पुराणे विश्वासटिप्पन्यः

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 1: Sri Paraasharah - Nishamya etat asheshena maitreya nrupateh sutah | Nirjagaama vanaat tasmaat pranipatya sa taan risheen || O Maitreya, that prince Dhruva, listened to all these things completely, and after that bowed down in reverence, did namaskaara to the rishis, and left that forest.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 2: Krutakrutyam iva aatmaanaam manyamaanah tato dvijah | Madhu samjnyam mahaa punyam jagaama yamunaa tatam || He felt very happy and as though one who has done what ought to be done, now that he knows what to do to attain what he desires. On the banks of Yamuna river, there was a very sacred place called Madhu; he went and reached that place.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 3: Punah cha madhu samjnyena daityena adhishtitam yatah | Tato madhuvanam naamnaa khyaatam atra maheetale || [[387]] Earlier, that place was occupied by an asura by name Madhu. So, it was called Madhuvana after him; this is well known in this world.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 4: Hatvaa cha lavanam raksho madhu putram mahaa balam | Shatrughno madhuraama naama pureem yatra chakaara vai || Madhu had a son by name Lavana who was very powerful. Shatrughna, brother of Sri Rama, killed him, and built a city there called Mathura.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 5: Yatra vai deva devasya saanidhyam hari medhasah | Sarva paapa hare tasmin tapah teerthe chakaara sah || In that saanidhya of Deva deva, Lord of the lords, Hari is always present. In that holy place, he did penance, that place itself can destroy all our sins.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Yatra iti | Hari medhasah harih paapa haarinee svarnavat shuddhaa
medhaa yasya sah harimedhaah, tasya harimedhasah |
Chaandasattvaadasich pratyayah | Harih harati paapaani; Hari destroys all our sins. That Hari is always there all the time.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 6: Mareechi mukhyaih munibhih yathaa uddishtam abhoot tathaa | Aatmani ashesha devesham sthitam vishnum amanyata || Just as what was taught by Mareechi and other sapta rishis, whatever was their object of attainment, the same thing happened there. He started to meditate upon Vishnu in himself, completely occupying his mind.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Mareechi mishraih iti | Amanyata dadyou |

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 7: Ananya chetasah tasya dhyaayato bhagavaan harih | Sarva bhoota gato vishnuh sarva bhaava gato abhavat || He did not move his mind even little bit, he was completely, steadily, continuously, concentratedly, meditating upon Hari, Vishnu who is present in all beings, all pervading, He pervaded his mind completely.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Ananya chetasa iti | Sarva bhaagavatah chitta vrutteh saakalyena
vishayatayaa aavirbhootah | [[388]] All the entire functioning of his mind was totally towards Vishnu.

When he was doing such a deep concentrated meditation, with a steady mind, what happened later, and how Vishnu appeared before him, will all be told now by Paraasharar.

Recap: In the previous session, we were studying about how Dhruva, after obtaining the upadesha of the mantra, and the process of performing meditation on Paramaatman, or upaasane, goes in search of a sacred place, and finds the place where Shatrughna had built the Mathura puri; in that sacred place, he starts to meditate as taught by the Saptarshis.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 6: Mareechi mukhyaih munibhih yathaa uddishtam abhoot tathaa | Aatmani ashesha devesham sthitam vishnum amanyata || He starts meditating intensely on Vishnu, as taught by Mareechi and the rishis, and as time passes, he meditates so intensely and concentratedly, he started to meditate with his entire mind, as though Vishnu was present in his entire mind. He did dhaarana, focussed completely on Vishnu, as Mareechi and other rishis wanted him to perform.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Mareechi mishraih iti | Amanyata dadyou |

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 7: Ananya chetasah tasya dhyaayato bhagavaan harih | Sarva bhoota gato vishnuh sarva bhaava gato abhavat || He never thought of anything else other than Vishnu, and he started meditating thus. At that time, Hari, who was the object of meditation, who [[389]] is present in all beings, for his mind and thinking, there was nothing else which was the object of his thinking. Vishnu became completely the object of his thoughts.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Ananya chetasa iti | Sarva bhaagavatah chitta vrutteh saakalyena
vishayatayaa aavirbhootah | Vishnu became the object of his meditation, completely.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 8: Manasi avasthite tasmin vishnou maitreya yoginah | Na shashaaka dharaa bhaaram udvodhum bhoota dhaarinee || When Vishnu filled the mind of the yogi completely like that, the earth which supports all beings, could not tolerate the weight of Dhruva because Vishnu was completely filled in him.

Paraasharar calls Dhruva as a yogi here. Sri Engal Aalwaan had commented earlier that ashtaanga yoga was taught as an accessory of his meditation.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Manasi iti | Na shashaaketi | Garimaakhya siddhih aaseet iti arthah | There are ashta siddhis, eight types of siddhis, which are told for *Yogis, **animaa, mahimaa, garimaa, laghimaa, praapti, praakaamya, eeshatva, *vashitva. Garimaa is told, which means that he became very heavy. Earth was not able to tolerate him due to the meditation on Vishnu.

[[390]] Animaa mahimaa chaiva garimaa laghimaa tathaa | Praaptih praakaamyam eeshatvam vashitvam cha ashta siddhayah || Yogis can become very subtle and enter into something, they can become very heavy also.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 9: Vaama paada sthite tasmin na naamaarddhena medhinee | Dviteeyam cha nanaamaarddham kshiteh dakshinatah sthite || When Dhruva was meditating standing, for sometime he would stand on his left leg, and sometime on his right leg. When he was standing on his left leg, that half of the hemisphere of the earth just bent and swung down, not able to tolerate the weight. When he stood on the right leg, the other half of the earth went down, not able to bear the weight.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 10: Paadaangushthena sampeedya yadaa sa vasudhaam sthitah | Tadaa samastaa vasudhaa chachaala saha parvataih || After some time, he stood with half of his thumb of his foot, supporting his entire body. Then, the entire earth, with all the mountains, shook up because of not able to tolerate his weight. That is the power of his tapas, meditation.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 11: Nadyo nadaa samudraah cha samkshobham paramam yayuh | Tat kshobhaat amaaraah kshobham param jagmuh mahaamune || [[391]] All the oceans, rivers and streams, were completely disturbed. Because of that, the earth got shaken up and disturbed, the gods could not tolerate that, and were highly disturbed and thrown out of balance.

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This is normally what the devaas do. When one does great penance and please the deity whom they are meditating upon, the deity is obliged to give them the boon; they get the position they ask. If one is meditating to attain the Indra padavi, when the meditation matures, that deity has to appear and grant him the boon that he desires. Like this, all the gods have attained their places. Whenever someone starts to meditate, they are all highly disturbed and feel that someone will come and occupy their position and they will lose their position and power. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 12: Yaamaa naama tadaa devaa maitreya paramaakulaah | Indrena saha sammantrya dhyaana bhangam prachakramuh || The Yaama gods got worried and disturbed, they discussed with Indra, and they wanted to disturb or break the meditation, concentration of Dhruva.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Yaamaa iti | Yaamaah svaayambhuva manvantare devaah | In the Svaayambhuva manvantara, there were a class of devaas called Yaamaas.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 13: Kooshmaandaah vividhaih roopaih sahendrena mahaamune | Samaadhi bhangam atyantam aarabdhaah kartum aaturaah || [[392]] At that time, Kooshmaandaas took different forms, along with Indra, and wanted to somehow break his concentration, meditation, tapas. They started to try all kinds of things to break his meditation.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Kooshmaandaah iti | Kooshmaandaah upadeva bhedaah | Kooshmaandaas are another sub class of gods.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 14: Suneetirnaama tat maataa saasraa tat puratah sthitaa | Putreti karunaam vaacham aaha maayaa mayee tadaa || At that time, his mother by name Suneeti, with tears in her eyes, stood in front of him. She called Dhruva as “O my son”, with a heart breaking tone. She was a Maayaa Suneeti, not the real Suneeti. Kooshmaandaas took on a form like Suneeti, came crying in front of Dhruva and called him with great sorrow.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 15: Putraka asmaat nivartasva shareeraatyaya daarunaat | Nirbandhito mayaa labdho bahubhih tvam manorathaih || You are torturing your body with this fierce tapas, fierce meditation, which is very harsh. Please do retire from this. Stop this meditation. I had so much of desire and so many wishes of you, and because of that, I got you as my son.

