Dhruva became a powerful king and married two brides. His first queen was Bhrami, daughter of King Śiśumāra, and the second was Ilā, the daughter of Vāyu. The first queen gave birth to two sons, Kalpa and Vatsara, while the second queen gave birth to one son, Utkala, and one beautiful daughter, who was a true jewel among women.

Dhruva’s younger brother Uttama, the son of his stepmother, did not marry. One day he went to the Himalayas to hunt deer, and found himself caught in an ambush by the Yakṣas. He fought fiercely for some time, but he could not escape death and was finally killed by a powerful Yakṣa.

Upon receipt of the sad news of the gruesome killing of his younger brother by the Yakṣas, Dhruva felt bereaved and lamented his death. Thinking about the cruel act of the Yakṣas, he felt a fuming anger and said, “Ah, those swarthy Yakṣa warriors have shown their great prowess and manliness by attacking together one lone man and killing him mercilessly. They have become drunk with delusions of power, but now I will give them what they deserve.” Thinking in this way, he ordered his servants to prepare his chariot called “The Victor” and set off hurriedly in the northern direction, toward the country of the Yakṣas.

Arriving near the Himalayan Mountains, Dhruva sighted the wonderful capital of the Yakṣas, Alakapuri, which was protected by an army of ghosts and goblins, followers of Śiva, who resided in the town. Approaching the city, Dhruva blew his conch-shell, the reverberations of which could be heard far and wide, striking fear into the hearts of the wives of the Yakṣas. Hearing this extraordinary sound, the powerful army (which belonged to Kuvera, the brother of Lord Śiva) tasted fear for the very first time, and became overcome by panic. Dhruva saw many angry Yakṣas running toward him with raised weapons, shouting, “Kill! Kill!” The great archer, Dhruva, looked at the marching Yakṣa army and, shooting three arrows at each enemy, he pierced their foreheads.

Seeing the uncommon valor of Dhruva, the Yakṣa army was taken aback. The soldiers began to think that they might not be able to overpower him and they hesitated for a moment. Like a trampled snake that springs up to bite, the Yakṣa army, hit by many arrows, sprang up with a loud roar, determined to kill. Dhruva shot six arrows at each soldier. In response to Dhruva’s action, they hurled a shower of wooden clubs studded with iron nails at both him and his charioteer, followed by falchions, spears, axles, iron bars, swords and spears full of iron nails. All these different missiles fell ceaselessly like a rain shower, so much so that the mountain vista was obscured, as it might be during a rainstorm. So furious was the showering of weapons that Dhruva and his charioteer were no longer visible. The Siddhas from heaven were watching the great battle between Dhruva and the Yakṣa army with much amazement and exclaimed, “Oh see how Dhruva, the descendant of Manu, has been covered like the setting sun by the ocean of weapons of the Yakṣas! Now that he is completely submerged by this rain of darts, the Yakṣa army is cheering loudly as though triumphant.”

But just as the sun breaks through the clouds and dispels the fog, Dhruva’s chariot again came into view, breaking through the mass of arrows. At that moment, the loud cheering of the Yakṣa army stopped as suddenly as it had started and they stood amazed while Dhruva, in their midst, ceaselessly challenged them. Like a mighty wind scatters the clouds, Dhruva poured arrows upon his enemies, making a fine dust of their weapons. Then, like a hailstorm lashing a mountainside, he fired off a storm of very sharp arrows that pierced their armored bodies. The battlefield was strewn with the limbs of the Yakṣas that had been cut by Dhruva’s crescent-shaped arrows. There were heads decorated by beautiful earrings, thighs resembling nice palm trees, arms decorated with attractive bracelets, necks adorned by valuable gold chains, hands still wearing bangles, heads carrying crowns or turbans—an amazing and strangely decorated scene. Dhruva killed many Yakṣa warriors, and those who were still alive were either mutilated or fleeing from the battlefield, like elephants running for their lives before a lion. Very soon, Dhruva could not see even one enemy standing in arms—the town was completely deserted.

