Shloka 36
Dhruva’s Darśana, Transformative Prayers, and the Boon of the Dhruva-loka
Pole Star
मैत्रेय उवाच न वै मुकुन्दस्य पदारविन्दयोरजोजुषस्तात भवादृशा जना: । वाञ्छन्ति तद्दास्यमृतेऽर्थमात्मनोयदृच्छया लब्धमन:समृद्धय: ॥ ३६ ॥
maitreya uvāca na vai mukundasya padāravindayo rajo-juṣas tāta bhavādṛśā janāḥ vāñchanti tad-dāsyam ṛte ’rtham ātmano yadṛcchayā labdha-manaḥ-samṛddhayaḥ
El gran sabio Maitreya continuó: Querido Vidura, personas como tú, devotos puros de los pies de loto de Mukunda y siempre apegados a la miel de Sus pies, se satisfacen únicamente sirviendo a los pies del Señor. En cualquier condición de vida permanecen contentos; por eso nunca le piden prosperidad material.
In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says that He is the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor of everything and anything within this creation, and the supreme friend of everyone. When one knows these things perfectly, he is always satisfied. The pure devotee never hankers after any kind of material prosperity. The karmīs, jñānīs and yogīs, however, endeavor always for their own personal happiness. Karmīs work day and night to improve their economic condition, jñānīs undergo severe austerities in order to get liberation, and yogīs also undergo severe austerities by practicing the yoga system for attainment of wonderful mystic powers. A devotee, however, is not interested in such activities; he does not want mystic powers or liberation or material prosperity. He is satisfied in any condition of life, as long as he is constantly engaged in the service of the Lord. The Lord’s feet are compared to the lotus, wherein there is saffron dust. A devotee is always engaged in drinking the honey from the lotus feet of the Lord. Unless one is freed from all material desires, he cannot actually taste the honey from the Lord’s lotus feet. One has to discharge his devotional duties without being disturbed by the coming and going of material circumstances. This desirelessness for material prosperity is called niṣkāma. One should not mistakenly think that niṣkāma means giving up all desires. That is impossible. A living entity is eternally existent, and he cannot give up desires. A living entity must have desires; that is the symptom of life. When there is a recommendation to become desireless, it is to be understood that this means that we should not desire anything for our sense gratification. For a devotee this state of mind, niḥspṛha, is the right position. Actually every one of us already has an arrangement for our standard of material comforts. A devotee should always remain satisfied with the standard of comforts offered by the Lord, as stated in the Īśopaniṣad ( tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ ). This saves time for executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
FAQs
This verse states that those devoted to Mukunda do not seek personal gain; they desire only His service, being inwardly satisfied by the Lord’s grace.
In the Dhruva narrative, the goal is clarified: devotion matures into selfless service at the Lord’s lotus feet, surpassing material ambitions and even liberation as a separate pursuit.
Serve God and others without bargaining for rewards—make practice (japa, prayer, seva) the goal itself, and let external results be accepted as providence.