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***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 16: *** [[393]] Deenaam ekaam parityaktum anaathaatvam na tvam arhasi | Sapatneet vachanaat vatsa agateh tvam gatih mama || I am under so much grief. I have so much sorrow. You should not be deserting me. I do not have anybody to help me look after me. You should not desert me. Listening to the other wife of the king, you have deserted me. I don’t have anyone who can take care of me. You only have to look after me.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 17: Kva cha tvam pancha varsheeyah kvacha etat daarunam tapah | Nivartataam manah kashthaat nirbandhaat phala varjitaat || You are only just five year old, whereas this penance you are doing is extremely fierce. This does not befit your age. In such a difficult religious practice that you have got into, please do turn away from that. Also, it does not give you any fruit.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Kva iti | Nirbandhah abhiniveshah |

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 18: Kaalah kreedanakaanaam te tat ante adhyayanasya te | Tatah samasta bhogaanaam tat ante cha eeshyate tapah || When one is a small child, just play with the various sports with the instruments of sports; that is your pastime. At the end of that, when you are a young boy, you should study the Vedaas. After that, you get into marriage and enjoy all kinds of worldly pleasures. At the end of that, during the last [[394]] phase of your life, you will get into tapas. This is normally how people follow.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 19: Kaalah kreedanahaanaam yah tava baalasya putraka | Tasmin tvam icchasi tapah kim naashaaya aatmano ratah || You are just a small boy. Now, this is the time for you to play with all other boys. At this point of time, when it is time for you to play, you are desiring to do this kind of fierce penance. You are destroying yourself.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 20: Mat preetih paramo dharmo vayovasthaa kiyaakramam | Anuvartasva maa mohaat nivartyasmaat adharmatah || You have to look after me, you have to please me. This is your sacred duty. According to your are, this is what you have to do. Don’t get deluded and get into this kind of tapas which does not befit you. Please turn away from what you are doing, which is adharma.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Mat preetih iti | Vayovasthaa kriyaa kramam vayovasthaasu choditam
kriyaa kramam | Nivartya asmaat adharmata iti | “Vruthaa teertham
vruthaa daanam vruthaa japyam vruthaa hutam | Sa jeevati vruthaa
brahman yasya maataa su dukhitaa” iti puraana vachanaat mat
viruddhaat akaala tapascharana roopaat adharmaat nivartasva iti
bhaavah | Mat preetyaa paramam dharmam iti paathe vayovasthaa
kriyaa krama roopam paramam dharmam mat preetyaa anuvartasva |
Sva dharmo hi maataa pitru guru dharmaan no utkrushyate; api tu tat
sammatvaa eva utkrushyate * Yat ete hi anujaaneeyuh karma loka [[395]] vigarhitam | Sa dharma iti mantavyo na atra kaaryaa vichaaranaa | iti
bhaarat ukteh | At different ages of a person, whatever is ordained in the Shrutis, as the duties of a person. When one is a small child, upanayana is not told. When he is eligible for upanayana, sandhyaavandanaa is told. Like this, according to age, different duties are prescribed. There is a Puraana vachana, that when one’s mother is suffering, if he goes to punya teertha, it is a waste; if one does daana also, it is a waste; if one does japa also, it is wasted; if one does homa, it is also wasted; such a person engaged in all these activities, thinking that they are all dharma, when his mother is suffering, he is wasting his time, his entire life doing adharma only. What is against my good, my wish, and also it is not suiting your age; because of these, you are doing adharma, turn away from that. This is what Maayaa Suneeti is telling. There is another *paatha *- whatever are the duties according to your age, you follow that in order to please me. What one wants to do, that is not superior to doing the service of father, mother, guru. If they permit, then only it is a superior dharma which will do all kinds of good. If parents permit them to do some dharma, even if it is ridiculed by all others, it is dharma only; this is told in Mahaabhaarata. Like this, she is telling him to turn away from this daaruna tapas, this fierce penance.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 21: Parityajati vatsa adya yadi etat na bhavaan tapah | Tyakshyaami aham iha praanaan tato ve pashyatah tava || If you do not turn away from this tapas, O Dhruva, I am going to commit suicide in front of you. I am going to put an end to this life.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 22: Sri Paraasharah - Taam pralaapavateem evam baashpaavilavilochanaam | [[396]] Samaahita manaa vishnou pashyan api na drushtavaan || *Sri Paraasharar *- When she is crying like this, and her eyes completely filled with tears, his mind was so much concentrated on Vishnu, that even though he was opening his eyes, he was not seeing anything.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Taam iti | Pashyan api vyaapaarita chaksuh indriyo api, prayukta
baahyendriyo api vaa | Though he was opening his eyes, and moving his eyes, he never saw her, he never recognized her. His mind was completely focussed on Vishnu.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 23: Vatsa vatsa sughoraani rakshaamsyetaani bheeshane | Vane abhyudyata shastraani samaayaanti apagamyataam || She starts to warn Dhruva that there are many demons wielding their fierce weapons, running towards him to kill him. Please do turn away and run.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 24: Iti uktvaa prayayou saa atha rakshaamsyaavirbabhuh tatah | Abhyudyata ugra shastraani jvaalaa maalaakulaih mukhaih || Telling like this, she goes back, and all the raakshasaas come there, the devaas taking the form of demons. They raised their weapons ready to hit, their faces were all throwing fire; with that kind of fierce, the demons started running towards him.

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***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 25: *** [[397]] Tato naadaanateeva ugraan raaja putrasya te purah | Mumuchuh deepta shastraani bhraamayanto nishaacharaah || They made fierce noises, shouted very fierce fully, and threw all kinds of fiery weapons.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 26: Shivaah cha shatasho neduh sa jvaalaakabalaih mukhaih | Traayaasa tasya baalasya yoga yuktasya sarvatah || Jackals were also crying very fearfully, and were eating food with all fire, in order to cause fear in that small boy, Dhruva, who was completely engrossed in yoga meditation, and could not be disturbed by anything else.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 27: Hanyataam hanyataam esha cchidyataam cchidyataamayam | Bhakshyataam bhakshyataam cha ayam iti oochuh te nishaacharaah || All the demons started shouting - ‘He has to be killed, he has to be cut into pieces, he has to be eaten, eat him’.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 28: Tato naanaa vidhaan naadaan simha ushtra makaraananaah | Traasaaya raaja putrasya neduste rajaneecharaah || They took different forms, having the face of a lion, some had the face of a camel, some of a crocodile, and started making fearful noises. They were shouting at the top of their voice fierce fully, in order to bring fear to Dhruva.

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[[398]] Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 29: Rakshaamsi taani te naadaah shivaasthaani aayudhaani cha | Govinda aasakta chittasya yayuh na indriya gocharam || He was so much concentrated on Govinda, that he saw nothing. None of his sense organs could sense what was happening around, though the jackals were howling, and demons were making fearful noises and wielding weapons. He was so much engrossed in Vishnu.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 30: Ekaagra chetaah satatam vishnum eva atra samshrayam | Drushtavaan pruthivee naatha putro na anyam kathamchana || He saw nothing. He saw only Vishnu who was completely filled in his mind. He had focussed his mind single mindedly on Vishnu.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 31: Tatah sarvaasu maayaasu vileenaasu punah suraah | Samkshobham paramam jagmuh tat paraabhava shankitaah || Gods tried all kinds of tricks, taking all kinds of forms, making all kinds of noises. All their tricks failed completely. All their maayaas vanished. They thought that they are going to lose to this small boy’s power of meditation, and were highly disturbed in their mind.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 32: Te sametya jagat yonim anaadi nidhanam harim | Sharanyam sharanam yaataah tapasaa tasya taapitaah || [[399]] All the gods went and surrendered unto Hari, who is the single cause of the entire world, and is without beginning or end, one who is the refuge of all beings.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 33: Devaah oochuh - Deva deva jagannaatha paresha purushottama | Dhruvasya tapasaa taptaah tvaam vayam sharanam gataah || Devaas said - O Supreme Lord, Master of the entire world, Purushottama, we are highly disturbed by the tapas of Dhruva, we are surrendering unto You.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 34: Dine dine kalaa leshaih shashaankah pooryate yathaa | Tathaa ayam tapasaa deva prayaat vruddhim aharnisham || Just as the moon gets bigger and bigger every single day, like that, he is growing, his power is growing day and night.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 35: Outtaana paadi tapasaa vayam ittham janaardana | Bheetaah tvaam sharanam yaataah tapasah tam nivartaya || O Janaardana, we are terrified by the tapas of the son of Uttaanapaada, and are surrendering unto You. Please make him turn away from this tapas.

Devaas go and surrender unto Vishnu as they are scared of losing their position and powers. [[400]]

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 36: Na vidmah kim sa shakratvam sooryatvam kim abheepsyasi | Vittapa ambupa somaanaam saabhilaashah pradeshu kim || We do not know whether he is desiring to become Indra itself, or to become Aaditya. We are going to lose our positions and powers. Or whether he is interested in attaining the position of *Kubera *(the lord of wealth), *Varuna *(the lord of waters), or Soma.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 37: Tat asmaakam praseedesha hrudayaacchalyam uddhara | Uttaana paada tanayam tapasah tat nivartaya || Please do remove our worry - we are terrified by this boy’s meditation, please do help us. Let him not continue his tapas like this.

