Dhruva Mahārāja leaves home for the forest (Srimad Bhagavatam #51)

The pastime of Dhruva Mahārāja is well-known and is a great source of inspiration for all devotees. Why did Dhruva leave home to the forest, and how was he able to meet the Lord?

Mar 09, 2025

The pastime of Dhruva Mahārāja is well-known and is a great source of inspiration for all devotees. As Srila Prabhupāda explains in his purport to text eight:

"The incidents in the life of Dhruva Mahārāja are very attractive for devotees. From his pious actions, one can learn how one can detach himself from material possessions and how one can enhance one’s devotional service by severe austerities and penances. By hearing the activities of pious Dhruva, one can enhance one’s faith in God and can directly connect with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus one can very soon be elevated to the transcendental platform of devotional service. The example of Dhruva Mahārāja’s austerities can immediately generate a feeling of devotional service in the hearts of the hearers."

Mahārāja Uttānapāda had two queens, Sunīti (the older queen, mother of Dhruva) and Suruci (the mother of Uttama, the younger son). The rule when a man has more than one wife is that he must treat all equally since any special preference will lead to envy and dissatisfaction, which can create havoc. Unfortunately, although highly qualified, Uttānapāda developed a special preference for Sunīti, who used this to her advantage, planning to deprive Dhruva of his right to the throne in favor of her son. Once, when Dhruva was trying to get up into the lap of his father, she spoke very enviously towards him, although he was at the time a small child, only five years old.

🔉 Audio of the lesson »

🎙Podcast (Search for “Mysteries of the Vedas” on Spotify, iTunes, etc. to hear all the lessons)

You can join the course on Telegram to get the links for the live sessions and be notified about the updates.

💬 Text of the lesson

Dhruva Mahārāja leaves home for the forest (chapter 4.8)

In the previous chapters, Maitreya described the descendants of the daughters of Manu (Ākūti, Prasūti, and Devahūti) and how they helped to populate the universe with great sages and saintly kings. Now, Maitreya will describe to Vidura the lineages of the younger son of Svāyambhuva Manu, Uttānapāda, starting from Dhruva Mahārāja. This description continues until the end of the 4th canto, which also marks the end of the conversation between these two great souls.

At the start of the 5th canto, the conversation returns to Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Maharaja Parīkṣit, who inquires about the activities of Priyavrata, the other son of Svāyambhuva Manu. This leads to the narration of the pastimes of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, King Bharata, and other important descriptions, culminating with the cosmological depiction of the universe included later in the 5th canto.

Although Priyavrata was the older son, he opted to be a lifelong brahmacārī and thus retired at an early age, leaving the kingdom to his brother Uttānapāda. However, when later the lineage of Uttānapāda was broken (after the second birth of Daksa), Priyavrata was asked to return and take charge of the kingdom. He then got married and started his own lineage. All of this happened during the first Manvantara.

The descendants of Adharma

To conclude the previous description of the lineages of the sons of Brahma, Maitreya starts chapter 4.8 by describing the other sons of Brahma who didn't leave descendants. The four Kumāras, as well as Nārada, Ṛbhu, Haṁsa, Aruṇi, and Yati, became naiṣṭhika-brahmacārīs, and therefore, there is no lineage to be described for them.

Next, he answers a possible question about the previous description. How could such events have happened, with Daksa displaying enviousness and anger towards Lord Shiva? Everything that exists has to be created at some point; therefore, from where did such feelings come? To answer this question, Maitreya describes the lineage of another son of Brahma: Adharma, or irreligion.

Just like the age of Kali has a predominating deity, who was confronted by Mahārāja Parīkṣit, irreligion also has a predominating deity that appeared as the son of Brahma. Adharma married his sister Mṛṣā (falsity), and from their combination appeared Dambha (bluffing) and Māyā (cheating). Both bluffing and cheating are used to obtain unfair advantage, and thus they enable irreligious activities, such as gambling, dishonest dealings, political games, and so on. We can note that the marriage of Adharma and Mṛṣā was incestuous and thus irreligious, and the children who appeared out of this union were also deeply irreligious.

