Dhruva Mahārāja Goes Back to Godhead

Dhruva stops fighting, continues devotional service, leaves his kingdom, and goes back to Godhead.

Themes of SB 4.12Dainya5 Śuddhi5 Bhakti5 Śaraṇāgati4 from its story phase

Connected storiesThe gopīs and the rāsa danceBharata Mahārāja and Jaḍa BharataThe PracetāsNarakāsura and the captive princesses

Who is speakingSūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → ViduraEvery voice in this chapter ›

Turning points hereDhruva Mahārāja· The aftermath of anger

What this chapter speaks about · the ten subjects

In this chapter

Who · Dhruva Mahārāja, Uttama, the Yakṣas, Svāyambhuva Manu, Kuvera, the Lord’s servants

The story · After a powerful Yakṣa killed Uttama, Dhruva fought the Yakṣas and faced their frightening illusions. Svāyambhuva Manu warned him that killing innocent Yakṣas was not approved by religious authorities and urged him to turn toward the Supreme Person. Dhruva’s anger subsided, and he stopped killing; Kuvera then appeared and encouraged full devotional service. Dhruva continued serving the Lord and eventually left his kingdom. The Lord’s servants invited him to Viṣṇuloka, and he went back to Godhead.

What it teaches · A person seeking liberation should not come under the control of anger. Only devotional service to the Lord can deliver one from material entanglement.

SB 4.11.32 SB 4.12.6 SB 4.12.26 Read chapter 10 ›

Beyond this chapter

Connected stories across the Bhāgavatam

Stories told in other chapters that this chapter's verses or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purports bring in, the other Bhāgavatam verses the purports quote, and stories in other cantos with the same themes. Each link shows the sentence it comes from.

The gopīs and the rāsa dance

SB 10.20–22 · The gopīs’ flute songs and vow SB 10.29–33 · The gopīs’ search and the rāsa dance SB 10.46–47 · Uddhava witnesses Vraja’s love

What it teaches · Kṛṣṇa explains that desires fixed upon Him do not produce ordinary material desire for sense gratification. The gopīs’ attention is centered upon Him.

The gopīs, for example, worshiped Kātyāyanī, a demigoddess, but the only benediction they wanted from the goddess was to have Kṛṣṇa as their husband.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.12.9 (Text 9)

Sometimes less intelligent men try to hear about the rāsa dance of Kṛṣṇa and do not take care to hear about other portions of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which they completely avoid.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.12.44 (Text 44)

Read the story in SB 10.20–22

Bharata Mahārāja and Jaḍa Bharata

SB 5.7 · Bharata’s devoted rule and retirement SB 5.8 · Bharata’s attachment to a deer SB 5.9 · Jaḍa Bharata’s hidden devotion

What it teaches · Bharata directed both his royal duties and his retired life toward pleasing the Supreme Lord. Constant devotional service increased his love for Kṛṣṇa.

In the next life he took birth as Jaḍa Bharata.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.12.43 (Text 43)

Read the story in SB 5.7

The Pracetās

SB 4.24–25 · Lord Śiva teaches the Pracetās SB 4.30 · The Pracetās meet the Lord SB 4.31 · Nārada’s final counsel to the Pracetās

What it teaches · Even a moment’s association with a devotee can free one from attraction to the results of fruitive work and speculative knowledge.

After observing the glories of Dhruva Mahārāja, the great sage Nārada, playing his vīṇā, went to the sacrificial arena of the Pracetās and very happily chanted the following three verses.
In the verse · SB 4.12.40 (Text 40)

Read the story in SB 4.24–25

Narakāsura and the captive princesses

SB 10.59 · The captive princesses are freed

What it teaches · Kṛṣṇa removes the distress of those who seek refuge in Him. His mercy extends even to the frightened son of the enemy He has defeated.

From a statement in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is understood that even the sun travels sixteen thousand miles in a second, and from Brahma-saṁhitā we understand from the śloka beginning yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām that the sun is considered to be the eye…
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.12.39 (Text 39)

Read the story in SB 10.59

Kardama Muni

SB 3.21–22 · Kardama marries Devahūti SB 3.23 · Devahūti asks for lasting solace

What it teaches · Kardama kept devotional service as the aim beyond household life. Manu likewise passed his time thinking of Vāsudeva and engaging in matters concerning Him.

It is stated that when Kardama Muni created an airplane to carry his wife, Devahūti, all over the universe, the airplane was like a big city, carrying many houses, lakes and gardens.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.12.30 (Text 30)

Read the story in SB 3.21–22

Ajāmila

SB 6.1–2 · Ajāmila’s deliverance SB 6.3 · Yamarāja instructs his messengers

What it teaches · Chanting the Lord’s holy name is true atonement. Service to the Lord’s lotus feet removes the material desires that other methods of atonement cannot uproot.

When Dhruva Mahārāja saw the Viṣṇudūtas, the direct associates of Lord Viṣṇu, four-handed and nicely decorated, he could understand who they were, but for the time being he was puzzled.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport · SB 4.12.21 (Text 21)

Read the story in SB 6.1–2

Same themes in another canto

SB 8.21–23Bali offers himself to the LordBhaktiDainyaŚaraṇāgati

Both chapters carry these themes strongly in the themes map, an editorial reading of each chapter's story.

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