Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 22

Dhruva’s Darśana, Transformative Prayers, and the Boon of the Dhruva-loka

Pole Star

Devanagari script

प्रस्थिते तु वनं पित्रा दत्त्वा गां धर्मसंश्रय: । षट्-त्रिंशद्वर्षसाहस्रं रक्षिताव्याहतेन्द्रिय: ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

prasthite tu vanaṁ pitrā dattvā gāṁ dharma-saṁśrayaḥ ṣaṭ-triṁśad-varṣa-sāhasraṁ rakṣitāvyāhatendriyaḥ

Translation

After your father goes to the forest and awards you the rule of his kingdom, you will rule continuously the entire world for thirty-six thousand years, and all your senses will continue to be as strong as they are now. You will never become old.

Synonyms

• प्रस्थिते: when (he) had departed
• प्रस्थिते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (Kridanta), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), Locative singular (सप्तमी एकवचन), Masculine/Neuter; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/conjunction)

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• पित्रा: by the father
• पित्रा: कर्ता/हेतु (Agent/Instrumental agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• धर्मसंश्रयः: one who has taken refuge in dharma
• धर्मसंश्रयः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + संश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative; धर्मस्य संश्रयः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (epithet)

• षट्-त्रिंशद्-वर्ष-साहस्रम्: for thirty-six thousand years
• षट्-त्रिंशद्-वर्ष-साहस्रम्: कर्म/कालाधिकरण (Duration as object/temporal measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या) + त्रिंशत् (संख्या) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numerical compound; 36-year-thousand), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (duration)

• रक्षित: protected/guarded
• रक्षित: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (Kridanta), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; मुख्यक्रियार्थे (elliptic ‘was/kept’)

• अव्याहतेन्द्रियः: whose senses were uninjured/unimpeded
• अव्याहतेन्द्रियः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्याहत (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (possessive; यस्य इन्द्रियाणि अव्याहतानि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Purport

In the Satya-yuga people generally lived for one hundred thousand years. Dhruva Mahārāja’s ruling the world for thirty-six thousand years was quite possible in those days.

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva Maharaja
• Uttanapada

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about ideal kingship (rajadharma)?

This verse presents Dhruva as an ideal ruler: after inheriting the kingdom, he took shelter of dharma and protected the earth for a vast span of time with disciplined, self-controlled senses.

Why did Uttanapada go to the forest and give the kingdom to Dhruva?

In the narrative, after Dhruva’s spiritual success and return, Uttanapada withdrew from worldly rule toward renunciation, entrusting governance to Dhruva, who was firmly established in dharma.

Practical application of sense control (indriya-nigraha) in modern life?

The verse links steady leadership with steady senses—practically, cultivate restraint (habits, speech, consumption) so responsibilities can be carried out without being driven by impulse.