The glory of a country has always been the glory of its

people. In happy times, India knew great prosperity. Kings were

noble and conscientious but the land got its true flavour from its
holy men.

Kings there were many and holy men galore. But we also
have the unique instance of a royal saint-King Janaka. Janaka was
a man full of Upanishadic wisdom and even while he discharged
the duties of a king, he was acclaimed by all as truly a man of
perfection I

E ditor: D. K um ar S c rip t: B h a ra ti S u k h a ta n k a r

Art Work : B. G. M an d ke

OUR NEXT TITLE

Published by Geeta Kumar, for Argus Cantral Enterprises, 16. Goff Links.
New D elhi-110003 and Text printed at Jay Print Pack (P ) L td . 8 39.
Kirti Nagar Industrial Area New Delhi-110015. Cover Printed at A. J.
Printers, 5 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002.
K IN G J A N A K A

o/LlNG JANAKA WAS AN IDEAL KING. NOT ONLY WAS

HE A GOOD KING BUT HE ALSO UNIVERSALLY
KNOWN AS A MAN OF PERFECTION. HE RULED OVER
THE KINGDOM OF M/TH/LA, ALSO KNOWN AS V/DEHA
JANAKA WAS THE PUPIL OF THE IN FACT, ONE OF THE FOREMOST
RENOWNED SAGE, YASNAVALKYA,FROM UPANISHADS, THE
WHOM HE HAD RECEIVED YARA, IS IN THE FORM OF A
OR THE HIGHEST KNOWLEDGE. DIALOGUE BETWEEN
YAGNAVALK^A AND JANAKA.

GIVE M E
PERMISSION,
MAHARAJ, GO JANAKA.
TO BEG FULFILL YOUR
LEAVE'OF YOU. DUTIES AS A
^IN G AND EARN
MERIT AND GLORY
FOR YOURSELF.

Lx
JANAKA SOON ACQUIRED THE REPUTATION
OF BEING THOUGHTFUL, K IN D AND JUST.
WE ARE LUCKY
TO HAVE A
KIN© L IK E j
JANAKA!
LON© LIVE
THE KIN©!

HE WAS A TRUE FATHER TO HIS SUBJECTS AND

LOOKED AFTER THEIR WELFARE WITH SINCERITY
AND Z E A L , M ^ & £ -------------------------------------------!------

1 {'•1ikA \ O?
UJJ7I m m m f
f t \3mlA
M 'jlM
Jr ggl
Li
HE PATRONISED M E N OF LEARNING AND
WISDOM AND TOOK PLEASURE IN
LISTENING TO THEIR DISCUSSIONS.
ONCE , ft L E A R N E D VEDA N T !N C ALLE D KAHOR I AM POOR, 0 K IN S , ^
fam f th thf rn u e T df k ' im f . An d h a v e c o m e
FOR VOUR
PATRONAG E.

AT T H A T T IM E , THERE WAS A T R IC K Y
DE

M O THER. L ZARNEDPUNDIT C A LLE D

S R I V M D /N EMERGED
V IC TO R IO U S .

HOW CLEVER
W E L L , KAHOR IT WOULD BE
HERE 15 YOUR MARVELLOUS TO HEAR
CHANCE. A DEBATE BETWEEN
L 'VOU AND SRI
V VANDIN.

ON ONE
CONDITION ...IF I W IN,
O K IN S ... KAHOR MUST
BECOME MY
SERVANT. >
JA N A K A LO O K E D P.ND KAHOR.HESITATED B U T A MOMENT.
QUEST/ON/NGLY

MY WIFE.
MV CHILD.

NEVER M IND ! THIS

IS MV ONLY CHANCE
OF BANISHING THIS I ACCEPT ^
ACCURSED POVERTY. THE CHALLENGE
^ M A H A R A J .^
■wv1
 ; HEATED DEBATE ENSUED BETWEEN JANAKA LISTENED /NTENTLY
HE TWO LEARNED MEN. TO THEM ROTH. BUT IN THE
~M — --------------- 1 END...

MJt

I AM SORRY
FOR YOU, KAHOR.
SRI VAN PIN
WINS THIS
^ DEBATE! ^

KAHOR BOWED HIS HEAD AND GRACEFULLY

ACCEPTED DEFEAT. K
-----~~Z--------

7
 HE WORKED ftS ft M E N /ftL IN THE
HOUSE OF SR/ VftND/N. j ---------- r -

BUT WHEN HE S L E P T ftT

NIGHT, H/S M IN D WOULD GO
BftCH TO H/S WIFE ftND CHILD

^ SUJATA IS
5UCH A SWEET
ftND FAITHFUL
>~V WIFE... .

