A precious gift from Thailand: Book on King Mahajanaka!

Sounds incredible but is yet a fact.

The fact is that there are certain great souls yet alive in this materialistic world who through their writings or even thinking wish to enhance brotherly ties that already exist in between two different great societies. Geographical distance becomes immaterial when such feelings come to one’s mind. Thanks to such souls who prefer to awaken their far-flung residing friends through their nice acts that are filled with compassion.

The thing, which we ought to have been done, has been accomplished by a very honorable and respected personality. As Nepali, in effect we are reminded of our own great and glorious past by none less than the Head of the State of Thailand. Yes! It is King Bhumibol Adulyadej who only recently has offered a very precious gift to the friendly people of Nepal for which the country, its people and the government must offer His Majesty the King of Thailand heartfelt thanks for his splendid contribution for consolidating the existing Nepal-Thailand ties.

The Thai King in effect brought a book, surprising though it may appear, that tells the story of King Janaka of Mithila. Mithila, today’s Janakpur, was the place where one of the country’s ancient King Janaka ruled. Mithila, as the saying goes, was a very prosperous country in those days. King Janaka was a highly qualifies King with all the divinely virtues that are demanded of a King. His subjects were fortunate to have such a King with them, for them and to them.

Unfortunately, the fact is also that we the Nepalese don’t know about our own illustrious King. His childhood, his adolscent days and moreover his virtues, we appear still ignorant.

It is therefore a matter of shame for us to know about King Janaka from far flung Thailand.

Be that as it may, the King of Thailand deserves deep appreciation for having brought the book for Nepali consumption and that too in Nepali language.

With regards to the story of King Maha Janaka by the Thai monarch in cartoon version which was first published in Thai and English language on the occasion of HM’s 6th Cycle Celebration, 1999, illustrated by a prominent Thai cartoonist, is a splendid book. Any one who begins reading this book will not prefer to read it in the second sitting. This means that the book is not only educative but is very simply written.

It is not surprising therefore that a nine year old Thai child said that the book was within the reach of his understanding. So says a seventy year old Thai. This means that the book could be read by all sections of the society. Here lies the significance and the importance of the book.

Reports from Thailand say that the story of King Mahajanaka by His Majesty the King Adulyadej was presented to the Thai people as a guideline so that it can become an object of "constructive contemplation". Splendid idea indeed.

"My intention is to make the people understand the importance of life’s philosophy from the story of King Janaka", so said the Thai monarch.

The Thai King maintains that through perseverance can one overcome the obstacles in our lives and that the ship in which King Janaka was on board went down, it was only the perseverance that the King swam in the endless ocean believing in the theory that one should continue to proceed come what may.

The mango tree philosophy mentioned in the book demonstrated that good things with good usefulness will be the target of greed and lust and will be danger prone in the midst of people who lack wisdom, knowledge or sense of righteousness.

Question now arises as to what the Nepali archaeologists know about Mithila? Do the Nepali authorities know that King Janaka had a Royal garden which had two mango trees: the one which bore fruits and the second which did not? Do the inhabitants of Great Janakpur know that their own land once upon a time was so prosperous that its virtues were reverberated in far flung countries? Will the government and the people of Janakpur rise up to the occasion and begin exploring, compiling, investigating the whereabouts of that Mithila which according to King Adulyadej lies very much in today’s Janakpur? Will the men of letters in Janakpur take the pains to go deep into discovering the hidden facts of Janakpur compiled so graciously by the Thai monarch? Will the government in Kathmandu construct a cell that takes the needed initiatives to unearth the glorious past of Janakpur?

Most importantly, efforts should be initiated in locating the exact location of those two mango trees, which has formed the basis of the book penned by Thai King.

"May all the readers of this book be blessed with pure perseverance, shape wisdom and complete physical health", says the great soul of Thailand, the single institution of Thailand that has ever remained a source of national unity, identity and wisdom.

Finally, the Royal Book which is a symbolic and legendary bridge, also brings people of Nepal and Thailand more closer than ever before because the original source of the story itself took place in Janakpur, a town in eastern Nepal. Janakpur is a place which has direct links with one of the greatest Hindu epic—The Ramayana the hero of which is Lord Rama who was married to Goddess Sita, the daughter of King Mahajanaka himself.

(Compiled through the kind assistance of Thailand Ambassador in Kathmandu-Upadhyaya)

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