maitreya went on : Thus rid of their fear, the gods bent their heads low to the Lord (who took very long strides during His descent as Vāmana or the Divine Dwarf in order to measure the three paces of land granted to Him by the demon king Bali) and returned to heaven. The Lord (who in His cosmic form appears with numberless heads) also thereupon flew on the back of Garuḍa to Madhuvana with a longing to see His devotee (Dhruva). (1)
Dhruva saw that the form, brilliant as a flash of lightning, that was revealed in the lotus of his heart by an intellect sharpened by the ripeness of Yoga (concentration) had suddenly vanished, and (on opening his eyes) he beheld the same figure standing without. (2)
Struck with awe at His sight, the child (Dhruva) greeted Him by prostrating his body like a log on the ground. He gazed at Him as if he would drink Him with his eyes, kiss Him with his lips and clasp Him with his arms. (3)
Śrī Hari, who is enthroned in the heart of all and was (equally) present in that of Dhruva too, (readily) perceived that the child was eager to extol Him but knew not how to do it and stood (before Him) with joined palms. Hence He graciously touched his cheek with His conch, which is no other than Veda (appearing in a concrete form). (4)
Instantly blessed with divine speech conferred (on him by the Lord) and having realized the truth of the individual soul as well as of the Supreme Spirit, Dhruva, who was destined to have an eternal abode (in the shape of the pole-star) calmly and devoutly proceeded to glorify the Lord, whose great renown is universally known. (5)

Dhruva said: Hail to You, the Glorious Person, the Wielder of all potencies, who, having entered my inner self (heart), awaken by Your glory my dormant speech and other organs such as hands, feet, ears, the tactile sense and so on. (6)
It is You alone, O Lord, who, having evolved the Mahat-tattva (the principle of cosmic intelligence) and all these other phenomena by Your own potency called Māyā, consisting of the three Guṇas—which are capable of assuming multitudinous forms—enter them as their Inner Controller, and presiding over the illusory senses (which are mere transformations of the three Guṇas) appear as many, though really one, even as fire appears diversified in relation to different pieces of wood. (7)
Through the vision conferred by You, O Lord, Brahmā (who sought refuge in You) viewed this universe like one who has just woke from sleep. How can the soles of Your feet, the resort of even liberated souls, be forgotten by him who is conscious of Your benevolent acts. O friend of the afflicted ? (8)
Their mind has surely been beguiled by Your Māyā (deluding potency), who worship You—a veritable wish-yielding tree, capable of freeing one from (the bondage of) birth and death—for other purposes and hanker after the pleasures of sense, enjoyable by the body (which is no better than a corpse), and which can be had by living beings even in hell. (9)
The bliss which is enjoyed by embodied souls through meditation on Your lotus-feet or by hearing the stories of Your devotees is not found even in Brahma (the Absolute), who is blissful in essence. How, then, could it be enjoyed by them (the gods) who are hurled from the aerial cars smashed by the sword of Death? (10)
May I enjoy the intimate fellowship, O infinite Lord, of exalted souls, possessed of a pure heart and constantly devoted to You, so that I may easily cross the terrible ocean of metempsychosis, full of great perils, drunk with the nectar of Your (delectable) virtues and stories. (11)
They who have cultivated the close fellowship of men whose heart is captivated with the fragrance of Your lotus-feet, O Lord with a lotus sprung from Your navel, think no more of their mortal frame, which is extremely dear to all, much less of those connected with it, viz., their sons, relations, house, wealth and wife. (12)
O birthless one, I know only Your grossest (cosmic) form, full of animals, trees and mountains, birds, reptiles, gods and demons and human beings, consisting of gross and subtle elements and brought about by many causes, such as the Mahat-tattva and so on; I am not aware, O supreme Lord, of Your other Self, higher than this, which transcends all speech. (13)
You are the same as the Supreme Person, who at the end of a cycle (at the time of universal dissolution) reposes with none beside Him save Lord Ananta (the serpent-god Śeṣa) and on his very coil, withdrawing all this universe into His belly and with His eyes turned inward (buried as He is in Yoganidrā or the sleep of Samādhi). Nay, it is in the seed-vessel of the gold lotus representing all the fourteen worlds and sprung from the ocean of Your navel that the shining Brahmā (the creator) appears! I bow to that Lord. (14)
You are the eternally free, all-pure and all-knowing Self, the immutable, most ancient Person, possessed of all divine attributes and the Controller of the three Guṇas (modes of Prakṛti). Witnessing by Your unobstructed vision the different states of the mind, You appear as Viṣṇu (the Deity presiding over sacrifices) for the preservation (of the universe) and are altogether distinct (from the Jīva). (15)
It is in You that the manifold potencies of opposite character, namely, Vidyā (the power of omniscience) and so on, constantly appear in unbroken succession. You are no other than Brahma (the Absolute), the cause of the universe, indivisible, without beginning or end, purely blissful in character and changeless. I take refuge in You. (16)
In the eyes of him who constantly adores You as an embodiment of supreme bliss (seeking no other object), Your lotus-feet, O Lord, are the only true blessing as compared with other boons (sovereignty etc.). Nevertheless, my Master, just as a cow that has recently calved nourishes its calf (by its milk) and protects it (against wolves etc.), You foster even wretched (interested) devotees like us, impatient as You (always) are to shower Your grace on them. (17)

