I Had To Witness The Cruelty

“In the Hari-bhakti-sudhadaya there is another example, forwarded by Maharaj Dhruva. He says there, ‘My dear Lord, I have practiced austerities and penances because I was desiring to receive something from You, but in exchange You have allowed me to see You, who are never visible even to the great sages and saintly persons. I had been searching out some pieces of broken glass, but instead I have found the most valuable jewel. I am therefore fully satisfied, my Lord. I do not wish to ask anything more from Your Lordship.’” (The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 46)

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“I have noticed that with these stories from shastra, the tendency is to focus on the outcome.  The conclusion.  The resolution to the conflict, if you will.  From my personal experience, it was not until well into adulthood that I realized the necessity of conflict in scripted performances.  The soap operas.  The television dramas.  Even the sitcoms; it is not like the characters just sit around enjoying life.  There is always some problem that needs to be resolved.  There is always this concern over the lack of a guarantee with the outcome.

“I am here to tell you that sometimes I focus on the negative.  I stay fixed on the premise.  Even if the problem works itself out later on, I cannot help but remember the pain, the misery, the heartache, and the tragedy.  This is especially true using an observational lens.  I mean to say that if I see someone else suffering, it really pains me.

“Take my children, for example.  If I see one of their friends ignoring them, I get upset.  If I see my child disrespected, I feel the need to intervene.  If I witness the cruelty myself, it is practically unbearable.  With shastra, consider the case of the mother named Suniti.  Her own child, innocent and all of five years of age, wanted to know what could be done about blatant disrespect.

“Dhruva was told that he could not sit on his father’s lap.  The basis for disqualification was birth.  You see, since he was born to Suniti, who was considered lower in priority as a wife to the king, Dhruva was not afforded the highest privileges.  This is blatant discrimination.  Should not character matter?  Do not the qualities of a person determine their worthiness for honor and respect?  I believe Shri Rama once made such a declaration.  The Sanskrit word is charitra.”

कुलीनमकुलीनं वा वीरं पुरुषमानिनम्
चारित्रमेव व्याख्याति शुचिं वा यदि वाऽशुचिम्

kulīnamakulīnaṃ vā vīraṃ puruṣamāninam
cāritrameva vyākhyāti śuciṃ vā yadi vā’śucim

“It is certainly a person’s conduct which speaks to whether they are high-born or low-born, heroic or cowardly, or pure or impure.” (Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 109.4)

“Why did Dhruva have to go through that?  Moreover, why did Suniti have to sit there and just take it?  There was nothing she could do to help her son.  The king would not listen to her.  This other queen, who was supposedly superior, had usurped authority and influence.  It was like Suniti was a servant.  Dhruva had to sit in the back of the metaphorical bus. The only hope for a reversal was to head to the forest and meditate, but that path is difficult even for an adult, what to speak of a small child.”

This is a story, after all.  Why should we freeze a moment in time?  The story did not end at the offense.  Dhruva did not give up.  Suniti gave appropriate advice.  Vishnu is everything.  Vishnu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  Vishnu can correct any injustice, large or small.  Vishnu was the person to seek out.

न वत्स नृपतेर्धिष्ण्यं भवानारोढुमर्हति
न गृहीतो मया यत्त्वं कुक्षावपि नृपात्मज:

na vatsa nṛpater dhiṣṇyaṁ
bhavān āroḍhum arhati
na gṛhīto mayā yat tvaṁ
kukṣāv api nṛpātmajaḥ

“Queen Suruchi told Dhruva Maharaja: My dear child, you do not deserve to sit on the throne or on the lap of the King. Surely you are also the son of the King, but because you did not take your birth from my womb, you are not qualified to sit on your father’s lap.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.8.11)

We might even say that the person who admonished Dhruva indirectly led the child to the greatest meeting.  Through help from the esteemed Narada Muni, Dhruva became firm in a vow.  His resolve was dridha-vratah.  He stayed in the forest for six months, as the embodiment of austerity and penance.  He ate only dry foliage.  He drank a little water.  That was it.  He constantly meditated, repeating the mantra of om namo bhagavate vasudevaya.

“Although Dhruva Maharaja was only a five-year-old boy, he underwent severe austerities by eating simply dry foliage, drinking only water and taking no food. In this way, after six months, he was able to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. When he saw the Lord, he forgot all his austerities and said, svamin kritartho’smi: ‘My dear Lord, I am very pleased.’” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.30.4 Purport)

Suniti had to witness the cruelty against her son.  She then led her son to Vishnu.  She was correct in her assertion.  Vishnu saved the day.  His presence was purifying.  Dhruva no longer hankered after revenge.  Though unsure of what to say, the contact with the conchshell of Vishnu enabled him to offer wonderful prayers.  Though he no longer wanted anything, he ended up receiving a position warranting the highest respect in the material world.  This means that the austerity was worth it.  Narada Muni gave the direction and Dhruva followed.  This is the way towards success.

स तं विवक्षन्तमतद्विदं हरि-
र्ज्ञात्वास्य सर्वस्य च हृद्यवस्थित:
कृताञ्जलिं ब्रह्ममयेन कम्बुना
पस्पर्श बालं कृपया कपोले

sa taṁ vivakṣantam atad-vidaṁ harir
jñātvāsya sarvasya ca hṛdy avasthitaḥ
kṛtāñjaliṁ brahmamayena kambunā
pasparśa bālaṁ kṛpayā kapole

“Although Dhruva Maharaja was a small boy, he wanted to offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead in suitable language. But because he was inexperienced, he could not adjust himself immediately. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, being situated in everyone’s heart, could understand Dhruva Maharaja’s awkward position. Out of His causeless mercy He touched His conchshell to the forehead of Dhruva Maharaja, who stood before Him with folded hands.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.9.4)

In Closing:

After words cruel and without heart,
Dhruva for forest to depart.

Witnessed by mother his own,
But path of correction shown.

Austere and fixed in yogi’s seat,
After six months to meet.

Vishnu of authority commanding,
Child now of higher understanding.