Chapter Twelve

Dhruva Attains the Pole Star

|| 4.12.1 ||
maitreya uvca
dhruva nivtta pratibuddhya vaiasd
apeta-manyu bhagavn dhanevara
tatrgata craa-yaka-kinnarai
sastyamno nyavadat ktjalim
Maitreya said: Learning that Dhruvas anger had subsided
and he had ceased killing, Kuvera appeared. Praised by
Craas, Yakas and Kinnaras, he spoke to Dhruva who
stood with folded hands.
The Twelfth Chapter describes how Dhruva received benedictions
from Kuvera, returned to his own city, worshipped the Lord through
sacrifices, and renouncing everything, attained the abode of the
Lord in the same body.
Vaiast means from killing.
|| 4.12.2 ||
bho bho katriya-dyda
parituo 'smi te 'nagha
yat tva pitmahded
vaira dustyajam atyaja
O son of a warrior! Sinless one! I am pleased with you
because you have given up hatred, difficult to give up, on
the instruction of your grandfather.
|| 4.12.3 ||
na bhavn avadhd yakn
na yak bhrtara tava
kla eva hi bhtn
prabhur apyaya-bhvayo
You did not kill Yakas and they did not kill your brother.
Time is the master of destruction and creation for all beings.
|| 4.12.4 ||
aha tvam ity aprth dhr
ajnt puruasya hi
svpnvbhty atad-dhynd
yay bandha-viparyayau

From ignorance, from absorption in the body, mans

intelligence, thinking of I and mine like a dreamer, by which
bondage and suffering arise, becomes useless.
Ataddhynt means from thinking only of the body. From this
arises sasra (bandha) and the opposite of the jvas knowledge
and blissignorance and suffering.
|| 4.12.5 ||
tad gaccha dhruva bhadra te
bhagavantam adhokajam
sarva-bhttma-bhvena
sarva-bhttma-vigraham
bhajasva bhajanyghrim
abhavya bhava-cchidam
yukta virahita akty
gua-mayytma-myay
Therefore go, Dhruva. Good fortune to you. To attain the
Lord who has no material existence, while thinking all
beings as equal to oneself, worship the Lord, beyond the
senses, who is the form of all beings, the destroyer of
sasra, whose feet are worthy of worship, and who, though
endowed with the material akti composed of guas, is
unaffected by it.
Sarva-bhttma-bhvena means with the thought that all beings
are like oneself. Sarva-bhttma-vigraham means that the Lords
form is all beings. Abhavya means in order to attain the Lord who
has no birth and death. He is joined to my because my is his
akti. He is detached from my because that akti is not his
svarpa.
|| 4.12.7 ||
vhi kma npa yan mano-gata
mattas tvam auttnapade 'viakita
vara varrho 'mbuja-nbha-pdayor
anantara tv vayam aga uruma
O King! Son of Uttnapada! Please ask any benediction in
your mind from me without hesitation. We who should give
you benedictions have heard that you are very close to the
feet of the Lord.
Anantaram means without obstacle, very close.
|| 4.12.8 ||

maitreya uvca
sa rja-rjena varya codito
dhruvo mah-bhgavato mah-mati
harau sa vavre 'calit smti yay
taraty ayatnena duratyaya tama
Maitreya said: When Kuvera requested him to ask for a
benediction, the great devotee Dhruva, of high intelligence,
asked that he should have fixed remembrance of the Lord,
by which he could cross the insurmountable ignorance of
material existence easily.
Rja-rjena means who exists in all people who reside with the
King. This refers to Kuvera.
|| 4.12.9 ||
tasya prtena manas
t dattvaiavias tata
payato 'ntardadhe so 'pi
sva-pura pratyapadyata
Pleased with Dhruva, Kuvera gave him remembrance of the
Lord and then disappeared as Dhruva watched. Dhruva then
returned to his city.
Aidavida means Kuvera.
|| 4.12.10 ||
athyajata yajea
kratubhir bhri-dakiai
dravya-kriy-devatn
karma karma-phala-pradam
By sacrifices and profuse charities he then worshipped the
Lord of sacrifice, who facilitates actions related to the
materials, ceremonies and devats and who gives the
results of sacrifice.
Dravya-kriy-devatn karma karma-phala-pradam means that the
Lord alone creates the activities related to the ingredients, rituals
and devats and he alone creates the results of the activities.
|| 4.12.11 ||
sarvtmany acyute 'sarve
tvraugh bhaktim udvahan
dadartmani bhteu
tam evvasthita vibhum

