Janaka was an ancient Indian king of Videha which was located in Mithila region, The rulers of the Videha kingdom were called Janakas. He also appears in epic Ramayana as a father of Sita. His original name was Seeradhwaja and he had a brother named Kushadhwaja. His father's name was Hroshhoroma. King Nimi was the first ruler of the Videha kingdom. Then king Mithi supposed the name Mithila came after him. His son king Janaka(1st), was the first Janaka. Then after three successors came king Devraat and after Devraat the 15th successor was Hroshhoroma.
Janaka is revered as being an ideal example of non-attachment to material possessions. He was intensely interested in spiritual discourse and considered himself free from worldly illusions. His interactions with sages and seekers such as Ashtavakra and Sulabha are recorded in ancient texts. His relationship with adopted daughter Sita led her to be called Janaki Mata. The city of Janakpur in Nepal is named for him and daughter Sita. The Videha (or Mithila) kingdom was located between east of Gandaki River, west of Mahananda River, north of Ganga river and south of Himalayas.
ate Vedic literature such as Shatapatha Brahmana and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad mention a certain King Janaka (c. 8th or 7th century BCE) as a great philosopher-king of Videha, renowned for his patronage of Vedic culture and philosophy and whose court was an intellectual center for Brahmin sages such as Yajnavalkya, Uddalaka Aruni, and Gargi Vachaknavi. Under his reign, Videha became a dominant political and cultural center of the Indian subcontinent
Some of the most important doubts of Yudhistira are cleared by Bhishmapitamaha in the Santi Parva of the great epic Mahabharata! On a question about the uniqueness of king Janaka who ruled Videha with Mithila as his capital, Bhishma describes the distinguishing qualities of Janaka. His original name was Janadeva but he was popularly called as Janaka. He was an intellectual and performed his duties with great deliberation. He was universal in his thoughts and extremely spiritual despite being a king of great repute. While performing yagnas or doing charity or homas or even while ruling the country he was in a kind of trance or blissful samadhi. God himself was a little surprised at Janaka and wanted to probe his mind! God disguised himself as a brahmin and did some mistake that would bring him face to face with Janaka. When he was presented before the king, Janaka,instead of punishing the brahmin, exiled him from his country! “Which is the boundary of your country?”, the brahmin asked the king. Janaka understood the implication of the question and remained silent. He told the brahmin that it is open for him to remain in his country or not.
The brahmin complemented king Janaka for fixing his thoughts always on Lord Vishnu and blessed him.
On one occasion Ashtavakra accompanied his father to a spiritual debate conducted by king Janaka. After he heard a few arguments, he courageously condemned them and said none in the gathering knew about the soul, including his father! King Janaka was shocked! He challenged Astavakra to reveal the true nature of the soul. If he failed, Astavakra would lose his life! The young sage said he would reveal the secret if Janaka obeyed his command to the letter of the word. He wanted Janaka to come to the forest and left the scene. After sometime Janaka went to the forest in search of sage Ashtavakra. The forest grew denser as he travelled with his retinue. Finally he lost the way and the retinue couldn't follow the king. Meanwhile the king found himself in the presence of sage Ashtavakra! Surprised at this sudden development king Janaka was about to get down from the horse when sage Astavakra ordered him to stop! Janaka was on one stirrup and he implicitly obeyed the command of the sage! It isn't known for how long he stayed on the stirrup but at that very moment he realized himself and became an enlightened soul! King Janaka fell at the feet of sage Ashtavakra and sought permission to remain with him.
Ashtavakra did not permit king Janaka to remain with him. Janaka was an enlightened king- a ‘Rajarshi’. He has nothing for himself! He has to serve the society. Thus king Janaka ruled his kingdom selflessly and engaged himself in great introspection after his kingly duties. Ashtavakra liked his disciple and they used to have spiritual discussions between themselves. The intimate relationship between the master and the disciple kindled the jealousy of the other chelas. Sage Ashtavakra knew this and wanted to teach them a lesson. On an occasion when he and king Janaka were engaged in an absorbing discussion, he created a conflagration in which the entire city of Mithila was burning! A soldier came running and reported the matter! But king Janaka remained unmoved! He said that he had not lost any thing! He is not enamored of these worldly attachments! The other disciples were astonished at the detachment of king Janaka and his equanimity!
Sage Ashtavakra desired to prove the materialistic attachment of his other disciples! On an occasion, while in a session of discussion he caused a person to announce that monkeys had invaded the ashram and taken away the clothes of the monks! The moment they heard the news, they ran to salvage their loincloths! But there were no monkeys at all and their clothes were safe. They knew then that it was the trick played by their guru Astavakra! The sage admonished them for their silly attachments and leaving the session of discussion to save their unworthy loin clothes! On the other hand, king Janaka remained unperturbed even while Mithila was burning! Spirituality and detachment should be real, not just outwardly! It should be in the heart of the individual, not a mere show! The monks realized the elevated level of king Janaka and his equanimity and blushed at their own nature!
quotes about Janaka from various texts.
