A five-year-old hurt by his stepmother who went to the forest for a throne and was given the pole star instead.
Appears in
Dhruva's tapas — Skandha 4, adhyayas 8-12 — A five-year-old turned away from his father's lap goes into the forest to find a seat no one can take from him.
Embodies
Devotion under trial — A boy thrown from cliffs, a child sent out by his stepmother: faith in the Bhagavatam is proven where it costs the most.
Devotion as the highest dharma — The Bhagavatam's own thesis (1.2.6): the highest dharma is devotion with no motive, which nothing can interrupt.
Questions to explore
Why does Dhruva regret the boon he went to ask for?
