Gyanshila (Mithila)
{{Short description|Descriptive epithet name of Mithila}}
{{Related|Mithila Mahatmya|Ancient Mithila University}}
{{Infobox name|name=Gyanshila|romanization=Jñānaśilam|language=Sanskrit|origin=Brihadvishnupurana|meaning=Home of Knowledge|region=Mithila region|nickname=Jnanakshetram|footnotes=Names of Mithila}}
Gyanshila (romanised: Jñānaśilam) also called as Jnanakshetram is one of the various names of Mithila region in Brihadvishnupurana. This name is a descriptive epithet of the region.{{Cite book |last=Mandal |first=R. B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EzPYdQo3vZgC&q=Gyanshila+name+of+Mithila |title=Wetlands Management in North Bihar |date=2010 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=978-81-8069-707-4 |language=en}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s6AMQ2MV2HoC |title=The Journal of the Bihar Research Society |date=1951 |publisher=Bihar Research Society |language=en}}{{Cite book |last1=Miśra |first1=Lokanātha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TGHJLGtfp9cC |title=Maithilī mem Vyavahāraka gīta |last2=Miśra |first2=Lekhanātha |date=1970 |publisher=Pitāmbara Jhā |language=hi}}
Etymology
Gyanshila is a composite Sanskrit word made by the composition of words Gyan and Shila. Gyan means knowledge and Shila means place. Similarly Jnanakshetram is also the composite Sanskrit word made by the composition of words Jnana and Kshetram. Jnana means knowledge and Kshetram means area. The meaning of the both words Gyanshila and Jnanakshetram is the place or area where knowledge is acquired.
Description
According to Brihadvishnupurana, there are twelve names of the Mithila region.{{Cite book |last=Raghavan |first=Venkatarama |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RFljAAAAMAAJ |title=International Sanskrit Conference |date=1975 |publisher=The Ministry |language=en}} Apart from the name Mithila, its twelve names are "Tirabhukti, Videha, Nemikanan, Gyanshila, Kripapith, Swarnlalangalpadhati, Janki Janmabhumi, Nirapeksha, Vikalmasa, Ramanand Kuti, Vishwabhamini and Nityanangla". Apart from these names some books also mentioned the name Jnanakshetram or Jñānaśilam instead of Gyanshila.{{Cite book |last=Mishra |first=Vijayakanta |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.108245 |title=Cultural Heirtage Of Mithila |date=1979}}{{Cite book |last=Triveda |first=Devasahaya |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5y8LAQAAIAAJ |title=The Pre-Mauryan History of Bihar |date=1953 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |language=en}}
In Ramayana, the court of King Janaka attracted scholars from different parts of the Indian Subcontinent. The court of Janaka was the center of discussion of knowledge between the scholars. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad gives the account of the Shastrarthas organized by the King Janaka at his court. In these Shastrarthas there was exchange of knowledge among the scholars. The translation of Gyanshila or Jnanakshetram is the home of knowledge. Thus the Gyanshila or Jnanakshetram name of Mithila signifies a descriptive epithet of the region.