Although attracted by the beauty of the Yakṣa city, Dhruva did not venture into it. He was apprehensive of the profound silence, because he knew that the Yakṣas were great wizards; no one knows when they might perform some magic! Human beings cannot comprehend the mystical powers of the Yakṣas. After consulting with his charioteer, Dhruva waited with great vigilance, his eyes searching all directions, because the enemy could attack from any side, at any moment.

Suddenly a roaring, thundering noise broke the silence and, at the same time, a powerful blast of wind blew violently, shaking everything. Great columns of dust formed, the sky became filled with dense clouds and angry, zigzagging bolts of lightning flashed in rapid succession, causing all the living entities to cry out in fear and anguish. A heavy rain started to fall, but it was not made of water. Blood, mucus, pus, stool, urine and flesh descended from above, along with countless severed heads and bodies, all drenched in blood. This ghastly rain fell for some time. Then a mountain appeared in the sky, from which an avalanche of stones fell from every direction, together with clubs, maces, swords, flaming torches and innumerable other weapons.

Soon after, many different frightening visions appeared, so terrifying that they could drain all courage from anyone. A host of powerful snakes, hissing with a thunderous cry and emanating fire from their eyes, charged toward Dhruva. He was being attacked by groups of running, mad elephants, lions, tigers and other ferocious animals. A mighty swell of water, with many furious waves slashing and roaring, surged forward as if to submerge everything. It was like the inundation at the time of universal dissolution.

The cruel-natured Yakṣas were attempting to confuse Dhruva with black magic. Dhruva saw many astounding and frightening visions that bewildered him and made him feel discouraged. Then the munis, out of their mercy, approached Dhruva and, after praying for his well-being, said, “O Dhruva, son of Uttānapāda, destroy your enemies by means of the Name of Śrī Hari, Who carries the disc and takes away the sufferings of those who offer Him their obeisances. Merely by being pronounced or heard, that Holy Name easily rescues the jīvās in this world from the hands of death.”

Dhruva could understand the solution suggested by the ṛṣis’ words and, after performing ācamana, he fixed the nārāyaṇa-astra to his bow and fired it. As soon as he had done this, the illusions of the Yakṣas vanished, just as the dawning of knowledge dissipates the darkness of ignorance and anger. The nārāyaṇa-astra started to penetrate the enemies’ army as swiftly as a flock of black swans enters a forest, loudly calling to each other. Many sharp arrows pierced every Yakṣa, causing panic and great anger. Like a beaten snake, lame with pain and fear and feeling its death approaching, raises its hood to attack the divine bird, Garuḍa, so too, the panicked and ailing Yakṣas, full of anger, came toward Dhruva with weapons raised. The Yakṣa army was again marching on the battlefield, but Dhruva killed many of them by striking blows to their arms, thighs, necks, abdomens, felling them to the ground. Those Yakṣas, who were killed by Dhruva’s hand, reached a higher abode, just like the brahmacārīs and sannyāsīs who, by strictly observing rules of celibacy, enter the orbit of the sun to reside there by the strength of their tapasya.

Grandfather Manu observed that, in the course of the fierce fighting, the mighty Dhruva had also killed many innocent Yakṣas. So, full of pity toward them, he personally went to meet Dhruva on the battlefield, accompanied by many ṛṣis. Svāyambhuva Manu told Dhruva, “Dear Dhruva, your anger has driven you to kill many innocent Yakṣas, and this constitutes cruelty on your part. Anger is the very door that leads to hell. You should understand and avoid it. Your brother was killed by only one Yakṣa but, due to the vehemence of your wrath and violent behavior, you have unfairly destroyed great numbers of them. Only those who have an animalistic nature, fuelled by false identification with the body and a sense of possessiveness toward that which is related to the body, can hurt other living entities. Devotees and sādhus are not violent by nature, so you should never follow the path of violence, as it does not befit you. You should always meditate on Śrī Hari only, forgetting all else. By means of worship, you have satisfied the Supreme Soul of all living entities, Who is very difficult to worship, and you have obtained a very exalted position, earning the praise of all the devotees of the Lord. You know very well what the behavior of a sādhu should be, so we are puzzled as to why you are still bent on committing violence.

