Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.12.30
Mukti· LiberationA Devotee Meets Death Without Fear
“When Dhruva Mahārāja was attempting to get on the transcendental plane, he saw death personified approach him. Not caring for death, however, he took advantage of the opportunity to put his feet on the head of death, and thus he got up on the airplane, which was as big as a house.”
What the purport teaches
- Dhruva Mahārāja was not afraid when death personified approached. He placed his feet on death’s head and boarded the transcendental airplane.
- The passing away of a devotee and a nondevotee should not be considered the same. A cat carries both a kitten and a rat in its mouth, but their experiences are very different.
- Death came to offer obeisances to Dhruva Mahārāja rather than trouble him. The wonderful airplane he boarded was as big as a house.
Try this today
Spend a quiet minute reflecting on the difference between the kitten and the rat in the purport’s example.
Ask yourself
What does Dhruva Mahārāja’s fearlessness teach me about a devotee’s encounter with death?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.