suddhabhakti

Dhruva Maharaja was born as a son of a great king. The king had two wives, and he begot children by each of them. One day, while Dhruva’s stepbrother was playing on the lap of the king, Dhruva also wanted to play on his father’s lap. We can picture the king, whose name was Uttanapada, seated on the throne in a leisurely moment, in an affectionate mood, with one of the boys on his lap. His boy Dhruva, who was five years old, climbed up on his father’s knee, but his father did not receive him with any particular attention or affection. Moreover, Dhruva’s stepmother came forward and chastised Dhruva. “My dear boy,” she said, speaking loudly so that everyone could hear, “you cannot sit on the lap of your father. Although you are his son, you are disqualified because you have not taken birth in my womb.” Dhruva’s stepmother was the favorite wife of the king, and since the king was more or less henpecked by her, he allowed her to speak out although she was inflicting pain on his little son. ...

saṁyaccha roṣaṁ bhadraṁ te pratīpaṁ śreyasāṁ param śrutena bhūyasā rājann agadena yathāmayam Translation My dear King, just consider what I have said to you, which will act as medicinal treatment upon disease. Control your anger, for anger is the foremost enemy on the path of spiritual realization. I wish all good fortune for you. Please follow my instructions. Purport Dhruva Mahārāja was a liberated soul, and actually he was not angry with anyone. But because he was the ruler, it was his duty to become angry for some time in order to keep law and order in the state. His brother, Uttama, was without fault, yet he was killed by one of the Yakṣas. It was the duty of Dhruva Mahārāja to kill the offender (life for life) because Dhruva was the king. When the challenge came, Dhruva Mahārāja fought vehemently and punished the Yakṣas sufficiently. But anger is such that if one increases it, it increases unlimitedly. In order that Dhruva Mahārāja’s kingly anger not exceed the limit, Manu was ki...