498 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch, 12

TRANSLATION

The son of Idavida, Lord Kuvera, was very pleased, and happily he gave
Dhruva Maharaja the benediction he wanted. Thereafter he disappeared
from Dhruva’s presence, and Dhruva Maharaja also returned to his capital

city.
PURPORT

Kuvera, who is known as the son of Idavida, was very pleased with
Dhruva Maharaja because he did not ask him for anything materially enjoy-
able. Kuvera is one of the demigods, so one may put forward the argument,
“Why did Dhruva Maharaja take benediction from a demigod?” The an-
swer is that for a Vaignava there is no objection in taking benediction from
a demigod if it is favorable for advancing Krsna consciousness. The gopis,
for example, worshiped Katyayant, the demigoddess, but the only bene-
diction they wanted from the goddess was to have Krsna as their husband.
A Vaisnava is not interested in asking any benediction from the demigods,
nor is he interested in asking benediction from the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. It is said in the Bhagavatam that liberation can be offered by the
Supreme Person, but even if a pure devotee is offered liberation by the
Supreme Lord, he refuses to accept it. Dhruva Maharaja did not ask Kuvera
for transference to the spiritual world, which is called liberation; he simply
asked that wherever he would remain—whether in the spiritual or material
world—he would always remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
A Vaisnava is always respectful to everyone. So when Kuvera offered him
a benediction, he did not refuse it. But he wanted something which would
be favorable to his advancement in Kysna consciousness.

TEXT 10

smareta aah mafird fafa: |
USI FA BRIT loll

athayajata yajriesam
kratubhir bhiri-daksinaih
dravya-kriya-devatanam
karma karma-phala-pradam
atha—thereafter; ayajata—he worshiped; yajiia-isam—the master of
sacrifices; kratubhit—by sacrificial ceremonies; bhiiri—great; daksinaih—
by charities; dravya-kriya-devatanam—of (sacrifices including various) para-
phernalia, activities, and demigods; karma—the objective; karma-phala—
the result of activities; pradam—who awards.