Adharma and Mṛṣā didn't even take care of these children, and they were thus adopted by a demon named Nirṛti (calamity). Thus, all these negative factors, such as sexual life between brothers, abandonment of children, and so on, appeared following the appearance of irreligion.

From Dambha and Māyā came Lobhaḥ (greed) and Nikṛtiḥ (cunning), and from their union came Krodha (anger) and Hiṁsā (envy). Despite being brother and sister, they got married, following the tradition of incest in the family, giving birth to Kali (quarrel personified, the predominating deity of Kali-yuga) and Durukti (harsh speech). Kali married his sister Durukti, and from their combination came Mṛtyu (death) and Bhīti (fear), and from their union came Yātanā (excessive Pain) and Niraya (hell).

We can see that from the path of irreligion, many other negative qualities and undesirable symptoms appear, culminating in demotion to hell and life in the animal species. Ultimately, religion means devotional service to the Lord. That is the only true dharma; everything else is irreligious to a certain extent. Fruitive activities offered as karma-kanda have the goal of elevating one to the platform of devotional service, but if one becomes attached to just performing fruitive performance to enjoy his senses and improve his social position, he may gradually slide down the path of irreligion and, as a result develop all the degrading qualities that follow. Demigods are devotees of the Lord who receive the opportunity to serve Him in positions of prestige due to their latent material desires. However, when they become blinded by their opulence and forget about devotional service to the Lord, they develop negative qualities such as pride, anger, and envy. There are many examples of this. Daksa was going on this path, but he was saved by the mercy of Lord Shiva.

Dhruva Mahārāja leaves home

The pastime of Dhruva Mahārāja is well-known and is a great source of inspiration for all devotees.

"Queen Suruci told Dhruva Mahārāja: My dear child, you do not deserve to sit on the throne or on the lap of the King. Surely you are also the son of the King, but because you did not take your birth from my womb, you are not qualified to sit on your father’s lap. My dear child, you are unaware that you were born not of my womb but of another woman. Therefore you should know that your attempt is doomed to failure. You are trying to fulfill a desire which is impossible to fulfill. If you at all desire to rise to the throne of the King, then you have to undergo severe austerities. First of all you must satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, and then, when you are favored by Him because of such worship, you shall have to take your next birth from my womb." (SB 4.8.11-13)

The boy Uttama was sitting on the lap of the king, and as a small child, it was natural for Dhruva to also be on the lap of his father, together with his brother. This is a basic right for any child. Suruci, however was angered by this since she was anxious to diminish the position of Dhruva and thus reinforce the position of her own son. She spoke all of this right in front of the king, but he was so much under her control that he didn't protest. When Dhruva heard these words, he first looked at his father, seeking his protection, but seeing he was indifferent to him, he became deeply frustrated.

Although just a small child, Dhruva already had the qualities of a Kṣatriya, such as pride and determination. It is described that he was in great anger and started breathing very heavily, just as a snake struck by a stick. Seeing that his father would not defend him, he immediately left the palace and went to his mother, Sunīti.

It's interesting to note that Dhruva left the palace, which indicates Sunīti was so neglected that she was not even living in the palace with the king. Suruci was doing everything she could to push her further away so the king would forget her and Dhruva. It's also worth noting that all of this happened in Satya-yuga. Although there are also kings in Satya-yuga, responsible for protecting society, everyone is supposed to be pure and firmly devoted to the Lord. The standard at the time was so high that by just desiring to commit a sinful act, a person would become liable to sinful reaction. The behavior of Suruci was scandalous for that time, and she eventually had to die because of such offenses, even though she later regretted her actions.

The instructions of Sunīti

"When Dhruva Mahārāja reached his mother, his lips were trembling in anger, and he was crying very grievously. Queen Sunīti immediately lifted her son onto her lap, while the palace residents who had heard all the harsh words of Suruci related everything in detail. Thus Sunīti also became greatly aggrieved.

This incident was unbearable to Sunīti’s patience. She began to burn as if in a forest fire, and in her grief she became just like a burnt leaf and so lamented. As she remembered the words of her co-wife, her bright, lotuslike face filled with tears, and thus she spoke. She also was breathing very heavily, and she did not know the factual remedy for the painful situation. Not finding any remedy, she said to her son: My dear son, don’t wish for anything inauspicious for others. Anyone who inflicts pains upon others suffers himself from that pain.

