Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Canto 4: “The Creation of the Fourth Order”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Nine
SB4.9.12
TEXT 12
te na smaranty atitarāṁ priyam īśa martyaṁ
ye cānv adaḥ suta-suhṛd-gṛha-vitta-dārāḥ
ye tv abja-nābha bhavadīya-padāravinda-
saugandhya-lubdha-hṛdayeṣu kṛta-prasaṅgāḥ
SYNONYMS
te—they; na—never; smaranti—remember; atitarām—highly; priyam—dear; īśa—O Lord; martyam—material body; ye—they who; ca—also; anu—in relationship with; adaḥ—that; suta—sons; suhṛt—friends; gṛha—home; vitta—wealth; dārāḥ—and wife; ye—those who; tu—then; abja-nābha—O Lord who have a lotus navel; bhavadīya—of Your; pada-aravinda—lotus feet; saugandhya—the fragrance; lubdha—have achieved; hṛdayeṣu—with devotees whose hearts; kṛta-prasaṅgāḥ—have association.
TRANSLATION
O Lord who have a lotus navel, if a person happens to associate with a devotee whose heart always hankers after Your lotus feet, seeking always their fragrance, he is never attached to the material body or, in a bodily relationship, to offspring, friends, home, wealth and wife, which are very, very dear to materialistic persons. Indeed, he does not care for them.
PURPORT
A special advantage in devotional service is that devotees not only enjoy the transcendental pastimes of the Lord by hearing and chanting and glorifying them, but also are not very much attached to their bodies, unlike the yogīs, who are too attached to the body and who think that by performing bodily gymnastic exercises they will advance in spiritual consciousness. Yogīs are generally not very much interested in devotional service; they want to regulate the breathing process. This is simply a bodily concern. Here Dhruva Mahārāja plainly says that a devotee has no more bodily interest. He knows that he is not the body. From the very beginning, therefore, without wasting time in bodily exercises, a devotee searches out a pure devotee and simply by his association becomes more advanced in spiritual consciousness than any yogī. Because a devotee knows that he is not the body, he is never affected by bodily happiness or distress. He is not interested in bodily relationships with wife, children, home, bank balance, etc., or in the distress and happiness which come from these things. This is the special advantage of being a devotee. This status of life is possible only when a person is interested in associating with a pure devotee, who always enjoys the fragrance of the lotus feet of the Lord.
SB4.9.13 TEXT 13 tiryaṅ-naga-dvija-sarīsṛpa-deva-daitya- martyādibhiḥ paricitaṁ sad-asad-viśeṣam rūpaṁ sthaviṣṭham aja te mahad-ādy-anekaṁ nātaḥ paraṁ parama vedmi na yatra vādaḥ SYNONYMS tiryak—by animals; naga—trees; dvija—birds; sarīsṛpa—reptiles; deva—demigods; daitya—demons; martya-ādibhiḥ—by men, etc.; paricitam—pervaded; sat-asat-viśeṣam—with varieties manifest and unmanifest; rūpam—form; sthaviṣṭham—gross universal; aja—O Unborn; te—Your; mahat-ādi—caused by the total material energy, etc.; anekam—various causes; na—not; ataḥ—from this; param—transcendental; parama—O Supreme; vedmi—I know; na—not; yatra—where; vādaḥ—various arguments.
TRANSLATION My dear Lord, O Supreme Unborn, I know that the different varieties of living entities, such as animals, trees, birds, reptiles, demigods and human beings, are spread throughout the universe, which is caused by the total material energy, and I know that they are sometimes manifest and sometimes unmanifest; but I have never experienced the supreme form I behold as I see You now. Now all kinds of methods of theorizing have come to an end. PURPORT In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says that He has spread Himself throughout the universe, but although everything is resting upon Him, He is aloof. The same concept is expressed here by Dhruva Mahārāja. He states that before seeing the transcendental form of the Lord, he had experienced only the varieties of material forms, which are counted at one engages in the devotional service of the Lord, it is impossible to understand the ultimate form of the Lord. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.55). Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: factual understanding of the Absolute Truth, who is the Supreme Person, cannot be obtained by any process other than devotional service.
