Shaunaka Mahashala

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.

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 kulapati (chancellor). It is said that before him no other sage had received such an honour. He wrote Rigveda Chandanukramani, Rigveda Chandanukramani, Rigveda Rishyanukramani, Rigveda Anuvakanukramani, Rigveda Suktanukramani, Rigveda Kathanukramani, Rigveda Padvidhan, Brihadevata, Shaunak Smriti, Charanvyuh, Rigvidhan.

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. 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. 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. This is the place where Shrimad Bhagavatam was preached. The life of the university is mentioned in Adi Parva of the Mahabharata. The philosophical conversation between the sage Pippalada and the sage Shaunaka at the Shaunaka Mahashala was recorded as Brahma Upanishad or Brahmopanishad.