My dear boy, whatever has been spoken by Suruci is so, because the King, your father, does not consider me his wife or even his maidservant. He feels ashamed to accept me. Therefore it is a fact that you have taken birth from the womb of an unfortunate woman, and by being fed from her breast you have grown up. My dear boy, whatever has been spoken by Suruci, your stepmother, although very harsh to hear, is factual. Therefore, if you desire at all to sit on the same throne as your stepbrother, Uttama, then give up your envious attitude and immediately try to execute the instructions of your stepmother. Without further delay, you must engage yourself in worshiping the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is so great that simply by worshiping His lotus feet, your great-grandfather, Lord Brahmā, acquired the necessary qualifications to create this universe. Although he is unborn and is the chief of all living creatures, he is situated in that exalted post because of the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whom even great yogīs worship by controlling the mind and regulating the life air [prāṇa]. Your grandfather Svāyambhuva Manu executed great sacrifices with distribution of charity, and thereby, with unflinching faith and devotion, he worshiped and satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By acting in that way, he achieved the greatest success in material happiness and afterwards achieved liberation, which is impossible to obtain by worshiping the demigods.

My dear boy, you also should take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is very kind to His devotees. Persons seeking liberation from the cycle of birth and death always take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord in devotional service. Becoming purified by executing your allotted occupation, just situate the Supreme Personality of Godhead in your heart, and without deviating for a moment, engage always in His service.

My dear Dhruva, as far as I am concerned, I do not find anyone who can mitigate your distress but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose eyes are like lotus petals. Many demigods such as Lord Brahmā seek the pleasure of the goddess of fortune, but the goddess of fortune herself, with a lotus flower in her hand, is always ready to render service to the Supreme Lord." (SB 4.8.15-23)

Hearing the description of Dhruva, Sunīti was deeply pained, but she realized there was nothing she could do to remediate it. She was, however, spiritually enlightened and could thus help Dhruva with good instructions, acting thus as his vartma-pradarśaka-guru, the guru who shows the way. Because of this contribution, Suniti would eventually go back home, back to Godhead, together with her exalted son.

The first instruction of Sunīti was to not desire anything bad to his stepmother, since by causing pain to others, we become ourselves afflicted with the same pain later due to the law of karma. We can see that thanks to this instruction, Dhruva didn't perform his austerities out of a desire for revenge but simply to obtain a kingdom better than that of his fathers and ancestors, since his birthright to become the king of Bhu-Mandala after his father was denied.

The second instruction of Sunīti was that, although cruel, the words of Suruci were actually correct. Without being favored by the Supreme Lord, no one can achieve any success in life. The solution for Dhruva's situation was to worship the Supreme Lord. No one else could help him. The Lord is the source of power for everyone, and by worshiping Him, both Brahma, the great-grandfather of Dhruva, and Svāyambhuva Manu obtained their posts and power. Following their footsteps, she said, Dhruva should also worship the Lord to obtain what he desired. She also hinted that ultimately one should not approach the Lord for asking for material benefits, but simply take shelter of Him in devotional service and obtain liberation from the cycle of birth and death, something that Dhruva will realize later on.

Sunīti was a great devotee of the Lord, and we can see that she gave Dhruva the right instructions to direct the anger he was feeling in a positive direction, seeking an audience with the Lord instead of directly taking action against his stepmother. In this way, Sunīti put Dhruva on the right path, leading him to later meeting with Nārada Muni, who acted as both his dīkṣā and śikṣā guru.

After receiving these instructions, Dhruva considered it carefully and left for the forest in search of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is also significant because we should not accept instructions blindly. If there are doubts, one should clarify them by asking relevant questions. When we fully understand spiritual instructions, we can find the determination to carry them out to the end.

