Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 4: “The Creation of the Fourth Order”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Nine

SB4.9.12

TEXT 12

te na smaranty atitaram priyam isa martyam

ye canv adah suta-suhrd-grha-vitta-darah

ye tv abja-nabha bhavadiya-padaravinda-

saugandhya-lubdha-hrdayesu krta-prasangah

SYNONYMS

te—they; na—never; smaranti—remember; atitaram—highly; priyam—dear; isa—O Lord; martyam—material body; ye—they who; ca—also; anu—in relationship with; adah—that; suta—sons; suhrt—friends; grha—home; vitta—wealth; darah—and wife; ye—those who; tu—then; abja-nabha—O Lord who have a lotus navel; bhavadiya—of Your; pada-aravinda—lotus feet; saugandhya—the fragrance; lubdha—have achieved; hrdayesu—with devotees whose hearts; krta-prasangah—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 yogis, who are too attached to the body and who think that by performing bodily gymnastic exercises they will advance in spiritual consciousness. Yogis are generally not very much interested in devotional service; they want to regulate the breathing process. This is simply a bodily concern. Here Dhruva Maharaja 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 yogi. 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

tiryan-naga-dvija-sarisrpa-deva-daitya-

martyadibhih paricitam sad-asad-visesam

rupam sthavistham aja te mahad-ady-anekam

natah param parama vedmi na yatra vadah

SYNONYMS

tiryak—by animals; naga—trees; dvija—birds; sarisrpa—reptiles; deva—demigods; daitya—demons; martya-adibhih—by men, etc.; paricitam—pervaded; sat-asat-visesam—with varieties manifest and unmanifest; rupam—form; sthavistham—gross universal; aja—O Unborn; te—Your; mahat-adi—caused by the total material energy, etc.; anekam—various causes; na—not; atah—from this; param—transcendental; parama—O Supreme; vedmi—I know; na—not; yatra—where; vadah—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-gita 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 Maharaja. 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-gita (18.55). Bhaktya mam abhijanati: factual understanding of the Absolute Truth, who is the Supreme Person, cannot be obtained by any process other than devotional service.

Dhruva Maharaja 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 Krsna. Aside from common men, even men who are elevated in terms of spiritual understanding are at the utmost engaged in the service of the virat-rupa, or, unable to understand the ultimate form of the Lord, they worship voidism by meditation. Dhruva Maharaja, 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 Maharaja 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

kalpanta etad akhilam jatharena grhnan

sete puman sva-drg ananta-sakhas tad-anke

yan-nabhi-sindhu-ruha-kancana-loka-padma-

garbhe dyuman bhagavate pranato ’smi tasmai

SYNONYMS

kalpa-ante—at the end of the millennium; etat—this universe; akhilam—all; jatharena—within the belly; grhnan—withdrawing; sete—lies down; puman—the Supreme Person; sva-drk—looking upon Himself; ananta—the unlimited being Sesa; sakhah—accompanied by; tat-anke—on His lap; yat—from whose; nabhi—navel; sindhu—ocean; ruha—sprouted; kancana—golden; loka—planet; padma—of the lotus; garbhe—on the whorl; dyuman—Lord Brahma; bhagavate—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pranatah—offering obeisances; asmi—I am; tasmai—unto Him.

TRANSLATION

My dear Lord, at the end of each millennium the Supreme Personality of Godhead Garbhodakasayi Visnu dissolves everything manifested within the universe into His belly. He lies down on the lap of Sesa Naga, from His navel sprouts a golden lotus flower on a stem, and on that lotus Lord Brahma is created. I can understand that You are the same Supreme Godhead. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

PURPORT

Dhruva Maharaja’s understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is complete. In the Vedas it is said, yasmin vijnate sarvam evam vijnatam 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 Ksirodakasayi Visnu was present before Dhruva Maharaja, who could also understand the Lord’s two other forms, namely Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Karanodakasayi (Maha) Visnu. Regarding Maha-Visnu, it is stated in the Brahma-samhita (5.48):

yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya
jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah
visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

At the end of each and every millennium, when all the material worlds are dissolved, everything enters the body of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, who is lying on the lap of Sesa Naga, another form of the Lord.

