prāpya saṅkalpa-nirvāṇaṁ

pāda-sevopasāditam

prāpya saṅkalpa-nirvāṇaṁ

nātiprīto 'bhyagāt puram

Though he had attained his desired goal from worshipping the feet of Viṣṇu through his determination, he returned home but he was not satisfied.

Sanklapa-nirvāṇam means “conclusion of the vow.” This refers to attaining the Lord’s abode, greater than the abodes of any of his forefathers.

|| 4.9.28 ||

vidura uvāca

sudurlabhaṁ yat paramaṁ padaṁ harer

māyāvinas tac-caraṇārcanārjitam

labdhvāpy asiddhārtham ivaika-janmanā

kathaṁ svam ātmānam amanyatārtha-vit

Vidura said: Having attained the supreme abode of the merciful Lord which is rarely attained, through worshipping the Lord’s feet, within one lifetime, though he was knowledgeable, why did he consider himself unfulfilled?

                                 

Hearing that Dhruva was not pleased, Vidura asks why. Māyāvināḥ means merciful. Arthavit means wise.

 

|| 4.9.29 ||

maitreya uvāca

mātuḥ sapatnyā vāg-bāṇair

hṛdi viddhas tu tān smaran

naicchan mukti-pater muktiṁ

tasmāt tāpam upeyivān

Maitreya said: He did not desire the liberation awarded by the giver of liberation since he remembered that his heart had been pierced by the harsh words of his step mother. From remembering his previous condition, he felt remorse.

muktiṁ bhaktimat-pāryadatvaṁ viṣṇor anucaratvaṁ hi

mokṣam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ

 

The wise say that liberation means becoming an associate of the Lord and serving Viṣṇu. Padma Purāṇa

 

Thus mukti or liberation on this verse does not meaning merging into the Lord. In verse 9, Dhruva expressed his preference for serving the Lord over Brahman. But then the statement “he did not desire this liberation” is not suitable. It is understood that he desired being an associate of the Lord, from his statement in verse 11. That is true. The word smaran (remembering) is in the present tense. This indicates that he did not desire the Lord’s association while remembering his impure state of experiencing the pain of the arrows of his step mother’s words. He went to Madhuvana and performed austerities with the determination to worship the Lord with the desire to obtain a place greater that of his father or forefathers. On directly meeting the Lord, what is the question of remembering the harsh words of his step mother since his senses had all become spiritualized? However the Lord then said (verse 19) that he would fulfill his material desire. Dhruva became ashamed and repented. “My Lord knows my crime of possessing material desires since he remembers my previous vow. I am so foolish. Why did I make such a vow? When I said I desired the association of the devotees (verse 11), the Lord will think I am simply deceiving him. Thus he did not clearly promise to fulfill that desire, but instead promised to fulfill my previous desire. In talking about the future of my brother, he reminded me again of my previous envious nature.” Thus the next six verses reveal qualities of shame, repentance, humility, and disgust.

 

|| 4.9.30 ||