“The Lord is the Supreme Soul of everyone and He is pleased with those who behave respectfully toward superiors, make friends with equals and show mercy to inferiors. When the Lord is pleased with someone, that person will not remain bound by the influence of the material nature, but will attain a spiritual position, where everything is comprised of happiness and bliss. Creation, maintenance and annihilation are a result of the action of the innumerable qualities and potencies of the Supreme Lord. The Lord is never ruled by the guṇas, but rather, as the creator of the material qualities, He utilizes them for His own purpose. The omnipotent Lord acts in inconceivable ways. Although He is not the doer, He acts and He destroys, without being the killer. The Lord is the form of Time Himself, without origin, without end and inexhaustible. He creates the living entities through the agency of other living entities and, in the same way; He creates the universe and destroys it through the agency of death. Therefore, He is known as the Destroyer. Time, in the form of death, has no enemies or friends. Just as the wind blows around dust and dry leaves, so time sweeps away all the living entities that are subject to karma. Omnipotent Time is situated in Himself, therefore He is neither inside nor outside the power of time, nor under the power of karma. To some, He gives untimely death; to others He gives protection. The karma-mimaṁsaka philosophers affirm that time gives only the result of karma. Atheists say that it is just the workings of Nature. Materialists say that it is only death. Astrologers say that it is destiny awarded by the stars and the planets. The Vatsayanaya Ṛṣis say that time only grants the results of the desires of the conditioned living entities. The Lord is unmanifest, omnipotent and self-existent. No one is higher than the Lord. Therefore, no one can really say or understand why He acts in one way or the other. Dear Dhruva, you should not think that the Yakṣas are actually responsible for the killing of your brother. Rather, it is the will of God that gives birth and death to the human beings. Although He creates, maintains and annihilates the world, He is never touched by these activities and never falls subject to the influence of material nature. Everything always remains under His control. In the eyes of the non-devotees, He is death and fear personified, but to the devotees He is seen as a most affectionate, powerful superior and protector. He is the Supreme Shelter of all the living entities of this world. You should take shelter in the Lord with all your heart. All the devas, beginning with Brahmā, worship the Lord, while completely taking shelter of His lotus feet and, according to His wishes, execute all the works necessary for the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the universe.

“Dear Dhruva, you know that, at the tender age of five, you left your own mother to go to the forest, driven by the pain caused by the harsh words of your stepmother. There, you pleased the Lord by your strong austerities and obtained a boon from Him. Just see how you obtained such an exalted position by the unlimited mercy of the Supreme Lord! Śrī Hari always resides in the hearts of those who treat other living entities in an amicable and friendly manner and who exhibit no partiality toward either enemies or friends. How is it possible then, for a devotee, who has fixed his mind on the service of the Lord, to see any difference between enemies and friends? If you constantly strive to cultivate great devotion to the Lord, devotion of an unconditional and undiminishing nature, you will very easily cut the bonds of ignorance based upon bodily identification, which cause one to make false differentiations between enemies and friends. Dear Dhruva, the ṛṣis and I bless you with all good fortune. Give up your anger, because it is definitely contrary to the proper method for attainment of the higher good. Just as the correct administration of a medicine will make a disease go away, knowledge of the śāstras enables one to renounce anger. Any person who falls subject to anger will cause great suffering to all living entities. Therefore an intelligent person, desirous of his own welfare, will never allow himself to be controlled by anger. I will also tell you something else, for your own benefit. To avenge the killing of your brother you have slaughtered many Yakṣas. This was an offense to Śiva’s brother, Kuvera and, if you don’t settle this problem with him, the situation will not bode well for you. Beware of the power of the devas, who may cause troubles to our dynasty! You should quickly approach Kuvera, offer him respects and please him with your prayers.”

After receiving these instructions from his grandfather, Dhruva felt ashamed for what he had done, and offered obeisances and prayers to him. Pleased with Dhruva’s prayers, Svāyambhuva Manu returned to his abode, accompanied by all the ṛṣis.

