Mithila

Mithila ( Skt. मिथिला , mithilā ^IAST ) is a city in Ancient India , the capital of the kingdom of Videha . Often called Mithila the kingdom of Videh itself, as well as modern territories that once were part of it. Mithila is usually identified with the modern city of Janakpur in Nepal . The Mithila region is located in the north-east of the Indo-Gangetic Plain , on the territory of the modern Indian state of Bihar and part of the territory of Nepal. It is believed that the palace of the ruler of Videha and the father of Sita Janaka was located 21 km from Janakpur, in the modern village of Digagal.

Map of Mithila with counties.

According to the historian D. D. Cosambi, the Vedic text “ Satapatha-brahmana ” states that King Mathava Videgha, along with the brahmin Gotama Rahugana , first crossed the Sadaniru River ( Gandaki ) and founded the kingdom of Videh. Gotama Rahugan was a Vedic Rishi , who is credited with compiling many hymns of the first mandala of the Rig Veda . In some of them, he glorifies Swarajya, another name for the state of Videgha. Consequently, Mathava Videgha lived in the pre-Rigvedian period, long before the compilation of the “Satapatha Brahmanas,” which scholars date from the 10th century BC. er

The most important mention of Mithila is contained in the ancient Indian epic " Ramayana ", which states that the wife of Rama Sita was the princess Videha, the daughter of the ruler of the kingdom of Janaka. In Hindu literature are the names of several dozen kings who ruled Mithila in antiquity.

Later, the founder of Buddhism, Buddha, and the 24th and last tirthankara of the Jains of Mahavir lived in Mithila. A native of Mithila was Mandana Mishra - a Hindu saint and philosopher , who is considered the embodiment of Brahma .

In Mithila, during the time of Janaka, the brahmana Kaushika had a conversation with the hunter Dharmavyadha, described in Aranyakaparva and representing one of the most brilliant philosophical dialogues of the Mahabharata .

Local Hindu organizations have repeatedly raised the issue of separating Mithila into a separate state. ^[one]

In neighboring Nepal, Mithila is sometimes called the 2nd province .