Dhruva Nakshatra

Swayambhuva Manu’s descendants Priyavrata and Uttanapada were known for their courage, pious and heroic virtues. Of these two, King Uttanapada was ruling a mighty dynasty and had two queens – Suniti and Suruchi.

The elder queen Suniti was bestowed with a son named Dhruva. She was righteous and honest in all her deeds. An exemplary mother, Suniti instilled and inculcated moral values in her only son.
Through the younger queen Suruchi, whom the king dearly loved, he had another son named Uttama. Uttama was the apple of the king’s eye. Suruchi was against the customary practice of crowning the elder son as the next king and wanted Uttama to ascend the throne.

Once, when Uttama was playing on his father’s lap, Dhruva was curious and came running forward to ascend the throne to share his place at his father’s lap along with his step-brother. Beholding the desirous child, Suruchi stopped him at once and berated him, “Hold on, you don’t deserve this place. You don’t have any rights either to claim this place or to ascend this throne. This regal throne belongs only to my son and I have not given birth to you. You are born to a different mother and to my rival.”

The disappointed child was taken back and the henpecked king was helpless to object and protest to her invidious act.

Having heard such throbbing words from the step-mother, Dhruva quit the place and returned to his mother. The grief stricken child narrated the entire incident to his mother in a low tone.
The gentle mother Suniti consoled the weeping child and further soothed him by saying, “Suruchi is right in a way. All the fortunes, wealth, happiness, prosperity, the regal throne will be granted to the one who has done good deeds in his past life. The displeasure, misfortunes, hardships and troubles we face in our everyday life are mainly because of our accumulated sins over previous births. The extent of comfort, luxury and the pleasure one enjoys is decided by the sins and merits done during our earlier births. Hence, do not repent on what Suruchi has said as wise people are always contended with their belongings and possessions.”

Dhruva was convinced by his mother’s enlightening words. He told his mother that he was not after the regal throne as Suruchi had mentioned and he would uplift and elevate himself to attain a place where no one had ever been before.

Having spoken thus, Dhruva quit his home with great determination and in search of his rightful place. On the way, Dhruva met the sage Narada. He bowed before the sage and introduced himself, “I am Dhruva, son of the King Uttanapada and Suniti. I am not after these mundane worldly pleasures and I want to uplift myself to the place where no one has ever been before”.
The sage was surprised and perplexed with the reconciliation of the child. Narada directed him to surrender himself to the omnipotent, omniscient, supreme power, Lord Vishnu by performing the rituals and reciting mantras.

As instructed by Narada, Dhruva meditated upon Lord Vishnu with utmost dedication and devotion. Renouncing all the worldly possessions, the staunch child went on with his tapas without food and water. Moved by the devotee’s perseverance, Lord Vishnu – the omnipresent made His presence before the child to offer him a boon he wished for.

On seeing the Almighty, the child was dumbstruck to ask for any boon. Dhruva was very contended with the sight of the Lord Himself and there was nothing more he desired for. He had no personal desire and wanted to attain the place where no one had been ever before.

Pleased by the child’s religious zeal, Lord Vishnu granted him a place at the top of this whole world and in the middle of the sky as – Dhruva nakshatra.

Dhruva nakshatra is the only star that has a permanent position in the sky, whereas other stars and constellations move around it throughout the year.

Bhargavi Bindumadhavan