As suggested by his grandfather, Dhruva gave up his anger and refrained from further killing. Understanding Dhruva’s change of heart, the lord of wealth, Kuvera, accompanied by his retinue and followers, who were singing and reciting hymns in praise of him, approached Dhruva. Kuvera saw Dhruva standing still with folded hands, and told him, “O descendant of the kṣatriya race, sinless Dhruva, I am very pleased with you. On the order of your grandfather, Manu, you have given up all enmity, which is a feat very difficult to accomplish. I do not consider you to be the killer of the Yakṣas, just as I do not consider them to be the killers of your brother, because it is only time which causes birth and death for all living entities. Surely any differentiation in this matter is derived from ignorance and will cause bondage and unlimited suffering. Being proud of one’s body generates the tendency to discriminate between enemies and friends, but this idea is only temporary and valueless like a dream. Therefore, O Dhruva, you should learn to see how the Supreme Soul is in all the living entities. When you leave this place, you should worship the lotus feet of the Lord, Who, as the Supreme Soul of all living entities, is removing all their miseries through His inconceivable plans. O son of Uttānapāda, if you want to ask any boon of me, please ask without fear. We have heard that you have obtained the lotus feet of Śrī Padmānabha Hari. Therefore, without any doubt, you are already qualified to receive any blessing.”

Encouraged to ask for a boon from Kuvera, Dhruva intelligently asked for a specific blessing: “O lord, if you wish to grant me a boon, please bless me that I will constantly remember Śrī Hari and, by this remembrance, I will be able to overcome illusion, which is so difficult to overcome.” Kuvera, the son of Iḍaviḍā, was very pleased by Dhruva’s prayer and promptly replied, “So be it.” After granting this boon, Kuvera disappeared from that place, and Dhruva returned home. Arriving there, Maharaj Dhruva celebrated a grand ceremony, performing a yajña to please Śrī Hari, the Lord of all sacrifices, Who gives everyone the result of their own activities. He then distributed charity throughout his city.

Free from all material designations and full of unalloyed devotion to Śrī Hari, the infallible Supreme Soul, Dhruva could feel the presence of Śrī Hari in himself and in all living entities. All the citizens could see that Dhruva was a great devotee of the Lord. He was affectionate to the bona fide brāhmaṇas and merciful to the poor, so they considered him their protector and sustainer, like a father to them. Dhruva terminated the result of his pious activities by the enjoyment of material pleasure and he terminated any inauspicious reactions by practicing yoga and austerities, during the 36,000 years of his reign over the world. Dhruva ruled the kingdom with controlled senses and purified consciousness, seeing everything, from his own body to the whole universe, as a mere dream—a dream made of illusions, temporary in nature and ephemeral like the heavenly places. To fulfill his duties as king, he spent a long time in celebrating many kinds of sacrifices that award the results of artha, kāma and dharma. Finally, he decided to concentrate wholly on the worship of the Supreme Lord and, after entrusting the burden of the kingdom to his son, he went to Badarikāśrama. Considering the temporary nature of the body and the things connected to it (such as the relationship with wives, sons, friends and well-wishers) and of his kingly paraphernalia (such as his army, opulent treasury, palaces, attractive gardens and strolling places), which were all in a great kingdom extending throughout the land to the shores of the sea, he could understand that all this could be taken away at any moment, by the influence of time. With this in mind, he gave all these things up, then and there.

In Badarikāśrama, Dhruva bathed with holy water, purified his senses and then sat down to perform yoga, using his mind to withdraw the senses from the sense objects. He then started to meditate on the gross elements of the Universal Form of the Supreme Lord. Constantly engaged in this meditation, he attained firm faith in God and reached samādhi, relinquishing all thoughts of the material body. Dhruva’s devotion surged toward the Lord like a mighty river. Tears of joy rolled from his eyes and, while experiencing the happiness of love, his heart melted and ecstatic symptoms appeared on his body. After losing all bodily consciousness in this way, he saw a wonderful glowing light similar to the moon, emanating from a beautiful airplane that descended from the sky. Inside the airplane, he could see two handsome, dark-colored divine beings of youthful appearance, with four arms, holding maces, who were wearing beautiful clothes and were decorated with many ornaments, such as crowns, gold chains, earrings and so on.