They go and pray to Hari, as they have got their powers from Hari only doing all kinds of penance. When someone is doing more penance, they get scared that they will lose their powers.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 38: Sri Bhagavaan uvaacha - Na indratvam na cha sooryatvam na eva ambupa dhane shataam | Praarthayati esha yam kaamam tam karomi akhilam suraah || Sri Bhagavaan said - Indra padavi, or Soorya, or Varuna or Kubera, he does not desire any of these. He is not going to request any of these positions. Don’t worry; I will grant him whatever he desires. [[401]]

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ***Na iti | Kaamam kaamyam | ***

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 39: Yaata devaa yathaa kaamam sva sthaanam vigata jvaraah | Nivartayaami aham baalam tapasi aasakta maanasam || Go back to your places without any fear. I am going to grant him his boon, whatever he desires, and make him stop his penance.

40

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 40: Sri Paraasharah - Iti uktvaa deva devena pranamya tridashaah tatah | Prayayuh svaani dhishnyaani shata kratu purogamaah || Sri Paraasharar said - Being given an assurance like this by Hari, that Dhruva is not going to ask for these positions, the gods go back to their places, Indra and all the gods.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Iti iti | Dhishnyaani sthaanaani |

41

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 41: Bhagavaan api sarvaatmaa tanmayatvena toshitah | Gatvaa dhruvam uvaacha idam chaturbhuja vapuh harih || [[402]] Bhagavaan extremely pleased by the concentration of Dhruva, whose thoughts were completely filled by Vishnu. Hari went and told Dhruva, revealing His form with four arms.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Bhagavaan iti tanmayatvena dhruvasya tat eka vishaya chittatvena | Dhruva’s mind was having only Vishnu as the object of thoughts, and nothing else.

42

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 42: Sri Bhagavaan uvaacha - Outtaana paade bhadram te tapasaa paritoshitah | Varado aham anupraapto varam varaya suvrata || Sri Bhagavaan said - O son of Uttaanapaada, let all auspicious things happen to you. I am extremely pleased by your tapas. O boy, now I have come in front of you. I give all boons whatever is desired. Whatever boon you seek, ask for that.

*Varaan dadaati iti varadah. *

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 43: Baahya artha nirapeksham te mayi chittam yadaahitam | Tushto aham bhavatah tena tat vruneeshva varam param || When you withdrew from all external objects, you were totally disinterested in all external sense objects, when you concentratedly did meditation on [[403]] Me, I became very pleased; whatever you want, ask of Me. I am going to grant you.

44

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 44: Sri Paraasharah - Shrutvettham gaditam tasya devadevasya baalakah | Unmeelitaaksho dadrushe dhyaana drushtam harim purah || Sri Paraasharar said - Dhruva with his mind completely meditating upon Hari, as taught by Saptarshis, listening to Bhagavaan’s words, the boy opened his eyes, and saw the same form right in front of him.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Shrutvaa iti | Dhyaana drushtam harim purah yathaa dhyaanam barhi
drushtavaan |

45

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 45: ShankHa chakra gadaa shaarnga vara asi dharam achyutam | Kireetinam samaalokya jagaama shirasaa maheem || He saw Bhagavaan wearing the Shankha, Chakra, Gadaa, Shaarnga, Asi, the Pancha Aayudhaas, wearing the wonderful kireeta. He saw Him and bowed down in great devotion.

46

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 46: Romaanchitaangah sahasaa saadhvasam paramam gatah | Stavaaya deva devasya sa chakre maanasam dhruvah || [[404]] He was horripilated in his entire body, and tried very hard in order to praise Bhagavaan, to do stotra of Bhagavaan.

47

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 47: Kim vadaami stutaavasya kena uktena asya samstutih | Iti aakulamatih devam tam eva sharanam yayou || He was thinking - ‘What is the stuti that I am going to tell’, ‘How do I praise Him’, ‘What stotras that I tell in order to eulogize Bhagavaan’, he was worried in his mind about what to do. Not knowing anything, he just surrendered unto Him only.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Kim vadaami iti | Kim vadaami kim vaakyam vadaami | Kena uktena
arthena |

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 48: Dhruva uvaacha - Bhagavaan yadi me tosham tapasaa paramam gatah | Stotum tvaam aham icchaami tatra prajnyaam prayaccha me || Dhruva said - O Lord, if You are highly pleased with my tapas, I want to pray to You, I want to eulogize You, please do grant me knowledge required for that.

There are two additional shlokaas given here. These are also there in the Gita Press version. ( Brahmaadyaih veda tattvajnyaih jnyaayate yasya no gatih | [[405]] Tam tvaam katham aham deva stotum shaknomi baalakah || Chaturmukha Brahma and others who are knowledgeable about the Vedaas, they also cannot know the activities or svaroopa or svabhaava of Bhagavaan. I am just a five year old boy, how can I eulogize You, do stotra to You.

Tvat bhakti pravanam hi etat parameshvara me manah | Stotum kaamayate vishno tatra prajnyaam prayaccha me || My mind is completely filled with devotion for You. Having extreme devotion towards You, I want to eulogize You, and desire greatly to pray unto You. Give me the knowledge.)

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 49: Sri Paraasharah - Shankha praantena govindah tam pasparsha krutaanjalim | Uttaanapaada tanayam dvija varya jagat patih || Sri Paraasharar said - Bhagavaan touches his cheek, with the conch, one who was holding his hands and bowing down.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Shankha praantena iti | Vidyaa kosha shankha iti bhagavat shaastre
astra bhooshana adhyaaye cha darshanaat | In the Aagamaas and the Astra Bhooshana Adhyaaya, it is told that the shankha encompasses all knowledge. With that *shankha, *Bhagavaan touched Dhruva’s cheek.

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***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 50: *** [[406]] Atha prasanna vadanah sa kshanaat nrupanandanah | Tushtaava pranato bhootvaa bhoota dhaataaram achyutam || Immediately on being touched by the Shankha, Dhruva started to eulogize Bhagavaan in a most wonderful way. He bowed down in reverence to Bhagavaan, who supports all beings, Achyuta.

This is well known as Dhruva Stuti. He starts to eulogize Bhagavaan in a most wonderful way. There are explanations and commentary for this Dhruva Stuti. We will take this up in the next class. Dhruva gets the knowledge to eulogize Bhagavaan because he was touched by the Shankha of Bhagavaan.

We studied today how Dhruva did ghora tapas, and nobody could disturb him. And how Vishnu revealed Himself to that small boy, and grants him whatever he desires. First he desires to eulogize Bhagavaan.

Recap: In the previous session, we had just started to study the *Dhruva *Stuti. Dhruva, a small 5 year old boy, wonderfully meditated upon *Sri *Vishnu, with the Dwaadashaakshara Mantra taught by Saptarshis. So intense was his dhyaana, and he was meditating with so much devotion, that finally Vishnu appears right in front of him. When Dhruva sees the grand form of Vishnu in front of him, he does not know how to pray and what to do, he surrenders unto Bhagavaan seeking His grace. Bhagavaan touches him with the divine conch, and immediately Dhruva gets the divya jnyaana, and starts to eulogize Bhagavaan. Paraasharar continues to tell Maitreya how Dhruva prays to Bhagavaan.

Dhruva praises Bhagavaan and says that everything is Bhagavaan only. He tells Mahaavishnu that ‘You are only everything right from achetana [[407]] prakruti to all the modifications and states in which prakruti exists’. The baddha, the muktaas, everything that exists is Bhagavaan only.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 51: Dhruva uvaacha - Bhoomih aapo analo vaayuh kham mano buddhih eva cha | Bhootaadih aadi prakrutih yasya roopam nato asmi tam || *Pruthivi, ap, tejas, vaayu, aakaasha *- the pancha bhootaas are told here. This also includes the tanmaatraas, manas, buddhi. Manas includes the other sense organs also the jnyaanendriyaas and karmendriyaas. This is upalakshana. Buddhi is mahaan, mahat tattva. Bhootaadi is ahamkaara, from which pancha bhootaas are created. Aadi prakruti is *pradhaana, *avyakta. All these are Whose form, that Bhagavaan, I bow down to.

Pancha bhootaas, tanmaatraas, ahamkaara, mahat tattva, pradhaana, everything is Your shareera only. You are antaryaami existing in everything. In this way, all the words denote Paramaatman only, *Vedaih cha sarvaih *aham eva vedyah. Before *naama roopa vyaakarana, *Bhagavaan does anupravesha, and does naama roopa vyaakarana. All names and forms in the ultimate sense denote Paramaatman only. This is what Dhruva is eulogizing Bhagavaan that ‘You are only pradhaana, You are only mahat tattva, You are only ahamkaara, all these are Your forms only. That Bhagavaan who is existing in all these forms, I bow down to You’.