Dhruva Mahārāja here compares his previous state of understanding with the perfection of understanding in the presence of the Supreme Lord. The position of a living entity is to render service; unless he comes to the stage of appreciating the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he engages in the service of the various forms of trees, reptiles, animals, Men, demigods, etc. One can experience that one man engages in the service of a dog, another serves plants and creepers, another the demigods, and another humanity, or his boss in the office—but no one is engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Aside from common men, even men who are elevated in terms of spiritual understanding are at the utmost engaged in the service of the virāṭ-rūpa, or, unable to understand the ultimate form of the Lord, they worship voidism by meditation. Dhruva Mahārāja, however, had been blessed by the Supreme Lord. When the Lord touched His conchshell to Dhruva’s forehead, real knowledge was revealed from within, and Dhruva could understand the Lord’s transcendental form. Dhruva Mahārāja here admits that not only was he ignorant, but by years he was only a child. It would not have been possible for an ignorant child to appreciate the supreme form of the Lord had he not been blessed by the Lord, who had touched His conchshell to Dhruva’s forehead.
SB4.9.14 TEXT 14 kalpānta etad akhilaṁ jaṭhareṇa gṛhṇan śete pumān sva-dṛg ananta-sakhas tad-aṅke yan-nābhi-sindhu-ruha-kāñcana-loka-padma- garbhe dyumān bhagavate praṇato ’smi tasmai SYNONYMS kalpa-ante—at the end of the millennium; etat—this universe; akhilam—all; jaṭhareṇa—within the belly; gṛhṇan—withdrawing; śete—lies down; pumān—the Supreme Person; sva-dṛk—looking upon Himself; ananta—the unlimited being Śeṣa; sakhaḥ—accompanied by; tat-aṅke—on His lap; yat—from whose; nābhi—navel; sindhu—ocean; ruha—sprouted; kāñcana—golden; loka—planet; padma—of the lotus; garbhe—on the whorl; dyumān—Lord Brahmā; bhagavate—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; praṇataḥ—offering obeisances; asmi—I am; tasmai—unto Him.
TRANSLATION My dear Lord, at the end of each millennium the Supreme Personality of Godhead Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu dissolves everything manifested within the universe into His belly. He lies down on the lap of Śeṣa Nāga, from His navel sprouts a golden lotus flower on a stem, and on that lotus Lord Brahmā is created. I can understand that You are the same Supreme Godhead. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto You. PURPORT Dhruva Mahārāja’s understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is complete. In the Vedas it is said, yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati: knowledge received through the transcendental, causeless mercy of the Lord is so perfect that by that knowledge the devotee becomes acquainted with all the different manifestations of the Lord. Lord Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu was present before Dhruva Mahārāja, who could also understand the Lord’s two other forms, namely Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kāraṇodakaśāyī (Mahā) Viṣṇu. Regarding Mahā-Viṣṇu, it is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.48):
yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya At the end of each and every millennium, when all the material worlds are dissolved, everything enters the body of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who is lying on the lap of Śeṣa Nāga, another form of the Lord.
Those who are not devotees cannot understand the different forms of Viṣṇu and their positions in regard to the creation. Sometimes the atheists argue, “How can a flower stem sprout from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu?” They consider all the statements of the śāstras to be stories. As a result of their inexperience in the Absolute Truth and their reluctance to accept authority, they become more and more atheistic; they cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But a devotee like Dhruva Mahārāja, by the grace of the Lord, knows all the manifestations of the Lord and their different positions. It is said that anyone who has even a little of the Lord’s grace can understand His glories; others may go on speculating on the Absolute Truth, but they will always be unable to understand the Lord. In other words, unless one comes in contact with a devotee it is not possible to understand the transcendental form or the spiritual world and its transcendental activities.