Maitreya resumed : Thus extolled by that sagacious child, who cherished a noble purpose, the Lord, who is fond of His devotees, cheerfully received its praises and spoke as follows. (18)

The Lord said : I know the cherished desire of your heart, O Kṣatriya boy. Although it is difficult to attain, I grant it, O child of commendable vow. May prosperity wait on you. (19)
I bestow on you O blessed one, that effulgent and lasting abode which has not (so far) been attained to by others. The entire stellar sphere—consisting of planets, lunar mansions and (other) stars—stands fastened to it even as oxen employed in trampling corn are bound to a post in the middle of a threshing-floor. It survives even those who live for a whole day of Brahmā (i.e., even after the dissolution of the three world—earth, heaven and the intermediate region); nay, the stars presided over by Dharma (the god of piety), Agni (the god of fire), Kaśyapa (a lord of created beings) and the seven Ṛṣis, the Venus and other stars too revolve round it, ever keeping it to their right. (20-21)
(Even here) when your father retires to the forest after handing over (the dominion of) the earth (to you), you will rule over the globe for a period of thirty-six thousand years, firmly established in righteousness and with your senses (faculties) unimpaired. (22)
Again, when your half-brother, Uttama, loses his life in a hunting expedition, his mother (Suruci) will enter a forest fire while searching for him in the forest, he being the only subject of her thought. (23)
(You know) Yajña (sacrifice) is My beloved form. Therefore, worshipping Me through a number of sacrifices, in which liberal fees will be paid (to the officiating priests), and having enjoyed true blessings in this life, you will ultimately fix your thought (exclusively) on Me. (24)
Thereby you will ascend to My abode, which is adored by all other spheres and is situated even higher than (the abode of) the seven Ṛṣis (the Ursa Major), attaining to which one does not return (to this mortal world). (25)

Maitreya continued : Thus glorified (by Dhruva) and having promised to him (an abode in) His own realm, the Lord, who bears the emblem of Garuḍa on His banner, rose to His own abode, while the child stood gazing (in wonder) (26)
The child was not very pleased even after attaining his cherished object—which had been obtained through the worship of Lord Viṣṇu's feet, and had quenched (all) his desires (once for all)—and returned to the city (the capital of his father). (27)

Vidura said : How is it that Dhruva (who knew the real value of things) felt as if he had not realized his object, even though he had secured in the course of a single life (a title to) the supreme Abode of Śrī Hari, the Lord of Māyā (Prakṛti), which is so very difficult to attain and is earned solely through the worship of His feet ? (28)

Maitreya replied : His heart having been pierced with the shaft-like words of his stepmother and their memory still fresh (in his mind), Dhruva did not seek Mukti (final beatitude) even from the Lord of Mukti; that is why he was filled with remorse (when the bitterness was gone through the sight of the Lord). (29)

Dhruva said (to himself) : Even after securing, in the course of (mere) six months, the asylum of His feet, whose truth perpetual celibates like Sanandana (and his three brothers—Sanaka, Sanātana and Sanatkumāra)—have been able to realize through abstract meditation practised through many lives, I have receded from them, my mind being fixed on diversity. (30)
Oh, look at my folly! Alas! how unfortunate I am that, having reached the soles of His feet, who is capable of ending the cycle of birth and death, I asked for something which is bound to perish. (31)
(It seems) my judgment was perverted by the gods, who (evidently) could not bear to see my rare good fortune inasmuch as they are sure (one day) to fall (from their elevated position). That is why I refused to believe the true words of Nārada, most wicked that I am. (32)
Clinging to the Lord's Māyā (deluding potency) and (hence) taking a perverted view of things, I, burnt with jealousy, mistaking my own brother for an enemy—although (from the point of view of the spirit) there is none other than me—just as a sleeping (dreaming) man sees the projection of his own self in the form of a lion, snake and so on and gets afraid of the same. (33)
Like medical treatment in the case of one whose life has come to an end I asked in vain for this (sovereignty of the world). Having propitiated through austere penance the Soul of the universe, who is (so) difficult to please and is capable of ending the cycle of birth and death, I asked of Him only worldly fortune (which is conducive to rebirth), hapless that I am! (34)
Alas! like a pauper seeking unhusked grains of a universal monarch, I, whose stock of merit had been depleted, foolishly asked for worldly power and pelf (that tends to swell one's pride) at the hands of Him who was ready to grant me the joy that constitutes one's own essence. (35)

Maitreya began again : People (devotees) like you, who take delight in the dust of the lotus-feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Bestower of Liberation) and whose mind remains sated with whatever is got without any effort, seek nothing for themselves beyond the privilege of serving Him. (36)

