॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Saturday, 5 November 2022 IV.12 - Dhruva becomes a great devotee and is finally escorted grandly to Vishnu Loka i.e. Dhruva Kshiti.
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Lord Kubera, as we can see in Valmiki Ramayana and elsewhere, was endowed with divine qualities. He now saw that Dhruva had taken his grandfather's advice and given up his anger and hatred. He decided to come and bless him.
When Dhruva saw that Kubera had come to meet him, surrounded by Yakshas, Kinnaras and Charanas (celestials) who were worshipping their Lord, Dhruva received him with folded hands.
Kubera spoke, " Oh, sinless Kshatriya, Dhruva, I am glad that under the instruction of your grandfather you have given up your enmity, although it is very difficult to do. I am very pleased with you. Actually, you have not killed the Yakshas, nor have they killed your brother, for the ultimate cause of generation and annihilation is Kala or Time, merely a manifestation of the Supreme Lord. Bodily attachments and an attitude of "I" and "Mine" cause bondage and lead to repeated birth and death."
"My dear Dhruva, come forward. May the Lord always be gracious to you. The Lord, Bhagavan, is beyond sense perception, and dwells in all, so all entities are essentially one. You should now devote all your life to Bhakti, as Bhagavan is the ultimate refuge of all. Bhagavan is beyond Maya- the cause of this existence of duality."
"Dhruva, son of King Uttanapada, I know you are a true devotee of the Lord. So I want to grant you a boon. Ask for anything!"
स राजराजेन वराय चोदितो ध्रुवो महाभागवतो महामतिः। हरौ स वव्रेऽचलितां स्मृतिं यया तरत्ययत्नेन दुरत्ययं तमः॥
T: "Thus offered a boon, being a true devotee and a good king, Dhruva prayed to Kubera that he may be blessed to have unflinching devotion and remembrance of Bhagavan Sri Hari, so that he may cross the ocean of worldly existence that is so difficult to cross."
Lord Kubera was most pleased with the request and granted the boon to Dhruva. He then disappeared.
***
King Dhruva returned to his capital. He ruled very well and won the love and respect of all. He performed several Yajnas to please the Lord. He was constantly immersed in prayer to the Lord.
He was very kind to the poor and innocent, and he protected Dharma. With all these qualifications, he was hailed as a veritable father by all the citizens. Dhruva ruled thus for 36000 years. Meanwhile he got rid of any reaction to good and bad befalling him through devotion and detachment, knowing all that was around was the play of Maya by the Lord.
In the end, Dhruva easily gave up all the glories and luxuries of his very extensive kingdom, his filial bonds to family, and all elements of royal pride. He handed over the kingdom to his son,
Dhruva now went to Badarikashrama and engaged in total Bhakti, controlling his body, senses and breath through Yoga and contemplating only the form of the Lord. He was in a state of Samadhi.
भक्तिं हरौ भगवति प्रवहन्नजस्रमानन्दबाष्पकलया मुहुरुर्द्यमानः।
विक्लिद्यमानहृदयः पुलकाचिताङ्गो नात्मानमस्मरदसविति मुक्तलिङ्गः॥
T: "Through such intense immersion in Bhagavan Sri Hari, tears constantly rolled down his cheeks, his limbs throbbing in ecstasy, Dhruva's heart ("I" sense) totally dissolved. He lost completely any body sense or even the awareness that he was Dhruva."
This was the moment of Dhruva's liberation. Lord Vishnu's attendants, Sunanda and Nanda, arrived in a divine aerial vehicle. They each had four hands and an appearance like Vishnu. Dhruva stood up in wonderment and reverence. He did not know how to receive them also, having lost all body sense. Therefore he simply chanted the holy names of Sri Hari Krishna. (We see this often that Krishna is another name for Vishnu).
Nanda and Sunanda said: "Dear King, your constant devotion to Bhagavan from the age of five has pleased the Lord immensely."
तस्याखिलजगद्धातुरावां देवस्य शार्ङ्गिणः । पार्षदाविह सम्प्राप्तौ नेतुं त्वां भगवत्पदम्॥
सुदुर्जयं विष्णुपदं जितं त्वया यत्सूरयोऽप्राप्य विचक्षते परम्।
आतिष्ठतच्चन्द्रदिवाकरादयो ग्रहर्क्षताराः परियन्ति दक्षिणम्॥
T: "We are the attendants of Lord Sharngin (Vishnu) and have been deputed to escort you to Bhagavan's abode, Vishnu Loka."