\W AFTER VJU 1
7 HAVE CHOPPED THIS
If WOOD VOU MAY FILL
\ UP THE WATER AND
m SWEEP THE COURT-
H iK YARDS. ^

J AN D MY POOR
BABY ! I REMEMBER.
 / USED TO READ ALOUD THE THE UNBORN LEAR N T
SACRED MANDALAS*TO SUJATA, THEM ALL IN H/S MOTHER'S
LAT_ INTO THE N IG H T WHEN WOMB AND ONE DAY...
SHE WASEXPECTING.

V I HAVE LEARNT
A LL THE SACRED
TEXTS BY YOUR GOOD
V ©RACE, FATHER... >

...BUT IT PAINS
ME THAT YOU OFTEN
MAKE MISTAKES IN
YOUR RECITATION.
 HOW PARE YOU
CRITICIZE ME !
I CURSE^
YOU TO BE
BORN AS A
PE FORMED
BA6Y. ^

ftN D TH E POOR WHS

BORN WITH E IG H T DEFOR­
M IT IE S IN HIS BODY.

LET HIM
BE CALLED
ASHTAVAKRA:

*'O H E M Tt - EIG HT D E F O R M IT IE S
 TRULY, MAN’S AND SO T
E 60 AND TEMPER PASSED.
ARE HIS WORST
ENEMIES. 7

YOUNG ASHTAVAKRWAS
GROWING UP TO BE A GOOD
BOY WITH 79 B R ILLIA N T
INTELLECT, i -v i 1/---- 77—vrs

HEY ! WHO IS
YOUR FATHER?
THIS TEflS/NGMADE HIM Qf)D.
ONE 8y— I-------------------------
D

MOTHER,
WHO IS MY
FATHER ?
WHERE IS
HE ? z '

TW ELVE YEARS ASO, WE W ERE VERY POOR

MY S O N ,Y O U R A N D SOM ETIM ES THERE
FATHER,THE LEARNED WAS NOTHING TO EAT.
SASE K A H O R , LEFT HE W ENT THERE TO
FOR T H E COURT OF S EE K ROYAL PATRONAGE
KING JAN AKA. AND NEVER
RETURNED.
 I W ILL GO TO AND AFTER. MAKING PROPER ENQUI­
VIDEHA, MOTHER. RIES, ASHTAVAKRA SET OUT ON HIS
I W ILL GET JOURNEY TO THE KINGDOM OF RING
MY FATHER

I AM ASHTAVAKRA,
THE SON OF
KAHOR.I HAVE
COME HERE TO
TAKE MY
FATHER BACK.

4-X
WHEN K IN 6 JANftKft WAS INFORMED ABOUT THIS

f THE 5 ON SEND HIM ~

OF KAHOR!I HEAR IN ALSO SEND
HE HAS GREAT FOR SRI
L WISDOM AND w. VANDIN. ^
X KNOWLEDGE.

SRI V AN D IN .
THIS BOV HAS
COME TO TAK E
HIS FATHER
V SACK. ,

HE MUST FIRST DEFEAT ME

IN AN IN TE LLE C TU A L
N . D EB A TE ,O KING .

SO BE IT !
VOU CHOOSE
v T H E TOPIC.
 SRI VAND IN 'S OUTDATED ARGUMENTS
COULD NO T WITHSTAND THE ONSLAUGHT
OF Y 0UN6ASHTAVAKRA’S INTELLECT.

BRILLIANT !

& f ilH
mm-
P */JL
/1

mm iMpli

^ TAKE YOUR ^
FATHER, ASHTAVAKRA
[YOU HAVE EARNED
I HIS FREEDOM. >

KAHOR EMBRACED HIS SON AND TEARS OF JOY ' 0 0 AND BATHE
STREAMED DOWN HIS CHEEKS. ------------ ~ IN THE RIVER
SAMANGA, MY SON
YOUR BODY
W IL L BECOME
V W HOLC. si
AS I1TAVAKRA DID AS HIS BADE HIM A N D
R ETU RN ED TO THE COURT OF JAN AKA, HANDSOME
A N D GLOWING WITH D IV IN IT Y .

IF IT PLEASES YOU,
MAHARAJ, WE WOULD
LIKE TO HEAR YOUR
EXPOSITION ON
SELF-KNOW LEDGE .

AND THIS DIALOGUE BETWEEN ASHTAVAKRA AND KING JANAKA

THE SUBSTANCE OF THE
IF YOU ASPIRE FOR LIBERATION,
REJECT THE OBJECTS OF THE
SENSES LIKE POISON. SEEK
FORGIVENESS, STRAIGHTFOR­
WARDNESS, KINDNESS,
CHEERFULNESS AND
TRUTH AS NECTAR.

AFTER WHICH JANAKA IN D EED , IN F IN IT E

IS MY WEALTH OF
IN ONE WAY, NOTHING WHICH,NOTHING IS
BELONGS TO M E , M IN E . IF MITHILA
IN ANOTHER, IS BURNT, NOTHING
EVERYTHING BELONGS OF M INE IS
v ONLY TO M E ! v BURNT.
C /U K ft, THE y o u N S SON OF W AS A , 0 HIS FATHER HAD GIVEN
OF OR.EFT REPUTE, ftT H IS HRD HIM THE KNOW LEDGE OF
BEEN PRESENTED WITH ft DIVINE KAM H N D A LU THE VEDAS, B U T SH U K A
BY HONE OTHER. THANINDRft. trr a — n
WAS NOT SATISFIED.

I WANT TO MEET A
BRAH M AJNANI.I WANT
v BRAHMAJNANA. >

^ GO TO KIN©
J A N A K A ,5 0 N .
HE IS A
BRAHMAJNANI.
HMMM. SHUKA IS PROUD HE IS A PERFECT
OF HIS ACHIEVEMENTS. V M ASTER . / •
HE NEEDS A LESSON
IN HUM ILITY.

HREAD CEREMONY
JANAKA ! A HOUSEHOLDER ANYW A Y ,I MUST
s WHAT KNOWLEDGE OBEY MY FATHER
V CAN HE GIVE ME ? ) AND 6 0 TO H IM .

W HEN SHUKA ARRIVED AT JA N A K A 'S PALACE

W ELCO M E, REVERED SAGE

WE ARE HONOURED BY
YOUR VISIT. ^
JftN ftK ft THEN TOOK SHUKftTO SET OF LftV/SH ftPftRTMENTS.

PLEASE MAKE
yOURSELF
COMFORTABLE
. MAHARAJ.

HE WftSHED HIS FEET WITH

REVERENCE, i---------- ^ ---------

ALL THESE SERVANTS

ARE AT TOUR COMMAND.
THEY W ILL FULFILL
EVERY WISH OF
^ v OURS.

T H E M IN D OF A SA6 E
SOME DAYS PftSSED. S H U K ft WftS UNMOVED BY THE W IL L SEEK SO LITU DE.
SPLENDO UR O F H IS SURROUNDINGS. \------- \ t w / M IT W ILL SHUN ALL T H IS
HOW CAN JANAKA BE ' WEALTH AND POMP ?
v AND SHOW.
A SASE WHEN HE LIVES
^ IN SUCH L U X U R Y ? /4
 I CAME TO YOU FOR
BRAHMAJNANA.
0 KING, I HAVE
ENJOYED YOUR
HOSPITALITY
MANY DAYS
1 AM TIRED

TELL M E , HOW CAN YOU BE HOW CAN YOU D IS C H A R G E^

A BRAHMAJNANI IN THE MIDST YOUR KINGLY DUTIES AND YET
OF A L L THIS GREAT WEALTH ,
\ AND SPLENDOUR? /

MAHARAJ.
HERE IS A BOWL
FULL TO THE
BRIM WITH OIL.
 BUT BEAR IN MIND
THAT 7 0 U MUST
NOT S P ILL ANY
^ O IL . V7

SHOULD YOU S P IL L
EVEN A DROP, YOU
W IL L LOOSE YOUR
RIGHT TO THE
ANSWER OF YOUR ,
Q U ESTIO N .

WHAT A STRAN6 E
CONDITION ! BUT
I W IL L DO AS HE
^ SAYS. ___ .
A T O N E S T A G E , ft GROUP O F BEAUTIFUL
D R N C /N 6 G IR LS CROSSED H IS P R T H .
T7

F)T R N O T H E R , H E H R D TO PRSS THROUGH ft THRONG E L S E W H E R E , THERE WERE

O F PEOPLE E R T /N 6 , D R IN K IN G R N D M A IL IN G M ERRY. PEO P LE E N G AG E D IN
A LL R IN D S O F SPORT
M A N V FASCINATING AND BEAUT/FUL
DIVERSIONS WERE P U T IN HIS PATH.

