Talk:Dhruva

By Swami Harshananda

Dhruva literally means ‘the steady one’.

Prahlāda and Dhruva have carved out a permanent place in the annals of child-devotees in our purāṇas.

Dhruva was the elder son of the king Uttānapāda from his first wife Sunīti. Enamored by Suruci, his second wife, the king had completely neglected Sunīti and her son Dhruva.

Once, snubbed by his step-mother Suruci in the presence of his father, Dhruva became despondent and approached his mother for solace. She advised him to pray to Lord Viṣṇu by performing austerities. When he was going to the forest, the sage Nārada met him and instructed him to meditate.

After a severe penance, Dhruva was blessed by Lord Viṣṇu with a kingdom. He was also bestowed by a long and happy life, both here and in the heavenly regions after death. That is now known as ‘Dhruvanakṣatra’.

Once Uttama, the younger brother of Dhruva, went to the Himalayas on a hunting expedition but was killed in an encounter with the yakṣas (a kind of demigods). Enraged by this, Dhruva attacked and killed them in large numbers. Kubera was forced to fight with Dhruva, when Svāyambhuva Manu (the forefather of Dhruva) appeared on the scene and stopped the fight. Then the two became friends. Dhruva ruled his kingdom according to the highest principles of dharma for many years.

References

• The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore