Tribes in Ancient India c51.10

c51.10

In the later Mantra period, Videha must have been organised so far as to take a leading part in Vedic culture, and the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa clearly indicates that the great spiritual and intellectual lead offered by Samrāṭ Janaka and Ṛṣi Yājñavalkya was accepted by the whole of N. India. Ṛṣis from the Kuru-Pañcāla regions flocked to the court of Janaka and took part in the discussions held about the supreme Brahman; and they had to admit the superior knowledge of Yājñavalkya. In our opinion, the Videha country must have received Vedic culture long before the time of the compilation of this Brāhmaṇa, for we find in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad which forms a part of it, that Samrāṭ Janaka of Videha was a great patron of Vedic culture, and that Ṛṣis from the whole of N. India repaired to his court.²