Janaka in Gita

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

Who is the Janaka referred to in Bhagavad Gita ? The father of Sita ? Who is the

Janaka in Brihadaranyaka Up. and are the 2 the same ?

 

regards,

Shailendra

[Guest guest]

Namaste Shailendraji:

 

In ancient India persons with the same family name such as Janaka, Bharata,

Gupta, etc. were customary. The most famous of Janakas was Seeradhwaj Janaka. He

is the Janaka mentioned in the Ramayana as the father of Sita and also there are

references to him in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Bhagavad Gita and Puranas.

Credible information exists to support that the Janaka the king of Mithila was a

very learned man and very well versed in the scriptures and philosophy.

 

See Wikepedia for more information;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janaka

 

Please note that the information from Wikepedia should not be taken as authentic

and any information published in Wikepedia is subject to correction.

 

Sridhara Swami's Commentary (Gita 3-20)contains the following information:

Here Lord Krishna follows the approved adage of citing previous historical

examples such as King Janaka the father of Sita who was Ramas wife. King Janaka

by prescribed Vedic activities purified his mind and consciousness and achieved

perfection; but after becoming situated in atma-tattva or soul realisation still

King Janaka performed prescribed Vedic activities for the purification of the

world and felt bliss. So one should not think that after realisation it is not

worthy to purify others for the welfare of all created beings as it is still

beneficial. Also people seeing such a great king as Janaka performing sacred

actions also became inspired to follow his example. To the contrary those

wallowing in material nature in the mode of ignorance fail to perform Vedic

actions are ruined in this life.

 

Source: http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/Gita/verse-03-20.html

 

Except for historians, it should not matter whether the Janakas mentioned at

different places are one at the same!

 

With my warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

advaitin , Shailendra Bhatnagar <bhatnagar_shailendra

wrote:

>

>

> Namaste,

> Who is the Janaka referred to in Bhagavad Gita ? The father of Sita ? Who is

the Janaka in Brihadaranyaka Up. and are the 2 the same ?

>

> regards,

> Shailendra

>

[Guest guest]

advaitin , " Ram Chandran " <ramvchandran wrote:

>

>

> In ancient India persons with the same family name such as Janaka, Bharata,

Gupta, etc. were customary. The most famous of Janakas was Seeradhwaj Janaka. He

is the Janaka mentioned in the Ramayana as the father of Sita and also there are

references to him in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Bhagavad Gita and Puranas.

Credible information exists to support that the Janaka the king of Mithila was a

very learned man and very well versed in the scriptures and philosophy.

>

> advaitin , Shailendra Bhatnagar <bhatnagar_shailendra@>

wrote:

> >

> >

> > Namaste,

> > Who is the Janaka referred to in Bhagavad Gita ? The father of Sita ? Who is

the Janaka in Brihadaranyaka Up. and are the 2 the same ?

 

advaitin , Shailendra Bhatnagar <bhatnagar_shailendra

wrote:

>

> Who is the Janaka referred to in Bhagavad Gita ? The father of Sita ? Who is

the Janaka in Brihadaranyaka Up. and are the 2 the same ?

>

 

Namaste,

 

In one of the discourses of Kanchi Paramacharya, as given in Vol 7 of Voice of

God, (p. 236), .... " Janaka was the family name of all those who came in the line

of " Nimi' of the Solar dynasty which had ruled the kingdom of Videha with

Mithila as the capital. Sita's father's name was 'Siradhvaja'..... [sIram means

the plough; one who has the flag with the plough on it is Shiradhvaja...] "

Thus the Janaka mentioned in the scriptures and epics may not be the same.

 

The disourse has a long story from Vishnu Purana about two other Janaka kings

(cousins), exemplifying the karma and jnana 'margas', and many virtues that were

expressed in thier conduct.

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder