Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 4 Chapter 9:22-34

Book 4: Chapter 9

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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 4: Chapter 9: Verses 22-34
Dhruva returns home after receiving a boon from the Lord

(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. 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. (You know) Yajna (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. 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 Rsis (the Ursa Major), attaining to which one does not return (to this mortal world). Maitreya continued : Thus glorified (by Dhruva) and having promised to him (an abode in) His own realm, the Lord, who bears the emblem of Garuda on His banner, rose to His own abode, while the child stood gazing (in wonder) The child was not very pleased even after attaining his cherished object-which had been obtained through the worship of Lord Visnu's feet, and had quenched (all) his desires (once for all)-and returned to the city (the capital of his father). 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 Sri Hari, the Lord of Maya (Prakrti), which is so very difficult to attain and is earned solely through the worship of His feet ? 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). 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, Sanatana and Sanatkumara)--have been able to realize through abstract meditation practised through many lives, I have receded from them, my mind being fixed on diversity. 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. (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 Narada, most wicked that I am. Clinging to the Lord's Maya (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 in 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. 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 !

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