Janaka

Template:IndicText In ancient India, Janaka (Sanskrit: जनक, janaka) or Raja Janaka (राजा जनक, rājā janaka) was the king of Mithila Kingdom. He was born in modern-day Janakpur, Nepal; he is mentioned in the Ramayana as the father of Sita and also there are references to him in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Mahabharata and Puranas.

Janaka proposed a test of strength in which suitors vying for his daughter's hand in marriage would have to string the great bow of Lord Shiva. Lord Rama passed this test of strength, and Janaka's daughter Sita (also referred to as Janaki) wed Rama and together they resided in Ayodhya.

Janaka was not only a brave king, but was also as well-versed in the shastras and Vedas as any rishi. He was the beloved pupil of Yaajnavalkya, whose exposition of Brahman to the king forms one chapter of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna cites Janaka as an illustrious example of the Karma yoga.

King Janaka was also said to be a Rajarshi having spiritually advanced and reached the state of a rishi, though he was a king administrating the kingdom of Mithila. He was also instructed by sage Ashtavakra upon the nature of the self or Atman; this exposition forms the content of the famous treatise Ashtavakra Gita.

According to the epic Mahabharata, the Janakas were a race of kings who ruled Videha Kingdom from their capital Mithila. The father of Sita (the wife of Raghava Rama) was named Seeradwaja Janaka. Mahabharata mentions many other Janaka kings who were all great scholars and lead the life of a sage though they were kings. They engaged in religious conversations with many sages.

See also

• Ramayana
• Ashtavakra Gita

Reference

• Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dhallapiccola