Janaka

In Ancient India, Janaka was the King of Mithila Kingdom. He is mentioned in Ramayana as the father of Sita and also there is reference to him in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and Puranas.

He resided in modern-day Janakpur, Nepal. King Janak 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 Janak's daughter Sita (also referred to as Janaki) wed Rama and together they resided in Ayodhya.

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

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