Those who are not devotees cannot understand the different forms of Visnu and their positions in regard to the creation. Sometimes the atheists argue, “How can a flower stem sprout from the navel of Garbhodakasayi Visnu?” They consider all the statements of the sastras 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 Maharaja, 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

tvam nitya-mukta-parisuddha-vibuddha atma

kuta-stha adi-puruso bhagavams try-adhisah

yad-buddhy-avasthitim akhanditaya sva-drstya

drasta sthitav adhimakho vyatirikta asse

SYNONYMS

tvam—You; nitya—eternally; mukta—liberated; parisuddha—uncontaminated; vibuddhah—full of knowledge; atma—the Supreme Soul; kuta-sthah—changeless; adi—original; purusah—person; bhagavan—the Lord, full with six opulences; tri-adhisah—master of the three modes; yat—whence; buddhi—of intellectual activities; avasthitim—all stages; akhanditaya—unbroken; sva-drstya—by transcendental vision; drasta—You witness; sthitau—for maintaining (the universe); adhimakhah—enjoyer of the results of all sacrifices; vyatiriktah—differently; asse—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 Visnu, 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 Maharaja 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-adhisa, the master of the three modes of material nature. In Bhagavad-gita (7.14) it is said, daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya: 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 Isopanisad. The contamination of the material world does not affect the Supreme Godhead. Krsna therefore says in the Bhagavad-gita that those who are rascals and fools think of Him as an ordinary human being, not knowing His param bhavam. param bhavam 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-gita confirms this (vedaham samatitani). 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-maya, but when the Lord appears, He comes by His own internal potency, atma-maya. 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 adi-purusa, the original person. In the Brahma-samhita Lord Brahma offers his respect to the adi-purusa, Govinda, the original person, who has no beginning, whereas the creation of this material world has a beginning. The Vedanta says, janmady asya yatah; [Bhag. 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 (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13), nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. 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 Mayavadi 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 anisam patanti

vidyadayo vividha-saktaya anupurvyat

tad brahma visva-bhavam ekam anantam adyam

ananda-matram avikaram aham prapadye

SYNONYMS

yasmin—in whom; viruddha-gatayah—of opposite character; hi—certainly; anisam—always; patanti—are manifest; vidya-adayah—knowledge and ignorance, etc.; vividha—various; saktayah—energies; anupurvyat—continually; tat—that; brahma—Brahman; visva-bhavam—the cause of material creation; ekam—one; anantam—unlimited; adyam—original; ananda-matram—simply blissful; avikaram—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-samhita 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 Maharaja, therefore, offered his respectful obeisances unto the impersonal feature of the Lord. One who realizes this impersonal feature can enjoy the unchangeable brahmananda, described here as spiritual bliss.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura 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 jnana-misra-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 Maharaja 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 vidya and avidya. Vidya and avidya are very nicely described in Isopanisad. It is said there that sometimes, due to avidya, 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 avidya-sakti, or maya, have neither knowledge nor devotion. But when a person who is a little advanced and is therefore called a jnani advances even more, he is in the category of a jnana-misra-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 Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura 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

satyasiso hi bhagavams tava pada-padmam

asis tathanubhajatah purusartha-murteh

apy evam arya bhagavan paripati dinan

vasreva vatsakam anugraha-kataro ’sman

SYNONYMS

satya—real; asisah—compared with other benedictions; hi—certainly; bhagavan—my Lord; tava—Your; pada-padmam—lotus feet; asih—benediction; tatha—in that way; anubhajatah—for the devotees; purusa-artha—of the real goal of life; murteh—the personification; api—although; evam—thus; arya—O Lord; bhagavan—the Personality of Godhead; paripati—maintains; dinan—the poor in heart; vasra—a cow; iva—like; vatsakam—unto the calf; anugraha—to bestow mercy; katarah—eager; asman—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 Maharaja 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 ahaituki, unmotivated. Dhruva Maharaja 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-gita 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, Krsna will guide him and gradually elevate him to the highest position of devotional service.

The Lord is addressed herein by Dhruva Maharaja as purusartha-murti, the ultimate goal of life. Generally purusartha 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 purusartha. But actually the ultimate goal is to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called pancama-purusartha, 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 Maharaja, 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 uvaca

athabhistuta evam vai

sat-sankalpena dhimata

bhrtyanurakto bhagavan

pratinandyedam abravit

SYNONYMS

maitreyah uvaca—Maitreya said; atha—then; abhistutah—being worshiped; evam—thus; vai—certainly; sat-sankalpena—by Dhruva Maharaja, who had only good desires in his heart; dhi-mata—because he was very intelligent; bhrtya-anuraktah—very favorably disposed towards devotees; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratinandya—having congratulated him; idam—this; abravit—said.

TRANSLATION

The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, when Dhruva Maharaja, 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

sri-bhagavan uvaca

vedaham te vyavasitam

hrdi rajanya-balaka

tat prayacchami bhadram te

durapam api suvrata

SYNONYMS

sri-bhagavan uvaca—the Personality of Godhead said; veda—know; aham—I; te—your; vyavasitam—determination; hrdi—within the heart; rajanya-balaka—O son of the King; tat—that; prayacchami—I shall give you; bhadram—all good fortune; te—unto you; durapam—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 Maharaja, “Let there be all good fortune for you.” The fact is that Dhruva Maharaja 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-gita (2.44) it is said, bhogaisvarya-prasaktanam: those who are addicted to material pleasure cannot be attracted to devotional service. It was true that at heart Dhruva Maharaja wanted a kingdom that would be far better than Brahmaloka. This was a natural desire for a ksatriya. 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, Uttanapada, was the son of Manu, and Manu was the son of Lord Brahma. Dhruva wanted to excel all these great family members. The Lord knew Dhruva Maharaja’s childish ambition, but how was it possible to offer Dhruva a position more exalted than Lord Brahma’s?

