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Raja Janak Ji
July 20, 2021 10 min read

R aja Janak was a king of Mithlapuri

and was a good-hearted person.
He always ensured justice in his kingdom
and was compassionate toward the poor.
He worshipped Shiva Ji’s bow that was
given to him. One day, a saint came to Raja
Janak and asked him a question, “Hey
Raja, who is your Guru?”

Raja Janak started thinking, and after

some time, replied, “Until today, I have not
accepted anyone as my Guru. I only
worship Shiv Ji’s bow.”

“Raja, adopt a Guru. Without a Guru, you

cannot obtain liberation, and all your good
deeds will go to waste. This is because you
are a good soul.”

Hearing this, Raja Janak agreed and called

all his ministers to discuss this matter. He
then decided to call an assembly of saints,
sadhus, pandits, Rishis, and great scholars.
From them, he would choose a Guru.

Finding a Guru

The day came when all the saints and

scholars came well-prepared. They were
discussing amongst themselves who will be
fit to be the king’s Guru. Raja Janak got up
from his throne and addressed everyone.
“O’ great saints and scholars, you must
know the reason for this assembly that I am
to adopt a Guru. But I have one condition. I
would only accept that person as my Guru,
who will give me spiritual wisdom as I mount
the horse, and before I sit on the saddle of
the horse. If you think you would provide me
with spiritual knowledge in this short period,
please step forward. If you fail to fulfill the
condition, you will be punished, as you have
disgraced yourself and me. Therefore, only
the courageous and well-prepared saint
scholar should step forward for this test.”

Upon hearing this, all the saint scholars got

shocked and started looking at each other.
They were thinking, who would be that
great to give wisdom in such a short period
to the King? Then, the whole assembly fell
into pin-drop silence. No one stepped
forward. Raja Janak started feeling uneasy
and restless. “Is there no one who can fulfill
the condition?” he thought. He felt quite
upset.

Just then, a Brahmin stepped forward. His

name was Ashtavakar. As he was walking,
everyone looked at his body and started
laughing. Even the King was embarrassed.
Why? Ashtavakar was a hunchback, his
legs went bent, and he only had one arm.
His fingers were joint up, but his face wasn’t
that bad. Finally, the king’s minister stopped
him and asked, “Are you sure about this? If
you fail, you will be killed!”

Ashtavakar spoke, “Oh minister, you are

saying this, maybe after looking at my ugly
body. Maybe, I am also poor and homeless.
Maybe you are thinking that I am doing this
out of greed. But look at this, all these
people that you have called are lacking in
spiritual wisdom. It is a shame that no one
can step forward for this test. Let me ask
you, is spiritual wisdom connected to the
soul and mind or the body? Why aren’t
these people of high caste, so well-dressed,
with a sa!ron mark on their forehead
coming forward? They are laughing at this
body of mine, but they have forgotten that
this body is an illusion, Maya, which God
created. Those who are proud and worship
this body can never attain spiritual
enlightenment.”

All the other saint scholars were ashamed.

Finally, Raja Janak stepped forward and,
with folded hands, said, “Come O’ Great
One, if you have faith in yourself, then
please fulfill my condition and give me
assurance.”

Raja Janak called for a horse, and just as

he was about to put his foot on the stirrup,
Ashtavakar spoke. “O’ King, believe me
when I say that I will end up becoming your
Guru, and you shall be my disciple. But
before I give you any wisdom, you must
provide me an o!ering. The o!ering must
be either your body, mind, or wealth.
Choose one to give to me, and choose
wisely.”

Raja Janak started thinking, and after a

while, said, “I will give you one of these, but
please allow me to return to my palace.
After my return, I will provide you with an
o!ering. Ashtavakar agreed and started his
meditation while waiting. Raja Janak then
went to his palace and narrated the whole
incident to his wife.

His wife said, “If you give your wealth, we all

shall be poor and will su!er, and if you give
your body, he can do anything with your
body, and you will be in agony and pain. So
the best is to give your mind. This will not
a!ect you much.”

Raja Janak Gives His Mind

Raja Janak started thinking. He went back

to the assembly and told Ashtavakar, “I will
give you my mind as an o!ering.”

“Alright then, King, please mount your horse

now. Your mind is mine now and will listen to
me,” said Ashtavakar.

Just as Raja Janak was about to mount the

horse, Ashtavakar said, “Raja Janak, my
mind does not want to mount the horse.”
Raja Janak immediately stepped down,
and his wish to mount the horse
disappeared. At that point, Ashtavakar
gave another command. “Oh King, my mind
wishes to take o! the royal robe and
clothing.” At that point, Raja Janak started
taking o! his clothes, and he attained
spiritual wisdom. “The mind must be
controlled. The way to happiness is not to
follow what the mind says. The mind always
wanders around.” At that moment of
realization, Raja Janak fell onto the feet of
Ashtavakar and exclaimed, “You are my
Guru!”