In his purport to verse 24, Prabhupāda mentions that "both mother and son decided to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord". This makes the point that Suniti also surrendered to the Lord, entrusting the care of her son to Him, and being faithful that the Lord would help him. He also draws a parallel with our practical situation by stating that going to the forest in our case means taking shelter in the forest of Vṛndā, or Vṛndāvana. If one takes shelter of Vṛndāvana under Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, all the problems of his life can be solved by being engaged unflinchingly in the devotional service of the Lord. Dhruva achieved this by his process of meditation, but we can achieve the same result by following the process of saṅkīrtana taught by Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Nārada Muni became aware of Dhruva's determination and decided to meet him on the way. Nārada was not present in the palace when the events happened; in fact, he was probably in another part of the universe. There is no way a message could travel so fast to the point Nārada could have been informed by ordinary means. How, then, could he know?

Pure devotees can know past, present, and future due to their connection with the Lord. This doesn't mean they are on the same level as the Supreme Lord, but that due to their contact with the Supersoul, they know everything they need to know to perform their service and help their disciples to progress in spiritual realization. In other words, the spiritual master doesn't know literally everything as the Supersoul does, but by the grace of the Lord, he knows everything he needs to know to help his disciples, just like in the case of Nārada Muni. This deep connection becomes possible because such pure devotees completely dovetail their desires with the desires of the Lord, ceasing to have separate interests. They thus put themselves in the hands of the Lord, who can use them as tools to fulfill His transcendental plans.

Nārada meets Dhruva

At first, Nārada Muni wanted to test Dhruva's determination, which he did from text 26 to 34. He explained how dangerous the forest was, how difficult it is to satisfy the Lord by the process of mystic yoga he was planning to perform, and advised him to instead go home. Everything comes as a result of our previous actions, he said, and thus Dhruva should not be affected by the words of his stepmother. Instead, he should be satisfied with whatever comes naturally. When he had grown up he could try to practice yoga, and by the mercy of the Lord, he could be successful.

In the context of the verses, these instructions have the purpose of testing the determination of Dhruva, but at the same time, these are very valuable general instructions that we can take to heart:

a) Honor and dishonor are both destined by our previous actions; therefore, we should be sober, nor sorry, nor excessively happy under any circumstances, as Krsna confirms in the Bhagavad-gita. The feeling of dissatisfaction when we face reverses is another feature of the illusory energy, destined to keep us chained to this world.

b) A devotee should accept both happiness and distress as the mercy of the Lord. It's easy to see the connection when we receive happiness, but distress can be a very powerful tool in the hands of the Lord to save us from the material clutches. As Nārada mentions, one who is intelligent should accept that process and be satisfied with whatever comes, favorable or unfavorable, by His supreme will.

c) It is very difficult to satisfy the Lord by any process, except the process of bhakti. The Lord can be satisfied even by a humble offering of water and Tulasī leaves by a devotee, but He will refuse even the most opulent offering from a proud materialist. The path of devotional service can be very easy for one who is determined and sincere, but when these two qualities are absent, the process can be very difficult.

d) By serving the Lord and remaining satisfied in any condition of life, understanding that both are the result of the supreme will, we can easily cross over the material ocean. As Prabhupāda explains in text 33, "When we enjoy life in so-called material happiness, it is to be understood that we are diminishing the resultant actions of our pious activities. And when we are put into suffering, it is to be understood that we are diminishing the resultant actions of our impious activities. Instead of being attached to the circumstantial happiness and distress resulting from pious or impious activities, if we want to get out of the clutches of this nescience, then whatever position we are put in by the will of the Lord we should accept. Thus if we simply surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we shall get out of the clutches of this material existence."

e) Instead of being envious, we should be happy in receiving more qualified persons and learning from them, and instead of being oppressive to less qualified persons, we should be compassionate with them and try to raise them, especially by teaching them the process of Krsna consciousness. When we meet an equal, we should treat him or her as a friend, instead of becoming proud or inimical.

Dhruva passes the test

Certainly, a Brāhmaṇa should be able to tolerate reverses patiently, and a regular boy would be in great danger in the forest. However, Dhruva was not an ordinary boy, nor a Brāhmaṇa. He was a hot-blooded Kṣatriya with unshakable determination. Dhruva admitted the truth of Nārada's instructions, but he could not accept them.

"My dear Lord Nāradajī, for a person whose heart is disturbed by the material conditions of happiness and distress, whatever you have so kindly explained for the attainment of peace of mind is certainly a very good instruction. But as far as I am concerned, I am covered by ignorance, and this kind of philosophy does not touch my heart.

