Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c9.s4.45

c9.s4.45

According to the *Rāmāyaṇa*¹ the royal family of Mithilā was founded by a king named Nimi. His son was Mithi, and Mithi's son was Janaka I. The epic then continues the genealogy to Janaka II (father of Sītā) and his brother Kuśadhvaja, king of Sāṅkāśya. The *Vāyu*² and the *Vishṇu*³ *Purāṇas* represent Nimi or Nemi as a son of Ikshvāku, and give him the epithet Videha.⁴ His son was Mithi whom both the *Purāṇas* identify with Janaka I. The genealogy is then continued to Sīradhvaja who is called the father of Sītā, and is, therefore, identical with Janaka II of the *Rāmāyaṇa*. Then starting from Sīradhvaja the *Purāṇas* carry on the dynasty to its close. The last king is named Kṛiti, and the family is called *Janaka-vaṁśa*.