जनकjanaka

जनक (janaka) is a Sanskrit word meaning generating or producing, a father or progenitor, a kind of measure in music, a king of Videha or Mithila, king of Mithila and father of Sita, of another king. Its 30 recorded definitions are grouped into 9 contexts, among them Janaka (m.): Multiple Meanings in One Entry, King Janaka of Videha/Mithilā, Other Individuals Named Janaka / Generic Name.

Etymology: E. जन to be born, and णिच् ण्वुल aff
Definitions: 30

View Declension Tables , 48 forms

Meanings by context

Janaka (m.): Multiple Meanings in One Entry

8 definitions

1. Begetting or producing. 2. A father. 3. A proper name, especially of a king of Videha.

— Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1. A father or progenitor. 2. The name of a king of Mithila and father of Sita.

— Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1. A father. 2. A king and father of Sita.

— Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1. A father or progenitor. 2. The name of a famous king of Videha.

— Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1. A father or progenitor. 2. The name of a king of Mithila and father of Sita.

— Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1. Causing. 2. A father or producer. 3. A proper name.

— Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1. Generating or causing. 2. A father or progenitor. 3. A proper name for several kings.

— Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1. Generating, producing, or causing. 2. A father or progenitor. 3. The proper name of two kings of Videha or Mithila. 4. A mother.

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)

King Janaka of Videha/Mithilā

7 definitions

A king of Videha or Mithila

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

king of Mithila and father of Sita

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

A famous king of Videha or Mithila and foster-father of Sita, known for his holiness, wisdom, and later life as an anchorite.

— Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary

one or more Videha kings in Mithila

जनक (janaka) [Printed book page 350-2]
Janaka, one or more Videha kings in Mithilā. § 11 (Parva-

saṅgṛ.): I, 2, 449 (°syādhvare, all. to Aṣṭāvakrīya (§ 412)).—

§ 267 (Yamasabhāv.): II, 8, 330 (in the palace of Yama).—

§ 280 (Bhīmasena): II, 30, 1087 (Vaidehakañ ca rājānaṃ,

vanquished by Bhīmasena on his digvijaya).—§ 309 (Āraṇ-

yakap.): III, 2, 66 (some ślokas sung by him are quoted).—

§ 370 (Tīrthayātrāp.): III, 84, 8089 (°sya tu rājarṣeḥ

kūpaḥ, a tīrtha).—§ 412 (Aṣṭāvakrīya): III, 132, †10601

(°sya yajñe), †10612, †10618 (yajñaṃ J°sya), †10619 (do.);

[133, †10624 (Janakendraṃ)]; 134, †10672 (yajñe J°sya),

†10674, †10678, (†10679), 10682, 10684, †10686, †10687

(the events at J.'s sacrifice).—§ 425 (Hanūmad-Bhīmasena-

saṃv.): III, 148, 11207 (sutāṃ Janakarājasya Sītāṃ).—

§ 480 (Pativratop.): III, 207, 13706 (Mithilāṃ J°ena

surakṣitāṃ), 13728, 13729, 13738 (description of J.'s

virtuous rule).—§ 525 (Rāmopākhyānap.): III, 274, 15880

(Videharājaḥ, father of Sītā, the wife of Rāma Dāśarathi).—

§ 551 (Kīcakavadhap.): IV, 21, 652 (duhitā J°sya, i.e.

Sītā).—§ 576 (Bhagavadgītāp.): VI, 27, 970 (karmaṇaiva

hi saṃsiddhim āsthitā J°ādayaḥ).—§ 623 (Rājadh.): XII, 17,

528 (a gāthā sung by him is quoted (v. 529 = v. 6641)).—

§ 624 (do.): XII, 18, 538 (mauṇḍyam āsthitaḥ), 571 (J.

adopted the life of a mendicant, his discourse with his wife

Kausalyā).—§ 631 (do.): XII, 28, 835 (Vaidehaḥ), (836)

(instructed by Aśman).—§ 641 (do.): XII, 99, 3665

(Maithilaḥ, battle between J. and Pratardana), 3666;

[105—6 (Vaidehaḥ, Kṣemadarśin's relation to J.)].—

§ 655 (Āpaddh.): XII, 159α, 5924 (having repressed

covetousness, J. attained to heaven).—§ 659 (Mokṣadh.):

XII, 177, 6600 (pratiṣṭhatā mahāraṇyaṃ J°sya niveśanāt,

sc. Śuka, cf. §§ 713—14, differently PCR.); 178, 6640

(Videharājena, an itihāsa sung by J. is quoted (v. 6641 =

v. 529)).—§ 668 (do.): XII, 218, 7881 (Mithilādhipaḥ).—

§ 668b (Pañcaśikhavākya): XII, 218, 7883 (janadevaḥ,

Nīl. and PCR. Janadeva of Janaka's race), 7898, 7899;

219, 7930 (janadevaḥ), (7931) (instructed by Pañcaśikha).—

§ 702 (Mokṣadh.): XII, 291, 10699 (questioned Parāśara);

