The Maithili Mahopanishad (Sanskrit: मैथिलीमहोपनिषद्, romanized: Maithilīmahopaniṣad) is a Sanskrit text and is one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism describing the Videha Kingdom of King Janaka and his rule over the Mithila (region) from the ancient capital city of Janakpurdham where Lord Rama and Princess Sita was married. It is featured in the chapter five of the text Valmiki Samhita.[3]
| Maithili Mahopanishad | |
|---|---|
 Murti of Sita, ISKCON | |
| Devanagari | मैथिलीमहोपनिषद् |
| IAST | Maithilī Mahopaniṣad |
| Title means | The Great Upaniṣad of Maithili (Sita) |
| Date | 10th to 11th Century CE[1][2] |
| Chapters | 5 |
| Philosophy | Vaishnavism |
The Maithili Mahopanishad is among the important texts of the Ramanandi tradition.[4]
Chapters overview
editThe Maithili Mahopanishad[5] has a total of five chapters. This Upanishad is a dialogue between Sita and the Saptarishi regarding the Supreme Reality:
ते होचुर्मातर्मोक्षकामैः किं जाप्यं किं प्राप्यं किं ध्येयं किं विज्ञेयमित्येतत् सर्वं नो ब्रूहि ॥
O Mother, tell us what is worth chanting? What is worth attaining? What is worth meditating on? What is worth knowing for one who desires salvation?
भूर्भुवः स्वः । सप्तद्वीपा वसुमती । त्रयो लोकाः । अन्तरिक्षम् । सर्वे त्वयि निवसन्ति । आमोदः । प्रमोदः । विमोदः । सम्मोदः । सर्वांस्त्वं सन्धत्से । आञ्जनेयाय ब्रह्मविद्या प्रदात्रि धात्रित्वां सर्वे वयं प्रणमामहे प्रणमामहे ॥
The sages said: In the earthly realm, the celestial space, and the heavenly realms, and in the seven continents on Earth, in the three worlds—heaven, mortal, and the netherworld. All these, including space and the sky, reside within you. You embody joy, delight, exhilaration, and bliss. Oh ultimate embodiment of Dhatrī! bestower of the Brahmavidya to Lord Hanuman! Oh sustainer of all realms, Sri Sita! We bow to you repeatedly.[6]
This Upanishad also tells about the lineage of the Rama Mantraraja (The Rama Shadakshara Mantra: rāṃa rāmāya namaḥ), revealing how that lineage passed from one to another:
इममेव मनुं पूर्वं साकेतपतिर्मामिवोचत् । अहं हनुमते मम प्रियाय प्रियतराय । सर्वेद वेदिने ब्रह्मणे । स वसिष्ठाय । स पराशराय । स व्यासाय । स शुकाय । इत्येषोपनिषत् इत्येषा ब्रह्मविद्या ।
Sita said: This six-syllabled mantra, 'The Rama Mantra,' was given to me by the Lord of Saketa, imparting divine instructions. I passed this mantra to my dear and beloved servant, Hanuman. Hanuman passed it on to the knower of Vedas, Brahma. Brahma passed it on Vashishtha. Vashishtha instructed Parashara. Parashara passed it on to Veda Vyasa. Veda Vyasa imparted it to Shuka. This is the essence of the Upanishads, and this is the knowledge of the ultimate truth.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Paramlal Gupta (1973). Hindī ke ādhunika Rāma-kāvya kā anuśīlana. p. 46.
- ^ Balbhadra Tivari (1976). Kavi-var Vishnu Das aur unki Ramayan. p. 54.
- ^ Bhagavānadāsa, Vaishṇava (1992). Ramanand Darshan Samiksha (in Sanskrit and Hindi) (1st ed.). Prajñā Prakāśana Mañca. p. 12.
- ^ Baldev Upadhyay, Acharya (1996). Sanskrit Vangmaya ka Brihat Itihas (in Hindi) (1st ed.). Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Sansthan. p. 262.
- ^ "Maithili Mahopanishat". sanskritdocuments.org. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
- ^ Maha Upaniṣad, Maithili (1934). Kalyan Shakti Anka (1st ed.). Gita Press Gorakhpur. p. 211.
- ^ Brahmachari, Bhagvaddas (1928). Kalyan Bhakta Ankha (1st ed.). Gita Press Gorakhpur. p. 195.
Further reading
editWikisource: Maithili Mahopanishad[1]
- ^ "मैथिलीमहोपनिषद् - विकिस्रोतः". sa.wikisource.org (in Sanskrit). Retrieved 2023-12-06.