Shaunaka Mahashala
{{Short description|Gurukul of Shaunaka Rishi}}
{{See also-text|Naimiṣāraṇya (forest)|Shaunaka|Ugrashravas|Brahma Upanishad}}
{{notability|Geography|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox monastery
| name = Shaunaka Mahashala
| native_name = शौनक महाशाला
| other_names = Shaunaka Rishi Ashram
| founder = Shaunaka
| location = Naimiṣāraṇya (forest)
| full_name = Naimishyaranya University
| dedication = Atharvaveda,Purana,Mahabharata
| architect = Cottage
| people = Shaunaka, Veda Vyasa, Pippalada, Lomaharshana, Ugrashravas
| heritage_designation = Gurukul
| image = 00001 Ugrasrava and Saunaka.jpg
| caption = Painting by Jijithnr showing Ugrasrava Sauti narrating Mahabharata to Saunaka and sages
}}
Shaunaka Mahashala was a higher educational institution founded by the ancient Indian Vedic philosopher Shaunaka Rishi in the ancient Naimisaranya forest.
Etymology
Shaunaka Mahashala is constituted with two words Shaunaka and Mahashala. Shaunaka was the name of the sage who was the chancellor. Mahashala or Mahāśāla is used instead of one who has ten thousand students under him. Also, Maha means great and Shala means institution. Therefore, Mahashala means a great institution.{{Cite book |last=Nityatmananda |first=Swami |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yzJiEAAAQBAJ&q=shaunaka+ashram+as+university |title=M., the Apostle & the Evangelist - Volume 15: A Continuation of M.'s Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita, A Guide to Indian Culture and Self Knowledge |date=2017-07-14 |publisher=SRI MA TRUST |language=en}}
Background
According to the Vedic texts, Shaunaka Rishi's full name was Indrotdaivaya Shaunaka. He was a Vedic teacher and the son of the sage Bhriguvanshi Shunak. Shaunaka Rishi was running a Gurukul having ten thousand students and he was honoured as {{lang|sa-Latn|kulapati}} (chancellor). It is said that before him no other sage had received such an honour.{{Cite web |date=2021-03-04 |title=कौन थे ऋषि शौनक, धार्मिक ग्रंथों में है वर्णन |url=https://www.punjabkesari.in/dharm/news/story-related-shaunak-rishi-1342239 |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=punjabkesari}} He wrote Rigveda Chandanukramani, Rigveda Chandanukramani, Rigveda Rishyanukramani, Rigveda Anuvakanukramani, Rigveda Suktanukramani, Rigveda Kathanukramani, Rigveda Padvidhan, Brihadevata, Shaunak Smriti, Charanvyuh, Rigvidhan.{{Cite web |last=जोशी |first=अनिरुद्ध |title=Shaunak Rishi । 10 हजार शिष्यों वाले गुरुकुल में दुनिया के पहले कुलपति ऋषि शौनक |url=https://hindi.webdunia.com/sanatan-dharma-mahapurush/shaunak-rishi-kaun-the-121030400017_1.html |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=hindi.webdunia.com |language=hi}}{{Citation |title=सभी देवता पहुंचें शौनक ऋषि के आश्रम, शौनक ऋषि के शाप से भस्म हुए असुर {{!}} Om Namah Shivay 169 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdy80BHjgSA |access-date=2023-05-13 |language=en}}
Description
The location of the Gurukul was Nimisharanya. It is said that Shaunaka performed a 12-year-long Yajna at his ashram, which attracted a large number of learned men, who held incessant discussions about religion and philosophy. He wrote Shaunaka Grihasutra, Shaunaka Grihyaparishit, and Vastushastra Granth. He helped sages Romaharsha and Ugrasrava Sutha to spread the Puranas and Itihasa among a large masses.{{Cite web |title=VedaPurana {{!}} Hindu Encyclopedia |url=https://vedapurana.org/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=vedapurana.org}} Ugrashravas was an auditor at Takshila. He travelled to Naimiṣāraṇya forest. There he met with the sage Shaunaka and a large group of Brahmins studying at the Shaunaka Mahashala. The Shaunaka Mahashala is considered as the ancient form of university in the Indian Subcontinent by scholars. It is also known as Naimishyaranya University.{{Cite book |last=Nityatmananda |first=Swami |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yzJiEAAAQBAJ&q=shaunaka+ashram+as+university |title=M., the Apostle & the Evangelist - Volume 15: A Continuation of M.'s Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita, A Guide to Indian Culture and Self Knowledge |date=2017-07-14 |publisher=SRI MA TRUST |language=en}} The Brahmin scholars in the ashram asked about Janamejaya's snake sacrifice with the sage Ugrashravas. Then Ugrashravas recited the story of the Mahabharata as recited by Vaishampayana to him with some additional materials.{{Cite book |last=Davis |first=Richard H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GWaYDwAAQBAJ&q=shaunaka+ashram |title=The Bhagavad Gita: A Biography |date=2014-10-26 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-0-691-13996-8 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Varadpande |first=Manohar Laxman |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fOZB7MbeMrAC&q=shaunaka+ashram |title=History of Indian Theatre: Classical theatre |date=1987 |publisher=Abhinav Publications |isbn=978-81-7017-430-1 |language=en}} This is the place where Shrimad Bhagavatam was preached. The life of the university is mentioned in Adi Parva of the Mahabharata.{{Cite web |title=Naimisharanya - The Center of Excellence {{!}} Exotic India Art |url=https://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/naimisharanya-center-of-excellence-nao526/ |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=www.exoticindiaart.com |language=en}} The philosophical conversation between the sage Pippalada and the sage Shaunaka at the Shaunaka Mahashala was recorded as Brahma Upanishad or Brahmopanishad.{{Cite web |title=Brahma Upanishad – Vyasa Mahabharata |url=https://www.vyasaonline.com/brahma-upanishad/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |language=en-US}}