297, (10861), (10870), (10879), (10891), (10895); 299,

10942 (Mithilādhipaḥ), (10943), 10991 (instructed by

Purāśara).—§ 705 (do.): XII, 303, 11120 (Vasiṣṭhasya ca

saṃvādaṃ Karāla-Janakasya ca), 11221, 11223 (Karāla-J°ḥ);

306, (11328); 307, 11368; [309, †11504 (Karāla)

([Karāla-] J. is instructed by Vasiṣṭha)].—§ 707 (do.):

XII, 311, 11545 (Yājñavalkyasya saṃvādaṃ J°sya ca), 11546

(Daivarātiḥ), (11547); 315, (11648); 319, †11833, †11836

(°nṛpasya) (J. Daivarāti is instructed by Yājñavalkya).—

§ 708 (do.): XII, 320, 11839 (Pañcaśikhasyeha saṃvādaṃ

J°sya ca), 11840 (Vaidehaḥ, discourse with Pañcaśikha).—

§ 709b (Sulabhā-Janakasaṃv.): XII, 321, 11854 (°sya

saṃvādaṃ Sulabhāyāś ca), 11855 (Maithilo J°o nāma Dharma-

dhvaja iti śrutaḥ), 11860, (11871), 11999 (J.'s discourse with

Sulabhā).—§ 713 (Śukakṛti): XII, 326, 12220 (Mithi-

leśvaraṃ), 12233 (dharmarājena); 327, 12260, 12265, 12270

(Videharājaḥ), (12274), (12282) (visited by Śuka, whom he

instructs).—§ 714 (Śukakṛtya): XII, 328, 12343 (°rājena).

—§ 718b (Uñchavṛttyup.): XII, 366, 13937 (°sya niveśane,

Cyavana told the Uñchavṛttyupākhyāna to Nārada).—§ 744

(Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 45, 2466 (Sukratuḥ…naptā Vide-

harājasya J°sya).—§ 761 (do.): XIII, 115δ, 5667 (among

the princes who abstained from meat during the month of

Kārttika).—§ 775 (do.): XIII, 166η, 7676.—§ 782f

(Brāhmaṇagītā): The brahman said: King J., who was

Page351-a+ 61

desirous of punishing a brahman for an offence, forbade him

to dwell within his dominions. The brahman then asked

him about the limits of his territories; J.'s understanding

at first became clouded, then he said that he failed to find

his dominion in the kingdom, in Mithilā, and among his own

children; “even this body is not mine, or the whole earth

is mine, and as much mine as it is of others; do remain

as long as you please.” Asked by the brahman, he explained

how he had come to this result, and got rid of the idea of

“mine”; “all my acts are for the sake of the gods, P., Bh.,

and the guests.” The brahman turned out to be Dharma

(XIV, 32), who described himself as emancipated, and said

that J. would enter his soul (XIV, 33): XIV, 32, 887

(brāhmaṇasya saṃvādaṃ J°sya ca), 888, (894), (901), 911.—

§ 786 (Anugītāp.): XIV, 41α, 2843 (attained to success by

making gifts).

Cf. also the following synonyms:—

Aindradyumni: III, 10624.

Daivarāti: XII, 11546.

Dharmadhvaja: XII, 11855.

Karāla, Karālajanaka, q.v.

Maithila (“king of Mithilā”): III, 10655; XII, 3664,

3665 (J°), 3666 (do.), 3951, †7981, 7983, 11458 (= Karāla-

janaka), 11484 (do.), 11556 (= J. Daivarāti), 11684 (°sattama),

11688, 11855 (J°), 11969, 11980, 12013, 12025, 12042.

Mithilādhipa (do.): XII, 7881 (J°), 10942 (do.),

11725 (= J. Daivarāti), 11821 (do.).

Mithilādhipati (do.): XII, 11818 (= J. Daivarāti).

Mithileśvara (do.): XII, 11381 (= Karālajanaka),

11709 (= J. Daivarāti), 11859, 11863.

Vaideha, Videharāja. q.v.

[ID=4769]

— Index to the Names in the Mahabharata

King of Mithila, founder of Mithila, father of Sita, and father-in-law of Rama

— The Purana Index

king of the Videhas and an ally of Balarama

— The Purana Index

A king of Videha featured prominently in Vedic literature as a generous ruler and philosopher-sage renowned for his discussions on the nature of Brahman.

जनक (janaka) [Printed book page 1-271]
Janaka, king of Videha, plays a considerable part in the

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa¹ and the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad,²

as well as in the Jaiminīya Brāhmaṇa³ and the Kauṣītaki

Upaniṣad.⁴ He was a contemporary of Yājñavalkya Vāja-
Page1-272+ 50

saneya,⁵ of Śvetaketu Āruṇeya, and of other sages.⁶ He had

become famous for his generosity and his interest in the dis-

cussion of the nature of Brahman, as ultimate basis of reality,

in the life-time of Ajātaśatru of Kāśi.⁷ It is significant that

he maintained a close intercourse with the Brahmins of the

Kuru-Pañcālas, such as Yājñavalkya and Śvetaketu; for this

indicates that the home of the philosophy of the Upaniṣads

was in the Kuru-Pañcāla country rather than in the east.

