31/01/2012
Article For The Day: THE SAGA OF DRUVA
Dhruva was a young lad of five years, who did penance with single minded devotion anddetermination and was blessed with the vision of Lord Naaraayana.
Uthaanapaadha, the elder of the two sons of Manu, who gave to mankind the Dharma Shaasthra(the Code of Righteousness), had two wives, Suruchi and Suneethi. Uthama was the son ofSuruchi, the younger queen while Dhruva was born to Suneethi.
Once both of the boys were playing in the garden. Spotting their doting father sitting on thethrone, they rushed forward to sit on the king’s lap. While Uthama sat on his father’s lap, the fiveyear old Dhruva was prevented by Suruchi, who said that only her sons had the right to sit on theking’s lap. Dhruva went to his mother Suneethi and sat weeping. When he started criticizing hisstep-mother for her action, his mother silenced him and said, “Desist from criticizing anyone. Ifyou criticize others the defects pointed out by you will come to you. Accept everything assomething good.”
So saying she advised Dhruva to go to the forest and do penance to secure the Grace of LordNaaraayana, who was the only hope for the helpless. Dhruva obeyed his mother implicitly andproceeded to the forest without any fear and with full faith in his mother’s words that God wasthe only refuge for the forlorn. Having noticed this wonderful determination of the young boywho was ready to brave the perils of the forest with firm determination, sage Naaradha appearedbefore him and tried to dissuade him from undertaking a severe penance to earn the Lord’sGrace.
But Dhruva refused to go back and expressed his confidence that he would surely succeedin winning the Lord’s Grace with his mother’s blessings and his unshakable faith. This is the idealthat today’s students should learn. Naaradha was pleased with the young Dhruva’s firm faith andinitiated him in the chanting of the twelve-lettered manthra, ”Om Namo BhagavatheVaasudhevaaya.”
Dhruva did intense penance, giving up food and drink, and was reduced to a skeleton. Hetranscended his Annamaya Kosha (food sheath). He was saturated with the Lord’s name, whichhe chanted with each breath ceaselessly. His Manomaya Kosha (mind sheath) was also dedicatedto the Lord, driving away all other thoughts. His entire being was filled with bliss in thecontemplation of the Lord. This is another ideal taught by Dhruva to students that meditationmust be with total concentration on the Divine Form.
Lord Naaraayana appeared before Dhruva, whose radiance went on intensifying as the Lord wasapproaching him. Looking at the majestic form of the Cosmic Lord, Dhruva burst into ecstaticpraise. He exclaimed, “O Lord! Till now you were in me and you have come out to grace me.Are you going to leave me?”
Lord Vishnu, who was astonished at the amazing wisdom of such a young child, patted him onhis cheek and asked him to say what boon he wanted. Dhruva said, “Oh Lord, after having yourDharshan (audience) and getting your Grace, I don’t want anything else.” The Lord replied,”Dhruva, you undertook this penance with one thought, namely, to sit on your father’s lap, butnow you speak differently. Your words and action are contrary to your thought. You must goback to your father with my blessings. He will receive you with full affection. You must rule thekingdom and then come to Me.” The Lord also assured Dhruva that after ruling the kingdom fora long time he would occupy a most exalted position in the firmament as a star around whom theconstellation of the Seven Rishis (sages) and other galaxies would revolve.
Dhruva, on his return to the kingdom, was received with ceremonial honours by his penitent andjoyous father. Dhruva consoled his father by reminding him that all are forms of Naaraayana.Uthaanapaada entrusted the kingdom to the six-year old Dhruva, saying that a boy who could getthe Divine vision and grace at that tender age, could rule the kingdom. He retired to SkandaAashrama, (hermitage) seeking realisation of the Divine.
Dhruva ruled for a long time very wisely and well, maintaining justice and peace. When hissojourn in the world came to an end, a celestial chariot came to take him to God’s Abode. He toldthe charioteer that God was everywhere and so the question of taking him to God’s place did notarise. So saying, he sat down closing his eyes in meditation and merged in the Divine.
The infinite power of Bhakthi (true devotion to the Lord) must be understood by all. It containsall the six qualities, namely, Bhukthi (food), Rakthi (charm), Yukthi (knowledge of how to loveall), Anurakthi (great attraction), Virakthi (cessation of desires)and Mukthi (Liberation). Whenfrom the word Bhagavaan (the Lord), the root word, ‘Bhag’, (relating to the Divine) is taken andcombined with ‘kthi’, which is common in all the six qualities, it becomes Bhakthi.The story of Dhruva must teach the students the value of determination and devotion to God.
