9 BLOG MYTHOLOGY
THE
LEGEND OF DHRUVA
In Indian
mythology,the polestar is called Dhruva and we have an interesting legend of a
little prince behind it.
The story of Dhruva
is a very simple and popular one which can be found even in the curriculum of
the primary schools and very widely known to every Hindu household .
This story is
symbolic of the birth of Polestar at the dawn of Time when the Lord of the
Universe was designing the placement of planets and stars in the vast space as
per the schedule mandated by the Creator.
Lord Manu had two righteous and brave sons known
as Priyavrata and Uttánapáda. The
mention of the very word Uttánapáda arouses our curiousity to search for the hidden meaning in the story
Uttánapáda had two wives – the elder one, Suniti and the
younger one Suruchi. When Suniti gave birth to a baby boy, after many years of
their marriage, King was elated. He proudly named him Dhruva. King Uttánapáda
distributed gifts and the entire kingdom rejoiced. There was no end
to everybody’s happiness that a little prince and heir to the kingdom was born. The king also
had another son Uttama, born to his second queen Suruchi, who was the King’s
favourite wife.
Uttánapáda himself was very fond of his younger wife
Suruchi than of Suniti and liked Uttama much more than he liked Dhruva. Suruchi was envious of all the
attention king’s first wife and her son Dhruva got. She resented them both.
Once when Dhruva was just five years old he found
that Uttama was sitting in his father’s lap on the throne. Naturally, Dhruva
too wanted to sit in his father’s lap. But Suruchi scolded him saying that he
should not aspire to that which was Uttama’s. He should always remember that
the throne was meant for Uttama and not for Dhruva.
Dhruva was greatly upset and angry. He went running to his mother and narrated to her what had happened. Suniti consoled him and told him that men suffer or prosper depending on what they had done in their past lives. If one has done good deeds in an earlier life, one becomes a king, has an umbrella held over one’s head and rides excellent horses and elephants in this life. Suruchi and Uttama must have performed many good deeds in their earlier lives. Whereas Suniti and Dhruva must have performed many evil deeds in their earlier lives. This was not something to be unhappy about. Wise men were satisfied with what they got. If Dhruva was really upset at what Suruchi had said, he should stop being unhappy and should instead spend his time on being good, religious, righteous and selfless.
Suniti’s words convinced Dhruva. He said, "Mother, your words have given me peace. I will try to achieve the highest position of all. True, the king loves Suruchi and true, I am not Suruchi’s son. But I am your son and I will show you what I can do. Let Uttama have his throne. I do not wish for something that is someone else’s. Through my own work I will achieve a place that not even my father has achieved."
Dhruva said this and went out of the house. There was a forest not very far away. And in the forest he met seven wise men. He bowed before them and said, "I am Dhruva, son of Uttánapáda and Suniti. I am unhappy and so I have come here to seek solace and peace from you."
The sages were surprised. "Prince," they said, "You are very young. You have nothing to be unhappy about, you have nothing to worry about. Your father is a king and he is still alive. Nor do you seem to be ill. Why then are you unhappy?"
Dhruva told them the reason for his unhappiness. He said that he desired neither wealth nor kingdoms. He simply wanted to go to a place where no one had ever been before. The sages advised him to pray to Lord Vishnu. They also taught him the mantra that was to be used for praying to the Lord .
He prayed so painstackingly that even the gods were disturbed. They did their best to break Dhruva’s tapasya( penance) but he was undisturbed. He thought only of Lord Vishnu. And saw nothing but God in Vishnu.
Pleased with his prayers ,Vishnu appeared before Dhruva and offered him a boon. Dhruva only wanted to attain the highest place to be at the top of the entire world. Lord Vishnu ordained to place him in the centre of the Heavens so that all the stars would revolve around him. His mother Suniti would also be placed in the sky near him. (adapted from Vishnu Purana.tr. Wilson, Bk I,ch.8-11)
Symbolism
Dhruva was greatly upset and angry. He went running to his mother and narrated to her what had happened. Suniti consoled him and told him that men suffer or prosper depending on what they had done in their past lives. If one has done good deeds in an earlier life, one becomes a king, has an umbrella held over one’s head and rides excellent horses and elephants in this life. Suruchi and Uttama must have performed many good deeds in their earlier lives. Whereas Suniti and Dhruva must have performed many evil deeds in their earlier lives. This was not something to be unhappy about. Wise men were satisfied with what they got. If Dhruva was really upset at what Suruchi had said, he should stop being unhappy and should instead spend his time on being good, religious, righteous and selfless.
Suniti’s words convinced Dhruva. He said, "Mother, your words have given me peace. I will try to achieve the highest position of all. True, the king loves Suruchi and true, I am not Suruchi’s son. But I am your son and I will show you what I can do. Let Uttama have his throne. I do not wish for something that is someone else’s. Through my own work I will achieve a place that not even my father has achieved."
Dhruva said this and went out of the house. There was a forest not very far away. And in the forest he met seven wise men. He bowed before them and said, "I am Dhruva, son of Uttánapáda and Suniti. I am unhappy and so I have come here to seek solace and peace from you."
The sages were surprised. "Prince," they said, "You are very young. You have nothing to be unhappy about, you have nothing to worry about. Your father is a king and he is still alive. Nor do you seem to be ill. Why then are you unhappy?"
Dhruva told them the reason for his unhappiness. He said that he desired neither wealth nor kingdoms. He simply wanted to go to a place where no one had ever been before. The sages advised him to pray to Lord Vishnu. They also taught him the mantra that was to be used for praying to the Lord .
He prayed so painstackingly that even the gods were disturbed. They did their best to break Dhruva’s tapasya( penance) but he was undisturbed. He thought only of Lord Vishnu. And saw nothing but God in Vishnu.
Pleased with his prayers ,Vishnu appeared before Dhruva and offered him a boon. Dhruva only wanted to attain the highest place to be at the top of the entire world. Lord Vishnu ordained to place him in the centre of the Heavens so that all the stars would revolve around him. His mother Suniti would also be placed in the sky near him. (adapted from Vishnu Purana.tr. Wilson, Bk I,ch.8-11)
Symbolism
Uttánapáda,though
a king,symbolises someone with his feet in the sky i.e. topsy-turvy- the ‘milky
way galaxy’ which hangs over us and gives us a feeling that the sky is looking
towards us with its head down and feet fixed upwards.
Suniti and Suruchi have opposite roles. Suruchi,the younger and beautiful
wife stands for bright day whereas Suniti,the elder wife represents the dark
side i.e night sky.Dhruva means polestar which is fixed and standing alone and
aloof in the vast sky, with no friends or companions. Uttama can be younger shining
star inexperienced and a novice as yet and can not be in a position to feel
zealous of Dhruva.
Saptarishis are always in attendance on him and revolve around him
with all the respect and honour for him. Symbolically.he got the reward from
the Creator for his penances by remaining at a fixed place all the time ,in all
seasons,every night,in the farthest north.
Located almost directly overhead as seen from
the North Pole, it has always been an important star to sailors, caravans and travelers , winding their way over the
oceans and desert by night and others who navigated their way by the stars. It moves but only very little distance taking 25000 years to complete
one a revolution around the North Pole .
So the pole
star,which all of us love , tinkles brightly in the night sky. He is the little
prince Dhruva talked about above and is popularly known as Dhruvtara in India. It is not visible in the southern hemisphere.
Have you seen Dhruva in the sky?
Of course you have. Near the seven sages who form the constellation of the Great
Bear. The saptarishis provide a shield to the little prince and revolve
around him completing one revolution in a day
By: O P Gupta
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