Shatananda (Sanskrit: शतानंद) was a Vedic sage and the chief priest at the court of the King Janaka in ancient

Mithila Mithila may refer to: Places * Mithilā, a synonym for the ancient Videha state ** Mithilā (ancient city), the ancient capital city of Videha * Mithila (region), a cultural region (historical and contemporary), now divided between India and Nepa ...

. In the

Valmiki Valmiki (; , ) was a legendary poet who is celebrated as the traditional author of the epic ''Ramayana'', based on the attribution in the text itself. He is revered as ''Ādi Kavi'', the first poet, author of ''Ramayana'', the first epic poe ...

Ramayana The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...

he is mentioned as the eldest son of the sage Maharshi Gautama and Devi

Ahalya In Hinduism, Ahalya (, IAST: Ahalyā) also spelt as Ahilya, is the wife of the sage Gautama Maharishi. Many Hindu scriptures describe her legend of seduction by the king of the gods Indra, her husband's curse for her infidelity, and her liber ...

Etymology

Shatananda is a compound Sanskrit word having two terms ''Shata'' and ''Ananda''. The meaning of the first term ''Shata'' is hundred and good. And the meaning of the second term ''Ananda'' is who delights. Thus the compound meaning of the word ''Shatananda'' is to give somebody hundred times good and great pleasure.

Early life

According to Ramayana, Shatananda was born in the region of ancient Mithila Kingdom. His father was Maharshi Gautama and mother was Ahalya. He was the eldest son of the couple Maharshi Gautama and Ahalya.

Description

In Ramayana, Shatananda was a member of the court of King Janaka. He is mentioned as the ''Kulguru'' of the King Janaka. He was the chief priest and religious advisor at the court of King Janaka. He taught King Janaka about religious practices and philosophies. Once when there was a big famine in Mithila Kingdom, then it was Guru Shatananda who suggested King Janaka that the problem could be solved if he ploughed the field himself. He was also appointed by the King Janaka as a teacher of the princess

Sita Sita (; ), also known as Siya, Jānaki and Maithili, is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. Sita is the consort of Rama, the avatar of god Vishnu, and is regarded as an avatar of goddess Lakshmi. She is t ...

. It is said that he was radiant due to the practice of

Yoga Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...

. During

Sita Swayamvara Sita Swayamvara ( Maithili: सीता स्वंवर) is the ''swayamvara'' event, culminating in the wedding of the deities Rama and Sita, the protagonists of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. The event was related to a competition among the k ...

ceremony, sage Shatananda and King Janaka welcomed and gave due respect to Guru Vishwamitra along with his disciples princes

Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...

and

Lakshmana Lakshmana (, ), also known as Laxmana, Lakhan, Saumitra, and Ramanuja, is the younger brother of Rama in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is considered as an incarnation of Shesha, the lord of serpents. Lakshmana was married to Urmila, and i ...

. Shatananda was very happy to know that Lord Rama had restored his mother Ahalya's old purity. After knowing that the prince Rama had freed his mother

from the curse given by his father Maharshi Gautama, then sage Shatananda thanked a lot to Lord Rama. He also narrated the story of greatness of the Guru Vishwamitra to Lord Rama and Lakshmana. Shatananda played the role of high-priest in the marriage of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita. He suggested the auspicious date of formal marriage between the prince Rama and the princess Sita to the King Janaka and

Dasharatha Dasharatha (, IAST: Daśaratha; born Nemi) was the king of Kosala, with its capital at Ayodhya, in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. Dasharatha married Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. He was the father of Rama, the protagonist of the epic Ramayana ...

after the completion of

ceremony.

References

{{Hinduism-stub Hinduism Ancient Mithila University Rishis Mithila Sages in the Ramayana Indian philosophers