The Lord assured Dhruva Maharaja 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 Maharaja’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 Maharaja.

SB4.9.20-21

TEXTS 20–21

nanyair adhisthitam bhadra

yad bhrajisnu dhruva-ksiti

yatra graharksa-taranam

jyotisam cakram ahitam

medhyam go-cakravat sthasnu

parastat kalpa-vasinam

dharmo ’gnih kasyapah sukro

munayo ye vanaukasah

caranti daksini-krtya

bhramanto yat satarakah

SYNONYMS

na—never; anyaih—by others; adhisthitam—was ruled; bhadra—My good boy; yat—which; bhrajisnu—brightly glowing; dhruva-ksiti—the land known as Dhruvaloka; yatra—where; graha—planets; rksa—constellations; taranam—and stars; jyotisam—by luminaries; cakram—encirclement; ahitam—is done; medhyam—around a central pole; go—of bulls; cakra—a multitude; vat—like; sthasnu—stationary; parastat—beyond; kalpa—a day of Brahma (millennium); vasinam—those who live; dharmah—Dharma; agnih—Agni; kasyapah—Kasyapa; sukrah—Sukra; munayah—great sages; ye—all of them who; vana-okasah—living in the forest; caranti—move; daksini-krtya—keeping it to their right; bhramantah—circumambulating; yat—which planet; satarakah—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, Kasyapa and Sukra circumambulate this planet, which continues to exist even after the dissolution of all others.

PURPORT

Although the polestar existed before its occupation by Dhruva Maharaja, 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 Maharaja 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 Brahma. There are two kinds of dissolutions, one during the night of Lord Brahma and one at the end of Lord Brahma’s life. At the end of Brahma’s life, selected personalities go back home, back to Godhead. Dhruva Maharaja 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 Maharaja would go directly to Vaikunthaloka, to a spiritual planet in the spiritual sky. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura comments in this connection that Dhruvaloka is one of the lokas like Svetadvipa, Mathura and Dvaraka. They are all eternal places in the kingdom of Godhead, which is described in the Bhagavad-gita (tad dhama paramam) and in the Vedas (om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah). The words parastat kalpa-vasinam, “transcendental to the planets inhabited after the dissolution,” refer to the Vaikuntha planets. In other words, Dhruva Maharaja’s promotion to the Vaikunthalokas was guaranteed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB4.9.22

TEXT 22

prasthite tu vanam pitra

dattva gam dharma-samsrayah

sat-trimsad-varsa-sahasram

raksitavyahatendriyah

SYNONYMS

prasthite—after departure; tu—but; vanam—to the forest; pitra—by your father; dattva—awarding; gam—the whole world; dharma-samsrayah—under the protection of piety; sat-trimsat—thirty-six; varsa—years; sahasram—one thousand; raksita—you will rule; avyahata—without decay; indriyah—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 Maharaja’s ruling the world for thirty-six thousand years was quite possible in those days.

SB4.9.23

TEXT 23

tvad-bhratary uttame naste

mrgayayam tu tan-manah

anvesanti vanam mata

davagnim sa praveksyati

SYNONYMS

tvat—your; bhratari—brother; uttame—Uttama; naste—being killed; mrgayayam—in hunting; tu—then; tat-manah—being too afflicted; anvesanti—while searching out; vanam—in the forest; mata—the mother; dava-agnim—in the forest fire; sa—she; praveksyati—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 Maharaja 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 Vaisnava. An offense at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava is the greatest offense in this world. Because of having insulted Dhruva Maharaja, 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 Vaisnava. Not only should we not insult a Vaisnava, but we should not insult anyone unnecessarily. When Suruci insulted Dhruva Maharaja, he was just a child. She of course did not know that Dhruva was a great recognized Vaisnava, and so her offense was committed unknowingly. When one serves a Vaisnava unknowingly, one still gets the good result, and if one unknowingly insults a Vaisnava, one suffers the bad result. A Vaisnava is especially favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Pleasing him or displeasing him directly affects the pleasure and displeasure of the Supreme Lord. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, in his eight stanzas of prayer to the spiritual master, has sung, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah: ** by pleasing the spiritual master, who is a pure Vaisnava, 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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