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[[408]] After the achetana forms, Dhruva is eulogizing Bhagavaan as existing in the embodied souls, the baddha chetanaas. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 52: Shuddha sookshmo akhila vyaapee pradhaanaat paratah pumaan | Yasya roopam namah tasmai purushaaya gunaatmane || The jeevaatman who is pervading in all the bodies, in every embodied soul, as an individual self who pervades within the body, with his *dharma bhoota *jnyaana. He is present in all bodies, He is pervading each body with his dharma bhoota jnyaana, and is shuddha by his very nature. He is associated with prakruti and experiences the sattva, rajas, tamas, the effects. This is telling about the baddha purusha. He is very subtle, *anu *svaroopi, the jeevaatman. He is superior to pradhaana, the achetana. This is also Bhagavaan’s form only. Bhagavaan only is in that form. Everything is His body, all are His prakaaraas, modes. That Bhagavaan who is existing in this form, I bow down to You.

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Now, he is eulogizing Bhagavaan as mukta roopi. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 53: Bhootaadeenaam samastaanaam gandhaadeenaam cha shashvatah | Buddhyaadeenaam pradhaanasya purushasya cha yah parah || One who is superior to the baddha jeevaatman is mukta jeevaatman. The pancha bhootaas, the mahat, ahamkaara, and all the tattvaas, [[409]] the pradhaana, avyakta, the *baddha purushaas *- above all these is the muktaaatma. You are only the antaryaami, antaraatman of all that.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Mukta roopam aaha - bhootaadeenaam iti | Purushah baddhah |

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 54: Tam brahma bhootam aatmaanam ashesha jagatah patim | Prapadye sharanam shuddham tvat roopam parameshvara || That form also, which is Yours, which is shuddha, most pure, Paramaatman, You who are existing in all these forms, I surrender unto You.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Tam iti | Brahma bhootam apahata paapmatva aadi brahma dharma
yuktam | Ashesha jagatah param iti paathaantaram | Ashesha jagatah
param * Sa sarvaan paapmano apahatya sarveshaam cha bhootaanaam
sraishtyam svaaraajyam adhipatyam cha paryeti, ya evam veda * Sa
svaaraat bhavati * Aapnoti svaaraajyam * iti shruteh | There is a paathaantara called jagatah param. Brahma bhootam means that he has not become Paramaatman Himself. It means that he has attained Parabrahman’s qualities, *apahata paapmatva, vijarah, vimrutyuh, *vishokah, vijighatsah, apipaasah, satya kaamah, satya sankalpah. The muktaatman has attained these ashta gunaas in full form, as he has got rid of the karma bandha. As he gets rid of the karma bandha, he is said to be svaraat. He is above all the bhootaas. You are also existing in the form of the muktaas. To You, who are existing in this form, I bow down to You.

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***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 55: *** [[410]] Bruhatvaat brahmanatvaat cha yat roopam brahma sanjnyitam | Tasmai namaste sarvaatman yogi chintya avikaarine || This is the definition of Brahman, which is also given by Sri Bhaashyakaarar. By itself, it is huge. It can make something also attain that mighty form. Dhruva is eulogizing Bhagavaan’s divya roopa itself, directly. He is bruhat. He can also make something else attain that form. Jeevaatmans attain aanantya in their dharma bhoota jnyaana when they attain moksha. Their dharma bhoota jnyaana is sankuchita in the bound state. When they attain liberation, Paramaatman makes *jeevaatman’s *dharma bhoota jnyaana become ananta, just as equal to Paramaatman. Paramaatman makes jeevaatman also become bruhat in terms of attributive nature. He is eka roopa, unchanged, immutable. The second roopa is divya mangala vigraha. His divya mangala vigraha is also like that. His form can only be meditated upon by yogis, can be perceived only by yogis in dhyaana. He is the self of everything. To You who are existing in all these forms, I bow down to You.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Divya svaroopam aaha - bruhatvaat iti | * Samastaasshaktayah cha
etaa nrupa yatra pratishthitaah | * ityaadinaa bruhatvam
brahmanatvam cha uktam | * Moortam brahma mahaa bhaaga * iti
brahma samjyatvam | * Sadaika roopa roopaaya iti avikaaritvam uktam
| Kalaa muhoorta ityaadinaa vibhooteh nityatve sati kaa chintaa
vigrahaadi nityatve | All the shaktis are existing in Paramaatman, under His control. He is the abode of all powers, capabilities, qualities. Everything is supported by Him, existing in Him. Brahma is the samjnye, name for Paramaatman. In the *nitya *vibhooti, kaala does not have any control. Kaala which is divided into *kalaa, *muhoorta, kaashtha, paksha, samvatsara, does not have any control in Parama Pada, Nitya Vibhooti. When Nitya Vibhooti is itself like that, what to tell of Paramaatman’s Divya Mangala Vigraha? That is also nitya, eternal.

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[[411]] Now, Dhruva starts to eulogize Bhagavaan very similar to the *Purusha *Sookta. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 56: Sahasra sheershaa purushah sahasraakshah sahasra paat | Sarva vyaapee bhuvah sparshaat atyatishtat dashaangulam || Here, Dhruva is eulogizing the divine nature of Paramaatman. Thousand heads, thousand eyes, thousand feet.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Divya svaroopam aaha - sahasra sheershaa iti | Anena purushasya
jnyaana shaktyoh aanantyam tat phaleebhrutaa (vibhootou) vyaaptih
cha pratipaadyate | Atra sahasra shabdo ananta vachanah | Sheersha
grahanam sarvaanga pratyanga upalakshanam | Atah atra sheersha
shabdah shiraso jnyaana karmendriyaanaam aadhaaratayaa tat
kaaryaanaam jnyaana shakteenaam upalakshakah | *
Sheershancchandaseeti shira shabdasya sheershan bhaavah | Tayaa cha
uktam braahmane shirasshabda nirvachane * Bodhana manana shravana
sparshana darshana rasana ghraana jnyaanaani shrutaani
bhavanteetyatah shirah * iti | Ato anena purushasya jnyaana shaktyoh
aanantyam uktam | Uktam artham prapanchayati sahasraakshah
sahasra paat iti | Sahasraaksha iti jnyaanasya aanantyam uktam,
sahasra paat iti shakteh aanantyam | Atra akshi shabdah sarva
jnyaanendriyaanaam upalakshakah | Paada shabdah sarva
karmendriyaanaam upalakshakah | Atra hi anga pratyangaadeenaam
abhaavaat tat kaarya bhoota jnyaana shaktyoh aanantyam eva uchyate
| Kutah? * Na tasya kaaryam karanamcha vidyate * iti shruteh | Ayam
hi bhagavaan sarvaih eva indriyaih eka ekena vaa vinimayena vaa
dehena vaa avayavena vaa svaroopena vaa sarvam sadaa sarvathaa
saakshaat karoti | Tathaa cha shrutih * Apaani paado javano graheetaa
* iti aadih | Yathaa aahuh sheevatsaanka mishraah * Na cha ayam
shalaleeva shalalaih sarvatah shirah chakshuraadibhih
vairoopyaavahaih aachita iti uchyate; kim tu yathaa aparyanta [[412]] chakshusho paryaanta avayavaah cha sarvam drashtum kartum cha
shaknuvanti tathaa ayam api * iti | Purusha shabdasya * poorvameva
aham iha aasam iti, * Tat purushasya purushatvam * Pooraanaat
sadanaat cha api tato asi purusho smrutah * iti aadishu shruti smrutishu
bahu prakaaram nirvachanam drashtavyam | Bhuvah bhavati iti bhooh
| Anena asat vyaavruttaani chit achit aatmakaani sarvaani bhootaani
lakshyante | Sparshaat iti | Dashaangulam dasha gunam mahaa
pramaanam iti bhaavah | Atyadhishthat sarva vyaapitvaat | Bhuvah
chit achit aatmakasya jagatah sparshaat sparsham krutvaa
dashaangulam atyadhishtat bhagavaan iti anvayah | Sparshaat iti
lyamlope panchamee | * Yenaavrutam kham cha divam maheem cha *
Yat cha kinchit jagat * ityaadi shrutishu vyaapyaat jagato vyaapakasya
purushasya mahatvam pratipaaditam | Sahasra does not mean thousand, it represents unending, innumerable. Innumerable heads, innumerable eyes, innumerable feet. It is not just the limbs and head; it denotes the jnyaana and shakti of Paramaatman. Because of this, His vyaapti, pervasion is also everywhere, unending. By telling the head, all the parts of the body are indicated. The head is the abode, controlling place of all the jnyaanendriyaas and karmendriyaas. *Shiras *shabda indicates jnyaana and shakti, which are ananta. The head controlling the sense organs, the effects are denoted here. The declension of this *shiras *shabda is told as knowing, meditating or thinking, listening, touching, sight, taste, smelling - all these are controlled there; all these are digested there and everything is processed in the head; this is why shiras is said to be the nirvachana of that. By all these explanations, we can understand that the Purusha having thousand heads means Purusha who is having innumerable, unending, ananta jnyaana and shakti. There is no limit to His powers and knowledge. This is being told clearly in these words. *Sahasra *aksha means aanantya of jnyaana, sahasra paat means aanantya of shakti; because akshi indicates jnyaanendriya and foot indicates karmendriya. Akshi shabda indicates all the jnyaanendriyaas, and the paada shabda indicates all the karmendriyaas. Here, Bhagavaan is not told as having all the limbs, we have to understand it as the effects of all that, the functions performed by the jnyaanendriyaas and karmendriyaas; the aanantya of jnyaana and shakti is to be understood here. What is [[413]] the pramaana for this? Shvetaashvatara Upanishad says that ‘He does not have deha and indriyaas like we have. We get all of these because of the karmaas to experience the results of the karmaas. He is karmaadhyaksha, and so does not have body and indriyaas like ours. For Him, there is no one who is equal or above Him. All His *jnyaana kriya, bala *kriya are natural to Him. He is endowed with innumerable varieties of powers’. Nobody can imagine His powers, and nobody can say that He is like this, He is not like this, He can be anything in any form in any way. *Yo vetti *yugapat sarvam pratyakshena sadaa svatah, is what *Swami *Yaamunaachaarya says in his Nyaaya Tattva mangala shloka. He is one who knows at the same time, everything, He perceives directly, all the time, by Himself. This is the sarvajnyatva of Bhagavaan. He can perceive everything directly all the time, either with using the indriyaas, or without using the indriyaas, with body or without body, with limbs or without limbs, He has such wonderful unimaginable powers and capabilities. The *Paramaatma *svaroopa nobody can fully understand or perceive that. Shruti is clearly declaring all these qualities of Paramaatman, ‘He does not have hands and legs like us, He can move around anywhere, and He can hold anything’. Srivatsaanka Mishra tells ‘When we read about *Sahasra sheershah *purushah, sahasra aaksha, sahasra paat, when we imagine with our human heads and eyes, and feet, it will look like a very ugly form; it is not like this; shalali is porcupine and shalala is the quill of the porcupine, porcupine’s body is filled with quills, and it looks very ugly with the quills all over, Bhagavaan’s form is not ugly like that; Bhagavaan’s form is not filled with heads and eyes and feet all over His body just like the quill of a porcupine, then how else is this to be imagined? It is like one who has eyes which can see to any end, unending, unlimited sight, limbs which can reach to any place, end of anything, He can see everything and do everything’. Taittiriya Aaranyaka says that ‘I was here before itself’, Purusha who is described in the Purusha Sookta is the Creator of everything, He was present before anything else was present, that is the Purushatva of Him, one who exists before anything else. He fills everything, there is nothing which is not bhagavat aatmaka. He is residing everywhere, that is why He is said to be Purusha. The nirvachana of *Purusha *shabda is given in many ways - puri shete, one who resides in the body, He resides in all beings, all bodies, He is Purusha; He fills everything, He is said [[414]] to be Purusha; He was present before anything else, He is Purusha. What exists, what becomes is bhooh. It is not mithya or asat, it is sat; it exists in all beings, sentient or non sentient, everything is indicated by *bhuvah. *Dashaangulam is not just ten inches, but it is of huge proportion. He stands above all these things, exceeding everything, as He pervades everything. Having touched the entire world consisting of the sentient and non sentient, He stands above and beyond everything. Mahaa Naaraayanopanishad says ‘By whom is pervaded the antariksha loka, dyu loka, pruthivi loka, everything, He is the One. Whatever is seen or heard in this world, Naaraayana exists pervading it from inside or outside’. Jagat is vyaapya, that which is pervaded; Vyaapaka, one who pervades, is the Purusha. This is told very clearly in all these Shruti pramaanaas. His greatness is told because He pervades everything.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 57: Yat bhootam yat cha vai bhavyam purushottama tat bhavaan | Tvatto viraat svaraat samraat tvattah cha api adhipoorushah || Whatever existed before, whatever is going to exist in future, O Purushottama, You are only everything. Viraat is said to be either Chaturmukha Brahma or Hiranya Garbha. Svaraat is said to be the kevala aatma praapta. Samraat is said to be *parama pada praapta. *Adhipoorusha is said to be Hiranya Garbha. Viraat is *avyakta shareeraka *aniruddha. From You only, all these are created.

