King
Uthanapad had two wives. They were Suneethi and Suruchi. Sunithi had a son,
Dhruv and Surichi’s son was Uthaman. Sunithi was elder and a mature woman
leading a life of Dharma or righteousness.
Suruchi was young and proud and lived with vanity of her own appearance.
The king too
was completely under a spell of Suruchi’s charm and fascinated by her that he
gave less attention to Suneethi and Dhruv. Suneethi was aware of this, so she
stood apart with aloof dignity. She led a religious life of honour. Suruchi
never let the king keep away from her and she started involving in the issues
of the court and kingdom.
One day after
the court was adjourned King Uthanapad was spending his time with Suruchi.
Dhruv and Uthaman were playing in front. Suddenly Uthaman ran to the king and sat
on his lap. The king held him close and embraced him with fatherly love.
Watching this Dhruv too ran to sit on his father’s lap. But Suruchi pulled him
and threw him on the floor shouting, “ Go away. If you were to be loved by your
father, you had to be born as my son. You were not fortunate to have a mother
like me. You can now go and pray to God and get the blessing to be born again.
There is no way otherwise to sit on your father’s lap.”
The king
didn’t utter a word, so Dhruv ran to his mother crying.
Suneethi
consoled her son and asked, “What went wrong, my son? Why are you crying?”
“When I tried
to sit on my father’s lap, Suruchi maa scolded me.” Dhruv explained.
Suneethi
“Your clothes are dirty from playing. You haven’t taken a bath. That can be the
reason for her denial.”
Dhruv “But
Uthaman too was playing with me. His sweat and dirt was wiped by father.”
Suneethi
“What did she tell you?”
Dhruv “She
said, If I had to sit on father’s lap, I have to be born as her son, and she asked
me to do tapasya for that.”
Suneethi
“What she said is right.Only with God’s blessings, we get to be fortunate. “
Dhruv started
walking, ”Mother, I too want the attain that supreme place near my father, so
I’ll do the tapasya.”
Suneethi
adviced him saying he was too young to go through such hardships as Tapasya and
asked him to come back.
Dhruv
“Don’t stand on my way, mother. But
bless me so that I get success. As you said, it’s God who protects all, He will
protect me too.”
Dhruv touched
his mother’s feet and asked her not to cry. With her blessings he set out to
the forest with his mind concentrated only on his aim.
He didn’t
feel any hunger or thirst. Dhruv just walked onward. On the way he met Narada
Maharshi.
Narada, “Where
are you going my child?”
Dhruv “I want
the darshan of God. I want His blessings.”
“Are you not
too young to face such hardships all alone?” Narada asked.
“With your
blessings I will get Bhagavat darshan, “Dhruv was determined.
Narada,
delighted with this young boy’s determination, blessed him, “Anyone with utmost
faith and devotion will surely get Bhagavat Darshan. You are a blessed child.
May the Lord appear before you and give the boon you want”. Think of Sri
Narayanan and chant the Divya mantra, “Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya”. The Lord
is very kind and He will surely hear you.”
With this
Narada disappeared.
Dhruv went
ahead chanting the mantra. Then he reached Madhuvan. He found a place suitable
for Tapasya. He started his Upavas. In the beginning, he would take water and
fruits, then as days went by, he discarded all food and water.
His vigorous
Tapasya shook the world. There was disturbance in all living things. Devas
sought refuge and requested Lord Vishnu to help them. Lord was pleased with
Dhruv’s Bhakti and decided to appear before him.
Lord Vishnu
reached Madhuvan. The breeze touched the
trees, they showered the flowers all over the forest and the birds sang in
their sweetest sound. Peacocks danced with their beautiful feather spread out.
The whole world filled with a divine fragrance.
Lord Vishnu touched Dhruv and he opened his eyes from Tapasya.
Lord Vishnu
asked Dhruv, “I’m pleased with your Bhakti, my child, what boon shall I give
you? “
But Dhruv was unable to utter a single world after looking at the Lord. He was looking at Lord Vishnu with tears in his eyes. He was feeling like embracing the Lord and don't letting him go. He was feeling like this is the end to all his desires and ambitions. Dhruv laid down and washes Lord's feet with his tears. Lord Vishnu holds Dhruv & takes him on his own lap and heals his burns and hunger.
Dhruv said: "I came to the forests in search of glass pieces (for fulfilling worldly desires) but attained diamonds (the sight of Lord Vishnu) in return”.
Then he thought all his previous desires for worldly pleasures were just because of his ignorance. Real happiness is in loving the Lord Krishna.
Also read story of Prahlad Maharaj:
http://krishnaseva.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-legend-of-prahlad-sinhika-story.html
Dhruv said: "I came to the forests in search of glass pieces (for fulfilling worldly desires) but attained diamonds (the sight of Lord Vishnu) in return”.
Then he thought all his previous desires for worldly pleasures were just because of his ignorance. Real happiness is in loving the Lord Krishna.
Also read story of Prahlad Maharaj:
http://krishnaseva.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-legend-of-prahlad-sinhika-story.html