Engaged in intense bhakti to the infallible Lord, the soul of

all beings, who is different from all others, he saw the Lord
alone situated in all beings and in himself.
Kings perform sacrifices to please the devats and brhmaas.
Without doing so the Kings work cannot be accomplished. In
compliance to that, his likeness alone performed these actions. In
actuality, he did not have time for such actions. That is explained in
this verse. He performed bhakti to the Lord is the soul of all beings
(sarvtmani), who is different from all others (asarve). By power of
his mature meditation he saw the Lord within his heart (tmani) and
externally in all beings.
|| 4.12.12 ||
tam eva la-sampanna
brahmaya dna-vatsalam
goptra dharma-setn
menire pitara praj
The citizens considered Dhruva, protector of the rules of
dharma, who was endowed with all good qualities,
respectful to brhmaas, and affectionate to the miserable,
to be their father.
|| 4.12.13 ||
a-triad-vara-shasra
asa kiti-maalam
bhogai puya-kaya kurvann
abhogair aubha-kayam
Desiring to decrease his pious results by enjoyment and
destroy his sinful reactions by austerity, he ruled the earth
for thirty-six thousand years.
He destroyed sinful reactions by vratas and sense control
(abhoghai). The present participle kurvan (doing) has the sense of
an infinitive. The infinitive has a sense of wanting to. Devadatta
goes to enjoy means Devadatta goes, desiring to enjoy. Thus the
meaning of the verse is Desiring to destroy sinful reactions by
vratas, and destroying pious reactions by enjoyment, Dhruva ruled
for thirty-six thousand years. However, this desire to destroy
reactions is exhibited out of humility. Actually he did not have any
pious or sinful reactions since he had developed prema.
|| 4.12.14-15 ||
eva bahu-sava kla
mahtmvicalendriya
tri-vargaupayika ntv

putrydn npsanam
manyamna ida viva
my-racitam tmani
avidy-racita-svapnagandharva-nagaropamam
Passing many years suitable for enjoyment of artha, dharma
and kma, with undisturbed senses, the great devotee
Dhruva, realizing that this universe made by my is like a
Gandharva city manufactured in a dream caused by
ignorance in oneself, handed over the throne to his son.
He passed many years suitable of enjoyment of artha, dharma and
kma. Since it is made of my, the universe is real. However, by
ignorance within the self, it appears unreal and is thus compared to
a Gandharva city in a dream made by ignorance.
|| 4.12.16 ||
tma-stry-apatya-suhdo balam ddha-koam
anta-pura parivihra-bhuva ca ramy
bh-maala jaladhi-mekhalam kalayya
klopasam iti sa prayayau vilm
Considering that body, wives, children, friends, military
power, treasury, female quarters, beautiful parks, and the
whole area surrounded by the oceans, would all be
destroyed by time, he went to Badarikrama.
Considering that all things were affected (upatam) by time, he
left for Badarikrama (vilm).

|| 4.12.17 ||
tasy viuddha-karaa iva-vr vighya
baddhvsana jita-marun manashtka
sthle dadhra bhagavat-pratirpa etad
dhyyas tad avyavahito vyasjat samdhau
Purifying his senses there, he bathed in the pure water, sat
in the roper position, controlled his breathing, withdrew his
senses by the mind, and concentrated on the substitute
form of the Lord, the universal form. Meditating
continuously on the actual form of the Lord, he then gave up
the universal form in samdhi.

The aga-yoga process is described: yama, niyama, asana,

pryma, pratyhra, dhraa, dhyna and samdhi. He
practiced dhraa on the universal form (pratinidhi). He then
meditated on the actual form of the Lord without interruption, and
situated in samdhi, gave up that gross, universal form.
|| 4.12.18 ||
bhakti harau bhagavati pravahann ajasram
nanda-bpa-kalay muhur ardyamna
viklidyamna-hdaya pulakcitgo
ntmnam asmarad asv iti mukta-liga
Constantly engaged in bhakti to the Supreme Lord, he was
constantly afflicted by tears of bliss. His heart melted, his
hairs stood on end. He could not remember his body since
he was free from bodily identification.
Out of obligation, he performed yoga for two or three days to
respect proper conduct of yogs present there. Actually he did not
have any time for yoga. The cause of his symptoms was not yoga.
He had become free of bodily identification. Dhruva simply was
showing the common people the process of karma-yoga for
householders and aga-yoga for renounced persons.
|| 4.12.19 ||
sa dadara vimngrya
nabhaso 'vatarad dhruva
vibhrjayad daa dio
rkpatim ivoditam
Dhruva saw the foremost airplane descend from the sky
illuminating all directions like the rising moon.
|| 4.12.20 ||
tatrnu deva-pravarau catur-bhujau
ymau kiorv arumbujekaau
sthitv avaabhya gad suvsasau
kira-hrgada-cru-kualau
In that airplane he then saw two persons, the best of
devats, dark in complexion, youthful, with four arms, and
reddish lotus eyes, with fine clothing, crowns, necklaces,
bracelets and beautiful earrings, holding clubs.
In that airplane (tatra) he then (anu) saw two persons.
|| 4.12.21 ||

