By devotion to each planet, one is freed from the faults they may cause, and among all the planets, the sun is regarded as the foremost. Of all the stars and planets, Venus shines as the chief; among comets, Dhumavan is preeminent; and among those celestial bodies fixed in the four directions, Dhruva stands supreme. Within the constellations, Sravishtha is the most distinguished; of the two solstices, the northern is held highest; and among the cycle of five years, the first is called the year. Among the seasons, Shishira is considered the best; Magha is the foremost of months; within the lunar fortnights, the bright half is held above the rest, and among the days of the lunar month, Pratipat is the most significant. Of day and night, day is said to be the beginning; similarly, the first muhurta of the day is sacred to Rudra. Among the smallest divisions of time, nimeṣa is the starting point. O best among those who understand time, know that the yuga stretching from the end of Shravaṇa to the beginning of Dhanishtha encompasses five years. By the special movement of the sun, the day-maker, time itself turns like a wheel, and so he is remembered as the lord who creates time. He is the initiator and the withdrawer of the four kinds of beings, and even for him, the blessed Rudra is the direct initiator, O divine one. Thus, this arrangement of the luminaries and the understanding of their significance was established by Mahadeva himself, for the sake of worldly order. At the dawn of the kalpa, the Blessed One set all this in motion with foresight; he is the foundation, the presiding lord, and the very essence of all the luminaries. This wondrous transformation of the one principal form is so vast that no one can fully describe it as it truly is. The coming and going of the luminaries is to be known through the physical eye, tradition, inference, direct perception, and reasoning. With keen intellect, one should have faith, O wise one, relying on the eye, scripture, water, writing, and calculation—these five are the means by which the measure of the luminaries is determined. Now, you ask how, by the grace of Vishnu, Dhruva, foremost among the wise, became the pillar among the planets. Listen, for I shall tell you. Once, Markandeya, learned in many scriptures, approached me with this very question, eager to hear the tale, O twice-born sages. Uttānapāda, ruler of the earth, radiant and mighty among warriors, governed his realm with great splendor. He had two wives—Sunīti, the elder, and Suruci. From Sunīti, a son of great renown was born, named Dhruva. Dhruva, wise beyond his years and a shining light of his lineage, once, at the tender age of seven, sat upon his father’s lap. But Suruci, the favored wife, brushed Dhruva aside and placed her own son upon the king’s lap, honoring him for his appearance. Denied his father’s affection, the intelligent Dhruva, his heart heavy with sorrow, turned to his mother and wept again and again. Seeing her son in tears, Sunīti, overwhelmed by grief, spoke gently to him. “You were born to me, who am of little fortune, and you too are unfortunate, my son. Why do you grieve so? Why do you weep again and again? Your sorrow only increases my pain. O Dhruva, by your own strength, you must seek your rightful place.” Encouraged by his mother’s words, Dhruva resolved to act. He departed for the forest, where he encountered the sage Viśvāmitra. With reverence, he bowed and, folding his hands, asked, “O revered one, please tell me: by what means may I attain the highest place among all? When I sat on my father’s lap, Suruci cast me aside, and my father said nothing. Fearing this, I went to my mother, who told me not to give in to sorrow, but to seek my place through my own actions. Now I have come to this forest, O sage, and found you. By your grace, may I attain a wonderful and supreme place.” The illustrious sage smiled and replied, “O prince, listen well. You shall indeed attain that supreme place. Worship Keśava, the Lord of the worlds, destroyer of all afflictions, who arose from the right side of Mahādeva. Recite always the mantra that destroys all sins, grants all desires, and is supremely pure and spotless. Speak this divine mantra with the sacred praṇava: ‘Let there be homage to Vāsudeva!’—with your senses controlled.” Thus instructed, Dhruva bowed to Viśvāmitra and, facing east with great discipline and a joyful heart, lived on roots, fruits, and vegetables, reciting the mantra tirelessly for a whole year. Day and night, without ceasing, he repeated the sacred words. Ferocious spirits, demons, and wild beasts like lions tried to disturb him, but as he uttered “Vāsudeva,” his mind did not waver. Even his mother Sunīti, taking on the form of a piśāci, appeared before him, overwhelmed with grief, and wept, “You are my only son—why do you suffer so? Why have you abandoned your helpless mother for the sake of austerity?” So did Dhruva’s journey of devotion and determination unfold, guided by the wisdom of the sages and the blessings of the divine.