उत्तमः स मम भ्राता यो गर्भेण धृतस्तया । स राजासनमाप्नोतु पित्रा दत्तं तथास्तु तत् ॥ १,११.
My brother Uttama, who was carried in her womb, let him obtain the royal throne given by our father; so be it.
नान्यदत्तमभीप्स्यामि स्तानमम्ब स्वकर्मणा । इच्छामि तदहं स्थानं यत्र प्राप पिता मम ॥ १,११.
Mother, I do not desire any other position given by someone else; I wish for that place which my father attained through his own actions.
श्रीपराशर उवाच निर्जगाम गृहान्मातुरित्युक्त्वा मातरं ध्रुवः । पुराच्च निर्गम्य ततस्तद्बाह्योपवनं ययो ॥ १,११.
Śrī Parāśara said: Having thus spoken to his mother, Dhruva left the house and, going out from the city, entered the forest outside.
स ददर्श मुनींस्तत्र सप्तपूर्वागतान्ध्रुवः । कुष्माजिनोत्तरीयेषु विष्टरेषु समास्थितान् ॥ १,११.
There Dhruva saw sages who had come from seven generations before, seated on grass mats and covered with garments of bark.
स राजपुत्रस्तान्सर्वान्प्रणिपत्याभ्य भाषत । प्रश्रयावनतः सम्यगभिवादनपूर्वकम् ॥ १,११.
The prince approached all of them, bowed down, and addressed them with humility, properly offering his respects first.
ध्रुव उवाच उत्तानपादतनयं मां निबोधत सत्तमाः । जातं सुनीत्यां निर्वेदाद्युष्माकं प्राप्तमन्तिकम् ॥ १,११.
Dhruva said: O noble ones, know me as Dhruva, son of Uttānapāda, born of Sunīti, who has come to you out of disillusionment.
ऋषय ऊचुः चतुःपञ्चा ब्दसंभूतो बालस्त्वं तृपनन्दन । निर्वेदकारणं किञ्चित्तव नाद्यापि वर्तते ॥ १,११.
The sages said: O child, son of Uttānapāda, you are only four or five years old; what cause for disillusionment could there be for you at this age?
न चिन्त्यं भवतः किञ्चिद्ध्रयते भूपतिः पिता । न चैवैष्ट वियोगादि तव पश्याम बालक ॥ १,११.
There is nothing for you to worry about; your father, the king, is alive, and we do not see any separation from what you desire, O boy.
शरीरे न च ते व्याधिरस्माभिरुपलक्ष्यते । निर्वेदः किन्निमित्तस्ते कथ्यतां यदि विद्यते ॥ १,११.
Nor do we perceive any illness in your body; if there is any reason for your disillusionment, tell us, if you know.
श्रीपराशर उवाच ततः स कथयामास सुरुच्या यदुदाहृतम् । तन्निशम्य ततः प्रोचुर्मुनयस्ते परस्परम् ॥ १,११.
Śrī Parāśara said: Then he told them what had been spoken by Suruci; hearing this, the sages spoke among themselves.
अहो क्षात्रं परं तेजो बालस्यापि यदक्षमा । सपत्न्या मातुरुक्तं यद्धृदयान्नापसर्पति ॥ १,११.
Ah, what extraordinary kṣatriya energy, that even as a child he cannot endure; the words spoken by his stepmother do not depart from his heart.
भोभोः क्षत्रियदायादः निर्वेदाद्यत्त्वायाधुना । कर्तुं व्यवसितं तन्नः कथ्यतां यदि रोचते ॥ १,११.
O descendant of kṣatriyas, tell us what you have now resolved to do out of your disillusionment, if it pleases you.
यच्च कार्यं तवास्माभिः साहाय्यममितद्युते । तदुच्यतां विवक्षुस्त्वमस्माभिरुपलक्ष्यसे ॥ १,११.
O highly radiant one, whatever task you wish us to assist you with, let it be spoken; you are observed by us as desiring to speak.
ध्रुव उवाच नाह मर्थमभीप्सामि न राज्यं द्विजसत्तमाः । तत्स्थानमेकमिच्छामि भुक्तं नान्येन यत्पुरा ॥ १,११.
Dhruva said: I do not desire wealth, nor do I seek a kingdom, O best of the twice-born; I wish for a single place, one that has not been enjoyed by another before.
एतन्मे क्रियतां सम्यक्कथ्यतां प्राप्यते यथा । स्थानमग्र्यं समस्तेभ्यः स्थानेभ्यो मुनिसत्तमाः ॥ १,११.
Let this be accomplished for me properly; tell me how it may be attained—the highest place among all places, O best of sages.
मरीचिरुवाच अनाराधितगोविन्दैर्नरैः स्थानं नृपात्मज । न हि संप्राप्यते श्रेष्ठं तस्मादाराधयाच्युतम् ॥ १,११.
