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Sulabha ( Sanskrit: सुलभ ) was a female scholar in the ancient Mithila Kingdom. She was a Vedic scholar so she was called Brahmavadini. In Rigaveda, there was a Samhita attributed to her called as Saulabha Samhita, which has been lost now.[1] Sulabha was a learned woman who belonged to the mendicant order.[2] This means she had renounced worldly possessions and followed a spiritual path. The text describes her as well-versed in Yoga, an ancient Indian discipline for physical, mental, and spiritual development.
Sulabha | |
|---|---|
सुलभ | |
| Personal | |
| Religion | Sanatana Hinduism |
| Era | Satya Yuga |
| Region | Mithila region |
| Creed | Vedic Tradition |
| Main interest(s) | Gender Equality |
| Notable idea(s) | Liberation of Women |
| Alma mater | Ancient Mithila University |
| Known for | Winning the debate with the King Dharmadhwaja Janaka |
| Organization | |
| Philosophy | Vedic Principles |
Biography
editSulabha was a wandering Indian ascetic Yogini who had long philosophical debates with the philosopher king Janaka. She was a learned woman and a renunciate who engaged in the philosophical debate with the King Janaka and challenged the traditional gender roles and argued for women's equality in achieving spiritual liberation.[3] Her story of debate with the king Janaka is mentioned in Mokshadharma Parva Chapter 321 of Shanti Parva in Mahabharata. In the story Yudhishthira asked Bhishma about the liberation of self without giving up the domestic lifestyle.Then Bhishma, in this connection, made reference to the old story of the discourse between the King Dharmadhwaja Janaka and Brahmavadini Sulbha.[4] The story of Sulabha and the King Janaka is a famous example in the Sanatana tradition of Hinduism about achieving enlightenment while living a householder's life.
In the debate Sulabha clarified that she was born as Kshatriya and belonged to a royal family but she didn't find husband to fit her. Then she traveled widely.[1][2] When she was wandering in the Mithila Kingdom, she heard about the wise and righteous King Dharmadhwaja Janaka of Mithila, who was known for his devotion to detachment and spiritual knowledge. Upon hearing of the King Janaka of Mithila's dedication to attaining moksha (liberation), she desired to test his resolve.[5] This piqued her interest, and she desired to meet him. To approach Janaka, Sulabha used her yogic powers to transform herself into a woman of unmatched beauty. Disguised as a mendicant, Sulabha met King Janaka to assess his commitment to spiritual liberation despite his worldly duties as a king. She approached King Janaka to test his equanimity and detachment from worldly attractions. It is said that she is a single learned and renunciant woman who won a debate with the philosopher king Janaka in the presence of eminent Brahmin scholars at his court. In this debate, Sulabha logically establishes that there is no essential difference between man and woman. She also demonstrated by her own example that a woman can attain liberation on the same terms as a man.[6][7]
References
edit- ^ a b Vanita, Ruth (2003). "The Self Is Not Gendered: Sulabha's Debate with King Janaka". NWSA Journal. 15 (2): 76–93. doi:10.2979/NWS.2003.15.2.76 (inactive 1 November 2024). ISSN 1040-0656. JSTOR 4316972.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link) - ^ a b Ganguli, Kisari Mohan (2024-01-24). The Mahabharata of Khrisna-Dwaipayana Vyasa; XII. The Book of Peace Part Two: Vol. XII Part. 2. BoD – Books on Demand. ISBN 978-3-385-32443-5.
- ^ Vanita, Ruth. "Sulabha of India सुलभ Floruit Circa 800 BCE". ResearchGate.
- ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 12: Santi Parva: Section CCCXXI". sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ^ The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa. Bharata Press. 1891.
- ^ Valmiki; Vyasa (2018-05-19). Delphi Collected Sanskrit Epics (Illustrated). Delphi Classics. ISBN 978-1-78656-128-2.
- ^ Sutton, Nicholas (2000). Religious Doctrines in the Mahābhārata. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 978-81-208-1700-5.