Dhruva felt very excited because he could see that they were servants of Lord Uttamaśloka, dear associates of Śrī Hari, and he became confused about how best to welcome them. Rising from his āsana with folded hands, he simply uttered the Name of the Lord and offered obeisances to them. Sunanda and Nanda, the two dear-most companions of Śrī Krishna, who always meditate on His lotus feet, stood respectfully with folded hands and, with smiling faces, they politely addressed Dhruva by invoking the Lord’s Name. The dear companions of Lord Nārāyaṇa said, “O King, all good fortune to you! Please listen attentively to our words. When you were only a five-year-old boy, you pleased the Lord and sustainer of the universe by your austerities. We are His servants. Now we shall take you to the lotus feet of the Lord. We have come here for this purpose. You have obtained Śrī Vishnu’s planet, which is very difficult to reach. Even the Seven Ṛṣis can only contemplate it without actually being able to reach it. All the stars and planets, the sun and the moon are always circumambulating that planet. Now you will reach it. O Dhruva! No one could ever reach that position before you, not even your father or your ancestors. Everyone will honor you for this glorious achievement. Please ascend to Vishnu’s planet, O immortal one! This nice airplane has been sent for you by the Lord. Please board it.”

Dhruva listened to the nectarean speech of the two dear-most companions of the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha and felt very happy. Then, he bathed and performed his ritual duties, offering his respects to the sages and begging for their blessings. Finally, he circumambulated the beautiful airplane and worshiped it with fragrant flowers and other articles and similarly honored the two divine messengers. As he approached the airplane, his body became very brilliant. At that time, he could see death itself approaching and, fearlessly, he stepped on its head to get on the airplane, thus conquering death itself.

Acclamations were heard from all directions, together with the sound of drums, conch-shells and other musical instruments, while a shower of flowers fell from the sky. Dhruva was about to leave for Vishnu’s abode, when, suddenly, he thought of his mother and felt sorrowful, knowing that he was about to leave for heaven without her. The two companions of the Lord could understand the feelings in his heart and said, “O King, behold! Your mother is riding in another airplane in front of us.” Amazed, Dhruva saw the airplane and all his worries were vanquished.

While Dhruva was traveling upward to heaven, the devas, who were hovering in airplanes singing his glories, showered him with a rain of beautiful flowers. Gradually, Dhruva could see all the planets and, crossing them without difficulty, he reached the planet of Vishnu, which is above the three worlds and the constellation of the Seven Ṛṣis. That planet is always self-effulgent and illuminates all the planets beneath it, with its light. It is the supreme abode destined for those saints who are always engaged in working for the actual welfare of others. Those who are peaceful, equal to everyone, pure and always engaged in helping other living entities to serve Śrī Hari, easily reach that planet. It can be attained without difficulty by those who take pleasure in the soul and consider Śrī Krishna to be their dearest friend and protector. Just as oxen tread around the pole to which they are tied, all constellations revolve forcefully, without ever stopping, around Dhruvaloka. The son of Uttānapāda thus obtained the topmost position in all the three worlds.

Once, Devārṣi Nārada was present at an assembly of kings, who were performing a yajña, and he began to narrate the glories of the great devotee, Dhruva, all the while playing on his vina. He said, “Dhruva, the son of chaste Sunīti, by the power of his austerities, obtained a result which could never be obtained by the great ṛṣis, what to speak of the kings of this mundane world. At the age of five, Dhruva went to the forest, driven by the pain inflicted upon him by the harsh words of his stepmother and, by following my instructions, he was able to attract, by his devotion, the invincible Lord Śrī Hari. This is because the unconquerable Lord is always conquered by His devotee. A mere boy, of only five years, Dhruva could reach that supreme position after having worshiped the Lord for just a few days, while no other kṣatriya could even aspire to such an elevated platform, even after trying for many, many years.”