Question : I have had a question on a section of the Dhruva Maharaja story which wish to ask, and have had on my mind for sometime.
In Canto 4 Ch. 9 text 23 the Lord informs Dhruva Maharaja that his brother will be killed by some Yaksas, and that his mother will go and search for him and die in a forest fire in the process. In the purport Srila Prabhupada writes that the fate of the stepmother was due to her offense to Dhruva Maharaja in the form of her harsh words towards him. Text 46 & 48 of the same Chapter describes an emotional meeting between Suruci and her son with Dhruva Maharaja upon his return to the city. It would seem whatever ill feeling there may have been previously was forgotten, and everyone made up. My question, have the other acharyas commented on this particular point in any more detail? It would seem Dhruva Maharaja forgave whatever offense may have been there in the past, why then would the stepmother have to undergo the punishment Srila Prabhupada writes of in the purport to text 23. It seems the punishment is more than the crime, which Srila Prabhupada also writes she did unknowingly, in the sense she didn’t know Dhruva Maharaja was as great as he turned out to be. Is there any further information as to why Uttama met the fate he did
Any more light on this particular aspect of the story would be much appreciated.
Answer by Romapada Swami:
Commentaries in Sanskrit are –
|| 4.9.23 ||
tvad-bhratary uttame naste mrgayayam tu tan-manah |
anvesanti vanam mata davagnim sa praveksyati ||
sridharah : tvaya asankalpitam api mad-bhaktasya tava drohad evam
bhavisyatity aha—tvad bhratariti | sa surucir davagnim praveksyati ||23||
krama-sandarbhah : purvam api nigudha-bhakti-samskarena mad-bhaktasyaiva
tava dvesat tayor evam syad ity aha—tvad iti ||23||
visvanathah : mad-bhakte tvayi samatrke aparadhinyoah surucer yad
bhavisyati tac chrnv ity aha—tvad-bhrateti ||23||
The very literal translation:
Sridhara: Even though not intended by your, because of your brother’s offense [droha] against you, My devotee, thus it will be, so it is said in the verse tvad-bhratari. She, Suruci, will enter the forest fire.
Krama-sandharbha: Even before, because of the envy of the two [mother and son], of my real devotee by sa.skara of confidential bhakti, thus it should be, as it is said [in the verse] tvad.
Visvanatha: In you, My devotee, with your mother, from the two offenders, that which will be for Suruci, listen. Thus it was said [in this verse] “Your brother.”
Here are two possible explanations –
- Even though a vaisnava may forgive an offender, the Lord may not.
- The malice which Suruci was carrying may have been a carryover from previous lives; who knows what misdeeds she had conducted in the past? Uttama as well.
Realization of another Srila Prabhupada disciple who I consulted:
Although Suruci said “Long may you live” and showed some respect, she never apologized or admitted any fault. Therefore, there was no rectification. To deny a young child his father’s lap out of envy and pride is a serious offense. Overall, Suruci’s attitude was extreme in its offense towards Dhruva to deny him his father, his inheritance, and his future occupation. Her only reason was her own ambition and envy. One would also guess that it was she who was behind the mistreatment of Suniti, who was also a devotee of the Lord.
Regarding Uttama’s death, he was a young child himself and the fault would be minor, in my opinion. Perhaps his death was also part of Suruci’s punishment–that her own child dies when her attachment was to her own child over Dhruva. Thus, her progeny is the one who is denied the throne. What she wanted for others comes back to her.
The deaths of his brother and step-mother surely are related to securing the kingdom he so much wanted and are thus useful information in terms of the benediction Dhruva prayed for. It would also be helpful for Uttanapada’s spiritual progress to lose Suruci and Uttama–his attachment to them had clouded his own intelligence even materially in terms of dharmic codes, what to speak of in terms of respecting devotees. Uttanapada repents
starting in 4.8.65 and perhaps their deaths is a great mercy upon him.