Marīci said: O prince, the highest place is not attained by men who have not worshipped Govinda; therefore, worship Acyuta.
अत्रिरुवाच परः पराणां पुरुषो यस्य तुष्टो जनार्दनः । संप्राप्नोत्यक्षयं स्थानमेतत्सत्यं मयोदितम् ॥ १,११.
Atri said: That supreme person, Janārdana, when pleased, grants the imperishable place to others; this truth I have spoken.
अङ्गिरा उवाच यस्यान्तः सर्वमेवेदमच्युतस्याव्ययात्मनः । तमाराधय गोविन्दं स्थानमग्र्यं यदीच्छसि ॥ १,११.
Aṅgirā said: In whom all this exists, within the imperishable soul of Acyuta—worship that Govinda if you desire the highest place.
पुलस्त्य उवाच परं ब्रह्म परं धाम योऽसौ ब्रह्म तथा परम् । तमाराध्य हरिं याति मुक्तिमप्यति दुर्लभाम् ॥ १,११.
Pulastya said: He who is the supreme Brahman, the supreme abode, who is also called the supreme Brahman—by worshipping that Hari, one attains even the most difficult liberation.
पुलह उवाच ऐन्द्रमिन्द्रः परं स्थानं यमाराध्य जगत्पतिम् । प्राप यज्ञपतिं विष्णुं तमाराधय सुव्रत ॥ १,११.
Pulaha said: Indra obtained the station of Indra by worshipping the Lord of the world, Viṣṇu, the Lord of sacrifice; O virtuous one, worship him.
क्रतुरुवाच यो यज्ञपुरुषो यज्ञो योगेशः परमः पुमान् । तस्मिंस्तुष्टे यदप्राप्यं किन्तदस्ति जनार्दने ॥ १,११.
Kratu said: He who is the person of sacrifice, the sacrifice itself, the supreme lord of yoga—when Janārdana is pleased, what is there that cannot be obtained?
वसिष्ठ उवाच प्राप्नोष्याराधिते विष्णौ मनसा यद्यदिच्छति । त्रेलोक्यान्तर्गतं स्थानं किमु वत्सोत्तमोत्तमम् ॥ १,११.
Vasiṣṭha said: Whatever place within the three worlds you desire in your mind, you will attain by worshipping Viṣṇu—what more, O best of sons?
ध्रुव उवाच आराध्यः कथितो देवो भवद्भिः प्रणतस्य मे । मया तत्परीतोषाय यज्जप्तव्यं तदुच्यताम् ॥ १,११.
Dhruva said: The god to be worshipped has been described by you to me, who am devoted; tell me what should be recited by me to fully please him.
यथा चाराधनं तस्य मया कार्यं महात्मनः । प्रसादसुमुखास्तन्मे कथयन्तु महर्षयः ॥ १,११.
And how should I properly worship that great soul? Let the great sages tell me, so that he may show his gracious, smiling face.
ऋषय ऊचुः राजपुत्र यथा विष्णोराराधनपरैर्नरैः । कार्यमाराधनं तन्नो यथावच्छ्रोतुमर्हसि ॥ १,११.
The sages said: O prince, you deserve to hear from us how worship of Viṣṇu should be performed by those devoted to his worship.
बाह्यार्थादखिलाच्चित्तं त्याजयेत्प्रथमं नरः । तस्मिन्नेव जगद्धाम्नि ततः कुर्वित निश्चलम् ॥ १,११.
First, a man should abandon his mind from all external objects, and then make it steady in that very abode of the universe.
एवमेकाग्रचित्तेन तन्मयेन धृतात्मना । जप्तव्यं यन्नि बोधैतत्तन्रः पार्थिवनन्दन ॥ १,११.
Thus, with one-pointed mind, absorbed in him, with self-control, let him recite what we declare, O joy of the princes.
हिरण्यगर्भपुरुषप्रधानव्यक्तरूपिणे । ओं नमो वासुदेवाय शुद्धज्ञानस्वरूपिमे ॥ १,११.
To him who is the form of Hiraṇyagarbha, the Person, Pradhāna, and the unmanifest: Om, homage to Vāsudeva, whose nature is pure knowledge.
एतज्जजाप भगवान् जप्यं स्वायंभुवो मनुः । पितामहस्तव पुरा तस्य तुष्टो जनार्दनः ॥ १,११.
This very mantra was recited by the blessed Manu Svāyambhuva, your ancestor; Janārdana was pleased with him.
ददो यथाभिलषितां सिद्धिं त्रैलोक्यदुर्लभाम् । तथा त्वमपि गोविन्दं तोषयैतत्सदा जपन् ॥ १,११.
He granted him the desired accomplishment, difficult to attain even in the three worlds; in the same way, you too should please Govinda by always reciting this.