Here, the Purusha Sookta mantra is ’ *Purusha evedagam sarvam yat bhootam **yat cha bhavyam … *’; this shloka is very similar to the Purusha Sookta.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Na kevalam vyomavat vyaapakatvam, sarva shareeritvam cha iti aaha
yat bhootam iti | Tvatta iti aadi | Viraat avyakta shareero aniruddhah [[415]] | Tathaa cha moksha dharme * Eeshvaro hi jagat srashtaa vibhuh
naaraayano viraat | Tato yajnyascha yashtaa cha puraanah purusho
viraat | Aniruddha iti prokto lokaanaam prabhavaapyayah || iti cha |
Samraat parama pada praaptah, * So aksharah paramah svaraat * iti
visheshanaat | Svaraat kevala aatma praaptah | Yat vaa * Ayam
lokastu vai samraat antariksham viraat smrutam || Svaraat asou
smruto lokah * iti vaayu ukteh lokaah viraat aadayah | Adhi purushah
adhikaari purusho brahmaa ayam vaa tvaam adhikaraneekrutya
purushah aatma samasthi roopo hiranyagarbho ajaayata | Paramaatman has everything as His shareera. He is not just pervading just like aakaasha. He controls and supports everything. And everything exists for His sake only. Everything is from You. Avyakta shareera Aniruddha is indicated by Viraat. Aniruddha is a vyooha avataara who does srushti, and pralaya. He is one who performs the yajnya, He Himself is the yajnya. Everything is from Him only. He is only everything. That Viraat purusha is said to be Aniruddha. Samraat is said to be one who has attained *Parama *Pada, indicates mukta. Akshara is said to be kevala aatmaa, one who has attained the kaivalya. In Vaayu Puraana, viraat, svaraat and samraat are told as various lokaas, worlds. This loka is said to be *samraat. Antariksha *loka is said to be viraat. Svaraat is another loka. Everything exists for Paramaatman, He is the shareeri. Adhikaari purusha is *Chaturmukha *Brahma, or it can mean that ‘Taking You as the support, or locus, *Hiranya *Garbha was born, so he is said to be adhipoorusha’. The *aatma samashti *roopa, the collectivity of all individual selves, is said to be *Hiranya *Garbha also. From You only, all these are created, supported, everything is You only. Paramaatman’s wonderful svaroopa is told here.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 58: Atyarityata so adhascha tiryak oordhvam cha vai bhuvah | Tvatto vishvam idam jaatam tvatto bhootam bhavishyati || Below the bhoomi, that is paataala, in all the islands, in svarga and other lokaas, He grew or expanded below, above, sideways, in all [[416]] directions, through various creations. Through Chaturmukha Brahma, He created various various beings, sthaavara, tiryak, etc. All these worlds were born of You. Whatever existed before, or whatever is going to exist in future, they are all born of You only.

This is also like *Purusha Sookta - ‘Etaavaan asya mahimaa at jyaayaagscha **poorushah …’ *

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Atyarichateti | Sah purushah, bhuvo adhah paataale, tiryak sarva
dveepeshu, oordhvam svargaadou, atyarichyata santaanaatmanaa
vruddha, vyashti roopena vaa | Vyashti roopa is after name and form differentiation is done. He expanded Himself during creation.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 59: Tvat roopa dhaarinah chaantah sarva bhootam idam jagat | Tvatto yajnyah sarvahutah prushadaajyam pashurdvidhaa || Everything is inside that Adhipurusha which is Your form only. You are existing as antaryaami. Chaturmukha Brahma was created by You, and the whole world is existing in him. There is no need to say that everything is existing in You. Whatever belongs to one, all those things in the form of purodaasha, are all offered as oblation, this is said to be sarva hutah. In this yajnya of creation, everything in the form of purodaasha, everything belonging to one, are offered as purodaasha; this is said to be *sarva hutah. *Prushadaajyam means ghee mixed with curd. Two types of pashus are those animals which live in the forest, and those which live in the cities.

[[417]] This is told similarly in Purusha Sookta as ’ *Tripadoordhva udet purushah **paadosyehaa bhavaat punah … Tasmaat viraat ajaayata … Yat purushena **havishaa … Tasmaat yajnyaat sarva hutah …’ *

These are telling about creation as told in Purusha Sookta.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Tvat roopa dhaarinee iti | Tvat roopa dhaarino adhipurushasya antah
sarva bhootam sarvam iti arthah | Tvat srushtyaapi antarjagat kim
punah tava iti bhaavah | Aatmeeyam sarvam asmin yajnye pashu
purodaashaadi roopena hutam iti sarva hutah | Prushadaajyam dadhi
mishram aajyam | Pashuh dvidhaa graamya aranya bhedena |

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 60: Thatto rucho atha saamaani tvattah cchandaamsi jajnyre | Tvatto yajoomshi ajaayanta tvatto ashvaashca ekatodatah || The Rig Veda came out of You. Saama came out You. Gaayatri Chandas and other chandas came out of You. You did the pravartana of all that. All the Yajurveda mantraas came out of You. The horses, and those animals which have jaw on only one side, the lower jaw alone, cows, buffaloes, etc.

