The Story of Brave Dhruva

King Uttanpad had married twice. Because of his fondness for Suruchi, the King gave all his attention to the younger son, Uttam. Like other children and his younger brother, Dhruva wanted to be loved by his father. The story describes how he could find fatherly love and in whom.

This is a story of a child who rules his life with faith and honour. He started worshipping Lord Narayan just to get his father’s love like his younger brother. But his faith and determination was as such, he became the brightest star in the sky. This story is a great read for children that talks about the hope and determination of a child.

Summary of Brave Dhruva Story

King Uttanpad was famous for being biassed in favour of his younger wife, Suruchi. Subjected to a prolonged lack of attention, the older wife, Suniti, lived with her son Dhruva outside the palace. At the same time, Suruchi and her son, Uttam, enjoyed all the royal privileges that Suniti and Dhruva were denied. Dhruva did not care as much for royal treatment as he did for fatherly love. One day, when he saw King playing with his younger son, Uttam, Dhruva insisted on sitting and playing in his lap too. But gripped by the fear of offending Suruchi, the King refused to let Dhruva sit in his lap.

Just then, Suruchi arrived on the scene and mocked Dhruva for wanting to be the King’s loved son. She said he would have had a chance of being treated like a son by the King had he not been birthed by Suniti but Suruchi. Continuing the cruel mockery, she told Dhruva to worship Lord Vishnu, who would then bless him to be born as Suruchi’s son instead of Suniti’s. Only when that happened would Dhruva be able to sit on his father’s lap.

Deeply hurt by his stepmother’s cruel mockery, Dhruva burst into tears and ran to his mother. Dejected on hearing Dhruva’s account of what happened at the palace, Suniti consoled him saying his stepmother was correct in saying that his father would’ve loved him dearly had he not been her child but Suruchi’s child. However, instead of being jealous of his younger brother, he should please Lord Narayan, who will take care of all his sorrows.

Moved by his mother’s advice, Dhruva immediately left with great determination to please Lord Narayan by penance. In search of solitude, he came across Narada Muni. Dhruva immediately greeted him respectfully. Narada, as a response, caressed his head and decided to test Dhruva’s determination. After trying everything to convince Dhruva to return home, Devrishi failed to shake the boy’s determination. That is when he taught Dhruva about Lord Narayan’s appearance and gave him a mantra.

Having done his part as a Guru, Narad disappeared after blessing Dhruva. Brave Dhruva then walked to Madhuban and sat under a Kadamba tree on the banks of Yamuna, the holy river. The intense penance then began. During his first month in the forest, spending all his time chanting the mantra that Narad gave him, Dhruva survived off roots and tubers. Another month, he switched to dried leaves. Then the water from Yamuna, and then he survived off the air. After the fourth month, Dhruva stopped breathing during his meditation. Standing on a single leg, Dhruva focused all his attention on Lord Narayan. Fear engulfed the world and the gods when he stopped breathing and entered Parbrahma. They rushed to Lord Narayan to seek shelter. That is when He decided to come to Madhuban to his beloved devotee.

Overwhelmed to see Lord appear before him, Dhruva burst into tears. The Lord consoled the child by touching his cheek. The little boy joined his hands and prayed to the Lord. Moved by Dhruva’s devotion and selfless love, Lord Narayan blessed him that his desires would come true and that after ruling his kingdom, he could come to Lord Narayan above the Saptarishis.

Seeking permission from the Almighty, Dhruva returned to his kingdom, where his father handed over the kingdom to him. No one wanted to get on the bad side of someone with God’s grace. One time when his younger brother got killed by Yakshas, Dhruva decided to wage war on Yakshas, but his grandfather intervened, saying that devotees of God were not supposed to think of revenge. Dhruva then gave up the thought and continued to rule the Earth for thirty-six thousand years before he joined the Lord Narayana and adored the sky as dhruv tara.

Dhruv Praying To Lord Narayan

Moral of the Brave Dhruva Story

The Brave Dhruva story is about the Dhruva star and how a child became the star. This story can teach children that if your determination is unwavering, you can go and get anything you want. All you need is an unshakable faith in yourself and God. Life will offer you sorrows, but only if you have complete faith in what you are doing will you be able to come out of it unharmed and stronger than before. It also teaches children not to waste time praying for someone else’s downfall. Instead, one should pray for their growth. Envy and vengeance are for people who do not have God’s grace.

Note to the Parents

The story of Dhruva has been one of the children’s favourites. Parents can read this story to their children about how essential a father’s love is in a child’s life. It is a great story that helps to inculcate that determination, faith and hope are three things that can make anyone achieve anything. No matter how impossible something looks, it is essential to keep working for it until something can become possible.