Manu and Shatarupa had two sons – Priyavrata and Uttanpad. King Uttanpad had two queens – Suniti and Suruchi. He got sons named Dhruv from Suniti and Uttam from Suruchi. Although Suniti was the elder queen, still the king had special affection towards Suruchi. One day the child Dhruv was playing while sitting in his father’s lap. Just then Suruchi reached there. Seeing Sutan’s son in the king’s lap, a flame of jealousy flared up in his mind. He quickly removed Dhruv from the king’s lap and made his son Uttam sit there. In anger, she said to Dhruva, “Only the one who is born from my womb has the right to sit on the king’s lap and throne. You are not entitled to it.” Five year old Dhruv was distressed by the harsh words of his stepmother. With tears in his eyes and pain in his heart, he went to his mother Suniti and told her the whole story. Suniti said patiently, “Son! If we don’t get the love of the king, then what? Make God your support. He is your true protector.”
The seeds of renunciation and devotion germinated in Dhruva’s mind from his mother’s words. He left the palace with a strong determination to attain God. On the way he met Devarshi Narad. Narad ji tried to convince the child, but Dhruv remained firm on his decision. Seeing his determination, Narad gave him initiation into the mantra. On the other hand, King Uttanpad was deeply regretting the departure of his son. Devarshi Narad consoled him and said that by the grace of Dhruva Lord, he will achieve great fame, due to which the fame of the king will also spread in the world.
Here Dhruva reached the banks of Yamuna and got absorbed in the rigorous penance of Lord Narayana through the mantra received from Narada. Despite many hardships and obstacles, his resolve did not waver. The glory of his penance started spreading in all the three worlds and the echo of ‘Om Namo Bhagwate Vasudevaya’ reached Vaikuntha. Lord Narayana woke up from yoga sleep and appeared pleased with the devotion of child Dhruva. He said, “Vatsa! I am extremely pleased with your devotion. I grant you such a world, which will not be destroyed even in the cataclysm. It will be called Dhruvaloka in your name.” By God’s blessing, Dhruva eventually became the Pole Star – a firm, immortal and eternal symbol of devotion.