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
Kings such as Janaka attained perfection solely by performance of prescribed duties. Therefore, just for the sake of educating the people in general, you should perform your work.
Kings like Janaka were all self-realized souls; consequently they had no obligation to perform the prescribed duties in the Vedas. Nonetheless they performed all prescribed activities just to set examples for the people in general. Janaka was the father of Sītā and father-in-law of Lord Śrī Rāma. Being a great devotee of the Lord, he was transcendentally situated, but because he was the king of Mithilā (a subdivision of Bihar province in India), he had to teach his subjects how to perform prescribed duties.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
Lord Rāmacandra is the ideal king for maintaining and protecting the highest culture of humanity, known as brahmaṇya-dharma. The Lord is specifically the protector of the cows and the brāhmaṇas, and hence He enhances the prosperity of the world. He rewarded the administrative demigods by effective weapons to conquer the demons through the agency of Viśvāmitra. He was present in the bow sacrifice of King Janaka, and by breaking the invincible bow of Śiva, He married Sītādevī, daughter of Mahārāja Janaka.
Parāśara was spiritual master of Mahārāja Janaka
SB Canto 2
O Nārada, although the potencies of the Lord are unknowable and immeasurable, still, because we are all surrendered souls, we know how He acts through yogamāyā potencies. And, similarly, the potencies of the Lord are also known to the all-powerful Śiva, the great king of the atheist family, namely Prahlāda Mahārāja, Svāyambhuva Manu, his wife Śatarūpā, his sons and daughters like Priyavrata, Uttānapāda, Ākūti, Devahūti and Prasūti, Prācīnabarhi, Ṛbhu, Aṅga the father of Vena, Mahārāja Dhruva, Ikṣvāku, Aila, Mucukunda, Mahārāja Janaka, Gādhi, Raghu, Ambarīṣa, Sagara, Gaya, Nāhuṣa, Māndhātā, Alarka, Śatadhanve, Anu, Rantideva, Bhīṣma, Bali, Amūrttaraya, Dilīpa, Saubhari, Utaṅka, Śibi, Devala, Pippalāda, Sārasvata, Uddhava, Parāśara, Bhūriṣeṇa, Vibhīṣaṇa, Hanumān, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Arjuna, Ārṣṭiṣeṇa, Vidura, Śrutadeva, etc.
SB Canto 3
"The principles of religion are initiated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and no one else, including the sages and demigods, can manufacture any such principles. Since even great sages and demigods are unauthorized to inaugurate such principles of religion, what to speak of others—the so-called mystics, demons, human beings, Vidyādharas and Cāraṇas living in the lower planets? Twelve personalities—Brahmā, Nārada, Lord Śiva, Kumāra, Kapila, Manu, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Janaka Mahārāja, Bhīṣma, Bali, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Yamarāja—are agents of the Lord authorized to speak and propagate the principles of religion."
The beauty of the Lord is that the devotees who are connected with His activities are also glorified. Arjuna, Prahlāda, Janaka Mahārāja, Bali Mahārāja and many other devotees were not even in the renounced order of life, but were householders.
SB Canto 6
Lord Brahmā, Bhagavān Nārada, Lord Śiva, the four Kumāras, Lord Kapila (the son of Devahūti), Svāyambhuva Manu, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Janaka Mahārāja, Grandfather Bhīṣma, Bali Mahārāja, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and I myself know the real religious principle. My dear servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as bhāgavata-dharma, or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated, and thus he returns home, back to Godhead.
The ācāryas mentioned in these verses are described in the Mahābhārata. The word pañcaśikha is also important. One who is liberated from the conceptions of annamaya, prāṇamaya, manomaya, vijñānamaya and ānandamaya and who is perfectly aware of the subtle coverings of the soul is called pañcaśikha. According to the statements of the Mahābhārata (Sānti-parva, Chapters 218-219), an ācārya named Pañcaśikha took birth in the family of Mahārāja Janaka, the ruler of Mithila. The Sāṅkhya philosophers accept Pañcaśikhācārya as one of them.
SB Canto 9
A further understanding to be derived from this example is that a woman, however powerful she may be in the material world, must be given protection, for as soon as she is unprotected she will be exploited by Rākṣasas like Rāvaṇa. Here the words vaideha-rāja-duhitari indicate that before mother Sītā was married to Lord Rāmacandra she was protected by her father, Vaideha-rāja. And when she was married she was protected by her husband. Therefore the conclusion is that a woman should always be protected. According to the Vedic rule, there is no scope for a woman's being independent (asamakṣam), for a woman cannot protect herself independently.