This is told in Purusha Sookta as ’ *Tasmaat yajnyaat sarva hutah, ruchah **saamaani jajnyre … Tasmaat ashvaah ajaayanta …’ *

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Tvatta iti | Ekatodatah mahishaadayah |

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[[418]] Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 61: Gaavah tvattah samudbhootaa tvatto ajaa avayo mrugaah | Tvat mukhaat braahmanaah baahvoh tava kshatramajaayata || From You only the cows came. From You only, the ewe, sheep, and all deer, animals were born. From Your face the Braahmanaas were born. From Your arms, the Kshatriyaas were born.

This is told in Purusha Sookta as *‘Braahmano asya mukham aaseet, baahu **raajaanyah krutah …’ *

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Gaava iti | Teshu mahishaadishu gavaadeh pruthak yuktih
praashastyaat | Cows are told separately because of the sacred nature and importance of the cows.

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Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 62: Vaishyaah tava urujaah shoodraah tava padbhyaam samudgataah | Akshnoh soorya anilah praanaat chandramaa manasah tava || From Your thighs, Vaishyaas were born. From Your feet, Shoodraas were born. From Your eyes, Sun was born. From Your praana, Vaayu was created. From Your mind, the moon was created.

This comes in Purusha Sookta as ’ *Chandramaa manaso jaatah, chakshoh **sooryo ajaayata …’ *

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[[419]] Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 63: Praano (Praanaan) nah sushiraat jaato mukhaat agnirajaayata | Naabhito gaganam dyouh cha shirasah samavartata || From the vaayu which was existing in the nostrils, or from the *mukhya *praana, praana was created. Praana is one of the functions of the *pancha *praanaas, praana, apaana, vyaana, udaana, samaana. From Your mouth, Agni was created. From Your navel, the sky was created. From Your head, the dyu loka was created.

64

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 64: Dishah srotraat kshitih padbhyaam tvattah sarvam abhoot idam | From Your ears, the directions were created. From Your feet, the bhoomi, earth was created. From You only, all these were created.

Dhruva is eulogizing Bhagavaan just as in Purusha Sookta, telling about how everything was created from Bhagavaan. The greatness of Purusha Sookta is that it comes in all the four Vedaas. Bhaashyakaarar mentions this in Vedaartha Sangraha.

65

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 65: Nyagrodhah sumahaan alpe yathaa beeje vyavasthitah | [[420]] Samyame vishvam akhilam beeja bhoote tathaa tvayee || In the subtle seed, the whole nyagrodha tree is existing. In the same way, during pralaya, the entire world is existing in You in the form of that seed.

This is also the example given in Shvetaketu and Uddhalaka’s dialog in Chandogya Upanishad, how the entire world can be created by something which is not seen. Uddhalaka takes the example of a nyagrodha vruksha, tree, and take a seed of it and break it. When Shvetaketu breaks it, he sees a small part of it; Uddhalaka asks to break it further, and Shvetaketu says that he does not see anything. From this seed which you don’t see, a huge nyagrodha tree is created.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Nyagrodha iti | Samyame samhaare |

Further, Dhruva continues to eulogize Bhagavaan, in a most wonderful way, how creation happens, etc. Recap: In the previous session, we were studying Dhruva Stuti, where he is eulogizing Paramaatman, very similar to Purusha Sookta, the way Shruti eulogizes Bhagavaan, extolling the way in which He created everything. In the same way, Dhruva also did stuti of Bhagavaan.

63

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 63: Praano (Praanaan) nah sushiraat jaato mukhaat agnirajaayata | Naabhito gaganam dyouh cha shirasah samavartata ||

64

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 64: *** [[421]] Dishah srotraat kshitih padbhyaam tvattah sarvam abhoot idam |

All the gagana, dyu loka, agni, praana, everything was created from Paramaatman, the directions were created from His ears; from His feet, the Bhoo loka was created. Everything came out of You.

65

He gives an example for this. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 65: Nyagrodhah sumahaan alpe yathaa beeje vyavasthitah | Samyame vishvam akhilam beeja bhoote tathaa tvayee || How a huge mighty Nyagrodha tree is created from a minute seed, how a mighty Nyagrodha tree is present in a small seed. In the same way, during pralaya, the entire world, having the variety of objects, sentient and non-sentient, is present in You, who is like the seed.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Nyagrodha iti | Samyame samhaare |

66

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 66: Beejaat ankura sambhooto nyagrodhah tu samucchritah | Vistaaram cha yathaa yaati tvayaa srushtam tathaa jagat || From the seed of the Nyagrodha, the sprout comes, how the mighty Nyagrodha tree grows, the mighty branches, leaves and flowers, in the same way, this whole world has come out of You, who is like the seed.

67

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 67: *** [[422]] Yathaa hi kadalee naanyaa tvak patraat atha drushyate | Evam vishvasya naanyastvam tvat sthaayee eeshvara drushyate || The banana tree is made of the stem, skin, leaves; and everything is said to be the plantain tree only. The plantain tree is not different from its stem, or skin or leaves. In the same way, You are no different from this whole world; You are one with it, and everything is present in You.

This is a very important siddhaanta we have to understand, and this is also established in the Brahma Sutraas.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Yathaa iti | Yathaa cha kaarana bhootaa baalatvak patraavasthaa
kadalee sva kaarya bhoota sthoolatvak patraat naanyaa saa eva cha
iyam iti prati abhijnyaanaat; evam kaarana bhootastvam kaarya
bhootaat vishvasmaat naanyah, * Bahu syaam * Tat aatmaanam svayam
akuruta * Jyoteemshi vishnuh * ityaadeh | Api cha vishvasmaat pruthak
bhootah tripaat roopena tvam drushyase | * Vyatiriktam na yasya asti
vyatirikto akhilasya yah * Tripaadasyaamrutam divi * ityaadi | Just as the young state of a plantain tree with small leaves and skin, which is just beginning to come out, and is the cause of the gross state of the plantain tree with huge leaves, and big skin; the small sprout which comes out is the cause of its own effect, the small state and gross state are both called the plantain tree only; and we recognize it as the same, whatever was the sprout, is the same tree itself, in the same way, You who are the cause of this entire world, You are not different from the effect which is this whole world. The innumerable types of these objects here, You who are the cause are no different from the effect which is this whole world. This is clearly established in the Shrutis, Smrutis. Bhagavaan did sankalpa and said ’ Bahu syaam’, ‘Let Me become many’, and He became many. He made Himself Himself. Svasya kaaryasya svayam eva kaaranam iti sukrutam. Without any strain or effort, He just did sankalpa and became many, [[423]] without any aayaasa; that is why it is called sukruta. For His effect, He Himself is the cause. The world is not different from Him. This is established in the Brahma Sutra, ’ *Tat ananyatvam aarambhana shabdaadibhyah’. *Shruti says ’ Mruttiketyeva satyam’, everything is mrut aatmaka, all effects are made from mud. Like this, everything is bhagavat aatmaka. And is Smrutis, it is told in Vishnu Puraana, Jyoteemshi Vishnuh, the various sources of light like fire, sun, moon, stars, etc. everything is Vishnu only; this is in saamaanaadhikaranya; like Tat tvam asi, everything is *bhagavat *aatmaka, there is nothing which can shine without Him, *Tasya bhaasaa *sarvam idam bibhaati, so, everything can be said to be Him only. Not only that, You are very different and distinct from this entire world, You are seen as Tripaat roopa. It is told in *Purusha Sookta, Paadosya vishvaa *bhootaani tripaadasyaamrutam divi. There is nothing which is different from Him, who is different from everything; Bhagavat svaroopa is like that. Though He is everything, He is antaryaami, the inner controller of everything. Being all pervading, He is different and distinct from everything. He is untouched by any of the defects, and is having innumerable auspicious qualities, His nature is opposed to everything that is defiling, He is all pervading, controls everything, everything is His mode being His *shareera. *Tri has the meaning of bahutva, three feet, like *Sahasra sheershaa *purushah, sahasraakshah sahasra paat. The sheersha, aksha, paat are indicative of jnyaana and shakti of Paramaatman, which is incomparable. He is endowed with innumerable auspicious qualities. He is different and distinct from everything. During pralaya, the entire world is present in Him, in the form of a seed, like a tree is present inside a seed. He does *sankalpa, *‘Bahu syaam’ and the whole world is created. He does anupravesha and becomes everything.

Dhruva eulogizes Paramaatman as ‘Everything is present in You, and You are not different from the world’.

68

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 68: Hlaadinee sandhinee samvit tvayyekaa sarva samsthitou | [[424]] Hlaadataapakaree mishraa tvayi no guna varjite || That which is in the form of incomparable bliss, You who are the abode and support of everything, without any break. Your jnyaana is *niravadhika *atishaya aananda.

