Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 34
Dhruva’s Darśana, Transformative Prayers, and the Boon of the Dhruva-loka
Pole Star
मयैतत्प्रार्थितं व्यर्थं चिकित्सेव गतायुषि । प्रसाद्य जगदात्मानं तपसा दुष्प्रसादनम् । भवच्छिदमयाचेऽहं भवं भाग्यविवर्जित: ॥ ३४ ॥
mayaitat prārthitaṁ vyarthaṁ cikitseva gatāyuṣi prasādya jagad-ātmānaṁ tapasā duṣprasādanam bhava-cchidam ayāce ’haṁ bhavaṁ bhāgya-vivarjitaḥ
It is very difficult to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but in my case, although I have satisfied the Supersoul of the whole universe, I have prayed only for useless things. My activities were exactly like treatment given to a person who is already dead. Just see how unfortunate I am, for in spite of meeting the Supreme Lord, who can cut one’s link with birth and death, I have prayed for the same conditions again.
Sometimes it so happens that a devotee engaged in the loving service of the Lord desires some material benefit in exchange for this service. This is not the proper way to discharge devotional service. Out of ignorance, of course, sometimes a devotee does so, but Dhruva Mahārāja regrets his personal behavior in this connection.
FAQs
This verse shows Dhruva’s remorse: even after pleasing the Supreme Lord through severe tapasya, asking for worldly gain is seen as misfortune compared to asking for bhava-chidam—the end of material bondage.
Because after directly realizing the Lord (jagad-ātmā), Dhruva understood that his earlier desire for a kingdom was insignificant; he felt he should have asked for liberation and pure devotion instead.
When pursuing spirituality, examine motivations: prioritize inner transformation, freedom from ego and attachment, and sincere devotion over using religion only for material success.