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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2026}}{{Short description|Philosopher of Mithila}}{{Distinguish|Pancasikha}}{{Infobox religious biography
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
| name = Panchashikha
| native_name = पञ्चशिख
| native_name_lang = Sa
| birthname = Kapileya
| region = [[Mithila region]]
| lineage = Parasharagotriya
| notable works = Shashti Tantra
| school = [[Samkhya]]
| teachers = Asuri
| occupation = Philosopher
| profession = [[Acharya]]
| alma_mater = [[Sanskrit and Vedic learning in Mithila]]
| disciples = [[Janadeva Janaka]], [[Dharmadhwaja Janaka]]
| predecessor = [[Asuri (Samkhya)|Asuri]]
| mother = Kapilaa
}}
'''Panchashikha''' ([[Sanskrit]]: पञ्चशिख, [[Romanization|Romanised]]: ''Pañcaśikha'') was a [[Vedas|Vedic]] sage at the court of [[Janadeva Janaka|King Janadeva Janaka]] in [[Videha|Mithila]]. He was a prominent philosopher of [[Samkhya|Samkhya Shastra]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Bhagavad_g%C3%ADt%C3%A1_or_a_discourse_betwe.html?id=z5s-AAAAcAAJ#v=onepage&q=Panchashikha%20in%20Mithila&f=false |title=The Bhagavad-gítá; or a discourse between Kṛiṣhnạ and Arjuna on divine matters: A Sanskṛit philosophical poem: translated, with copious notes, an introduction on Sanskṛit philosophy, and other matter: by J. Cockburn Thomson |date=1855 |publisher=Steph. Austin |language=en}}</ref> He is mentioned in the [[Shanti Parva]] section of the epic text [[Mahabharata]]. He was appointed as the royal teacher of the King Janadeva Janaka in Mithila.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Datta |first=Manmathanatha |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/A_Prose_English_Translation_of_the_Mahab.html?id=EWIMAAAAIAAJ#v=onepage&q=Panchashikha%20in%20Mithila&f=false |title=A Prose English Translation of the Mahabharata: (tr. Literally from the Original Sanskrit Text) |date=1908 |publisher=M.N. Dutt |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Modī |first=Mīrā |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Mah%C4%81bh%C4%81rata_me%E1%B9%83_S%C4%81%E1%B9%85khya_dar%C5%9Bana.html?id=kkEqAQAAMAAJ#Panchashikha |title=Mahābhārata meṃ Sāṅkhya darśana |date=2007 |publisher=Satyam Pabliśiṅga Hāusa |isbn=978-81-88134-86-1 |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bimali |first=Om Nath |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Mah%C4%81bh%C4%81rata_Shanti_parva_Makshadharma.html?id=BT4pAAAAYAAJ#Panchashikha |title=Mahābhārata: Shanti parva (Makshadharma parva, ch. 174-365) |last2=Chandra |first2=Ishvar |date=2001 |publisher=Parimal Publications |isbn=978-81-7110-204-4 |language=en}}</ref> He was also the royal teacher of the [[Dharmadhwaja Janaka|King Dharmadhwaja Janaka]] after the King Janadeva Janaka.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Prabuddha_Bharata.html?id=ZgsnAQAAIAAJ#Panchashikha |title=Prabuddha Bharata: Or Awakened India |date=1952 |publisher=Swami Smaranananda |language=en}}</ref>

== Description ==
Panchashikha is considered as the second most important name among the authors of ''Sankhyashastra'' after the Vedic sage [[Kapila]]. He is considered to be the author of the ''Shashti Tantra'', which a text of the Samkhya philosophy. He is also known ''Parasharagotriya'' monk.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Mumukshu Bhavan Books Collection |first=Varanasi |url=http://archive.org/details/zMBK_sankya-karika-missing-pages-mumukshu-bhavan-books-collection-varanasi |title=Sankya Karika Missing Pages Mumukshu Bhavan Books Collection, Varanasi |pages=37}}</ref> His doctrine "Shashti Tantra" translates to "Doctrine of 60 Conception" in the Samkhya school of [[Indian philosophy]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Indian philosophy - Samkhya, Dualism, Yoga {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Indian-philosophy/The-Samkhya-karikas |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260101112600/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Indian-philosophy/The-Samkhya-karikas |archive-date=2026-01-01 |access-date=2026-02-19 |work=Encyclopedia Britannica |language=en}}</ref> In the text Mahabharata, he is described as a very revered [[Rishi]] in the tradition of Samkhya school of Indian philosophy. He was said to be free from any worldly pleasures and attechments.<ref name=":1" />

== Early life ==
According to the text Mahabharata, there was a lady [[Brahmin]] named ''Kapilaa'' from whose breasts, a child was fed with milk and cherished. Since the child was cherished by the lady Kapilaa, he was called ''Kapileya''. He later became known as ''Panchashikha''.<ref name=":0" /> The [[shloka]] describing the early life of Panchashikha is

{{Blockquote|text="तस्य पञ्चशिखः शिष्यो मानुष्या पयसा भृतः। ब्राह्मणी कपिला नाम काचिदासीत् कुटुम्विनी ।।"|author=[[Vyasa|Vedas Vyasa]]|title=Shanti Parva|source=Mahabharata}}

== Later life ==
In the text Mahabharata, [[Bhishma]] narrated the story of the sage Panchashikha to [[Yudhishthira]]. The story starts with the entry of the sage Panchashikha at the [[Court of King Janaka|court of the King Janadeva Janaka]] in Mithila. According to the story, the King Janadeva Janaka was not satisfied with the knowledge of the hundred acharyas at his court, then suddenly Panchashikha arrived at the court. The king was influenced by the knowledge of the sage Panchashikha. After that the king abandoned his hundred acharyas at the court and started following the knowledge of Panchashikha. The king became his disciple. After that, the sage Panchashikha taught the knowledge of the text Samkhya Shastra to the King Janadeva Janaka.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=P C Ray |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283205 |title=The Mahabharata Of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyara 1891 |date=1891}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Indian philosophers]]
[[Category:Philosophers of Mithila]]
[[Category:Sanskrit and Vedic learning in Mithila]]
[[Category:Mahabharata]]

Panchashikha - Revision history

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