vijya tv uttamagya-kikarv
abhyutthita sdhvasa-vismta-krama
nanma nmni gan madhudvia
prat-pradhnv iti sahatjali
Understanding that these servants of the Lord were his
principle associates, he stood up, but forgot the proper
order of worship out of bewilderment. He simply offered
respects, and chanted the names of the Lord.
Out of confusion (sdhvasa) he forgot the sequence of worship. Thus
he just chanted the names of the Lord, Jaya Nrya, jaya gopla,
jaya govinda and offered obeisances.
|| 4.12.22 ||
ta ka-pdbhinivia-cetasa
baddhjali praraya-namra-kandharam
sunanda-nandv upastya sasmita
pratycatu pukaranbha-sammatau
The esteemed servants of the Lord, Sunanda and Nanda,
smiling, approached and spoke to Dhruva, who stood with
folded hands and bowed head, absorbed in the feet of
Ka.
|| 4.12.23 ||
sunanda-nandv catu
bho bho rjan subhadra te
vca no 'vahita u
ya paca-varas tapas
bhavn devam attpat
Sunanda and Nanda said: O King! All good fortune to you,
who pleased the Lord by austerity when you were five years
old! Attentively hear our words.
By saying Good fortune to you! they indicate that he would attain
the Lords abode in his present body.
|| 4.12.24 ||
tasykhila-jagad-dhtur
v devasya rgia
pradv iha samprptau
netu tv bhagavat-padam
We, associates of the Supreme Lord, creator of all the
universes and holder of the rga bow, have come to take
you to the abode of the Lord.

|| 4.12.25 ||
sudurjaya viu-pada jita tvay
yat srayo 'prpya vicakate param
tiha tac candra-divkardayo
graharka-tr pariyanti dakiam
You have attained the planet of Viu, difficult to achieve,
which the devats see but cannot attain. Stay there. The
moon, sun and other planets, the constellations and stars
circumambulate that supreme place clockwise.
The devats and the seven sages, without attaining that place, look
at it from below. The moon and other planets turn around that
planet.
|| 4.12.26 ||
ansthita te pitbhir
anyair apy aga karhicit
tiha jagat vandya
tad vio parama padam
O Dhruva! Stay in that supreme abode of Viu, a place not
achieved by your forefathers or any others, which is
worshipped by the whole universe.
|| 4.12.27 ||
etad vimna-pravaram
uttamaloka-maulin
upasthpitam yumann
adhirohu tvam arhasi
O immortal! You are qualified to board this excellent plane
sent by the best of famous persons.
yuman (long-lived) indicates that he will go in the same body.
|| 4.12.28 ||
maitreya uvca
niamya vaikuha-niyojya-mukhyayor
madhu-cyuta vcam urukrama-priya
ktbhieka kta-nitya-magalo
munn praamyiam abhyavdayat
Miatreya said: On hearing the honey words of the two
associates from Vaikuha, Dhruva, dear to the Lord, took

his bath, performed his daily rituals, offered respects to the

sages and had them bless him.
Niyojya means servants. Madhucyutam means flowing with
honey. Another version has madhucyutm, which means words
having drops of honey. Abhyavdayat means he made them give
him blessings.
|| 4.12.29 ||
partybhyarcya dhiygrya
pradv abhivandya ca
iyea tad adhihtu
bibhrad rpa hiramayam
Circumambulating and worshipping the plane, offering
respects to the two associates, assuming a golden form, he
desired to board the plane.
He circled the plane and then worshipped it by offering sandalwood
and flowers saying Bhagavad-vimnya nama. Assuming a
golden form, he desired to board the plane.
|| 4.12.30 ||
tadottnapada putro
dadarntakam gatam
mtyor mrdhni pada dattv
rurohdbhuta gham
At that time Dhruva saw death approaching him. Placing his
foot on the head of death, he boarded that astounding
abode.
|| 4.12.31 ||
tad dundubhayo nedur
mdaga-paavdaya
gandharva-mukhy prajagu
petu kusuma-vaya
Drums sounded, the best of Gandharvas sang, and showers
of flowers fell.
|| 4.12.32 ||
sa ca svarlokam rokyan
sunti janan dhruva
anvasmarad aga hitv
dn ysye tri-viapam