My dear lord, I am very impudent for not accepting your instructions, but this is not my fault. It is due to my having been born in a kṣatriya family. My stepmother, Suruci, has pierced my heart with her harsh words. Therefore your valuable instruction does not stand in my heart.

O learned brāhmaṇa, I want to occupy a position more exalted than any yet achieved within the three worlds by anyone, even by my father and grandfather. If you will oblige, kindly advise me of an honest path to follow by which I can achieve the goal of my life.

My dear lord, you are a worthy son of Lord Brahmā, and you travel, playing on your musical instrument, the vīṇā, for the welfare of the entire universe. You are like the sun, which rotates in the universe for the benefit of all living beings." (SB 4.8.35-38)

The father of Dhruva was the king of Bhu-Mandala, and his great-grandfather was Brahma, the master of the universe. The word pitṛbhiḥ in verse 37 indicates that Dhruva desires a position more exalted than any of his ancestors, including Lord Brahma. How could this be possible? Dhruva understood that Nārada Muni was directly empowered by the Lord, and therefore, with his mercy, nothing was impossible. We can see that by the end of the pastime, Dhruva effectively attained a position more exalted than Brahma, becoming the ruler of a Vaikuṇṭha planet, an eternal position much more exalted than any temporary position in this material world, including that of his great-grandfather. In his purport to verse 40, Prabhupāda makes an important point: although Nārada Muni was competent to bless Dhruva with whatever he wanted, he limited himself to give him instructions to worship the Lord in devotional service, similarly to Krsna instructing Arjuna in the battlefield instead of simply giving him victory without having to fight. This shows how the duty of the spiritual master is not to just give the disciple what he wants but to give him instructions and engage him in the practice of devotional service so he can attain true success.

Although Dhruva's desire was somehow childish, Nārada became compassionate towards him. He could fully understand he determination of Dhruva and advised him on how he could attain his goal:

"The instruction given by your mother, Sunīti, to follow the path of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is just suitable for you. You should therefore completely absorb yourself in the devotional service of the Lord. Any person who desires the fruits of the four principles religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, at the end, liberation, should engage himself in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for worship of His lotus feet yields the fulfillment of all of these.

My dear boy, I therefore wish all good fortune for you. You should go to the bank of the Yamunā, where there is a virtuous forest named Madhuvana, and there be purified. Just by going there, one draws nearer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who always lives there. My dear boy, in the waters of the Yamunā River, which is known as Kālindī, you should take three baths daily because the water is very auspicious, sacred and clear. After bathing, you should perform the necessary regulative principles for aṣṭāṅga-yoga and then sit down on your āsana [sitting place] in a calm and quiet position. After sitting on your seat, practice the three kinds of breathing exercises, and thus gradually control the life air, the mind and the senses. Completely free yourself from all material contamination, and with great patience begin to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (SB 4.8.40-44)

Nārada Muni thus instructed Dhruva in the practice of the process of bhakti-yoga, living in Vṛndāvana, bathing in the Yamunā, worshiping the deity, and practicing meditation in the form of the Lord inside the heart. The Lord is everywhere, but it is easier to approach Him in places of pilgrimage because these places are inhabited by great sages and pure devotees. The Lord is where His devotees are chanting his glories, therefore, these are the places where we can easily contact Him.

The process of worship taught to Dhruva

Nārada instructed Dhruva to practice a combination of rules and regulations, chanting of the holy names, worship of the deity, and meditation in the form of the Lord. At first, it may appear that this is a process suitable only for Satya-yuga, especially when we consider the austerities performed by Dhruva Mahārāja, but that's because Dhruva was able to practice it in a very high level. When we take into consideration the differences in time and place, the process taught by Nārada is the same we regularly practice.

"My dear boy, I therefore wish all good fortune for you. You should go to the bank of the Yamunā, where there is a virtuous forest named Madhuvana, and there be purified. Just by going there, one draws nearer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who always lives there." (SB 4.8.42)

Nārada starts by instructing Dhruva to live in a holy place, a place favorable to his spiritual practice. Prabhupāda explains that unless one is very advanced in devotional service, he can obtain great benefit in living in holy places where the Lord performed His pastimes. He also mentions in other passages that temples of the Lord, as well as places of residency of pure devotees, are also holy places. If we can take shelter in one of such places, we will have greater facility in our spiritual practice.

Nārada then instructed Dhruva in the practice of regulative principles:

"Nārada Muni instructed: My dear boy, in the waters of the Yamunā River, which is known as Kālindī, you should take three baths daily because the water is very auspicious, sacred and clear. After bathing, you should perform the necessary regulative principles for aṣṭāṅga-yoga and then sit down on your āsana [sitting place] in a calm and quiet position." (SB 4.8.43)

Nārada Muni explained to Dhruva Mahārāja the process of aṣṭāṅga-yoga, including detailed instructions of meditation in the personal form of the Lord, similar to the instructions of Lord Kapila in the 3rd canto. This process of meditation described by Nārada Muni translates into our daily practice in the form of the process of chanting the holy names and meditating in the form of the Lord.

How to meditate in the form of the Lord? In verse 52, Prabhupāda makes the connection between the description of meditation on the form of Paramātmā inside the heart described by Nārada Muni and deity worship, just as he does in the third canto during the description of Lord Kapila:

"This fixed meditation is called samādhi, or trance. A person constantly engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord cannot be deviated from meditating on the form of the Lord, as described herein. The arcana-mārga, or the devotional path prescribed in the Pañcarātra system of devotional service for worshiping the Deity in the temple, makes the devotee think constantly of the Lord; that is samādhi, or trance. One who practices in this way cannot deviate from the service of the Lord, and that makes him perfect in the mission of human life." (SB 4.8.52 purport)

At first, seeing the form of the Lord as the deity and meditation on the mantra (japa) may be two separate things, but as we progress, we become capable of seeing the form of the Lord within when we chant. Srila Prabhupāda explains, however, that this is not an artificial process of imagination, but happens automatically when the Lord becomes pleased and decides to present Himself.

Nārada also initiated Dhruva in the chanting of the holy names thorough the mantra Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, emphasizing the power of the mantra by stating that by chanting the mantra for just one week, he would become so perfect that he would be able to see the demigods:

"O son of the King, now I shall speak unto you the mantra which is to be chanted with this process of meditation. One who carefully chants this mantra for seven nights can see the perfect human beings flying in the sky. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. This is the twelve-syllable mantra for worshiping Lord Kṛṣṇa. One should install the physical forms of the Lord, and with the chanting of the mantra one should offer flowers and fruits and other varieties of foodstuffs exactly according to the rules and regulations prescribed by authorities. But this should be done in consideration of place, time, and attendant conveniences and inconveniences." (SB 4.8.53-54)

Some think that yogis in Satya-yuga used to meditate on the void, but that's not true. Meditation on the void is a recent fabrication, it is not recommended anywhere in the scriptures. Rather, yogis would meditate on the Praṇava Omkāra or in a mantra starting with it, as in the case of Dhruva Mahārāja. In our times, we meditate on the Mahā Mantra Hare Krsna.

Nārada Muni also instructed Dhruva in the process of deity worship and remembering the Lord's pastimes:

"One should worship the Lord by offering pure water, pure flower garlands, fruits, flowers and vegetables which are available in the forest, or by collecting newly grown grasses, small buds of flowers or even the skins of trees, and if possible, by offering tulasī leaves, which are very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

It is possible to worship a form of the Lord made of physical elements such as earth, water, pulp, wood and metal. In the forest one can make a form with no more than earth and water and worship Him according to the above principles. A devotee who has full control over his self should be very sober and peaceful and must be satisfied simply with eating whatever fruits and vegetables are available in the forest.

My dear Dhruva, besides worshiping the Deity and chanting the mantra three times a day, you should meditate upon the transcendental activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His different incarnations, as exhibited by His supreme will and personal potencies." (SB 4.8.54-57)

How could Dhruva worship a deity while living in the forest? As Nārada explains, that is very simple because Dhruva could make a deity out of the materials available there, such as metal, wood, or clay, and worship Him by offering pure water, flower garlands, fruits, flowers and vegetables available in the forest, as well as Tulasī leaves. Living in Vṛndāvana, Dhruva would certainly not have any difficulties in collecting pure water from the Yamunā and Tulasī leaves.

Pure devotional service means to engage in devotional service without any desire apart from serving the Lord in pure love. However, Nārada also explained that even though Dhruva had material desires, this was not a disqualification, for anyone who worships the Lord attains his desires and simultaneously advances in spiritual realization.

"Anyone who thus engages in the devotional service of the Lord, seriously and sincerely, with his mind, words and body, and who is fixed in the activities of the prescribed devotional methods, is blessed by the Lord according to his desire. If a devotee desires material religiosity, economic development, sense gratification or liberation from the material world, he is awarded these results." (SB 4.8.59-60)

Instructed in this way, Dhruva circumambulated Nārada and offered obeisances unto him. He then departed for Madhuvana, one of the twelve forests of Vṛndāvana, to practice as he was instructed.

Nārada goes to see King Uttānapāda

After the departure of Dhruva, Nārada Muni went to see his father Uttānapāda, who was thus very regretful about the absence of his son:

"The great sage Nārada inquired: My dear King, your face appears to be withering up, and you look like you have been thinking of something for a very long time. Why is that? Have you been hampered in following your path of religious rites, economic development and sense gratification?

The King replied: O best of the brāhmaṇas, I am very much addicted to my wife, and I am so fallen that I have abandoned all merciful behavior, even to my son, who is only five years old. I have banished him and his mother, even though he is a great soul and a great devotee.

My dear brāhmaṇa, the face of my son was just like a lotus flower. I am thinking of his precarious condition. He is unprotected, and he might be very hungry. He might have lain down somewhere in the forest, and the wolves might have attacked him to eat his body. Alas, just see how I was conquered by my wife! Just imagine my cruelty! Out of love and affection the boy was trying to get up on my lap, but I did not receive him, nor did I even pat him for a moment. Just imagine how hardhearted I am." (SB 4.8.65-67)

Dhruva was just five years old, and Uttānapāda naturally thought of him as a defenseless child. Nārada, however, reassured him that Dhruva was a great devotee and was directly protected by the Lord. He would thus be able to attain his goal and return home safely. In fact, Nārada said, the fame of Dhruva was already spreading all over the universe, and soon he would perform activities that even great sages and kings would not be capable of matching.

Later, in the Srimad Bhāgavatam, we hear the history of Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was also only five years old when viciously attacked by the greatest demon of his time, from whom even the demigods would flee in fear. However, because of the protection of the Lord, Hiraṇyakaśipu was not able to do anything against him. Rāke Krsna māre ke, māre Krsna rāke ke: If Krsna protects someone, who can kill him? And if Kṛṣṇa wants to kill someone, who can protect him? Since Krsna had decided to protect Dhruva, no one would be able to cause him any harm.

"The great sage Nārada replied: My dear King, please do not be aggrieved about your son. He is well protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although you have no actual information of his influence, his reputation is already spread all over the world.

My dear King, your son is very competent. He will perform activities which would be impossible even for great kings and sages. Very soon he will complete his task and come back home. You should know that he will also spread your reputation all over the world." (SB 4.8.68-69)

One significant point in these verses is that Nārada Muni asked Uttānapāda about being hampered in his practices of religious rites, economic development, and sense gratification. He didn't ask him about his search for liberation or his devotional service to the Lord because Uttānapāda was not practicing those. Despite being a great personality, Uttānapāda became engaged only in fruitive activities and sense gratification, and thus lost his good sense to the point of neglecting his enlightened son. To a smaller degree, he was following the same path as Dakṣa, which shows how excessive involvement in material activities can stun one's spiritual vision. When he met Nārada Muni, Uttānapāda regretted it.

Dhruva Mahārāja performs austerities

In Madhuvana, Dhruva Mahārāja began his austerities, as described in verses 71 to 75:

"Elsewhere, Dhruva Mahārāja, having arrived at Madhuvana, took his bath in the river Yamunā and observed fasting in the night with great care and attention. After that, as advised by the great sage Nārada, he engaged himself in worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

For the first month Dhruva Mahārāja ate only fruits and berries on every third day, only to keep his body and soul together, and in this way he progressed in his worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In the second month Dhruva Mahārāja ate only every six days, and for his eatables he took dry grass and leaves. Thus he continued his worship.