"Dhruva, the Vishnupada is most difficult to attain even for great sages and seekers, but by the dint of your unswerving devotion, you have achieved this. You shall now be established in a supreme position where even the sun, moon and stars and planets shall perform Pradakshina obeisance to you."
"Bhagavan Vishnu resides in that Loka, unattained by any of your forefathers so far. This unique aerial vehicle has been sent for you."
Dhruva was delighted. He bathed, got ready, prayed as usual, and bowed low to the sages who had arrived to witness this unique event. He reverentially prayed to the vehicle, circumambulated it, and bowed to Vishnu's attendants. Just then Yama appeared there, and knelt such that Dhruva placed his foot on Yama's head and boarded the vehicle!
And then Dhruva stopped. What about his dear and most pious mother, Suniti? He would not like to leave her behind and proceed! He said as much to Nanda and Sunanda. They smiled and pointed out that she was already making her journey in another aerial vehicle, and so all was taken care of!
Celestial musical instruments were heard being played to celebrate the moment. Dhruva was showered with divine flowers and blessings by gods who had lined up along the route.
Dhruva thus surpassed the seven planetary systems of the great sages who are known as Saptarshis and reached Dhruva Kshiti in Vishnu Loka.
यद्भ्राजमानं स्वरुचैव सर्वतो लोकास्त्रयो ह्यनु विभ्राजन्त एते।
यन्नाव्रजन्जन्तुषु येऽननुग्रहा व्रजन्ति भद्राणि चरन्ति येऽनशम् ॥
T: The exalted Vishnu Loka is self-effulgent and gives the power of luminosity to all other luminous entities. It is a place not accessible to anyone who has not lived a life of total compassion to all living entities, as it is reserved for one who has striven to do good to them, day and night."
"Those who are peaceful, equipoised, cleansed and purified, and who are adept at giving joy to all other living entities, who cultivate friendship only with devotees of the Lord - they alone go to the abode of the Lord."
Sage Narada sang in praise of the unique devotee Dhruva.
नारद उवाच
नूनं सुनीते: पतिदेवतायास्तप:प्रभावस्य सुतस्य तां गतिम् ।
दृष्ट्वाभ्युपायानपि वेदवादिनो नैवाधिगन्तुं प्रभवन्ति किं नृपा: ॥
य: पञ्चवर्षो गुरुदारवाक्शरैर्भिन्नेन यातो हृदयेन दूयता ।
वनं मदादेशकरोऽजितं प्रभुं जिगाय तद्भक्तगुणै: पराजितम् ॥
य: क्षत्रबन्धुर्भुवि तस्याधिरूढमन्वारुरुक्षेदपि वर्षपूगै: ।
षट्पञ्चवर्षो यदहोभिरल्पै: प्रसाद्य वैकुण्ठमवाप तत्पदम् ॥
T: Sage Narada proclaimed: "By sheer spiritual practice and austerity, King Dhruva, the son of Suniti who was devoted to her husband, attained such an exalted status unattainable even by assiduous practitioners of Vedic injunctions, let alone kings!"
"Aggrieved by his stepmother's words, Dhruva left for the forest, and practised devotion as I taught him. The Lord doesn't yield easily, but Dhruva conquered Him with his devotion!"
"What Dhruva attained, at the tender age of five, through his intense Tapas for a duration of merely six months, is unattainable by seekers even after many years of practice. Now he has attained Vaikuntha Loka! Glory to Dhruva!"
***
Sage Maitreya was happy he could narrate the story of Dhruva in detail to Vidura.
"Anyone who hears the story of Dhruva, and who repeatedly tries with faith and devotion to understand his pure character, attains the qualification of a Bhakta and overcomes by devotion the threefold miseries of life."
"Those who recite and narrate this story without taking money on Purnima (full moon), Amavasya (new moon), Dvadashi (twelfth day - TODAY IS DVADASHI!), Shravana star, and some other holy times, will become blessed!"
