Dhruva was a child ascetic and one of the greatest devotees of Lord Vishnu who attained an immovable position through penance. The story of Dhruva is mentioned in the Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana. The pole star is called Dhruva Tara in some Indian languages. The word Dhruva means “immovable or fixed”. Per some stories, Dhruva became the pole star after his death, but the story in the Vishnu Purana implies that Lord Vishnu gave the planet to him.

Who was Dhruva in his Previous Birth?

Per the story in the Vishnu Purana, Dhruva was a Brahmin in his previous birth and was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. He was dutiful to his parent and observant of his duties. In course of time, a prince became his friend, who was in the period of youth, indulged in all sensual pleasures, and was handsome and elegant form. Beholding, in consequence of associating with him, his affluence, Dhruva formed the desire that he might be subsequently born as the son of a king, and according to his wish, he obtained a princely birth in the illustrious mansion of King Uttanapada.

The Story of Dhruva per the Vishnu Purana:

Suruchi Insults Dhruva:

King Uttanapada had two wives named Suniti and Suruchi. Suniti was the mother of Dhruva, and Suruchi had a son named Uttama. Although Suniti was the eldest queen, the king favored Suruchi and obeyed her like a puppet. Therefore, despite being the elder prince, Dhruva was not destined to be the king but Uttama. Suniti was helpless because she could not go against the wish of her husband. Other than this, the king used to love Uttama more and ignored Dhruva.

One day, observing his brother Uttama on the lap of his father, as he was seated upon his throne, Dhruva was desirous of ascending to the same place. But as Suruchi was present, the king did not gratify the desire of his son, respectfully wishing to be taken on his father’s knee. Beholding the child of her rival thus anxious to be placed on his father’s lap, and her son already seated there, Suruchi addressed the boy, “O child, why do you vainly indulge in such presumptuous hopes? You are born from a different mother and are no son of mine that you should aspire inconsiderately to a station fit for the excellent Uttama alone. You are indeed the son of the king, but I have not given you birth. This regal throne, the seat of the king of kings, is suited to my son only. Why should you aspire to its occupation? Why idly cherish such lofty ambition as if you were my son? Do you forget that you are but the offspring of Suniti?”

Dhruva Leaves For Forest:

Even though Dhruva was four or five years old at that time, the words of his stepmother pierced his heart, and he ran toward his mother and repeated to her what Suruchi had said.

Deeply distressed by the narrative of the boy, the humble Suniti, with her eyes filled with tears, sighed, and said, “Suruchi has rightly spoken. You have an unhappy fate. Those who are born to fortune are not liable to the insults of their rivals. Yet be not afflicted, my child, for who shall efface what you have formerly done, or shall assign to you what you have left undone. The regal throne, the umbrella of royalty, horses, and elephants, are his whose virtues have deserved them. Remember this, my son, and be consoled that the king favors Suruchi is the reward of her merits in a former existence. The name of the wife alone belongs to such as I, who have not equal merit. Her son is the progeny of accumulated piety and is born as Uttama: mine has been born as Dhruva, of inferior moral worth. Therefore, my son, it is not proper for you to grieve. Be amiable, be pious, be friendly, be assiduous in benevolence to all living creatures; for prosperity descends upon modest worth as water flows toward the low ground.”

Dhruva answered, “Mother, the words that you have addressed to me for my consolation find no place in a heart that contumely has broken. I will exert myself to obtain such an elevated rank that it shall be revered by the whole world. Though I am not born of Suruchi, the beloved of the king, you shall behold my glory, who am your son. Let Uttama, my brother, her child, possess the throne given to him by my father. I wish for no other honors than such as my own actions shall acquire, such as even my father has not enjoyed.”

After saying this, he abandoned the palace and the city and went into a forest where he saw seven sages doing penance.

Saptarshis’ Guidance:

Dhruva went to them and bowed humbly. He then told them his story and his wish to attain a high position where no one would be able to touch him. The Saptarshi advised him to propitiate Lord Vishnu, who is the greatest of all gods. 

Dhruva replied to them, “You have told me what deity is to be propitiated, now inform me what prayer is to he meditated by me, that will offer him gratification.”

Sages replied, “ The mind must first be made to forsake all external impressions, and a man must then fix it steadily on that being in whom the world is. By him whose thoughts are thus concentrated on one only object, and wholly filled by it; whose spirit is firmly under control; the prayer that we shall repeat to thee is to be inaudibly recited: Om! Namo Bhgavate Vasudevaya.”

(Per the Bhagavata Purana, Sage Narada advised Dhruva to worship Lord Vishnu. Then Narada went to King Uttanapada and informed him about Dhruva.)