When the king (Uttānapāda) heard that his son (Dhruva) was coming back, he did not give credence to the news any more than one would believe the story of anyone's returning to life after death (and said to himself, "How could a wretched being like me have such good luck?" (37)
He (however) put faith in the words of the celestial sage (Nārada) and was (forthwith) overwhelmed with intensity of joy. Highly pleased with the man who had brought the news, he rewarded him with a costly pearl necklace. (38)
Eager to see his son, he mounted a car decked with gold and drawn by excellent horses and, surrounded by Brāhmaṇas, the elders of his race, ministers and kinsfolk, sallied forth from the city, while conchs were being blown and kettledrums sounded, Vedic hymns were loudly chanted and flutes played upon (even as he drove in the car). (39-40)
Adorned with gold ornaments, his two queens, Suniti and Suruci, too mounted a palanquin and proceeded along with prince Uttama (Suruci's son). (41)
The king, whose heart had been pining for his son for a long time, hurriedly alighted from the car when he saw the boy coming near the garden, and quickly went up to him. Overpowered with affection and heaving deep sighs, he folded in his arms Dhruva, who had been absolved of all his sins and freed from all bondages by the touch of Lord Viṣṇu's feet. (42-43)
His great ambition (of seeing his son safe and sound again) having been realized, the king smelt Dhruva's head (out of affection) again and again and bathed him with his cool tears (of love and joy). (44)

Having bowed at his father's feet and received his benedictions (in return), and being kindly spoken to and received with honour by him, Dhruva, the foremost of noble souls, bent his head low to both his mothers (Suniti and Suruci). (45)
Lifting up the child fallen at her feet, Suruci (Dhruva's stepmother) pressed it to her bosom and in a voice choked with tears said, "May you live (long)!" (46)
Just as water flows down to a low level of its own accord, so all living beings submit to him who has pleased Śrī Hari through virtues like friendliness (to all) and so on. (47)
Both Uttama and Dhruva experienced a thrill of joy when, overwhelmed with love, they hugged each other and shed a flood of tears again and again. (48)
Suniti, Dhruva's mother, was relieved of her agony as she hugged her son, who was dearer (to her) than life, and felt gratified by the very touch of his body. (49)
Milk incessantly flowed, O valiant Vidura, from the breasts of Suniti (the mother of a hero), bathed as they were at that time with her tears of joy. (50)
The people (of the city) felicitated the (senior) queen (Suniti) and said, "Luckily enough (for all of us) your son, who had long been lost, has been recovered and has (thus) wiped out your agony. He will in course of time rule over the terrestrial globe. (51)
You have surely adored the Lord, who puts an end to the suffering of the suppliant, and by constantly contemplating on whom the wise have succeeded in conquering death, which is so very difficult to conquer." (52)

Placing Dhruva, who was thus being fondly caressed by the people, on (the back of) a female elephant along with his (younger) brother (Uttama), the king (Uttānapāda) joyously entered the city (of Barhiṣmati), acclaimed (by all). (53)
The city was decorated here and there with plantain trees and young arecas containing bunches (of fruits and blossoms) set up with charming alligator-shaped festoons tied to them, and was adorned at every entrance with jars full of water with lights burning on them and leaves of mango trees, pieces of cloth, wreaths of flowers and strings of pearls hanging about their necks. (54-55)
It was graced on all sides with defensive walls, gates and mansions decked with gold and with their tops shining like the glorious pinnacles of aerial cars. (56)
Its quadrangles, streets, attics and roads had been cleaned and the city sprinkled with sandal water. Again, it was scattered with fried as well as unfried rice, unbroken rice, flowers, fruits and (other) offerings. (57)
Everywhere the virtuous women of the city showered on Dhruva, as they saw him on the road, white mustard seeds, unbroken rice, curds, water, blades of Dūrvā (panic grass), flowers and fruits, uttering their benedictions (on the child) out of (pure) affection; and hearing their sweet strains, Dhruva entered the palace of his father. (58-59)

Fondly caressed by his father, Dhruva lived in that excellent palace built of most precious stones, like a god in heaven. (60)
It was furnished with best of ivory (soft and white) as the froth of milk and provided with coverings of gold, and contained costly seats and other furniture, made of gold. (61)
In its walls of crystal and emerald shone lights in the shape of bright gems placed in the hands of beautiful female figures carved in precious stones. (62)
Within the premises of the palace there were pleasure-gardens charming with different species of celestial trees, resorted to by warbling pairs of birds and humming bees drunk with honey. (63)
It also contained extensive wells with steps of cat's-eye, containing white and blue lotuses and water-lilies and inhabited by swarms of swans and ducks, ruddy geese and cranes. (64)

The royal sage Uttānapāda was highly amazed to see (with his own eyes) the most wonderful glory of his son (Dhruva), of which he had (already) heard (from the mouth of Nārada). (65)
(Later on) the king made Dhruva the sovereign of the entire globe, when he saw that the prince had not only come of age, but had also won the esteem of the ministers and the devotion of the people. (66)
And perceiving himself advanced in age, the king was (now) disgusted with the pleasures of sense and departed for the woods, contemplating on the essential character of the Self. (67)

Thus ends the ninth discourse entitled "The Coronation of Dhruva" in Book Four of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahāṃsa-Sarhhitā.