Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 4 Chapter 12:30-52

Book 4: Chapter 12

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 4: Chapter 12: Verses 30-52 Kubera confers a boon on Dhruva, who ascends to the abode of Lord Visnu In the meantime Dhruva (the son of Uttanapada) saw Death arrived (there) and, having set his foot on the latter's head, stepped into the wonderful car. At the moment kettledrums as well as drums and tabors etc., sounded (of their own accord), the chief among the Gandharvas (celestial songsters) loudly sang and showers of flowers rained (on Dhruva). As he was about to soar for the divine realm, Dhruva recalled his mother Suniti, and said to himself, "Shall i have to proceed to the inaccessible heaven, leaving my poor mother behind ?" Having read his mind as depicted above, the two foremost divinities showed the shining lady going ahead (of Dhruva) in another aerial car. Greeted at every stage on the route with showers of flowers by gods shouting applause from their aerial cars, he saw (went past) the planets one after another. Passing beyond the three worlds (the earth, the intermediate region and the celestial world) as well as beyond (the region of) the seven seers by the route of the gods, Dhruva, who had attained the eternal state, eventually reached the Abode of Lord Visnu, lying still further. That realm of Lord Visnu shines all round by its own splendour; nay, even the three worlds (referred to above) merely reflect its light. They who are lacking compassion for (other) living beings have never attained to it; they alone reach it who ceaselessly perform benevolent deeds. They who are calm and collected and look upon others with the same eye, nay, who are pure (of body and mind) and complaisant to all living beings and who look upon the devotees of the immortal Lord as their only kinsmen easily ascend to that Abode of the immortal Lord. In this way Dhruva, son of Uttanapada, who solely depended on Lord Sri Krsna, shone as a gem of the purest ray serene, forming the crown of the three worlds. Fastened to this realm, the stellar sphere vigilantly revolves round it, O Vidura (descendant of Kuru), even as the oxen (employed in trampling corn) revolve round the post in the middle of a threshing-floor with great speed, remaining attached to that post. Witnessing his glory, the worshipful sage Narada chanted the following (three) verses in the sacrificial session called by the Pracetas, playing upon his (famous) lute. Narada said : Even Brahmana sages (the expositors of the Vedas), though knowing the means, fail to attain the consummation reached as a result of his austere penance by the son of Suniti, who was so devoted to her husband. How, then, can rulers of men attain to that state ? A child of five years, he retired to the woods with an aching heart, pierced by the shaft-like words of his stepmother, and, doing my bidding, won (the favour of) the Lord, who, though unconquered (by others) is overcome by the virtues of His devotees. Can anyone who is born of Ksatriya parents on this earth aspire to attain on his analogy even in many successive years the exalted state won by Dhruva-a state which he attained to even as a child of five to six years in the course of a few days by propitiating Lord Visnu ? Maitreya took up the thread again : I have thus told you all that you asked me on this spot about the life-story of Dhruva of exalted renown, a story valued so much by noble souls. It is conducive to wealth, fame and longevity, is (most) sacred and full of great blessings. Nay, in bestows heavenly bliss and even the eternal state; it is highly commendable and fit to be heard (even) by gods and wipes out one's sins. By devoutly listening again and again to this story of a favourite devotee of the immortal Lord, Devotion to the Lord is sure to be engendered-Devotion which cuts at the root of (all) affliction. Virtues like amiability and so on appear in (the heart of) the man who listens (to this story); nay, it is a fountain of greatness for those who seek it, a mine of spiritual glow for those aspiring for it and a source of honour to the high-minded. With a concentrated mind one should recite this glorious story of king Dhruva of sacred renown (both) morning and evening before a congregation of the Brahmanas. Devoted to the sacred feet of Lord Hari, he who recites it before an audience of pious souls on a full-moon day, the last day of a dark fortnight (when the sun and the moon 'dwell together'), the twelfth day of either fortnight, the day on which the moon passes through the asterism known by the name of Sravana, a lunar day which commences after sunrise on a particular day and ends before the next sunrise, a Vyatipata (a particular astronomical Yoga when the sun and the moon are in the opposite Ayana and have the same declination, the sum of their longitudes being 1800), a Samkranti (the day on which the sun passes from one sign of the zodiac to another) or any sunday (or the seventh lunar day of either fortnight, which is particularly sacred to the sun-god), seeking no return for his service (either here or hereafter) and remaining satisfied with himself by himself, thereby attains perfection. The gods shower their grace on that tender-hearted benefactor of the afflicted, who imparts to one who has no knowledge of Truth this wisdom, which is like nectar on the path leading to God-Realization. I have narrated to you, O foremost scion of Kuru, this narrative of king Dhruva whose pious doings are widely known and who, when he was a mere child, left his playthings as well as the roof of his mother and resorted for protection to Lord Visnu. Thus ends the twelfth discourse entitled The Narrative of Dhruva" in Book Four of the great and glorious Bhagavata-Purana, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhita.