Dhruva, the Pole Star: How Dhruv became Polar Star

Once upon a time there was a king named Uttanapada. He had two queens, Suniti and Suruchi. Suniti was sweet and good-natured and never hurt anyone in her life. Suruchi, on the other hand, was mean, spiteful and jealous. But of course, she was too clever to show her real self to the king, who thought her to be as good as she was beautiful.

Suruchi made Suniti do several things but always kept her in the background. She impressed the king who, unfortunately, believed all the untrue tales she made up against Suniti. The king began to love her more than Suniti, and one day things came to such a pass that the king threw Suniti out of the palace. Sunit was expecting his baby, but this did not change his decision.

Poor Suniti had no idea why she was being punished like this. But she asked no questions and quietly left the palace. It was difficult for her to walk, as she was feeling unwell. Somehow, she reached the sacred forest where the wise sages lived. The sages knew that Suniti was innocent and that she had been the victim of spiteful Suruchi. They readily gave her shelter, and the wives of the sages looked after her well.

They soon grew fond of her because she was sweet, gentle and helpful. Suniti was also grateful to all of them for whatever they had done for her.

Soon, Suniti had a son, a beautiful, healthy baby who looked like a teal prince. He was named Dhruva, or the constant one. Dhruva grew up with the other little boys of the hermitage and shared their chores. He helped gather firewood for the yajnas and listened reverently to the sages when they read the scriptures. Everyone at the hermitage loved him.

Growing up amidst pious people, Dhruva soon learnt that there was nothing more important than God, who had created the universe. At a tender age, he learnt to love God.

The people at the hermitage knew that Dhruva was a prince and the son of their king, Uttanapada. But no one said anything to Dhruva. One day Dhruva overheard the others talking and came to know that his father was the king. The five-year old Dhruva ran to his mother.

“Mother, is it true that King Uttanapada is my father?” Dhruva asked Suniti.

“Yes, he is,” answered Suniti, wiping her tears.

“But he does not want us – you or me. He threw me out when you were going to be born.”

“So you are a queen?” asked Dhruva, his eyes wide open in wonder.

“I was”, replied Suniti, “once upon a time. But I have forgotten all about it now.”

Little Dhruva made up his mind fast.

“I shall go to see my father,” he announced.

“Its no use, my son,” said Suniti. “He does not need us. Or else, he would have come to see you long ago.” “I don’t care. I want to see him. That’s all.”

“I can’t go with you, and you are too young to go all that way alone,” said Suniti, looking worried.

“I am not too young. I want to see my father. I am not afraid to go alone,” Dhruva said firmly.

Dhruva left for the palace the very next morning. It took him some time, as his little feet could not carry him too fast. At last he reached the palace. When he entered the gate, the royal guards looked curiously at the little boy.

“Who are you and what do you want?” they enquired.

“I am Dhruva, the son of Queen Suniti,” he replied, “I have come to see my father.”

‘The guards recognised him at once. They had noticed his resemblance to the king and let him pass. “Poor little prince!” said the first guard.

“Hope the king at last gives him his due, all that his stepmother has unfairly snatched from him.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure,” said the second guard, shaking his head. “Queen Suruchi is a wicked woman, and has quite bewitched the king.”

Dhruva entered the royal hall. The king was seated on the throne.

Queen Suruchi’s son Uttam was sitting on his lap.

“Who are you, little boy?” asked the king. In his heart, he already knew the answer because Dhruva looked like his mirror image.

“I am Dhruva, your son,” said the five-year-old

He stretched out his arms and said, “Father, I also want to sit on your lap.”

Uttanapada’s heart melted when he looked at his charming, neglected son. He was about to pick him up in his arms when Suruchi pushed Dhruva away roughly.

“Oh, so you are Suniti’s son, are you? Well, you can’t sit on his lap. I simply won’t allow it.”

“But why won’t you?” asked Dhruva innocently, “He is my father too.”

“That may be so. But he disowned your mother. It’s only my son who has the right to be loved by him. He alone has the right to sit on your father’s throne and be the king when he grows up. You have no place here…

She continued to say many unkind things that hurt little Dhruva very much.

The king looked on sadly but did not dare protest. He was completely under Suruchi’s control and could not displease her.

Dhruva was in tears. He left the palace but could not forget the unkind words of his stepmother. When he returned home, his mother saw his red eyes and trembling lips. She took him in her arms.

