Shloka 14
Dhruva’s War with the Yakṣas and the Protection of the Holy Name
हाहाकारस्तदैवासीत्सिद्धानां दिवि पश्यताम् । हतोऽयं मानव: सूर्यो मग्न: पुण्यजनार्णवे ॥ १४ ॥
hāhā-kāras tadaivāsīt siddhānāṁ divi paśyatām hato ’yaṁ mānavaḥ sūryo magnaḥ puṇya-janārṇave
At that very moment the Siddhas watching from the heavens raised a great outcry: “Dhruva, Manu’s grandson, is like the sun—now he has sunk into the ocean of the Yakṣas, as though the sun had set!”
In this verse the word mānava is very significant. Generally this word is used to mean “human being.” Dhruva Mahārāja is also described here as mānava. Not only is Dhruva Mahārāja a descendant of Manu, but all human society descends from Manu. According to Vedic civilization, Manu is the lawgiver. Even today Hindus in India follow the laws given by Manu. Therefore everyone in human society is a mānava, or descendant from Manu, but Dhruva Mahārāja is a distinguished mānava because he is a great devotee.
FAQs
This verse shows the Siddhas observing earthly events from the celestial realm and reacting with alarm, indicating that significant dharmic conflicts have cosmic visibility and consequence.
“Sun among men” is a devotional metaphor for an exceptional person whose presence illuminates and protects others; the outcry suggests that such a noble figure seems to have been lost.
Even the most prominent person can face abrupt danger; the takeaway is to cultivate steadiness, seek the Lord’s shelter, and avoid being swept away by panic and grief.