# Twelve Mahajanas *The twelve great authorities on bhakti-yoga and devotional service* ## The Twelve Mahajanas ### 1. Brahma - [[index/entries/brahma-lord|Brahmā, Lord]] - Creator of the universe - [[index/entries/brahma-quoted|Brahmā quoted]] - His teachings - [[index/B#brahmā priest at ambarīṣas sacrifice|Brahmā priest at sacrifices]] - [[index/B#brahmā purāṇa cited on aṣṭāvakras benediction curse|Brahmā Purāṇa cited]] - First teacher of Vedic knowledge - Initiated the lineage of bhakti ### 2. Narada - [[index/entries/narada-muni|Nārada Muni]] - Celestial sage - Wandering preacher of Krishna consciousness - Author and musician - Spiritual master of many great devotees ### 3. Shiva - [[index/entries/siva-lord|Śiva, Lord]] - Destroyer and transformer - [[index/entries/siva-quoted|Śiva quoted]] - His teachings - Greatest devotee of Krishna (Vaishnavanam yatha sambhu) - Engrossed in meditation - Husband of Parvati ### 4. Kumara (Sanatkumara and the four Kumaras) - [[index/entries/kumaras|Kumaras]] - Eternal children of Brahma - [[index/K#kumāras|Kumāras]] - The four sages - Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana, Sanat-kumara - Always engaged in Krishna-nama (chanting) - Eternally five years old ### 5. Kapila - [[index/entries/kapila-lord|Kapila, Lord]] - Avatar of Krishna - [[index/D#devahūti lord kapila|Devahūti, Lord Kapila &]] - Teaching his mother - Propagated Sankhya philosophy - Son of Devahuti and Kardama Muni ### 6. Manu - [[index/entries/manu|Manu]] - First lawgiver - [[index/entries/manu|Manu]] - Progenitor - Preached dharma and bhakti - Progenitor of humanity - Author of Manu-samhita ### 7. Prahlada - [[index/entries/prahlada-maharaja|Prahlāda Mahārāja]] - Great devotee - Born in demon family - Protected by Narasimha - Exemplar of pure devotion - Son of Hiranyakashipu ### 8. Bhisma - [[index/B#bhīṣma|Bhīṣma]] - Grandsire of Kurus - [[index/entries/bhismadeva|Bhīṣmadeva]] - Great devotee - [[index/entries/bhismadeva-quoted|Bhīṣmadeva quoted]] - His teachings - [[index/B#bhīṣmadeva quoted on lords mysteriousness|Bhīṣmadeva on Lord's mysteriousness]] - Died in Krishna's memory on bed of arrows ### 9. Janaka - [[index/J#janaka father of sītā|Janaka (father of Sītā)]] - Self-realized king - King of Mithila - Father of Sita - Engaged in royal duties and meditation - Exemplar of karma-yoga ### 10. Bali Maharaja - [[index/entries/bali-maharaja|Bali]] - Asura king with pure devotion - [[index/B#Bali|Bali]] - Demon devotee - Surrendered everything to Vamana - Though demoniac, achieved liberation - Grandson of Prahlada ### 11. Yamaraja - [[index/entries/yamaraja|Yamaraja]] - Lord of death and justice - [[index/Y#yamarāja|Yamarāja]] - Dharmaraja - Always remembers Krishna's form and qualities - Son of Vivasvan - Brother of the Yamuna river ### 12. Sukadeva Goswami - [[index/entries/sukadeva-gosvami|Śukadeva Gosvāmī]] - Speaker of Bhagavatam - Son of Vyasadeva - Self-realized from birth - Instructed King Parikshit - Greatest reciter of Krishna's pastimes ## Significance of the Mahajanas - Each exemplifies different aspects of bhakti-yoga - Their examples are authorities for spiritual practice - Different contexts require different approaches to devotion ## Related Topics - [[index/personalities/incarnations|Incarnations]] - Various avatars among the mahajanas - [[index/personalities/devotees|Devotees]] - Examples for all devotees - [[index/personalities/acaryas|Acaryas]] - Teachers in the lineage --- *This index is under development. Additional entries from Śrīla Prabhupāda's books, lectures, conversations and letters will be added as the indexing work progresses.*