“What’s wrong, dear? Where have you been? Has anyone been unkind to you?”

“Uttam’s mother did not let me talk to Father or sit in his lap. Dhruva sobbed.

“What else did she say?” asked Sunita.

“That it was my ill fate to be born as your son, and since that was so, I should stop craving for royal things which do not belong to me.”

“Perhaps she is right,” said Suniti sadly. “Had you been her son, this would never have happened. Nor would you be a stranger to your father.”

“Mother, I don’t want Father’s throne or his kingdom or anything that belongs to him. Uttam can have them all,” Dhruva continued.

“But I want my father to love me and give me a little place in his heart. Is there anything I can do
about it?”

“Yes, you can, my little one,” said Suniti. “Pray to Vishnu and tell him about it. That’s the best thing that you can do.”

“Well, I will,” said Dhruva, wiping off his tears. “I will go and seek him out myself.”

Dhruva set out by himself to seek God the very next morning, just as he had said. He reached the heart of the deep, dark forest and looked around in wonder. He had no idea what Vishnu looked like. As he saw a huge lion approaching him, he ran to it unafraid and put his arms around its neck.

‘Are you Vishnu?” he asked the lion. The wild lion moved away quietly without hurting Dhruva. He saw other big and ferocious animals, and asked them the same question. All of them went away from his path without hurting him.

Finally, sage Narada, the celestial musician and wanderer, appeared before him.

“Oh, are you Vishnu, then?” asked Dhruva.

“No, I am not,” said Narada. “Why do you ask?”

“I have been seeking him all day long, and I don’t know what he looks like.”

“You are just a little boy! Why do you seek God at this tender age? Go home and play. You can seek him when you are old enough.”

“I don’t want to play. I don’t want to go back home either, since my own father does not care about me. | I only want to find Vishnu and ask for something special from him,” said Dhruva in a determined voice.

“Do you think I shall see him?”

“Don’t worry, child. You will find him if you call him sincerely from your heart,” said sage Narada.

“Will you teach me how? “Is it very difficult?” enquired Dhruva.

“Not at all. Just remove all other thoughts from your heart and think of God alone. Go, I, Madhuban, a sacred forest by the River Kalindi, and keep chanting the mantra Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya until he appears before you.”

“Thank you. I shall do just as you say, said Dhruva gratefully.

Dhruva left for Madhuban at once and did not pause anywhere on the way. He was tired and sleepy!

But he moved on bravely. When he reached Madhuban, he took a dip in the river. He knelt, closed his eyes and repeated the prayer that sage Narada had taught him. He prayed with such concentration and so much sincerity that he totally lost himself in his prayers. He had no sense of heat or cold, day or night, hunger, thirst or sleep. Dhruva had just one thought in his heart — that of Vishnu.

The earnest prayer of the five-year-old boy was so powerful that it sent energy waves all round the universe. The gods in heaven were afraid that Dhruva might become the king of heaven when the god appeared before him. The demons were afraid that the purity of his prayers might destroy them totally. Even human kings were afraid that he would become the master of the universe someday. All of them tried their utmost to distract him from his prayers. But they failed miserably.

Vishnu was touched by Dhruva’s love and sincerity and appeared before him in all his glory. Suddenly, Dhruva found the whole place full of light and heavy with the fragrance of flowers. Heavenly music played softly. Dhruva opened his eyes to see the wonderful vision of Vishnu standing before him with a smile on his face. His four hands held a conch shell, a chakra, a mace and a lotus.

Seeing the Lord in all his glory, Dhruva burst forth in a prayer, which sprang to his lips spontaneously from his heart, known ever since as the Dhruva Stotra.

“I am pleased with you, little Dhruva,” said Vishnu.

“What boon do you want from me? Do you want to be the king?”

“No, my Lord. Let my father give his kingdom to Uttam. But please bless me that I may find a place higher than anyone else, higher than any king. Let that be my permanent place, and from there, nobody should ask me to go.

“So be it,” Vishnu said with a smile.

“You will reign as the king of your land while you are on this earth. But once you die, your place shall be above the sun and the moon. It shall be the highest and most steadfast in the constellation. You shall be the pole star, the most important of them all.”

That is how Dhruva became immortal. As the shining pole star, every night he looks down at earth and shows people the right direction.