Upaniṣads · Mahā 2.19
॥
Devanāgarī
जनको नाम भूपालो विद्यते मिथिलापुरे यथावद्वेत्त्यसौ वेद्यं तस्मात्सर्वमवाप्स्यसि
Transliteración (IAST)
janako nāma bhūpālo vidyate mithilāpure yathāvadvettyasau vedyaṃ tasmātsarvamavāpsyasi
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
जनकः नाम भूपालःjanakaḥ nāma bhūpālaḥa king by the name of Janaka; a ruler of the earth named Janaka
विद्यते मिथिला-पुरेvidyate mithilā-purethere is in the city of Mithilā; dwells in the town of Mithilā
यथावत् वेत्ति असौ वेद्यम्yathāvat vetti asau vedyamhe knows the knowable as it truly is; he knows what is to be known aright
तस्मात् सर्वम् अवाप्स्यसिtasmāt sarvam avāpsyasifrom him thou wilt obtain everything; from him thou shalt gain all
Traducción
“In the city of Mithilā there is a king named Janaka; he knows, as one should, that which is to be known. From him thou wilt obtain everything.”
Versión
54fd8cfc1c02 · publicado 29 jul 2026, 6:29:20 UTC
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Janaka is a special figure, and Śuka knew it.
This is the king of Mithilā, the father of Sītā, the very one whom the Bhagavad-gītā names among those who reached perfection through action. He rules, judges, wages war — and he also gathers the sages at his court and takes part in their disputes. The classic image that standing in the world does not hinder knowledge.
The referral to him is not only the choice of a teacher but a lesson. The recluse from mount Meru is sent to a man with a treasury, an army and inner chambers full of beauties. Everything from which Śuka has already turned away.
Vyāsa does not explain his choice. He says only: yathāvat vetti — “he knows as it is”.
And the expression tasmāt sarvam avāpsyasi — “from him thou wilt obtain everything” — deserves memorising word for word. Not “thou wilt learn”, but “thou wilt obtain”. Knowledge here is described as something taken from another's hands.