As he was ascending to the Lords planet, he remembered

his mother Sunti. Giving up this place that no one can
attain, the abode of Viu, I will go to my unfortunate
mother.
Agam means not attained by anyone. Tripiapam means the
abode of the Viu.
|| 4.12.33 ||
iti vyavasita tasya
vyavasya surottamau
daraym satur dev
puro ynena gacchatm
Understanding the desire of Dhruva, the two associates of
the Lord showed him that his mother was also going by an
airplane in front of him.
Vyavasita tasya vyavasya means understanding his desire.
|| 4.12.34||
tatra tatra praasadbhi
pathi vaimnikai surai
avakryamo dade
kusumai kramao grahn
While being showered with flowers here and there by
devats who were praising him in other planes on that path,
Dhruva saw the many planets one after the other.
|| 4.12.35 ||
tri-lok deva-ynena
so 'tivrajya munn api
parastd yad dhruva-gatir
vio padam athbhyagt
Flying beyond the three worlds, he whose planet is
Dhruvaloka arrived at the Lords planet beyond the seven
sages.
He arrived at the planet of Viu beyond the planet of the seven
sages.1 Dhruva is described as having the fixed goal, having
Dhruvaloka as his planet.
|| 4.12.36 ||
yad bhrjamna sva-rucaiva sarvato
1

Dhruvaloka is situated above the sun, but below Maharloka. See the commentary on SB 5.23.9, for
details.

loks trayo hy anu vibhrjanta ete

yan nvraja jantuu ye 'nanugrah
vrajanti bhadri caranti ye 'niam
He reached that shining planet, by whose effulgence the
three worlds shine, which those who are not merciful do not
reach but which those who constantly engage in good
actions reach.
By the shining of that planet other planets subsequently (anu) shine.
|| 4.12.37 ||
nt sama-da uddh
sarva-bhtnurajan
ynty ajascyuta-padam
acyuta-priya-bndhav
The friends of the Lord, those who are peaceful, seeing all
things equally, pure, and pleasing to all beings, easily go to
the Lords abode.
|| 4.12.38 ||
ity uttnapada putro
dhruva ka-paryaa
abht tray lokn
c-mair ivmala
Thus, pure Dhruva, son of Uttnapada, who was surrendered
to Ka, was the crest jewel of the three planetary
systems.
|| 4.12.39 ||
gambhra-vego 'nimia
jyoti cakram hitam
yasmin bhramati kauravya
mehym iva gav gaa
O Vidura! Around him, the zodiac belt with planets and stars
circles incessantly, like a herd of bulls going around a
central pillar with great speed.
Time is always awake. Thus the planets circle incessantly. Great
speed modifies the herd of bulls.
|| 4.12.40 ||
mahimna vilokysya
nrado bhagavn i

todya vituda lokn

satre 'gyat pracetasm
Seeing the glories of Dhruva, Nrada, playing on his v,
sang verses in the sacrificial arena of the Pracetas.
Nrada played (vinudan) his v (otdyam).
|| 4.12.41 ||
nrada uvca
nna sunte pati-devatys
tapa-prabhvasya sutasya t gatim
dvbhyupyn api veda-vdino
naivdhigantu prabhavanti ki np
Nrada said: Followers of the Vedas, what to speak of kings,
seeing the goal attained by chaste Suntis son who severe
austerity incarnate, could not obtain the method by which
he attained the goal, what to speak of the attainment.
Dhruva was the personification of severe austerities. Even on
seeing his attainment, sages, what to speak of kings, could not
attain the esoteric practice for that attainment, what to speak of the
attainment itself.
|| 4.12.42 ||
ya paca-varo guru-dra-vk-arair
bhinnena yto hdayena dyat
vana mad-dea-karo 'jita prabhu
jigya tad-bhakta-guai parjitam
When five years old he went to the forest, because his heart
was burned, pierced by the sharp words of his step mother,
and following my instructions, he conquered the
unconquerable Lord who is conquered by the qualities of his
devotees.
Dyat should be dyamnena (burned).
|| 4.12.43 ||
ya katra-bandhur bhuvi tasydhirham
anv ruruked api vara-pgai
a-paca-varo yad ahobhir alpai
prasdya vaikuham avpa tat-padam
A so-called katriya should desire to attain the position of
Dhruva, but cannot attain it even after many years, because