There is a statement in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa⁸ that he

became a Brahmin (brahmā). This does not, however, signify

a change of caste, but merely that in knowledge he became

a Brahmin (see Kṣatriya). Janaka is occasionally mentioned

in later texts: in the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa⁹ he has already

become quite mythical; in the Śāṅkhāyana Śrauta Sūtra¹⁰

a sapta-rātra or seven nights' rite is ascribed to him.

It is natural to attempt to date Janaka by his being a con-

temporary of Ajātaśatru, and by identifying the latter with the

Ajātasattu of the Pāli texts:¹¹ this would make the end of the

sixth century B.C. the approximate date of Janaka.¹² But it is

very doubtful whether this identification can be supported:

Ajātaśatru was king of Kāśi, whereas Ajātasattu was king of

Magadha, and his only connexion with Kāśi was through his

marriage with the daughter of Pasenadi of Kosala.¹³ More-

over, the acceptance of this chronology would be difficult to

reconcile with the history of the development of thought; for

it would make the rise of Buddhism contemporaneous with the

Upaniṣads, whereas it is reasonably certain that the older

Upaniṣads preceded Buddhism.¹⁴ Nor do the Vedic texts know

anything of Bimbisāra or Pasenadi, or any of the other princes

famed in Buddhist records.
Page1-273+ 54

The identification¹⁵ of Janaka of Videha and the father of

Sītā is less open to objection, but it cannot be proved, and is

somewhat doubtful. In the Sūtras Janaka appears as an

ancient king who knew of a time when wifely honour was less

respected than later.¹⁶
[Footnote: 1) xi. 3, 1, 2; 4, 3, 20; 6, 2, 1

et seq.]

[Footnote: 2) iii. 1, 1; iv. 1, 1; 2, 1; 4, 7; v.

14, 8.]

[Footnote: 3) i. 19, 2 (Journal of the American

Oriental Society, 23, 329); ii. 76 (ibid.,

15, 238).]

[Footnote: 4) iv. 1.]

[Footnote: 5) Satapatha Brāhmaṇa, xi. 3, 1, 2;

4, 3, 20; Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, loc.

cit.; Jaiminīya Brāhmaṇa, loc. cit.]

[Footnote: 6) Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, xi. 6, 2, 1

et seq.]

[Footnote: 7) Kauṣītaki Upaniṣad, loc. cit.;

Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, ii. 1, 1.]

[Footnote: 8) xi. 6, 2, 10.]

[Footnote: 9) iii. 10, 9, 9.]

[Footnote: 10) xvi. 26, 7.]

[Footnote: 11) Vincent Smith, Early History of

India, 26 et seq.]

[Footnote: 12) Hoernle, Osteology, 106.]

[Footnote: 13) Rhys Davids, Buddhist India, 3 et

seq.]

[Footnote: 14) See e.g., von Schroeder, Indiens

Literatur and Cultur, 243; Macdonell,

Sanskrit Literature, 224; Deussen,

Philosophy of the Upaniṣads, 23 et seq.;

Keith, Aitareya Āraṇyaka, 25, 29.]

[Footnote: 15) Cf. Weber, Indian Literature, 135;

Von Schroeder, op. cit., 189; Mac-

donell, op. cit., 214.]

[Footnote: 16) Jolly, Recht und Sitte, 48.

Cf. Muir, Sanskrit Texts, 5, 426 et seq.;

Max Müller, Ancient Sanskrit Literature,

421 et seq.; Von Schroeder, op. cit.,

187-189; Weber, Indische Studien, 1, 175,

231; Oldenberg, Buddha, 31, n., who

properly emphasizes the difficulty of

attaching much importance to the

names of the leaders of the thought of

the Upaniṣads.]
[ID=1006]

— The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects

Other Individuals Named Janaka / Generic Name

4 definitions

of another king

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

a disciple of Bhagavata

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

of several official men

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

a son of Vishakhayupa and father of Nandivardhana

— The Purana Index

Generator / Producer / Cause

3 definitions

generating or producing

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

Generating, producing, or causing

— Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Generating, producing, causing

— Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary

A Father / Progenitor

2 definitions

A father or progenitor

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

A father or progenitor.

— Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Descendants / Family of Janaka

2 definitions

the descendants of Janaka

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

the family of Janaka

— Index to the Names in the Mahabharata

Janikā: A Mother

2 definitions

a mother

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

a mother

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

Janikā: A Daughter-in-Law

1 definition

a daughter-in-law

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

Musical Measure

1 definition

a kind of measure in music

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

Read जनक in the app

All the contexts on this page, offline — and the word becomes yours to keep, annotate and come back to.

Favorite जनक to save it
Add your own notes
Search by Context
Declension tables offline
Syncs through iCloud

Definitions on this page come from 13 works: Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872), Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899), Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary, The Purana Index, The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects, Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon.