Shrutadeva (

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

: श्रुतदेव) was a famous devotee of

Lord Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is wi ...

in the Kingdom of Mithila. He was contemporary to the king

Bahulashva Janaka Bahulashva Janaka (Sanskrit: बहुलाश्व जनक) was the King of Videha (also known as the Mithila Kingdom) in the ancient Indian Subcontinent. He was a descendant from the lineage of Janaka Dynasty in Mithila. Description Acco ...

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 ...

Etymology

According to the Bhagavata Purana, the literal meaning of the word ''Shrutadeva'' is a Deva associated with knowledge.

Early life

Shrutadeva was born in a family of

Maithil Brahmin Maithil Brahmins are the Indo-Aryan Hindu Brahmin community originating from the Mithila region and original inhabitants of Southern Nepal and bordering regions of India that comprises Madhesh Province & some areas of Koshi Province in Nepal ...

in the ancient

Mithila Kingdom Videha ( Prākrit: ; Pāli: ; Sanskrit: ) was an ancient Indo-Aryan tribe of north-eastern Indian subcontinent whose existence is attested during the Iron Age. The population of Videha, the Vaidehas, were initially organised into a monarchy ...

Description

In the text

Bhagavata Purana The ''Bhagavata Purana'' (; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam)'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' () or simply ''Bhagavata (Bhāgavata)'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen major Puranas (''Mahapuranas'') and one ...

, the sage Shukhadeva introduced about a great

Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

named as ''Shrutadeva'' while narrating the text to the king

Parikshita Parīkṣit (, ) was a Kuru king who reigned during the Middle Vedic period (12th–9th centuries BCE). Along with his son and successor, Janamejaya, he played a decisive role in the consolidation of the Kuru state, the arrangement of Vedic h ...

of the Kuru Kingdom. According to him, the Brahmin Shrutadeva was accomplished by all his goal of the life with the resolute single-minded devotion to the

. He was full of devotional wisdom and free from any attachments to the meterial pleasure. Due to his devotional attitude

Bhakti ''Bhakti'' (; Pali: ''bhatti'') is a term common in Indian religions which means attachment, fondness for, devotion to, trust, homage, worship, piety, faith, or love.See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. In Indian religions, it ...

towards Lord Krishna, later he became one of the pāriṣadas i.e, members of the assembly, at the court of Lord Krishna in

Dwarka Dwarka () is a town and municipality of Devbhumi Dwarka district in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Gujarat. It is located on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula on the right bank of the Gomti river at ...

. In the section ''Vaishakhamasa Mahatmya'' of the second book known as ''Vaishnava Khanda'' of the text

Skanda Purana The ''Skanda Purana'' ( IAST: Skanda Purāṇa) is the largest '' Mukhyapurāṇa'', a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text contains over 81,000 verses, and is of Shaivite literature, titled after Skanda, a son of Shiva and Parv ...

, there is a dialogue between the sage Shrutadeva and the king

of Mithila about the salvation of

Pishacha Pishachas (, ') are flesh-eating demons in Indian religions, appearing in Hindu and Buddhist mythologies. A pishacha is a malevolent being that has often been referred to as the very manifestation of evil. Mythology The Mahabharata states th ...

. In this dialogue, the sage explained the importance of the ritual known as ''Vaishakha Vrata'' performed in the month of

Vaishakha Vaisakha (, ) is a month of the Hindu calendar that corresponds to April/May in the Gregorian Calendar. In the Indian national calendar, Vaisakha is the second month of the year. It is the first month of the Vikram Samvat calendar, Odia calend ...

. He explained the importance of the ritual by giving the example of his own father's salvation.

References

Hinduism Mithila Vaishnava saints Mahabharata {{Hinduism-stub