Dhruva, when only five or six years old, after a few days,
pleased the Lord and attained his abode.
Even the best katriya is the lowest (katra-bandhu), compared to
Dhruva. He desires to attain that position, but can he attain it even
after many years. a-paca-vara means Dhruva who was five
or six years old.
|| 4.12.44 ||
maitreya uvca
etat te 'bhihita sarva
yat po 'ham iha tvay
dhruvasyoddma-yaasa
carita sammata satm
Maitreya said: As you have asked, I have explained to you
everything about the activities of most famous Dhruva,
which are celebrated by the devotees.
|| 4.12.-46 ||
dhanya yaasyam yuya
puya svasty-ayana mahat
svargya dhrauvya saumanasya
praasyam agha-maraam
rutvaitac chraddhaybhkam
acyuta-priya-ceitam
bhaved bhaktir bhagavati
yay syt klea-sakaya
For persons desiring wealth, fame, long life, pious credits,
good fortune, great position in heaven, by hearing
repeatedly with faith the praiseworthy activities of Dhruva,
dear to the Lord, which allow one to attain Dhruvaloka, and
which are suitable even for the devats and destroy all sins,
bhakti to the Lord, which destroys all miseries, develops.
Dhanyam means for those desiring wealth. Dhrauvyam means it
enables one to attain Dhruvaloka. Saumanasyam means suitable
for devats. This pastime is suitable for the devats to hear and
recite. The grammatical structures is The bhakti (of that person so
situatedthis phrase should be supplied), having heard the
activities of Dhruva, develops.
|| 4.12.47 ||
mahattvam icchat trtha
rotu ldayo gu
yatra tejas tad icchn

mno yatra manasvinm

For those desiring greatness, hearing about Dhruva is the
cause of greatness. Hearing about Dhruva, the hearer
develops good qualities. For those desiring power, hearing
about Dhruva is the cause of power. For those who are
intelligent, hearing about Dhruva is the cause of respect.
Hearing this (yatra), it is a cause (trtham) of greatness.
|| 4.12.48 ||
prayata krtayet prta
samavye dvi-janmanm
sya ca puya-lokasya
dhruvasya carita mahat
One should recite this great story of famous Dhruva
attentively in the morning and in the evening in the
company of brhmaas.
|| 4.12.49-50 ||
pauramsy sinvly
dvday ravae 'thav
dina-kaye vyatpte
sakrame 'rkadine 'pi v
rvayec chraddadhnn
trtha-pda-padraya
necchas tatrtmantmna
santua iti sidhyati
A person who has taken shelter of the Lord should make
those with faith hear this story on the full moon, dark moon,
on Dvda, during ravana month, on kaya-tithis,
vyatpta days, on sakrantis,2 or on Sundays. Satisfying
himself by his self, without desire for profit, he attains
perfection.
raddadhnnam has an accusative meaning (object of the verb).
One should not accept payment or other articles, because one
satisfies the self by the self. The devotee, in making others hear,
thinks This devotee is hearing with faith the topics of Ka that I
am reciting. That is my payment. In this way he attains perfection.

A kaya-tithis is a solar day in which a particular lunar tithi does not start before sunrise and finished
before the next sunrise. Sakranti is a day on which the sun enters a new zodiac sign. Vyatpta days
are new moon day falling on a Sunday, or when the moon is in certain constellations.

|| 4.12.51 ||
jnam ajta-tattvya
yo dadyt sat-pathe 'mtam
kplor dna-nthasya
devs tasynughate
The devats do not give obstacles to the merciful protector
of the wretched, who gives immortal knowledge to the
ignorant on the path of truth.
If making people hear knowledge which gives liberation gives such
great result, making people hear about Dhruva will certainly give a
greater result.
|| 4.12.52 ||
ida may te 'bhihita kurdvaha
dhruvasya vikhyta-viuddha-karmaa
hitvrbhaka kranakni mtur
gha ca viu araa yo jagma
O best of the Kurus! I have told you the story of pure,
famous activities of Dhruva, who as a child, giving up play
things and the house of his mother, took shelter of Viu.
Thus ends the commentary on the Twelfth Chapter of the Fourth
Canto of the Bhgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in
accordance with the previous cryas.