Historical Geography of Ancient India c8.331

c8.331

According to the *Bhaviṣya Purāṇa*, Nimi’s son Mithi founded the beautiful city of Mithilā. He came to be known as Janaka, because he was the founder of this city (cf. *Bhāgavata Purāṇa*, IX, 13, 13). According to the *Mahāgovinda Suttanta* of the *Dīgha Nikāya* (II, p. 235), Videha was demarcated as a principality with Mithilā built by Govinda as its capital. The *Viṣṇu Purāṇa* (388ff.) gives a fanciful account of the origin of the name of Mithilā. Vasiṣṭha, having performed the sacrifice of Indra, went to Mithilā to commence the sacrifice of king Nimi. On reaching there he found Gautama engaged by the king to perform the sacrificial rites. Seeing the king asleep he cursed him thus, ‘King Nimi will be bodiless.’ The king on awakening cursed Vasiṣṭha saying that he would also perish as he had cursed a sleeping king. The sages churned the dead body of Nimi and as a result of the churning a child was born afterwards known as Mithi (cf. *Bhāgavata Purāṇa*, IX, 24, 64). Mithilā was named after Mithi and the kings were called the Maithilas (*Vāyu Purāṇa*, 89, 6; *Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa*, III, 64, 6, 24; *Vāyu*, 89, 23; *Viṣṇu*, IV, 5, 14).