SB4.9.15 TEXT 15 tvaṁ nitya-mukta-pariśuddha-vibuddha ātmā kūṭa-stha ādi-puruṣo bhagavāṁs try-adhīśaḥ yad-buddhy-avasthitim akhaṇḍitayā sva-dṛṣṭyā draṣṭā sthitāv adhimakho vyatirikta āsse SYNONYMS tvam—You; nitya—eternally; mukta—liberated; pariśuddha—uncontaminated; vibuddhaḥ—full of knowledge; ātmā—the Supreme Soul; kūṭa-sthaḥ—changeless; ādi—original; puruṣaḥ—person; bhagavān—the Lord, full with six opulences; tri-adhīśaḥ—master of the three modes; yat—whence; buddhi—of intellectual activities; avasthitim—all stages; akhaṇḍitayā—unbroken; sva-dṛṣṭyā—by transcendental vision; draṣṭā—You witness; sthitau—for maintaining (the universe); adhimakhaḥ—enjoyer of the results of all sacrifices; vyatiriktaḥ—differently; āsse—You are situated.
TRANSLATION My Lord, by Your unbroken transcendental glance You are the supreme witness of all stages of intellectual activities. You are eternally liberated, Your existence is situated in pure goodness, and You are existent in the Supersoul without change. You are the original Personality of Godhead, full with six opulences, and You are eternally the master of the three modes of material nature. Thus, You are always different from the ordinary living entities. As Lord Viṣṇu, You maintain all the affairs of the entire universe, and yet You stand aloof and are the enjoyer of the results of all sacrifices. PURPORT An atheistic argument against the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead states that if God, the Supreme Person, appears and disappears and sleeps and awakens, then what is the difference between God and the living entity? Dhruva Mahārāja is carefully distinguishing the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from that of the living entities. He points out the following differences. The Lord is eternally liberated. Whenever He appears, even within this material world, He is never entangled by the three modes of material nature. He is known, therefore, as try-adhīśa, the master of the three modes of material nature. In Bhagavad-gītā (7.14) it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā: the living entities are all entangled in the three modes of material nature. The external energy of the Lord is very strong, but the Lord, as the master of the three modes of material nature, is ever liberated from the action and reaction of those modes. He, therefore, is uncontaminated, as stated in the Īśopaniṣad. The contamination of the material world does not affect the Supreme Godhead. Kṛṣṇa therefore says in the Bhagavad-gītā that those who are rascals and fools think of Him as an ordinary human being, not knowing His paraṁ bhāvam. paraṁ bhāvam refers to His being always transcendentally situated. Material contamination cannot affect Him.
Another difference between the Lord and the living entity is that a living entity is always in darkness. Even though he may be situated in the mode of goodness, there are still so many things which are unknown to him. But it is not the same for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He knows past, present and future and everything that is happening in everyone’s heart. Bhagavad-gītā confirms this (vedāhaṁ samatītāni). The Lord is not part of the soul—He is the unchangeable Supreme Soul, and the living entities are His parts and parcels. The living entity is forced to appear in this material world under the direction of daiva-māyā, but when the Lord appears, He comes by His own internal potency, ātma-māyā. Besides that, a living entity is within the time of past, present and future. His life has a beginning, a birth, and in the conditioned state his life ends with death. But the Lord is ādi-puruṣa, the original person. In the Brahma-saṁhitā Lord Brahmā offers his respect to the ādi-puruṣa, Govinda, the original person, who has no beginning, whereas the creation of this material world has a beginning. The Vedānta says, janmādy asya yataḥ; [Bhāg. 1.1.1] everything is born from the Supreme, but the Supreme has no birth. He has all the six opulences in full and beyond comparison, He is the master of material nature, His intelligence is not broken under any circumstances, and He stands aloof, although He is the maintainer of the whole creation. As stated in the Vedas (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13), nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. The Lord is the supreme maintainer. Living entities are meant to serve Him by offering sacrifices, for He is the rightful enjoyer of the results of all sacrifices. Everyone, therefore, should engage himself in the devotional service of the Lord with his life, his riches, his intelligence and his words. This is the original, constitutional position of the living entities. One should never compare the sleeping of an ordinary living entity to the sleeping of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the Causal Ocean. There is no stage at which the living entity can compare to the Supreme Person. The Māyāvādī philosophers, being unable to adjust to all this, come to the conclusion of impersonalism or voidism.