B U T NOT EVEN FOR A S P L IT SECOND

DID HIS G A TE LEAVE THE BOW L.

E V E N TU A LLY NOT A PROP S P IL T ! T E L L

M E , O S H U K A , WHAT ALL
D IP YOU SEE WHEN YOU /
W ENT AROUND MY
HERE 0 K IN S , PALACE ?
IS YOUR BOWL
^ OF O IL .

DESCRIBE TO ME
THE SIGHTS THAT
MET YOUR EYES,
THE MARVELS
YOU SAW.
I SAW N O T H IN G , 0 KING MV A T T E N T IO N W AS FIX E D
S A V E T H IS BO W L OF O IL . ON IT, FOR I W A S ANXIO US
N O T TO S P IL L A S IN G LE A
V. PRO P.

T H A T ,R E V E R E D
S A G E , IS T H E
AN S W E R T O VOUR
. Q U E S T IO N . y

W H EN A M A N LIVES
IN TH E WORLD W IT H
H IS M IN D FIXED IN
T R U T H , H E D O E S NOT
G ET D IS TR A C T E D BV THE
MANV CHARMS

pa
 ...HE WILL NEVER
GET CAUGHT IN
IT5 SILKEN
\ SNARES ! v

NOU ARE INDEED A AND S H U K A DEV/), HPV/N6LEARNTH/S LESS

B R A H M A JN A N I,0 KING HUMILITY,TURNED TO 0 0 TO THE FOREST FOR
VOUR ANSWER HAS FURTHER PENANCE.
TAUGHT ME MANY
LESSO NS. GIVE ME
LEAVE TO GO.

SHUKA HAS A 1
PURE AND
UNTAINTED MIND.
HE IS A GREAT
VOGL
NOW VANAKA, ALTHOUGH HE WAS ft TIM E CftM E WHEN THE CROPS FAILED
VIRTUOUS AND UPRIGHT, HAD JANAKA WAS ADVISED TO PERFORM A
NO CHILDREN. Y rA---------
\-------------v U N A ^FOR PROSPERITY,
----------- —

HOW NICE IT WOULD A TAONA IS

BE,TO HEAR THE n S THE ANSWER
PATTER OF TINT Y ° \ O KING.
FEET IN THE
'P A LA C E ! J / ,

W HILE HE WAS WHAT IS

PLOUGHING A THIS ? A
FIE LD FOR THE CASKET..
YAJNA — |---- —

...WITH A BABV
6 IRL IN IT ! THE
GODS HAVE HEARD
^ MT PRATERS! y
 S IT ft HftD WINNING WAYS ftND SHE SOON
BECOME ft FAVOURITEWITH EVERYON
HER FATHER SIMPLY DOTED ON HER.

IT SO HAPPENED THAT LONG,

LONG 0 6 0 ,0 AN AKA HAD BEEN
PRESENTED WITH ~~
BOW. THIS BOW WAS HUGE
AND POWERFUL AND WAS
MUCH REVERED BY THE \
KING WHO WORSHIPPED
IT EVERY DAY. \>

AND IT WAS THE QUEEN’S

TASK. TO CLEAN THE PLACE
OF WORSHIP. DUTIFULLY,
SHE WOULD CLEAN ALL
AROUND THE BOW BUT
COULD NEVER MOVE IT
 S IT ft WAS VERY FOND OF PLAYING
ON RUDRft'S BOW. r ----------------------- *=
-------------- ---------- —H SEE HOW WELL
l I CAN RIPE THIS
V BOW !

