Janaka

Janaka
Portrait of Janaka, c. 1803-1804 CE
Maharaja of Videha
BornSiradhvaja
Mithila, Videha
SpouseSunayana
IssueSita
Urmila
HouseVideha
DynastySuryavamsha
FatherHrasvaroman
MotherKaikasi
ReligionHinduism

Janaka (Sanskrit: जनक, IAST: Janaka) was the title adopted by the Kings of Videha, who ruled from its capital, Mithila. They were the descendants of the King Nimi and his son King Mithi. "King Mithi is considered the first king of Videha to bear the title Janaka.

In the Hindu itihasa Ramayana, Sīradhvaja Janaka is the father of Sita and Urmila.

Janakas are revered as being an ideal example of non-attachment to material possessions. Their interactions with sages and seekers such as Ashtavakra, Parashara and Sulabha are recorded in the ancient texts.

Lineage of Janaka

The temple dedicated to King Janaka in his capital city, Janakpur. The temple is known as Shree Rajarshi Janak Mandir.

According to the Vishnu Purana (book IV) and Mithila Mahatma Khand of Brihad Vishnu Purana, King Nimi founded a city named Jayantpur, which later became Janakpur. He was cursed to death by sage Vashishta. As he had no successors, the sages took his lifeless body and churned it. This produced a prince, who was named Mithi because he was produced through manthan (churning). He was also called Videha, "the son of the bodiless" and Janaka, because he was born without a father (janak or pita).

Janakas are believed to be descendants of Vishnu in the following order: Brahmā, Marīci, Kaśyapa, Vivasvān, Vaivasvata, Ikṣvāku, Nimi, Mithi, Udāvasu, Nandivardhana, Suketu, Devarāta, Bṛhadratha, Mahāvīra, Sudhṛti, Dhṛṣṭaketu, Haryaśva, Maru, Pratvantaka, Kīrtiratha, Devamīḍha, Vibudha, Mahīdhraka, Kīrtirāta, Mahāroman, Svarṇaroman, Hrasvaroman, Sīradhvaja (Sita's father), Kuśadhvaja (brother of Sīradhvaja). In this lineage are also kings Dharmadhvaja, Kritadhvaja, Keshidhvaja, Bhanumaan and Shatadhyumn.

One of the best known Janakas is Sīradhvaja, the father of Sita and Urmila.

Legends of King Janaka (father of Sita)

Birth and ancestry

Sīradhvaja Janaka, was born to King Hrasvaroman of Mithila and his wife Kaikasi. The Videha kingdom was situated historically between the Gandaki River to the west, the Mahananda River to the east, the Himalayas to the north, and the Ganga river to the south. Janaka had a younger brother named Kushadhvaja. Upon ascending to the throne as the King of Mithila, Janaka faced an attack from the King of Samkasya, Sudhanvan. In the ensuing war, Janaka emerged victorious by defeating and killing Sudhanvan, after which he appointed his brother Kushadhvaja as the new King of Samkasya.

Marriage and children

Janaka carrying Sita to Mithila, after he found her while ploughing
Janaka welcoming Rama and his father Dasharatha to Mithila

Janaka was married to queen Sunayana. According to Ramayana, Janaka and Sunayana found Sita while ploughing as a part of a yagna and adopted her. Sita is considered as an avatar of goddess Lakshmi. Sunayana later gave birth to Urmila on Jaya ekadashi, who is an avatar of goddess Nagalakshmi.

When Sita reached adulthood, Janaka conducted her svayamvara, which was won by Rama. Alongside the wedding of Rama and Sita, Urmila married Rama's younger brother Lakshmana.

Role in Ayodhya

Janaka accompanied Bharata to Chitrakoot, where Bharata went to persuade Rama, Sita and Lakshmana to return to Ayodhya. After Rama returned from the exile and was then crowned the King of Kosala, Janaka became an important figure in his court. Rama would also take Janaka's advice on many important occasions.

Establishment of Shivalingas

According to legend, King Janaka was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. He established some Shivalingas around the corners of the capital city Janakpur for performing his penance in the ancient Mithila Kingdom. The four major Shivalingas established by him on the four corners of his capital city Janakpur were Kalyaneshwar Mahadev Mandir, Jaleshwar Mahadev Mandir, Kshireshwar Nath Mahadev Mandir and Sapteshwar Nath Mahadev Mandir. Similarly, he is also credited for building the temples Haleshwar Nath Mahadev Mandir at Haleshwar Sthan in Sitamarhi and Kapileshwar Nath Mahadev Mandir at the outskirts of Janakpur Dham.

Assessment

Yajnavalkya teaches Brahma Vidya to King Janaka.
Memorial Statue of the Brahmvadini Gargi Vachaknavi at the Uchchaith Bhagawati Mandir

Late 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.

Literature

Conversation Between Astavakra and King Janaka

A certain King Janaka's conversation with the sage Ashtavakra is recorded in the Ashtavakra Gita, wherein he is depicted as one who is realised and this was tested by the sage Ashtavakra. Many spiritual teachers have referred to this writing often translating and deducing its meaning. Similarly the philosophical dialogues between the king Janaka and the sage Parashara is recorded as Parashar Gita.

In the Mokshadharma Parva section of the Mahabharata's Shanti Parva (Chapter 308), Bhisma narrates the Sulabhajanaksamvadah, a philosophical debate between king Janaka and female ascetic Sulabha. In the debate, Sulabha talks about one's true self (atma) after Janaka becomes agitated due to Sulabha entering his consciousness, to test his claim of being liberated while being a householder.

Films

Television

See also

References

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Sources