SB4.9.16 TEXT 16 yasmin viruddha-gatayo hy aniśaṁ patanti vidyādayo vividha-śaktaya ānupūrvyāt tad brahma viśva-bhavam ekam anantam ādyam ānanda-mātram avikāram ahaṁ prapadye SYNONYMS yasmin—in whom; viruddha-gatayaḥ—of opposite character; hi—certainly; aniśam—always; patanti—are manifest; vidyā-ādayaḥ—knowledge and ignorance, etc.; vividha—various; śaktayaḥ—energies; ānupūrvyāt—continually; tat—that; brahma—Brahman; viśva-bhavam—the cause of material creation; ekam—one; anantam—unlimited; ādyam—original; ānanda-mātram—simply blissful; avikāram—changeless; aham—I; prapadye—offer my obeisances.
TRANSLATION My dear Lord, in Your impersonal manifestation of Brahman there are always two opposing elements—knowledge and ignorance. Your multienergies are continually manifest, but the impersonal Brahman, which is undivided, original, changeless, unlimited and blissful, is the cause of the material manifestation. Because You are the same impersonal Brahman, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. PURPORT In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said that the unlimited impersonal Brahman is the effulgence of the transcendental body of Govinda. In that unlimited effulgent aura of the Supreme Personality of Godhead there are innumerable universes with innumerable planets of different categories. Although the Supreme Person is the original cause of all causes, His impersonal effulgence, known as Brahman, is the immediate cause of the material manifestation. Dhruva Mahārāja, therefore, offered his respectful obeisances unto the impersonal feature of the Lord. One who realizes this impersonal feature can enjoy the unchangeable brahmānanda, described here as spiritual bliss.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura describes that this impersonal feature, or Brahman manifestation, of the Supreme Lord is meant for persons who are essentially very advanced but still not able to understand the personal features or variegatedness of the spiritual world. Such devotees are known as jñāna-miśra-bhaktas, or devotees whose devotional service is mixed with empiric knowledge. Because the impersonal Brahman realization is a partial understanding of the Absolute Truth, Dhruva Mahārāja offers his respectful obeisances.
It is said that this impersonal Brahman is the distant realization of the Absolute Truth. Although apparently Brahman seems to be devoid of energy, factually it has different energies working under the headings of knowledge and ignorance. On account of these different energies, there is continually a manifestation of vidyā and avidyā. Vidyā and avidyā are very nicely described in Īśopaniṣad. It is said there that sometimes, due to avidyā, or a poor fund of knowledge, one accepts the Absolute Truth as ultimately impersonal. But in fact the impersonal and personal realizations develop in proportion to the development of devotional service. The more we develop our devotional service, the more closely we approach the Absolute Truth, which, in the beginning, when we realize the Absolute Truth from a distant place, is manifest as impersonal.
People in general, who are under the influence of avidyā-śakti, or māyā, have neither knowledge nor devotion. But when a person who is a little advanced and is therefore called a jñānī advances even more, he is in the category of a jñāna-miśra-bhakta, or a devotee whose love is mixed with empiric knowledge. When he is still further advanced, he can realize that the Absolute Truth is a person with multienergies. An advanced devotee can understand the Lord and His creative energy. As soon as one accepts the creative energy of the Absolute Truth, the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are also understood. Devotees who are still further advanced, in full knowledge, can understand the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. Only on that platform can one fully enjoy transcendental bliss. An example is given in this connection by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura of a person proceeding towards a destination. As he approaches, he sees the destination from a distant place, just as we see a city from a distance. At that time he simply understands that the city is situated at a distance. When, however, he comes still nearer, he sees the domes and flags. But as soon as he enters the city, he sees various paths, gardens, lakes, and marketplaces with shops, and persons buying. He sees varieties of cinema houses, and he sees dancing and jubilation. When a person actually enters the city and personally sees the activities of the city, he becomes satisfied.
SB4.9.17 TEXT 17 satyāśiṣo hi bhagavaṁs tava pāda-padmam āśīs tathānubhajataḥ puruṣārtha-mūrteḥ apy evam arya bhagavān paripāti dīnān vāśreva vatsakam anugraha-kātaro ’smān SYNONYMS satya—real; āśiṣaḥ—compared with other benedictions; hi—certainly; bhagavan—my Lord; tava—Your; pāda-padmam—lotus feet; āśīḥ—benediction; tathā—in that way; anubhajataḥ—for the devotees; puruṣa-artha—of the real goal of life; mūrteḥ—the personification; api—although; evam—thus; arya—O Lord; bhagavān—the Personality of Godhead; paripāti—maintains; dīnān—the poor in heart; vāśrā—a cow; iva—like; vatsakam—unto the calf; anugraha—to bestow mercy; kātaraḥ—eager; asmān—upon me.
