Dhruva achieved the unattainable when he beheld the Lord of the universe in front of him. No doubt the arduous penance he performed with determination, sincerity and commitment made this possible. The Lord blessed the child with the gift of speech and Dhruva eulogised Him in magnificent terms.
The Bhagavata Purana states that the Lord conferred on Dhruva long life (36,000 years), prosperity and well being and also a pre-eminent status — a Dhruva Stana especially for him in the northern galaxy along with the Sapta Rishis.
Dhruva would stand out as a symbol of determination and courage for generations of humanity.
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But Dhruva experienced a heavy heart after this vision of transcendental grandeur. He realised he had slipped a golden opportunity. He could have asked for salvation but did not do so. The Lord is the only hope for those who want to cut all bonds. Dhruva had the chance to ask this boon from the Lord.
Sri B. Damodhara Dikshitar pointed out in a lecture that we should not miss the pertinent lesson in this episode — the far-reaching impact of desires in our lives. Dhruva compares his foolishness to that of a poor man who asked for a petty gain from a king who wanted to reward him handsomely for his virtues. He understands that his mind yearned for worldly matters and hence he was destined to experience the fruits of his desires. Dhruva feels he fell down because he had fixed his mind on other things.
Desires are the primary cause of our many births. As numerous desires take root in our consciousness, they also leave indelible imprints that wait for fulfilment at some point of time in the course of different births. Dhruva had longed to sit on his father's lap and for the life his step-brother enjoyed in the palace.
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Salvation is attained only when we rid ourselves of all desires. Knowingly and unknowingly, we give in to desires and this means we are conniving with it to extend our cycle of birth.
The best way to renounce desires is to turn our focus on God.