# The twelve Mahajanas *The twelve Mahajanas are the great authorities on devotional service whose example and teachings are to be followed. They are mentioned in Srimad-Bhagavatam as the foremost knowers of the science of God. Each Mahajana exemplifies a particular aspect of devotion, and together they represent the complete standard of dharma.* ## Who Are the Mahajanas? The twelve Mahajanas are listed in Srimad-Bhagavatam: ![[sb/6/3/20]] They are: 1. **Brahma** — The creator 2. **Narada** — The wandering sage 3. **Shiva** — The great devotee 4. **The four Kumaras** — Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana, Sanat-kumara 5. **Kapila** — The philosopher 6. **Manu** — The lawgiver 7. **Prahlada** — The devotee son 8. **Janaka** — The royal sage 9. **Bhishma** — The grandfather 10. **Bali** — The surrendered demon king 11. **Sukadeva** — The speaker of Bhagavatam 12. **Yamaraja** — The lord of death ## Their Authority **The Mahajanas set the standard of dharma:** ![[sb/6/3/20]] ![[sb/6/3/21]] ## How They Relate ### The Original Teachers **Brahma** received knowledge directly from Krishna in the heart and passed it to **Narada**, who in turn taught many others. This forms the Brahma-sampradaya: ![[sb/2/9/30]] ![[sb/1/6/15]] ### The Philosopher Sons of Brahma **Lord Kapila** and **the four Kumaras** are all sons of Brahma. Kapila taught Sankhya philosophy to His mother Devahuti, while the Kumaras were initially impersonalists who later became devotees: ![[sb/3/25/6]] ![[sb/3/15/43]] ### The Exemplary Devotees **Prahlada** demonstrated devotion despite persecution, while **Bali Maharaja** showed complete surrender by giving everything to Lord Vamana: ![[sb/7/9/43]] ![[sb/8/22/2]] ### The Royal Authorities **Bhishma** and **Janaka** show that householders and warriors can be great authorities on dharma: ![[sb/1/9/41]] ### The Administrator of Justice **Yamaraja** himself follows the Mahajanas and administers cosmic justice according to their principles: ![[sb/6/3/19]] ## The Network of Transmission ``` KRISHNA │ Brahma │ ┌───────────────┼───────────────┐ │ │ │ Narada Kapila Kumaras │ │ │ ┌──────┼──────┐ │ │ │ │ │ Devahuti Converted to Prahlada Vyasa many devotion │ ┌──────┼──────┐ │ │ │ Sukadeva Manu Bali (via Vamana) ``` ## Their Unified Teaching All twelve Mahajanas, though appearing in different times and circumstances, teach the same conclusion — surrender to the Supreme Lord: ![[sb/6/3/22]] ## Related Articles - [[wiki/articles/Lord Brahma the creator|Lord Brahma the creator]] — The first Mahajana - [[wiki/articles/Narada Muni the wandering sage|Narada Muni the wandering sage]] — The traveling preacher - [[wiki/articles/Lord Shiva the great devotee|Lord Shiva the great devotee]] — The greatest Vaishnava - [[wiki/articles/The four Kumaras|The four Kumaras]] — The eternal children - [[wiki/articles/Lord Kapila the philosopher|Lord Kapila the philosopher]] — Teacher of Sankhya - [[wiki/articles/Prahlada Maharaja the devotee|Prahlada Maharaja the devotee]] — The boy saint - [[wiki/articles/Bhishmadeva the grandfather|Bhishmadeva the grandfather]] — The grand patriarch - [[wiki/articles/Sukadeva Goswami the speaker|Sukadeva Goswami the speaker]] — The narrator of Bhagavatam ## From the Index - [[index/entries/mahajanas|Mahajanas]] — The great authorities - [[index/entries/disciplic-succession|Disciplic Succession]] — How knowledge descends - [[index/entries/dharma|Dharma]] — Religious principles