Samvit means dharma bhoota jnyaana.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Hlaadineeti | Sarva samsthitou sarvaadhaare tvayee | Samvit
hlaadinee niravadhika aananda svaroopaa sandhinee anvicchedavatee |
Ekaa eka roopaa | Hlaadataapa ubhaya mishraa vicchinna aparimitaa
aahlaadakaree kevala taapa karee cha samvit tvayee naasti | Atra
hetuh guna varjita iti | Iyam cha samvit tvat kartrukaa vaa tvat
karmikaa vaa * Vijnyaanam aanandam brahma * Tam evam vidvaan
amruta iha bhavati * Rasou vai sah rasam hi eva ayam labdhvaa
aanandee bhavati * ityaadi shruteh | You do not have the jnyaana which is limited or bound, or which has got limited bliss. Paramaatman’s jnyaana is niravadhika atishaya aananda, because it is guna varjita. Guna varjita also includes heya guna varjita, without any defects. He Himself is the bliss, He is the object of such bliss, or He creates such bliss in others, both can be told. Shruti says ’ *Vijnyaanam *aanandam brahma’, He is of the nature of aananda, abundant aananda, unlimited unparalleled bliss. One who does upaasanaa on Paramaatman, here itself, he gets amruta, liberated; there is no other way. His nature itself is aananda. When the mukta gets liberated and goes to Paramaatman, through Paramaatman’s anugraha, he goes and joins Paramaatman, who is aananda maya, of the nature of innumerable bliss; having attained the Paramaatman through His grace, he also becomes aanandi; he enjoys the bliss equally as that if Paramaatman.

This is how Dhruva eulogizes Paramaatman in the most wonderful way. [[425]]

69

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 69: Pruthak bhootaika bhootaaya bhoota bhootaaya te namah | Prabhoota bhoota (roopaaya) bhootaaya tubhyam bhootaatmane namah
|| That being separate (different), and being one, ( *kaarya *avasthaa and kaarana avasthaa). Then He became many. He created the world with innumerable objects, and He Himself is present as everything. You are only present as pancha bhootaas. One who became *pancha *bhootaas means that one who is having the five elements as His shareera, I bow down to You. That which are present as prominent, or as many, Chaturmukha Brahma and all the beings - You only have become all that, You are having all that as Your shareera. You who have pervaded everything like this, I bow down to You. Or also, bhoota bhootaaya is *bhoota **sookshmaas *(subtle state), and prabhoota bhoota is *mahaa bhoota **avasthe *(gross state). Bhoota is also in the meaning of beings, One who is present in the form of all beings. I pay my obeisance to You.

Eka bhoota is when He is one, in the kaarana avasthaa, causal state.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ***Pruthak bhoota iti | Pruthak bhootaika bhootaaya kaarya kaarana
avasthayoh, bhoota bhootaaya pancha bhoota shareeraaya | Prabhoota
bhoota bhootaaya iti cha paathah | Prabhoota bhoota bhootaaya
prabhootaani bhootaani brahmaadayah praaninah, tat bhootaaya |
Bhootaatmane evam vyaaptaatmane | Athavaa bhoota bhootaaya
bhoota sookshmatvena aavirbhootaaya | Prabhoota bhoota bhootaaya
mahaa bhootatvam praaptaaya | Bhootaatmane sarva praani roopaaya
nama iti | ***

70

[[426]] Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 70: Vyaktam pradhaana purushou viraat saamraat svaraat tathaa | Vibhaavyate antah karane purusheshu akshayo bhavaan || That which is present distinctly and is well seen, well manifested in the gross state; viraat, samraat, svaraat were explained in Shloka 57 earlier; viraat was told as avyakta shareerah Aniruddhah, Aniruddha who is having avyakta as His shareera; samraat was told as parama pada praaptah, one who has attained parama pada; svaraat is one who has attained *kevala *aatma, kaivalya. All of these, *vyaktam bhavaan, pradhaana purushou *bhavaan, viraat samraat svaraat bhavaan, we have to take anvaya like this. Yogis, when they do meditation upon You, in their antahkarana, their inner sense organ, the mind, You reveal Yourself.

71

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 71: Sarvasmin sarva bhootastvam sarvah sarva svaroopa dhrut | Sarvam tvattah tatah cha tvam namah sarvaatmane astu te || In the sky or ether, etc., You are the attributes, shabda and other things. Because You are present as the svaroopa of everything also, You are all pervading, existing as inner controller, having everything as shareera, You are only everything. You became everything, means everything was born out of You, You are the instrumental cause and also material cause of everything. You who are present as inner controller of everything, I do namaskaara to You.

[[427]] This is also told in Bhagavad Geetha also as His *vibhootis - ‘Shabdah khe *pourusham nrushu, tejaschaasmi vibhaavasou’, ‘I am the shabda, I am the tejas, I am the valour in humans’.

There is a Brahma Sutra which says ’ Parinaamaat’. He was one, and became many through His willing.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Sarvasmin iti | Sarvasmin gaganaadou, sarva bhootah shabdaadih tvam
* Shabdah khe pourusham nrushu * Tejaschaasmi vibhaavasou * ityaadi
sarva svaroopa dharatvaat sarvah | Sarva bhootah * Bahu syaam iti
sarva roopena parinatah | Sarvam tvattah nimittatvaat
upaadaanatvaat cha sarvam tvam iti arthah |

72

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 72: Sarvaatmako asi sarvesha sarva bhoota sthito yatah | Kathayaami tatah kim te sarvam vetsi hrudi sthitah || You are the inner self of everything, You are the ruler of everything, You are present inside everything as antaryaami; to You, how can I even say what is there in my mind? You know everything in everybody’s mind. What can I tell You what is my desire?

73

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 73: Sarvaatman sarva bhootesha sarva sattva samudbhava | Sarva bhooto bhavaan vetti sarva sattva manoratham || You are the inner self of everything, and ruler of all beings. One who is the cause of all beings. One who is present as everything. You know very clearly what is the desire, or interest of every being. [[428]]

74

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 74: Yo me manoratho naatha saphalah sa tvayaa krutah | Tapah cha taptam saphalam yat drushto asi jagat pate || Whatever was my desire, You have made it a reality. The penance, tapas that I did has yielded me the fruit. I have directly perceived You, this is the fruit of my tapas, and that was also because of You. It was out of Your grace that I am seeing You.

75

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 75: Sri Bhagavaan uvaacha - Tapasah tu phalam praaptam yat drushto aham tvayaa dhruva | Mat darshanam hi viphalam raaja putra na jaayate || Sri Bhagavaan said - You have seen Me, I have revealed Myself to you. You have gained the fruits of your tapas. When someone sees Me, it will never become viphala, it will never be futile, it will always yield the desired fruits.

76

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 76: Varam varaya tasmaat tvam yatha abhimatam aatmanah | Sarvam sampadyate pumsaam mayi drushti patham gate || Whatever is your desire, you seek the boon according to that. By such a person by whom I am seen, everything can be attained.

77

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 77: Dhruva uvaacha - [[429]] Bhagavan bhoota bhavyesha sarvasya aaste bhavaan hrudi | Kim ajnyaatam tava svaamin manasaa yat mayepsitam || Dhruva said - O Bhagavaan, ruler of whatever existed earlier, whatever is going to exist in future. You are present in the heart or mind of all beings. What is not known to You, which was desired by me?

78

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 78: Tathaa api tubhyam devesha kathayishyaami yat mayaa | Praarthyate durvineetena hrudayena ati durlabham || Even so, I am going to tell You what is being prayed to by me, being very greedy, that which is very difficult to attain.

79

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 79: Kim vaa sarva jagat srushtah prasanne tvayi durlabham | Tvat prasaada phalam bhunkte trailokyam maghavaan api || The creator of this whole world, when You are pleased, what is it that one cannot get? The three worlds enjoy the fruits which are out of Your grace only. Even Indra is enjoying because of Your grace only.

80

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 80: Na etat raajaasanam yogyam ajaatasya mamodaraat | Iti garvaadavochat maam sapatnee maatuh ucchakaih || My father’s second wife ( Suruchi) told very loudly and out of arrogance that ‘One who is not born out of my womb, such a person does not deserve this throne of the king’.

81

[[430]] Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 81: Aadhaara bhootam jagatah sarveshaam uttamottamam | Praarthayaami prabho sthaanam tvat prasaadaat ato avyayam || Because of that, I am seeking this boon from You, O Lord, the most exalted position in all worlds, which is the support of all these other places, that which is always present, does not change any time. Such a position I am seeking from You, out of Your grace.

82

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 82: Sri Bhagavaan uvaacha - Yat tvayaa praarthyate sthaanam etat praapsyasi vai bhavaan | Tvayaa aham toshitah poorvam anya janmani baalaka || Sri Bhagavaan said - Whatever you are seeking, you will attain. Not only in this birth, even in your previous birth, I was pleased by you through your tapas.