Dhruva Starts Penance:

After saluting the sages, Dhruva left the place and went to Madhuvana, where he started doing severe penance. He focused his mind totally on Lord Vishnu while chanting the mantra.

(Per the Bhagavata Purana, Dhruva did penance for six months. He ate and drank for the first few months only).

The king of heaven, Indra, thought that Dhruva was doing the penance to get his kingdom. Therefore, he started to interrupt his penance but failed.

(Bhagavata Purana does not say anything about Indra interrupting Dhruva’s meditation).

The perplexed gods then went to Lord Vishnu and requested him to help them. Vishnu replied to the gods, “The lad desires neither the rank of Indra, nor the solar orb, nor the sovereignty of wealth or the ocean. All that he wants, I will grant. Return therefore to your mansions and be no more alarmed. I will put an end to the penance of the boy, whose mind is immersed in deep contemplation.”

Lord Vishnu Blesses Dhruva:

Propitiated by Dhruva’s devotion, Lord Vishnu appeared before him and told him to ask for any boon he wanted. Dhruva answered, “O Lord, how should the wish that I cherish be unknown to you? I will confess unto you the hope that my presumptuous heart has entertained. A hope that it would be difficult to gratify but that nothing is difficult when you, the creator of the world, is pleased. Through your favor, Indra reigns over the three worlds. The sister-queen of my mother has said to me, loudly and arrogantly, ‘The royal throne is not for one who is not born of me,’ and I now solicit of the support of the universe an exalted station, superior to all others, and one that shall endure forever.”

Lord Vishnu replied, “The man who worships me obtains speedy liberation from life. What is heaven to one whose mind is fixed on me? A station shall be assigned to you, Dhruva, above the three worlds; one in which thou shall sustain the stars and the planets. A station above those of the sun, the moon, Mars, the son of Soma (Mercury), Venus, the son of Surya (Saturn), and all the other constellations above the regions of the seven Rishis, and the divinities who traverse the atmosphere. Some celestial beings endure for four ages; some for the reign of a Manu. To you, shall be granted the duration of a Kalpa. Your mother Suniti, in the orb of a bright star, shall abide near you for a similar term, and all those who, with minds attentive, shall glorify you at dawn or eventide, shall acquire exceeding religious merit.

(Per the Bhagavata Purana, other than the kingdom of the pole star, Lord Vishnu gave him many other boons. He told him that he would inherit his father’s kingdom and rule for 36,000 years. He would never become old, and after his material life in his body, he would go to Vaikuntha.)

Thus, the sage Dhruva, having received a boon from Lord Vishnu, resides in an exalted station.

(The following story is taken from the Bhagavata Purana.)

Dhruva Becomes a King:

Even after receiving the boon from Lord Vishnu, Dhruva was not very happy because he thought he should have asked for Moksha and not the material world. He left Madhuvana and started the journey to his home.

When a messenger told King Uttanapada about the return of Dhruva, he arranged a big procession. He, along with his wives and son, Uttama, welcomed Dhruva.

King Uttanapada saw that Dhruva was suitably mature to take charge of the kingdom and that his ministers were agreeable and the citizens were also very fond of him, he enthroned Dhruva as emperor of this planet. After considering his advanced age and deliberating on the welfare of his spiritual self, he detached himself from worldly affairs and entered the forest.

Thereafter, Dhruva married the daughter of Prajapati Shishumara, whose name was Bhrami, and two sons named Kalpa and Vatsara were born of her. His second wife was Ila, who was the daughter of the god Vayu. They had a son named Utkala and a daughter.

Fight with Yaksha:

Dhruva’s younger brother Uttama, who was still unmarried, once went on a hunting excursion and was killed by a powerful Yaksha in the Himalaya Mountains. Along with him, his mother, Suruchi, also followed the path of her son and died. Upon hearing the news, Dhruva was very upset, as well as, angry and he decided to teach Yaksha a lesson.

He alone took on an army of 130,000 Yakshas and started slaying them with his arrows. When Svayambhuva Manu saw that his grandson Dhruva was killing so many Yakshas who were not actually offenders, he approached and advised him not to punish all Yakshas for one Yaksha’s offense. Therefore, Dhruva stopped the war and returned home.

Journey to Vishnu Loka:

Dhruva ruled over his kingdom for 36,000 years and then retired to the forest in the Himalayas known as Badarikashrama. One day, in a trance of devotional service, Dhruva completely forgot his bodily existence, and thus he immediately became liberated from material bondage.

A very beautiful airplane came to take him to Vaikuntha. Before getting aboard, Dhruva worshiped the airplane, circumambulated it, and also offered obeisance to the associates of Vishṇu. Then he entered the airplane, which was as big as a house, and went to Vaikuntha.