Dhruva Maharaja was born as a son of a great king. The king had two wives, and he begot children by each of them. One day, while Dhruva’s stepbrother was playing on the lap of the king, Dhruva also wanted to play on his father’s lap. We can picture the king, whose name was Uttanapada, seated on the throne in a leisurely moment, in an affectionate mood, with one of the boys on his lap. His boy Dhruva, who was five years old, climbed up on his father’s knee, but his father did not receive him with any particular attention or affection. Moreover, Dhruva’s stepmother came forward and chastised Dhruva. “My dear boy,” she said, speaking loudly so that everyone could hear, “you cannot sit on the lap of your father. Although you are his son, you are disqualified because you have not taken birth in my womb.” Dhruva’s stepmother was the favorite wife of th ...