Shloka 17
ध्रुवस्य तपः — देवमायाविघ्नाः, विष्णोर्दर्शनम्, स्तुतिः, ध्रुवस्थानप्रदानम्
क्व च त्वं पञ्चवर्षीयः क्व चैतद् दारुणं तपः निवर्त्यतां मनः कष्टान् निर्बन्धात् फलवर्जितात्
kva ca tvaṃ pañcavarṣīyaḥ kva caitad dāruṇaṃ tapaḥ nivartyatāṃ manaḥ kaṣṭān nirbandhāt phalavarjitāt
ତୁମେ ତ ପାଞ୍ଚ ବର୍ଷର ଶିଶୁ—ଏପରି ଦାରୁଣ ତପ କାହିଁକି? ଫଳହୀନ ଏହି କଠୋର ହଠରୁ ମନକୁ ଫେରାଇ ନିଅ।
Dhruva’s well-wisher/guardian figure (commonly presented as his mother Sunīti addressing Dhruva in the Dhruva narrative)
FAQs
This verse frames tapas as something that must be meaningful and rightly directed; mere harsh effort, especially if perceived as fruitless, is questioned—hinting that true fulfillment comes when striving aligns with devotion and the supreme refuge (Vishnu).
The speaker highlights Dhruva’s tender age and calls the austerity ‘dāruṇa’ (terrible), urging withdrawal from suffering—setting up Dhruva’s extraordinary steadfastness and the narrative move from grief to God-centered determination.
Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Dhruva narrative uses the critique of ‘fruitless’ hardship to imply that spiritual effort finds its true fruit through Vishnu’s grace as the supreme reality and final giver of attainment.