The son of Janaka was Udāvasu, and the son of Udāvasu was Nandivardhana. The son of Nandivardhana was Suketu, and his descendants continued as follows: Devarāta, Bṛhadratha, Mahāvīrya, Sudhṛti, Dhṛṣṭaketu, Haryaśva, Maru, Pratīpaka, Kṛtaratha, Devamīḍha, Viśruta, Mahādhṛti, Kṛtirāta, Mahāromā, Svarṇaromā, Hrasvaromā and Śīradhvaja. All these sons appeared in the dynasty one after another. From Śīradhvaja, mother Sītādevī was born. Śīradhvaja's son was Kuśadhvaja, and the son of Kuśadhvaja was Dharmadhvaja.
From Hrasvaromā came a son named Śīradhvaja (also called Janaka). When Śīradhvaja was plowing a field, from the front of his plow (śīra) appeared a daughter named Sītādevī, who later became the wife of Lord Rāmacandra. Thus he was known as Śīradhvaja.
The son of Śīradhvaja was Kuśadhvaja, and the son of Kuśadhvaja was King Dharmadhvaja, who had two sons, namely Kṛtadhvaja and Mitadhvaja.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
The Bhāgavatam narrates the sanctifying pastimes of Lord Rāmacandra, the King of Kosala, and also explains how King Nimi abandoned his material body. The appearance of the descendants of King Janaka is also mentioned.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
Śrīmatī Sītādevī is the mother of the three worlds and the wife of Lord Rāmacandra. Among chaste women she is supreme, and she is the daughter of King Janaka.
The principles of dharma, religion, come down in the paramparā system beginning with twelve personalities—namely, Lord Brahmā; the great saint Nārada; Lord Śiva; the four Kumāras; Kapila, the son of Devahūti; Svāyambhuva Manu; Prahlāda Mahārāja; King Janaka; grandfather Bhīṣma; Bali Mahārāja; Śukadeva Gosvāmī; and Yamarāja. The principles of religion are known to these twelve personalities.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
The instructions of a pure devotee to his disciple are also very simple. No one feels any difficulty in following in the footsteps of a pure devotee of the Lord. Anyone who follows in the footsteps of recognized devotees, such as Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, the Kumāras, Manu, Kapila, King Prahlāda, King Janaka, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Yamarāja and their followers in disciplic succession, very easily finds the door of liberation open.
Renunciation Through Wisdom
At this point it is urgent that we discuss how one can perform devotional service for the Supreme Lord's pleasure. In this regard it is also noteworthy how saintly leaders like King Janaka executed karma-yoga, or devotional service, by performing sacrifice.
A wandering monk once visited the city of Mithila, ruled by the Sage King Janaka. "who is the best teacher around here?" He asked around. To his surprise every spiritual person around referred to him the name of King Janaka.
The monk was both puzzled and furious. "How can a King be spiritually that high. These people don't know what true spirituality is." he thought.
He went to the King and asked him "O King, learned people around here, speak highly of you, how can you a worldly man of pleasures be more spiritual than those who have given up their everything for the sake of knowing the highest truth?"
"Dear one, you have come from a far place, you must have been tired, Let's eat and rest for the day, we can discuss further tomorrow."
The King took him to the royal dinner table, fed him variety of foods, pleased his palates. He took him to a spacious room and told him to rest there.
There was a huge sword hung from the ceiling, hanging just above the bed. "What is this?" asked the monk.
"Oh don't mind it, it has been there for ages, it is an old custom, just have a good sleep. See you in the morning." said the King and rushed out hurriedly.
The monk was worried that the sword might fall on him and kill him during the night, he couldn't close his eyes even if he tried.
The king met him tomorrow, "Sir, how was the night, I hope you slept well" asked the King.
"How could I sleep? there was a huge sword hanging at my neck." monk explained his troubles.
"When one knows death is certain, how can the pleasures of world sway him away, how can the worldly duties ever limit his eyes from the supreme goal?" said the King answering the Monk's earlier question.
King Janaka is talked about in lot many Scriptures as the Sage king who got enlightened even while taking on responsibilities of a King.
Once King Janaka was worshiping Lord Shiva in the temple within the palace. With full devotion he was performing rituals.
In the middle of the worshiping, he attained Realization, he understood he himself is the Creator. The source of all Creation, all existence is at the centre of his self, God is in the heart of everyone, that "God is centre everywhere & circumference nowhere."
With that realization he continued his worshiping, he stopped offering flowers to the statue, he started throwing flowers on top of his head which he now realized to be the source of whole existence. With that realization, King Janaka performed all his actions for the rest of his life. He lived like a sage even while being a king.
No comments:
Post a Comment