TRANSLATION My Lord, O Supreme Lord, You are the supreme personified form of all benediction. Therefore, for one who abides in Your devotional service with no other desire, worshiping Your lotus feet is better than becoming king and lording it over a kingdom. That is the benediction of worshiping Your lotus feet. To ignorant devotees like me, You are the causelessly merciful maintainer, just like a cow, who takes care of the newly born calf by supplying milk and giving it protection from attack. PURPORT Dhruva Mahārāja was cognizant of the defective nature of his own devotional service. Pure devotional service is without material form and is not covered by mental speculation or fruitive activities. Pure devotional service is therefore called ahaitukī, unmotivated. Dhruva Mahārāja knew that he had come to worship the Lord in devotional service with a motive—to get the kingdom of his father. Such an adulterated devotee can never see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. He therefore felt very grateful for the causeless mercy of the Lord. The Lord is so merciful that not only does He fulfill the desires of a devotee who is driven by ignorance and desires for material benefit, but He also gives such a devotee all protection, just as a cow gives milk to a newly born calf. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that the Lord gives intelligence to the constantly engaged devotee so that he may gradually approach the Lord without difficulty. A devotee must be very sincere in his devotional service; then, although there may be many things wrong on the devotee’s part, Kṛṣṇa will guide him and gradually elevate him to the highest position of devotional service.
The Lord is addressed herein by Dhruva Mahārāja as puruṣārtha-mūrti, the ultimate goal of life. Generally puruṣārtha is taken to mean execution of a type of religious principle or worship of God in order to get material benediction. Prayers for material benediction are intended for satisfying the senses. And when one is frustrated and cannot fully satisfy the senses in spite of all endeavor, he desires liberation, or freedom from material existence. These activities are generally called puruṣārtha. But actually the ultimate goal is to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called pañcama-puruṣārtha, the ultimate goal of life. Lord Caitanya therefore taught us not to ask from the Supreme Personality any benediction such as material wealth, popularity or a good wife. One should simply pray to the Lord to be constantly engaged in His transcendental loving service. Dhruva Mahārāja, being cognizant of his desire for material benefit, wanted protection from the Lord so that he might not be misled or deviated from the path of devotional service by material desires.
SB4.9.18 TEXT 18 maitreya uvāca athābhiṣṭuta evaṁ vai sat-saṅkalpena dhīmatā bhṛtyānurakto bhagavān pratinandyedam abravīt SYNONYMS maitreyaḥ uvāca—Maitreya said; atha—then; abhiṣṭutaḥ—being worshiped; evam—thus; vai—certainly; sat-saṅkalpena—by Dhruva Mahārāja, who had only good desires in his heart; dhī-matā—because he was very intelligent; bhṛtya-anuraktaḥ—very favorably disposed towards devotees; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratinandya—having congratulated him; idam—this; abravīt—said.
TRANSLATION The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, when Dhruva Mahārāja, who had good intentions in his heart, finished his prayer, the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, who is very kind to His devotees and servants, congratulated him, speaking as follows. SB4.9.19 TEXT 19 śrī-bhagavān uvāca vedāhaṁ te vyavasitaṁ hṛdi rājanya-bālaka tat prayacchāmi bhadraṁ te durāpam api suvrata SYNONYMS śrī-bhagavān uvāca—the Personality of Godhead said; veda—know; aham—I; te—your; vyavasitam—determination; hṛdi—within the heart; rājanya-bālaka—O son of the King; tat—that; prayacchāmi—I shall give you; bhadram—all good fortune; te—unto you; durāpam—although it is very difficult to obtain; api—in spite of; su-vrata—one who has taken a pious vow.
