This is the story of Dhruv, the little boy who became the Pole Star, and of his protectors, the Seven Rishis who forever circle round him in the sky.
Read on...
Long, long time ago, there lived a king called Uttanapada. King Uttanapada had two queens, Suniti and Suruchi.
Queen Suniti was the older queen. She was good and kind and gentle. She had a little son called Dhruv. Queen Suruchi, the younger queen, was very beautiful, but proud and haughty. Suruchi, too, had a son, who was called Uttama.
Suruchi was determined that her son Uttama should be king when he grew up. But since Dhruv was the older son, he was more likely to be made king. So Suruchi decided to get rid of Suniti and her baby son Dhruv.
Now, Suruchi was also the King's favourite queen. Uttanapada loved her for her beauty, and was willing to do anything to make her happy. So Suruchi made him banish Suniti and Dhruv into the forest, far away from the royal palace.
Suniti lived quietly in the forest, bringing up her little son, who soon grew to be a bright, clever little boy. One day, when Dhruv was seven, he asked Suniti, 'Ma, who is my father?'
Suniti smiled sadly. 'The great King Uttanapada himself is your father, Dhruv,' she said. 'He lives far away in the royal palace.'
'I want to meet my father,' said Dhruv. 'Please, Ma, can I go and visit him in his palace?'
Suniti blessed him, and let him go.
Soon Dhruv reached the King's palace. King Uttanapada was sitting in his gardens, admiring the flowers and listening to the birds. Dhruv ran up to him, and touched his feet. 'Oh King,' said Dhruv. 'Do you recognize me? I am Dhruv, your son.' The King was overjoyed. He picked up the little boy and sat him on his lap.
Just then, Suruchi appeared, holding her small son Uttama by the hand. She was furious when she realised that the little boy in the King's lap was Dhruv. 'You horrible little brat,' she cried, 'How dare you come here?' And snatching Dhruv out of the King's arms she threw him out of the palace.
'Never, ever, come back,' Suruchi screamed at Dhruv. 'It is my son Uttama - not you - who will be king one day. There is no place here for you or your mother.'
Dhruv went back to his mother in the forest. He was very quiet and thoughtful all day long. Finally he asked Suniti, 'Ma, is there anyone more powerful than the King?'
'Yes,' said his mother. 'Narayan is more powerful than the King.'
'Where does he live?' asked Dhruv.
'Far away, in the mountains,' answered Suniti.
That night, when his mother was asleep, Dhruv left the house and began walking towards the mountains. He walked and he walked and he walked, and thought only of Narayan. Narayan is no other than the great god Vishnu, the Preserver of the world.
Finally he came to the edge of the northern sky, where he met the sage Narad and asked him, 'Where can I find Narayan?'
'Stay right where you are,' answered Narad. 'Think only of Narayan, and have patience. You will find him.'
So Dhruv stopped where he was, and meditated, thinking only of Narayan. His meditations released such tremendous energy that the very earth shook and disturbed the Saptarishis, the Seven Sages, who were meditating nearby. They wondered who it could be who was releasing such energy by the strength of his meditation. 'It must be a great king, or a god,' they said, 'to have so much power.' They were amazed to find it was only a little boy. The Rishis surrounded him and prayed with him as he meditated.
Soon Indra, the king of the gods, became worried. What does this little boy want from Narayan?' he wondered. 'Maybe it is my throne in the heavens that he will ask for!' So Indra tried to distract Dhruv from his meditation. He took on the form of Suniti, Dhruv's mother, and begged him to come back home. But Dhruv barely heard. Indra sent all kinds of monsters and snakes and evil creatures to scare the boy and make him give up his meditation, but Dhruv stood still and calm, unaware of everything except Narayan.
Ultimately Vishnu himself noticed the boy and felt the strength of his meditation. 'I must grant him what he wants,' said the great god Narayan to himself. 'Such perseverance and steadiness of purpose must be rewarded.'
So Narayan came down to the forest, and stood before Dhruv. 'I am here, Dhruv,' he said. 'What is it that you want so much?' But Dhruv only smiled when he saw Narayan.
So Vishnu turned Dhruv into a little star and placed him high in the sky, above the world, and away from all jealousy and evil. The Seven Rishis, who had protected Dhruv as he prayed, Vishnu turned into seven bright stars and placed them protectively around the little Dhruv-star.
Even today, when you look up into the sky, you will be able to see a little star shining high above. This little star never moves, for it is Dhruv, who never moved from his meditation of Narayan. We call this star the pole star. Children in India still call it 'Dhruv-tara' or 'Dhruv-star'. The seven stars of the Seven Rishis can also be seen, slowly moving around the pole star. These Seven Stars form the constellation known as Saptarishi in India, and as the Great Bear in other parts of the world.
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