Shloka 65
Dhruva’s Darśana, Transformative Prayers, and the Boon of the Dhruva-loka
Pole Star
उत्तानपादो राजर्षि: प्रभावं तनयस्य तम् । श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वाद्भुततमं प्रपेदे विस्मयं परम् ॥ ६५ ॥
uttānapādo rājarṣiḥ prabhāvaṁ tanayasya tam śrutvā dṛṣṭvādbhutatamaṁ prapede vismayaṁ param
The saintly King Uttānapāda, hearing of the glorious deeds of Dhruva Mahārāja and seeing with his own eyes his wondrous greatness and influence, was filled with the highest amazement and deep inner satisfaction.
When Dhruva Mahārāja was in the forest executing his austerities, his father, Uttānapāda, heard everything about his very wonderful activities. Although Dhruva Mahārāja was the son of a king and was only five years old, he went to the forest and executed devotional service under strict austerity. Therefore his acts were all wonderful, and when he came back home, naturally, because of his spiritual qualifications, he became very popular amongst the citizens. He must have performed many wonderful activities by the grace of the Lord. No one is more satisfied than the father of a person who is credited with glorious activities. Mahārāja Uttānapāda was not an ordinary king; he was a rājarṣi, a saintly king. Formerly this earth was ruled by one saintly king only. Kings were trained to become saintly; therefore they had no other concern than the welfare of the citizens. These saintly kings were properly trained, and as mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā also, the science of God, or the yoga system of devotional service known as Bhagavad-gītā, was spoken to the saintly king of the sun planet, and gradually it descended through the kṣatriya kings who were generated from the sun and the moon. If the head of the government is saintly, certainly the citizens become saintly, and they are very happy because both their spiritual and physical needs and hankerings are satisfied.
FAQs
This verse says Dhruva’s prabhāva (extraordinary majesty) was so remarkable that his father Uttānapāda, after hearing and seeing it, became supremely astonished—showing how bhakti visibly transforms a devotee.
Because Dhruva returned not merely as a child prince but as a divinely empowered devotee; the king heard reports of Dhruva’s achievements and then witnessed his astonishing spiritual splendor firsthand.
It teaches to honor genuine spiritual transformation: first learn (śrutvā) from authentic sources, then verify through lived character (dṛṣṭvā), and let that inspire faith, humility, and devotion.