354 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 8

qa = aardtatextafgar
alt astaed: GS IW ell

yadaika-padena sa parthivarbhakas
tasthau tad-angustha-nipidita mahi

nanama tatrardham ibhendradhisthita
tariva sabyeta-ratah pade pade

yada—when; eka—with one; padena—leg; sah—Dhruva Maharaja;
parthiva—the King’s; arbhakah—child; tasthau—remained standing; tat-
angustha—his big toe; nipidita—being pressed; mahi—the earth; nanama—
bent down; tatra—then; ardham—half; ibhendra—the king of elephants;
adhisthita—being situated; tartiva—like a boat; sabyeta-ratah—right and left;
pade pade—in every step.

TRANSLATION

As Dhruva Maharaja, the King’s son, kept himself steadily standing on
one leg, the pressure of his big toe pushed down half the earth, just as an
elephant being carried on a boat rocks the boat left and right with his every
step.

PURPORT

The most significant expression in this verse is parthivarbhaka (‘‘son of
the King”). When Dhruva Maharaja was at home, although he was a king’s
son, he was prevented from getting on the lap of his father. But when he
became advanced in self-realization or devotional service, by the pressure
of his toe he could push down the whole earth. That is the difference
between ordinary consciousness and Krsna consciousness. In ordinary
consciousness a king’s son may be refused something even by his father,
but when the same person becomes fully Krsna conscious within his heart,
he can push down the earth with the pressure of his toe.

One cannot argue, “How is it that Dhruva Maharaja, who was prevented
from getting up on the lap of his father, could press down the whole
earth?” This argument is not very much appreciated by the learned, for it
is an example of nagnamatrka logic. By this logic one would think that
because his mother in her childhood was naked she should therefore re-
main naked even when she is grown up. The stepmother of Dhruva
Maharaja might have been thinking in a similar way: since she had refused
to allow him to get up on the lap of his father, how could Dhruva perform
such wonderful activities as pressing down the whole earth? She must
