Answer Podcast
https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/audio/CCD%20QA/2018%20QA/08-18%20QA/When%20Dhruva%20Maharaj%20started%20with%20a%20selfish%20motive%2C%20how%20did%20he%20attain%20Vaikuntha%2C%20the%20abode%20of%20selflessness.mp3
Transcription :
Transcriber: Dr Suresh Gupta
Edited by: Sharan Shetty
bQuestion: When Dhruva Maharaj started with a selfish motive, how did he attain Vaikuntha, the abode of selflessness?
Answer: There is some starting impetus and whatever it is, initially we start with, yena kena prakarena manah krishna niveshayat – “Somehow or other one must associate with Lord Krishna.”
Srimad Bhagavatam (2.3.10) says akamah sarva kamo va moksha kama udara dhih (A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead.)
Thus, the initial starting purpose does not matter so much if we are ready to change the purpose afterwards. The most dramatic change that happened to Dhruva Maharaj was when he had the darshan of Lord Vishnu. He had come with a desire to attain a kingdom but after having darshan of Lord Vishnu he said, “I do not want a kingdom”.
A similar incident took place in Mumbai. There was a devotee (a disciple of Srila Prabhupada), who was a thief before he came to Krishna consciousness. One day he saw a picture of Srila Prabhupada wearing a Rolex watch. He thought of stealing that watch but when he came to the temple, Prabhupada was not there. He investigated and as devotees were doing some service, he also started doing some service waiting for Swami ji to come.
For days he kept thinking, “When will Swami ji come? When will Swami ji come?” and eventually as days passed, he stopped keeping time but continued his engagement in service. He started practicing bhakti and the day Prabhupada came, other devotees introduced this person to Prabhupada and praised his service. Prabhupada himself took out his watch and gave it to him but he smiled and said, “Prabhupada, I do not want this watch”.
Thus, we can see that a transition happened. But how did that transition happen? In the case of Dhruva Maharaj, it happened when he got the darshan of Lord Vishnu. He got a higher taste and that higher taste made him understand that this is better. This was a very conscious decision that Dhruva Maharaja made.
Selflessness and selfishness can both be dispositions and decisions. All of us at different levels are selfishly disposed where we think of ourselves first but when a conscious or an important juncture comes in our life, we may either simply act according to disposition or we may take a different decision, and so, Dhruva Maharaj took that decision to turn towards the Lord.
The Srimad Bhagavatam describes how King Pururava, when he lost Urvashi became so agitated that he performed a yajna to please Lord Vishnu and eventually Lord Vishnu appeared in front of him. Although Lord Vishnu was supremely attractive, Pururava’s mind was still filled with the attractiveness of Urvashi and so he desired for her. Finally, he got what he desired and after that, Lord Vishnu went away. In this case, even when […]
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