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The last king of this dynasty was King Karāla Janaka. According to the Buddhist scriptures and Kautilya's Arthasastra he had raped a Brahmin girl. This infuriated the masses and they killed the king. During that period, the kingdom had sixteen thousand villages under its rule. After this incident the feudal rule came to an end and a republic was established. It was called Videha republic and also Vajjī Union. Some time later the Licchavi union of Vaiśālī and the Vajjī union of Mithilā entered into a treaty to form a larger Vajji Union. The president of the former Vajji Union was elected the president of the larger Vajjī Union and the capital was shifted from Mithilā to Vaiśālī. With passage of time this union of republics became very powerful. Trišalā, the daughter of this King Cetaka, gave birth to the towering personage we know as Bhagaväna Mahāvīra. The people of the republic of Vaiśālī were followers of Jainism. This union of republics was usurped and plundered by Ajātaśatru, the son of emperor Śreņika Bimbisāra. Ajātasatru was the son of queen Celana, the youngest daughter of King Cetaka. Thus Vaiśālī belonged to Ajātaśatru's maternal grand-parents.
The exact location of Mithilā is not known today. Modern Janakapura is believed to be the place where the fort of the capital of ancient Mithilā stood. The ruins still found at Simarao, five miles away from Purnailia Kothi are said to be those of the ancient city of Mithilā. A silver coin estimated to belong to circa 1000 B. C. was found from the mound of Nandagadha. These things indicate that ancient Mithilā must have been at some place around here. This place, Janakapura, is 24 miles by road from Janakapura Road station that can be reached by train from Sitamadhi via Jayanagara in Nepal (18 miles).
BHAGAVĀNA MUNISUVRATA NĀTHA -- He was born to queen Somā, the wife of King Sumitra (belonging to the Harivaṁsa of Yadava family) of Rājagpha city. In due course he married and ascended the throne. When he got detached he renounced the world and became a sky-clad ascetic to pursue his spiritual goal. After the formal two-day fast, seeking alms he came to Mithilā city and was served food by Vrşabhadattā. He then commenced harsh austerities and in due course attained omniscience. After establishing the religious order he wandered around spreading his spiritual message. In the end he attained nirvana at Sammeda Sikhara. His symbol was turtle. His attending deities were Varuņa Yakṣa and Aparajita Yakșiņi. Bhagavāna
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