Dhruva charitham

 

King Uthanapad had two wives. They were Suneethi and Suruchi. Sunithi had a son, Dhruv and Surichi’s son was Uthaman.

Sunithi was elder and a mature woman leading a life of Dharma or righteousness.  Suruchi was young and proud and lived with vanity of her own appearance.

The king too was completely under a spell of Suruchi’s charm and fascinated by her that he gave less attention to Suneethi and Dhruv. Suneethi was aware of this, so she stood apart with aloof dignity. She led a religious life of honour.

Suruchi never let the king keep away from her and she started involving in the issues of the court and kingdom.

One day after the court was adjourned King Uthanapad was spending his time with Suruchi. Dhruv and Uthaman were playing in front. Suddenly Uthaman ran to the king and sat on his lap. The king held him close and embraced him with fatherly love. Watching this Dhruv too ran to sit on his father’s lap.

But Suruchi pulled him and threw him on the floor shouting, “ Go away. If you were to be loved by your father, you had to be born as my son. You were not fortunate to have a mother like me. You can now go and pray to God and get the blessing to  be born again. There is no way otherwise to sit on your father’s lap.”

The kind didn’t utter a word, so Dhruv ran to his mother crying.

Suneethi consoled her son and asked, “What went wrong, my son? Who was unfair to you? Why are you crying?”

“When I tried to sit on my father’s lap, Suruchima scolded me.” Dhruv explained.

Suneethi “Your clothes are dirty from playing. You haven’t taken a bath. That can be the reason for her denial.”

Dhruv “But Uthaman too was playing with me. His sweat and dirt was wiped by father.”

Suneethi “What did she tell you?”

Dhruv “She said, If I had to sit on father’s lap, I have to be born as her son, and she asked me to do tapasya for that.”

Suneethi “What she said is right.Only with God’s blessings, we get to be fortunate. “

Dhruv started walking,”Mother, I too want the attain that supreme place near my father, so I’ll do the tapasya.”

Suneethi adviced him saying he was too young to go through such hardships as Tapasya and asked him to come back.

Dhruv “Don’t  stand on my way, mother. But bless me so that I get success. As you said, it’s God who protects all, He will protect me too.”

  

Dhruv touched his mother’s feet and asked her not to cry. With her blessings he set out to the forest with his mind concentrated only on his aim.

He didn’t feel any hunger or thirst. Dhruv just walked onward. On the way he met Narada Maharshi.

Narada, “Where are you going my child?”

Dhruv “I want the darshan of Eeswar. I want His blessings.”

“Are you not too young to face such hardships all alone?” Narada asked.

“With your blessings I will get Bhagavat darshan, “Dhruv was determined.

Narada, delighted with this young boy’s determination, blessed him, “Anyone with utmost faith and devotion will surely get Bhagavat Darshan. You are a blessed child. May the Lord appear before you and give the boon you want. Lord MahaVishnu who resides in Vaikundam will give you darshan. Think of Sri Narayanan and chant the Divya mantra, “Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya”. The Lord is very kind and He will surely hear you.”

With this Narada disappeared.

Dhruv went ahead chanting the mantra. Then he reached Madhuvan. He found a place suitable for Tapasya. After doing all the poojas he started his Upavas. In the beginning he would take water and fruits, then as days went by he discarded all food and water.

 His vigorous Tapasya shook the world. There was disturbance in all living things.

Devas sought refuge and requested Maha Vishnu to help them.

Lord was pleased with Dhruv’s Bhakti and decided to appear before him.

MahaVishnu reached Madhuvan.  The breeze touched the trees, they showered the flowers all over the forest and the birds sang in their sweetest sound..Peacocks danced with their beautiful feather spread out.. The whole world filled with a divine fragrance.

Lord Narayanan touched Dhruv and he opened his eyes from Tapasya. Dhruv’s eyes filled with Bhakti and love for the Lord and he fell on Lord’s feet. With folded hands he praised the Lord.

MahaVishnu asked Dhruv, “I’m pleased with your Bhakti, my child, What boon shall I give you? “

Dhruv said, “Oh Lord Narayana, I was denied a place which I deserved. So please give me a noble place in this world.”

Lord blessed him and granted his wish.

He made Dhruv into a little bright star and placed him on the sky. The seven Rishis who protected him during his tapasya got their place around Dhruv.

Still we see the Dhruv Nakshatra bright and shining on the sky, brighter than all other stars. We can see the Saptharishis too.

The Last Leaf

A few days in the I.C.U made me very dull. When the wheezing was under control, without those tubes and masks, I realized what I went through. Till now I was totally blank. Wished the suffering would somehow end. By death or cure, I didn’t mind.

I was shifted to this room only today morning. I don’t remember how many days I was in the I.C.U. Doctor was joking and smiling. She was repeating all that I said, may be in a temporary state of delirium….She said I’ll show you how beautiful this world is..She made me sit on a chair near the window….She drew the window curtains. Wow! This is the most beautiful sight I ever had in all the 57 years of life. The setting sun never had so many colours. The beauty of a sunset is a splendour to behold. My eyes devoured the beauty of nature as if I am seeing it for the first time. The rainbow splashed its colours all over the sky.
I looked down. I was in a room on the 5th floor. Looking down, the busy street came into view. Vehicles running, people walking in a hurry to reach somewhere .
Last evening a story I learned in school went through my mind. It was “The Last Leaf” by O.Henry. That was a story that touched my heart. The story was about two young girls, Sue and Johnsy ,and an old friend of them,Behrman. They were all struggling artists. Once Johnsy had an attack of Pneumonia, and everyone was sure she would die.
Johnsy lost all hopes. She looked out the window and saw an old, old ivy vine, gnarled and decayed at the roots, climbed half way up the brick wall. The leaves were falling in the wind and Johnsy felt when the last leaf falls she too would die.
Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them. He was past sixty.Behrman was a failure in art. He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it. For several years he had painted nothing. He earned a little by serving as a model to those young artists in the colony who could not pay the price of a professional.
Sue and Behrman tried to convince Johnsy, but she would not listen. That night there was heavy wind and rain. Johnsy woke up and looked out. The last leaf was still there. It didn’t fall in the rain..She got back hopes of life..
It was Behrman who painted the leaf on the wall. He thought if he could bring back hopes in the young girl’s heart, she would survive. Risking his life, he spent the night painting the leaf so that the girl would believe the leaf didn’t fall. It was his masterpiece. He died of pneumonia, the next day…This is the story…
I too lost all hopes ..Actually wished the suffering would end somehow….But today I’m sitting here and watching the beauty of nature. Did anyone paint a leaf of hopes on the wall for me too?