HER. MOTHER WOULD

D ES P ft/R WHENEVER
SHE SftW THE PRANKS
OF HER SPIRITED
D ftU & H T E R |------- ---- —
SITA, O SITA,
WHEN WILL YOU
LE,,RN TO BE
MODEST AND
MAIDENLY? ^

ONE D YES, MOTHER

CERTAINLY.
SITA D EA R ,W ILL
YOU PLEASE
CLEAN THE PLACE
OF WORSHIP
T oday ? A

FOR SHE WAS ONLY TOO HAPPY GET

NEAR H E R FAVOURITE PLAYTHING.
r»
AND WHILE HER. MOTHER END FATHER WATCHED IN S IT A IS NO
AMAZEMENT, SHE MOVED THE BOW AROUND EFFORT­ ORDINARY
LESSLY AND CLEANED THE PLACE I------------- r n | G IR L . ^

AND AS S H E GREW INTO A COMELY

AND BEAUTIFUL M AID EN , TALENTED
A N D VIRTUOUS, THE EOND FATHER’S
ANXIETY GREW, r----------------------------------
§F THE MAN SHE
MARRIES WILL HAVE
TO BE EXTRAORDINA­
RILY POWERFUL.WHERE
W ILL I FIND SUCH A
k MAN FOR HER?
 I W IL L HOLD A SWAYAMVARA
FOR HER. LET IT BE KNOWN
FAR AND WIPE THAT HE
WHO 15 ABLE TO LIFT
RUDRA’ S BOW, WHOEVER.
HE BE, W ILL WED MY

MANY YOUNGPRINCES CP ME FROM

PND DISTANT LPNDS AND TRIED THEIR.
L U C K . BUT NONE COULD BUDGE THE
MIGHTY BOW, EVEN P N f

OUST T H E N , THERE CPME TO THE AT VISWAMITRA’S BEHEST, RAMA ROSE. HE NOT

COURT OF JANA H A , THE SPGE ONLY LIFTED AND STRUNG THE BOW WITH
VISWPMITRA, ACCOMPANIED BY EFFORTLESS EASE, BUT HE EVEN SNAPPED IT IN
THE TWO DIVINE PRINCES OF TW O! ^ W ------ = ------------------j ---------------
AYODHYA, RAMA AND LAKSHMANA.
THE SOUND PRODUCED THE SNAPPING
BOW WAS L IK E THE RESOUNDING CLAP OF
THUNDER. D IVINE MUSIC F ILLE D THE H ALL
AS THE GOO'SSHOWERED FLOWERS FROM
ABOVE. S ITA GARLANDED R A M A , A N AVATAR
OF VISHNU. SH E HAD FOUND I----- ------------
A HUSBAND WORTHT OF H E R ! „

j^hrvY^wn.-.

K IN G OANAKA F E L T H APPY A N D F U L F IL L E D .
HE W IPED TEARS O F JO Y AS HE GAVE i-----t e
HIS B LE S S IN G S TO RAM A AND S ITA .
LEGEND HAS IT,THAT W HEN...H E FO UND, ENE O
,T
RM A N Y M ISERAB
U
TASK ON EARTH. WAS OVER. A N D HE JIVAS,CARRYING O U T T H E PUNISHMENTS
WAS O N H IS WAY TO H E A V E N ... FOR TH E IR VARIOUS M IS D E E D S .

A L IG H T B R E E Z E PASSED O VER UANAKA AND

TOUCHED TH E M , P U R IFY IN G THEM A T O N C E !

SUCH TH E N WAS '

THE GLORY OF THE
— | ROYAL SAG E
& JAN
 Form IV

(See Rule 8)
Statement about Ownership and other particulars ab^uw
ADARSH CHITRA KATHA

1. Place of Publication New Delhi.

2. Periodicity of its Publication One Comic per month

3. Printer's name Mrs. Geeta Kumar, Proprietor, Argus

Central Enterprises

(i) Whether citizen of India ? Yes — Indian

(ii) If foreigner. State the Country of origin Does not arise
(iii) Address 16, Golf Links, New Delhi

4. Publisher's name Mrs. Geeta Kumar, Proprietor, Argus

Central Enterprises,
(i) Whether citizen of India ? Yes — Indian
(ii) If foreigner. State the Country of origin Does not arise

(iii) Address 16, Golf Links, New Delhi

5. Editor's Name Mr. D. Kumar

(i) Whether citizen of India ? Yes — Indian

(ii) If foreigner, State the Country of origin Does not arise

(iii) Address 16. Golf Links, New Delhi

6. Name and address of individuals who Mrs. Geeta Kumar, Proprietor Argus
own the periodical and partners or Central Enterprises 16, Golf Links,
shareholders holding more than one New Delhi
per cent of the total capital

I, Mrs. Geeta Kumar, Proprietor, Argus Central Enterprises hereby declare that
the particulars given above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

New Delhi Signature of Publisher

The 1st March 1981
 *xv5 u u a i iu i w apapcis m India
R N . 32607/79— English

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