Devarata Janaka
| Devarata Janaka | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janaka | |||||
| Predecessor | Suketu | ||||
| Successor | Brhdratha | ||||
| Born | Mithila region | ||||
| |||||
| Religion | Sanatana Hinduism | ||||
Devarata Janaka (Sanskrit: देवरत जनक) was the sixth descendant of King Nimi in Janaka Dynasty of the ancient Videha Kingdom. He belonged to Ikshwaku descendants.[1] He became the king of Videha Kingdom after his father Suketu. According to Valmiki Ramayana, Devarata Janaka received the famous divine bow of Lord Shiva named as "Pinaka" for its safe-keeping.[2][3]
Description
[edit]According to the texts, from the lifeless body of King Nimi after his death, Mithi was born who became the first King Janaka. Thereafter, King Mithi's son was Udavasu from whom Nandivardhana was born; his son was Suketu (also known as Sukesha) from whom Devarata was born. In Ramayana, Shreedwaja Janaka father of Sita, narrated the story of the divine bow Pinaka at the Swayamvar Sabha of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita in Mithila. He told that at the time of the destruction of Daksha Yagya, Lord Shiva told the Devatas, "In your eagerness to participate in the Yagya, you could not take my share. So I will cut off your precious heads with my bow." Then the Devatas immediately apologized and received his grace. Lord Shiva then gifted them this bow which they later gave to our ancestor Devarata.[2][4][5]
In the text Mithila Mahatmya which is a section of larger text Brihadvishnupurana, Mithila has been described as the land of Devarata Janaka in the Shloka number 48.[6]
"देवरात तपोभूमिः शिवतुष्टिकरीमता । यत्र प्राप्तं धनुरत्नं तेन या साम्मवीवभौ"
— Verse 48, Mithila Mahatmya, Brihada Vishnu Purana
References
[edit]- ^ Rao, V. S. (25 June 2021). The Warrior Sage. Jaico Publishing House. ISBN 978-93-91019-27-3.
- ^ a b "Summary | Valmiki Ramayanam". www.valmiki.iitk.ac.in. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ DK (15 December 2022). The Illustrated Ramayana: The Timeless Epic of Duty, Love, and Redemption. Dorling Kindersley Limited. ISBN 978-0-241-56053-2.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (21 September 2020). "King Janaka relates the story of the great bow and the birth of Sita [Chapter 66]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ Sevak (21 April 2019). "Vishwamitra Becomes Brahma Rishi". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ धर्मनाथ शर्मा (1980). वृहद्विष्णुपुराणीय मिथिला माहात्म्यम्. कामेश्वर सिंह दरभंगा संस्कृत विश्वविद्यालय.