Bhai Gurdas Ji writes about this,

੫: ਰਾਜਾ ਜਨਕ

King Janak

ਭਗਤੁ ਵਡਾ ਰਾਜਾ ਜਨਕੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਿਖ ਮਾਇਆ ਿਵਿਚ ਉਦਾਸੀ।

King Janak was a great saint who, amidst

Maya, remained indi!erent to it.

ਦੇਵ ਲੋ ਕ ਨ< ਚਿਲਆ ਗਣ ਗੰਧਰਬ ਸਭਾ ਸੁਖਵਾਸੀ।

Along with celestial musicians, he went to

the abode of the gods.

ਜਮਪੁਿਰ ਗਇਆ ਪੁਕਾਰ ਸੁਿਣ ਿਵਲਲਾਵਿਨ ਜੀਅ ਨਰਕ ਿਨਵਾਸੀ।

From there, he, hearing the cries of

inhabitants of hell, went to them.

ਧਰਮਰਾਇ ਨ< ਆਿਖਓਨੁ ਸਭਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਕਿਰ ਬੰਦ ਖਲਾਸੀ।

He asked the judge of righteousness,

Dharamraj, to relieve all their su!ering.

ਕਰੇ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਧਰਮਰਾਇ ਹਉ ਸੇਵਕ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਅਿਬਨਾਸੀ।

Hearing this, the judge of righteousness

told him that he was a mere servant of the
eternal Lord, and without Their orders, he
could not liberate the inhabitants of hell.

ਗਿਹਣੇ ਧਿਰਅਨੁ ਏਕ ਨਾਉ ਪਾਪਾ ਨਾਿਲ ਕਰੈ ਿਨਰਜਾਸੀ।

Janak o!ered a part of his devotion and

remembrance of the name of the Lord.

ਪਾਸੰਿਗ ਪਾਪੁ ਨ ਪੁਜਨੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਿਖ ਨਾਉ ਅਤੁਲ ਨ ਤੁਲਾਸੀ।

All the sins of hell were found not equal

even to a moment of Janak’s devotion. In
fact no balance can weigh the fruits of
recitation and remembrance of the Lord’s
name by the Gurmukh.

ਨਰਕਹੁੰ ਛੁਟੇ ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਕਟੀ ਗਲਹੁੰ ਿਸਲਕ ਜਮ ਫਾਸੀ।

All the creatures got liberated from hell and

the noose of death was cut.

ਮੁਕਿਤ ਜੁਗਿਤ ਨਾਵੈ ਦੀ ਦਾਸੀ ॥੫॥

Liberation and the technique of attaining it

are the servants of the name of the Lord.

Raja Janak Travels to the Kingdom of

Vaheguru

After adopting the teachings of Ashtavakar,

Raja Janak Ji meditated a lot. He could
control his mind such that it would never
wander around or get a!ected by the
power of Maya (illusion). As a result, he was
free of all the 5 vices (lust, anger, greed,
attachment, and pride).

When his last days came, he was

welcomed by the gods and celestial
musicians, by saints and great souls. As he
was being brought on a chariot to the
Kingdom of Vaheguru, the charioteer
passed through hell, and Raja Janak could
hear the screaming and crying of the
people below. He asked the Jamdoot
(Messengers of death), “What is this place?”

The Jamdoot replied, “Oh great one, this

place is for those who do not commit any
good deeds in the world and do not
remember or meditate on Vaheguru.”

Raja Janak replied, “They should be

released. They have su!ered too much.”

“Everything happens within the Hukam, the

will and command of Vaheguru. Even a leaf
cannot move against the wish of Vaheguru.
But, if someone is willing to give o!er his
good accounts to these souls, then they
can also be liberated.”

Raja Janak felt pity on them. He said,

“Weigh one Ghari (22.5 minutes) of my
Simran (meditation and remembrance on
Vaheguru) and give it to these souls.”

All the souls were placed on one side of the

scale and one Ghari of Simran was on the
other. The weight of one Ghari of Simran
was heavier than all of these souls. Hell was
emptied, and the souls went to heaven.
Raja Janak was welcomed into the court of
Vaheguru.

The Pehar System

Below, we have broken down the Pehar

system so it can be better understood,

1 Day = 8 Pehars = 24 hrs

1 Pehar = 8 Gharis = 3hrs

1 Ghari = 60 Pal = 22.5 minutes = 1350 secs

1 Pal = 3 Chassa = 22.5 secs

1 Chassa = 15 Visuas = 7.5 secs

1 Visua = 15 Nimakh = 0.5 secs

1 Nimakh = 0.0333 secs

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