83

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 83: Tvam aaseeh braahmanah poorvam mayi ekaagra matih sadaa | Maataa pitroh cha shushrooshuh nija dharma anupaalakah || Bhagavaan tells Dhruva about his earlier birth. You were born as a braahmana in an earlier birth, and were meditating upon Me with a concentrated mind, without desiring anything. You were doing good service and looking after your parents very well, and were following the *varna *aashrama dharmaas, as told in the shaastraas.

84

***Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 84: *** [[431]] Kaalena gacchataa mitram raaja putrah tava abhavat | Youvane akhila bhogaadhyo darshanee yojjvalaakrutih || As time passed by, you got a friend who was a prince. He was handsome and good looking, and had all kinds of enjoyments, and pleasures, in his youth.

85

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 85: Tat sangaat tasya taam ruddhim avalokya ati durlabhaam | Bhaveyam raaja purto aham iti vaanchaa tvayaa krutaa || You were seeing all his enjoyments and the good things that he had, which was most difficult to get for anyone. You were also desiring to become a prince at that time.

86

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 86: Tato yathaa abhilashitaa praaptaa te raaja putrataa | Uttaana paadasya gruhe jaato asi dhruva durlabhe || Because of your tapas, your *maataa pitru shushrooshaa, nija dharma *anupaalana, as you desired, you became a prince. You were born in Uttaanapaada’s house as his son, and that is also very difficult to attain.

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shlokaas 87, 88: Anyeshaam tat param sthaanam kule svaayambhuvasya yat || Tasya etat aparam baala yena aham paritoshitah | Maam aaraadhya naro muktim eva aapnoti avilambitam || Now, you are devotee of mine. For those who are not my devotees, being born in the house of Svaayambhuva Manu is a great thing. For you, who are My devotee, you have pleased Me, I am extremely pleased with you; this is a [[432]] very lowly position, being born in Svaayambhuva Manu’s kula. Those who worship Me, get liberation without any delay.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Anyeshaam iti | Svaayambhuvasya kule yat sthaanam tat mad bhaktaat
anyeshaam param sthaanam | For those who are not my devotees, being born in Svaayambhuva kula is a very great thing, achievement.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Tasya iti | Tasya mat bhaktasya te etat svaayambhuva kule sthaanam
aparam tuccham | Being born in Svaayambhuva kula and being the ruler, getting that throne, is a very small thing for you who have pleased me greatly.

89

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 89: Mayi arpita manaa baala kimu svargaadikam padam || You who have pleased Me greatly, who have meditated upon Me single mindedly, attaining svarga and other things is nothing in front of that.

90

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 90: Trailokyaat adhike sthaane sarva taaraa gruha aashrayah | Bhavishyati na sandeho mat prasaadaat bhavaan dhruva || O Dhruva, you will get a place, through My grace, in a place which is above all the three worlds, which is the abode of all stars and planets, without any doubt. [[433]]

91

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 91: Sooryaat somaat tathaa bhoumaat soma putraat bruhaspateh | Sitaarka tanayaadeenaam sarva arkshaanaam tathaa dhruva || You will get a place above all - *Soorya, Soma, Bhouma, Soma putra, *Bruhaspati, Saturn, Venus, and all the stars.

92

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 92: Saptarsheenaam asheshaanaam ye cha vaimaanikaah suraah | Sarveshaam upari sthaanam tava dattam mayaa dhruva || All the Saptarshis, the gods who travel in the celestial cars, the place which is above all these, I have already given you.

93

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 93: Kechit chaturyugam yaavat kechit manvantaram suraah | Tishthanti dhruva te dattah mayaa vai kalpa samsthitih || Some of them just live for one chaturyuga, some gods stay for one manvantara; the place that I have given you, O Dhruva, will be present for one entire kalpa.

One kalpa is ten thousand chaturyugaas, this is one day of *Chaturmukha *Brahma.

94

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 94: Suneetih api te maataa tvat aasannaa ati nirmalaa | [[434]] Vimaane taarakaa bhootvaa taavat kaalam nivatsyati || Not only you, even Suneeti, who is your mother, will always be with you in a celestial car; she will be present as a star very close to you. As long as you stay, she will also stay with you.

95

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 95: Ye cha tvaam maanavaah praatah saayam cha susamaahitaah | Keertayishyanti teshaam cha mahat punyam bhavishyati || Not only you will get such an exalted position, but also your mother will also stay as a star as long as you live. Even all those human beings who pray up to you, and think of you, with a good clear mind, morning and evening, who praise you, who have done the most wonderful thing of perceiving me directly, O Dhruva, they will also get lot of virtue.

96

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 96: Sri Paraasharah - Evam poorvam jaganaataat devadevaat janaardanaat | Varam praapya dhruvah sthaanam adhyaaste sa mahaamate || *Sri Paraasharar *- O Maitreya, like this, I have told you Dhruva’s story, who having gained the boon from Janaardana, who lives in such an exalted position.

97

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 97: Svayam shushrooshanaat dharmyaat maataa pitroh cha vai tathaa | Dvaadashaakshara maahaatmyaat tapasah cha prabhaavatah || [[435]] Having taken care of his parents extremely well, following all the dharmaas as told in the shaastraas, taking care of parents extremely well, doing all kinds of service to them, with the greatness of the Dvaadasaakshara Mantra, and also the tapas, meditation that he did, …

Dharmaat anapetam dharmyam, that which is in line with what is prescribed in the shaastraas.

98

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 98: Tasya abhimaanam vruddhim cha mahimaanam nireekshya hi | Devaasuraanaam aachaaryah shloka maatroshanaa jagou || … the way by which he attained such great prosperity and great position, having seen that, Shukraachaarya, the aachaarya of devaas and asuraas, composed a shloka for Dhruva, his great wonderful achievements.

99

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 99: Aho asya tapaso veeryam aho asya tapasah phalam | Yat enam puratah krutvaa dhruvam saptarshayah sthitaah || O what a great tapas this Dhruva has done, what is his veerya, capability, what are the fruits of the tapas that he has obtained, what is the greatness of that, even Saptarshis are keeping him in front of them. All the Saptarshis are located keeping him in front of them.

100

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 100: Dhruvasya jananee cheyam suneetih naam soonrutaa | Asyaah cha mahimaanam kah shakto varnayitum bhuvi || [[436]] Even Dhruva’s mother, Suneeti, who can praise her greatness in this world?

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ***Dhruvasya iti | Soonrutaa susheelo bhavetyaadyabhihita satya vaakyaa

101

|*** Soonrutaa means one who wishes all to be of good conduct, telling good things, wishing good things for everyone, and they will all become true, Suneeti was like that. Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 101: Trailokya aashrayataam praaptam param yat tat sthiraayati | Sthaanam praaptaa param dhrutvaa yaa kukshi vivare dhruvam || She attained a place which is staying for a long time, remaining for an entire kalpa. Having borne Dhruva in her womb, she attained a wonderful place called Vishnu pada, which is supporting all three worlds.

Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: Trailokya iti | Sthiraayati sthira uttara kaalam sthira aishvaryam yaa
param kevalam kukshi vivare sthitam dhruvam dhrutvaa dhruva
dhaarana dvaaraa trailokya aashrayataam praaptam vishnu
padaakhyam param sthaanam praapa ||

102

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 102: Yah cha etat keertayet nityam dhruvasya aarohanam divi | Sarva paapa vinirmuktah svarga loke maheeyate || One who praises Dhruva every day, the way Dhruva went to the *Dhruva *sthaana, he gets rid of all his sins, and enjoys all kinds of enjoyments, in Svarga Loka. [[437]]

103

Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 1, Chapter 12, Shloka 103: Sthaana bhramsham na cha aapnoti divi vaa yadi vaa bhuvi | Sarva kalyaana samyukto deergha kaalam sa jeevati || He will never fall down from his place, either in this world of Svarga Loka. Having attained all auspicious things, he will stay for a long long time.

This is the phala shruti for the Dhruva Charitra. This charitra is said to be very auspicious, and doing paaraayana of this everyday, one gains a lot of benefit. They will never fall down from all their positions. They will be endowed with all auspicious things. They will live for a long time.

With this, the Twelfth Chapter comes to an end, which is a wonderful story how Dhruva directly perceived Mahaa Vishnu and attained all his desires. Those who read about this Dhruva Charitra, they also attain all the good told.

***|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraane Prathame Amshe Dvaadasho Adhyaayah || ***

|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraana Vyaakhyaane Vishnu Chitteeye Prathame
Amshe Dvaadasho Adhyaayah ||

The posterity of Dhruva and the story of Vena, Pruthu will come in the next chapters.

Recap: In the previous session, we had concluded the Twelfth Chapter, where Dhruva after doing tapas attains a very exalted place, the abode of [[438]] all the three worlds. Because of his tapas, and because of Bhagavaan being pleased with him, even Dhruva’s mother is always residing next to him as a shining star.

Next, Dhruva’s posterity is going to be told, specifically Vena, and *Pruthu *Chakravarthy’s stories are going to be told. The greatness of *Pruthu *Chakravarthy will be told in this chapter.

|| Atha Trayodasho Adhyaayah ||