TRANSLATION The Personality of Godhead said: My dear Dhruva, son of the King, you have executed pious vows, and I also know the desire within your heart. Although your desire is very ambitious and very difficult to fulfill, I shall favor you with its fulfillment. All good fortune unto you. PURPORT The Lord is so merciful to His devotee that He immediately said to Dhruva Mahārāja, “Let there be all good fortune for you.” The fact is that Dhruva Mahārāja was very much afraid in his mind, for he had aspired after material benefit in discharging his devotional service and this was hampering him from reaching the stage of love of God. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.44) it is said, bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām: those who are addicted to material pleasure cannot be attracted to devotional service. It was true that at heart Dhruva Mahārāja wanted a kingdom that would be far better than Brahmaloka. This was a natural desire for a kṣatriya. He was also only five years old, and in his childish way he desired to have a kingdom far greater than his father’s, grandfather’s or great-grandfather’s. His father, Uttānapāda, was the son of Manu, and Manu was the son of Lord Brahmā. Dhruva wanted to excel all these great family members. The Lord knew Dhruva Mahārāja’s childish ambition, but how was it possible to offer Dhruva a position more exalted than Lord Brahmā’s?
The Lord assured Dhruva Mahārāja that Dhruva would not be bereft of the Lord’s love. He encouraged Dhruva not to be worried that he childishly had material desires and at the same time had the pure aspiration to be a great devotee. Generally, the Lord does not award a pure devotee material opulence, even though he may desire it. But Dhruva Mahārāja’s case was different. The Lord knew that he was such a great devotee that in spite of having material opulence he would never be deviated from love of God. This example illustrates that a highly qualified devotee can have the facility of material enjoyment and at the same time execute love of God. This, however, was a special case for Dhruva Mahārāja.
SB4.9.20-21 TEXTS 20–21 nānyair adhiṣṭhitaṁ bhadra yad bhrājiṣṇu dhruva-kṣiti yatra graharkṣa-tārāṇāṁ jyotiṣāṁ cakram āhitam meḍhyāṁ go-cakravat sthāsnu parastāt kalpa-vāsinām dharmo ’gniḥ kaśyapaḥ śukro munayo ye vanaukasaḥ caranti dakṣiṇī-kṛtya bhramanto yat satārakāḥ SYNONYMS na—never; anyaiḥ—by others; adhiṣṭhitam—was ruled; bhadra—My good boy; yat—which; bhrājiṣṇu—brightly glowing; dhruva-kṣiti—the land known as Dhruvaloka; yatra—where; graha—planets; ṛkṣa—constellations; tārāṇām—and stars; jyotiṣām—by luminaries; cakram—encirclement; āhitam—is done; meḍhyām—around a central pole; go—of bulls; cakra—a multitude; vat—like; sthāsnu—stationary; parastāt—beyond; kalpa—a day of Brahmā (millennium); vāsinām—those who live; dharmaḥ—Dharma; agniḥ—Agni; kaśyapaḥ—Kaśyapa; śukraḥ—Śukra; munayaḥ—great sages; ye—all of them who; vana-okasaḥ—living in the forest; caranti—move; dakṣiṇī-kṛtya—keeping it to their right; bhramantaḥ—circumambulating; yat—which planet; satārakāḥ—with all the stars.
TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead continued: My dear Dhruva, I shall award you the glowing planet known as the polestar, which will continue to exist even after the dissolution at the end of the millennium. No one has ever ruled this planet, which is surrounded by all the solar systems, planets and stars. All the luminaries in the sky circumambulate this planet, just as bulls tread around a central pole for the purpose of crushing grains. Keeping the polestar to their right, all the stars inhabited by the great sages like Dharma, Agni, Kaśyapa and Śukra circumambulate this planet, which continues to exist even after the dissolution of all others. PURPORT Although the polestar existed before its occupation by Dhruva Mahārāja, it had no predominating deity. Dhruvaloka, our polestar, is the center for all other stars and solar systems, for all of them circle around Dhruvaloka just as a bull crushes grains by walking around and around a central pole. Dhruva wanted the best of all planets, and although it was a childish prayer, the Lord satisfied his demand. A small child may demand something from his father which his father has never given to anyone else, yet out of affection the father offers it to the child; similarly, this unique planet, Dhruvaloka, was offered to Mahārāja Dhruva. The specific significance of this planet is that until the entire universe is annihilated this planet will remain, even during the devastation which takes place during the night of Lord Brahmā. There are two kinds of dissolutions, one during the night of Lord Brahmā and one at the end of Lord Brahmā’s life. At the end of Brahmā’s life, selected personalities go back home, back to Godhead. Dhruva Mahārāja is one of them. The Lord assured Dhruva that he would exist beyond the partial dissolution of this universe. Thus at the end of the complete dissolution, Dhruva Mahārāja would go directly to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, to a spiritual planet in the spiritual sky. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura comments in this connection that Dhruvaloka is one of the lokas like Śvetadvīpa, Mathurā and Dvārakā. They are all eternal places in the kingdom of Godhead, which is described in the Bhagavad-gītā (tad dhāma paramam) and in the Vedas (oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ). The words parastāt kalpa-vāsinām, “transcendental to the planets inhabited after the dissolution,” refer to the Vaikuṇṭha planets. In other words, Dhruva Mahārāja’s promotion to the Vaikuṇṭhalokas was guaranteed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB4.9.22 TEXT 22 prasthite tu vanaṁ pitrā dattvā gāṁ dharma-saṁśrayaḥ ṣaṭ-triṁśad-varṣa-sāhasraṁ rakṣitāvyāhatendriyaḥ SYNONYMS prasthite—after departure; tu—but; vanam—to the forest; pitrā—by your father; dattvā—awarding; gām—the whole world; dharma-saṁśrayaḥ—under the protection of piety; ṣaṭ-triṁśat—thirty-six; varṣa—years; sāhasram—one thousand; rakṣitā—you will rule; avyāhata—without decay; indriyaḥ—the power of the senses.
TRANSLATION After your father goes to the forest and awards you the rule of his kingdom, you will rule continuously the entire world for thirty-six thousand years, and all your senses will continue to be as strong as they are now. You will never become old. PURPORT In the Satya-yuga people generally lived for one hundred thousand years. Dhruva Mahārāja’s ruling the world for thirty-six thousand years was quite possible in those days.
SB4.9.23 TEXT 23 tvad-bhrātary uttame naṣṭe mṛgayāyāṁ tu tan-manāḥ anveṣantī vanaṁ mātā dāvāgniṁ sā pravekṣyati SYNONYMS tvat—your; bhrātari—brother; uttame—Uttama; naṣṭe—being killed; mṛgayāyām—in hunting; tu—then; tat-manāḥ—being too afflicted; anveṣantī—while searching out; vanam—in the forest; mātā—the mother; dāva-agnim—in the forest fire; sā—she; pravekṣyati—will enter.
TRANSLATION The Lord continued: Sometime in the future your brother, Uttama, will go hunting in the forest, and while absorbed in hunting, he will be killed. Your stepmother, Suruci, being maddened upon the death of her son, will go to search him out in the forest, but she will be devoured by a forest fire. PURPORT Dhruva Mahārāja came to the forest to search out the Supreme Personality of Godhead with a revenging spirit against his stepmother. His stepmother had insulted Dhruva, who was not an ordinary person, but a great Vaiṣṇava. An offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava is the greatest offense in this world. Because of having insulted Dhruva Mahārāja, Suruci would become mad upon the death of her son and would enter a forest fire, and thus her life would be ended. This was specifically mentioned by the Lord to Dhruva because he was determined for revenge against her. From this we should take the lesson that we should never try to insult a Vaiṣṇava. Not only should we not insult a Vaiṣṇava, but we should not insult anyone unnecessarily. When Suruci insulted Dhruva Mahārāja, he was just a child. She of course did not know that Dhruva was a great recognized Vaiṣṇava, and so her offense was committed unknowingly. When one serves a Vaiṣṇava unknowingly, one still gets the good result, and if one unknowingly insults a Vaiṣṇava, one suffers the bad result. A Vaiṣṇava is especially favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Pleasing him or displeasing him directly affects the pleasure and displeasure of the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, in his eight stanzas of prayer to the spiritual master, has sung, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ: ** by pleasing the spiritual master, who is a pure Vaiṣṇava, one pleases the Personality of Godhead, but if one displeases the spiritual master one does not know where he is going.
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