The Iksvaku Dynasty: An Expanded Genealogy of the Kings of Mithila

Abstract

The ancient Indian texts ‘Puranas’ are voluminous compendiums of information and have been passed down through the ages – sometimes being split into sub-volumes, sometimes getting combined or appended with additional content. Over time, large portions of the original text have been lost to antiquity. While there is much published on the genealogy and lineage of the branch of the Iksvaku dynasty of which Lord Rama is the most famous son, there is very little known about the ancestry and lineage of that branch of the Iksvaku dynasty of which Sita, the illustrious wife of Lord Rama is the most famous daughter. In the current study, a portion of the lineage of the kings of Mithila, including the ancestors and successors of King Janaka (father of Sita), are elaborated. The study of this text yields the names of nearly 40 kings of the dynasty of Iksvaku descended from Nemi