In the third month he drank water only every nine days. Thus he remained completely in trance and worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is adored by selected verses.

In the fourth month Dhruva Mahārāja became a complete master of the breathing exercise, and thus he inhaled air only every twelfth day. In this way he became completely fixed in his position and worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

By the fifth month, Mahārāja Dhruva, the son of the King, had controlled his breathing so perfectly that he was able to stand on only one leg, just as a column stands, without motion, and concentrate his mind fully on the Parabrahman. He completely controlled his senses and their objects, and in this way he fixed his mind, without diversion to anything else, upon the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (SB 4.8.71-77)

By following the process given by his spiritual master, Dhruva was able to attain perfection in just five months. One can question how this can be possible, but there are examples of devotees who were able to fix their minds on the Lord even faster, as in the case of Mahārāja Khaṭvāṅga, who had just a muhūrta (48 minutes) to live. The success of Dhruva serves as a testimony to the power of the spiritual process. We may have difficulty to progress in the beginning, when we are not properly practicing the spiritual process, but as we become fixed, our advancement becomes faster. If we don't know how to reach the airport, our journey to a distant country can be very long and arduous, but as soon as we take the plane, everything goes quickly.

In the first month, Dhruva followed the regulative principles, worshiped the deity, and practiced mantra meditation and remembrance of the pastimes of the Lord as instructed by Nārada. He ate only fruits and berries that were naturally available in the forest every third day, minimizing his bodily needs and engaging himself fully in worshiping the Lord.

In the second month, he reduced his eating to just dry grass and leaves every six days. By practicing sense control in this way, he became fixed in his meditation and gradually completely stopped eating, starting to just drink a little water every nine days, starting from the third month.

In the fourth month, he became perfectly situated in his meditation and was able to cease all external activities. Completely absorbed in meditation, he worshiped the form of the Lord within, as instructed by Nārada. By practicing prāṇāyāma, yogis are capable of restricting their breath and thus extending their lifespans. Dhruva fully mastered this process. Not only did he completely stop eating or drinking, but he was able to restrict his breath (jita-śvāsaḥ) and breath only once every twelve days.

By the fifth month, he was able to stand immobile in one leg, completely fixed in his meditation of the Lord. Because he was able to fully capture the Lord in his meditation, he became extremely heavy and was able to make the three words tremble.

Yogis are capable of manifesting mystic perfections due to their contact with specific potencies of the Lord. Dhruva, however, was capable of fully capturing the Lord in his meditation, and thus he became more powerful than anyone. Before, Dhruva was just a defenseless child who was not able to even sit on the lap of his father, but now, due to his connection with the Lord he became so powerful that he was able to make the whole universe tremble. Similarly, a devotee who never showed any particular talent in mundane life can become enormously successful in spreading Krsna consciousness due to his faith in the Lord.

Finally, due to his full concentration, he was able to close all the holes of his body and completely stop his process of breathing. At this point, the breath of all inhabitants of the universe became choked. This affected even the great demigods, who felt suffocated. As in other situations of danger, they approached Lord Kṣīrodakaśāyī Vishnu in Śvetadvīpa and begged Him to save them from the danger.

The Lord replied that all was due to Dhruva's meditation, but his purpose was not destructive. It was more or less an accident since he was fully absorbed in samādhi and was not aware of how his meditation was affecting others. The Lord reassured the demigods and went to see Dhruva and stop his meditation. One reason was to relieve the demigods, as they pleaded, but an even more pressing reason is that the Lord became compassionate to Dhruva and wanted to stop him from performing such severe austerities.

As Prabhupāda mentions in his purport to text 82: "Dhruva Mahārāja was so absorbed in meditation on the thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that He Himself, the universal consciousness, was attracted to Dhruva. In order to please the demigods, He wanted to go Himself to Dhruva Mahārāja to stop him from this severe austerity."

No one can force the Lord to come to him, but by the power of the devotional service of Dhruva, the Lord Himself desired to visit him to relieve him of his severe penances and award everything he desired.