Sage Yagnavalkya and Maitreyi .........................

[Guest guest]

YAJNAVALKYA and MAITREYI:(Brihadaranyaka upanishad)

 

The sage Yajnavalkya is going to retire to the forest, he approaches

Maitreyi to discuss the division of his property between her and her

co-wife Katyayani. Maitreyi, a woman of truly philosophical

temperament, challenges him with a question: will this wealth, she

asks, make her immortal? And Yajnavalkya answers her frankly: it will

not, with great wealth she can live the life of the rich, but she

will still die. Realising this is her last opportunity to ask him

anything, and believing her husband possesses the secret of

immortality, Maitreyi asks him to reveal it to her. He agrees to do

so, telling her, "as I am expounding to you, seek to meditate on it."

{IV.5.5}

 

Yajnavalkya's advice to her shows how seriously he takes Maitreyi's

question: he is not simply going to offer her an intellectual

account, he tells her to meditate on it so she can assimilate, dwell

on, live what he is about to disclose to her.

 

Here is the text of the dialogue:

 

"Maitreyi" said Yajnavalkya, "see, I am indeed about to go forth from

this state. Come, let me make a final settlement for you and for

Katyayani."

 

Then Maitreyi said: " Sir, if this entire earth filled with its

riches were mine, would I thereby be immortal?"

 

"No," said Yajnavalkya. "You would live the life of the wealthy.

There is no hope of attaining immortality through wealth."

 

Then said Maitreyi: "What am I to do with what does not offer me

immortality? Tell me indeed that which you know!"

 

Then Yajnavalkya said: "Ah! You are already my beloved, and what you

are saying touches me! Come, sit down. I will explain to you, And

while I am explaining, meditate on it."

 

Then he said: "It is not for the sake of the husband that the husband

is cherished, my dear, but for the sake of the self that the husband

is cherished. It is not for the sake of the wife that the wife is

cherished my ear, but for the sake of the self that the wife is

cherished. It is not for the sake of sons that sons are cherished, my

dear, but for the sake of the self that sons are cherished. It is not

for the sake of wealth that wealth is cherished, my dear, but for the

sake of the self that wealth is cherished. It is not for the sake of

priesthood that priesthood is cherished, my dear, but for the sake of

the self that priesthood is cherished. It is not for the sake of

warriorhood that warriorhood is cherished, my dear, but for the sake

of the self that warriorhood is cherished. It is not for the sake of

the worlds that the worlds are cherished, my dear, but fort he sake

of the self that the worlds are cherished. It is not for the sake of

the gods that the gods are cherished, my dear, but for the sake of

the self that the gods are cherished. It is not for the sake of

beings that beings are cherished, my dear, but for the sake of the

self that beings are cherished. It is not for the sake of all that

all is cherished, my dear, but for the sake of the self that

everything is cherished. It is the self, my dear Maitreyi, that

should be discerned, be heard, be pondered on, be meditated on.

Indeed, by discerning the self, by hearing it, pondering on it,

meditating on it, all this is known.

 

Priesthood has deserted the one who knows priesthood as different

from the self. Warriorhood has deserted the one who knows warriorhood

as different from the self. The worlds have deserted the one who

knows the worlds as different from the self. The gods have deserted

the one who knows the gods as different from the self. Beings have

deserted the one who knows beings as different from the self. All has

deserted the one who knows all as different from the Self! This

priesthood, this warriorhood, these worlds, these gods, these beings,

this all, are all this Self.

 

Just as when a drum is being beaten, one would not be able to grasp

the sound emitted[1], but by grasping the drum or the beater of the

drum the sound is grasped. Just as when a conch-shell is being blown,

one would not be able to grasp the sound emitted, but by grasping the

conch-shell or the blower of the conch-shell the sound is grasped.

Just as, when a vina is being played, one would not be able to grasp

the sound emitted, but by grasping the vina or the player of the vina

the sound is grasped. Just as from a fire laid with damp fuel,

different kinds of smoke issue forth, so too from this great being

are breathed forth Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Hymns of the

Atharvans and Angirases, history, legend, learning, upanishad,Verses,

Aphorisms, Explanations, and Commentaries.

 

Just as the ocean is where all waters converge, the skin where all

tactile sensations converge, the nose where all odours , the eye

where all forms converge, the ear where all sounds converge, the mind

where all intentions converge, the heart where all forms of knowledge

converge, the hands where all action converges, the sexual organ

where all pleasures converge, the anus where all waste-products

converge, the feet where all locomotion converges, and speech where

all Vedas converge, just as a lump of salt cast in water dissolves in

the water; there would not be anything you could grasp and extract,

so to speak, but wherever one might take any, it would always be

salty, so too, indeed, this great being, infinite, limitless, is just

a mass of awareness. Arising out of these elements into them it

vanishes. After death there is no consciousness. That is what I say,

my dear." Thus spoke Yajnavalkya.

 

Then Maitreyi spoke. "You have me bewildered, sir, when you

say `after death there is no consciousness'!"

 

Then Yajnavalkya said: "I am saying nothing bewildering! This is

sufficient for understanding. For where there is duality, so to

speak, there one smells another; there one sees another; there one

hears another; there one speaks to another; there one thinks of

another; there one understands another. Where, indeed, everything has

become one's own self, then by means of what would one smell, and

whom? then by means of what would one see, and whom? then by means of

what would one hear, and whom? then by means of what would one speak,

and who to? then by means of what would one think, and about whom? By

means of what would one know, and whom? By means of what would one

know that by which all this is known? By means of what, my dear,

would one know the knower? "

 

The version of the dialogue in IV. v. continues as follows:

 

". . . know the knower? This Self is not this, not this! It is

incomprehensible, for it cannot be comprehended, indestructible, for

it cannot be destroyed, unattached, since it does not attach itself,

unbound, since it does not suffer. It is not injured. By means of

what, indeed, would one know the knower?! There, you are now

instructed, Maitreyi. Such indeed is immortality!"

 

And having said this, Yajnavalkya departed.

 

 

 

"The self, indeed, Maitreyi, is to be seen, heard, reflected on,

meditated on, and when the self is indeed seen, heard, reflected on

and known, then all this is known."

 

- In , MaharishiBingoRam

<bingoram@c...> wrote:

> Thank you for sharing this sweet child of light. Do you know that

the original thoughts behind the quote below come from the sacred

Upanishads. I believe Maitri's husband (Y) taught the exact same

thing to his wife thousands of years ago, but in more detail.

>

> Is someone familiar with that story? It is a lovely story.

[Guest guest]

Thank you Adiji,

 

We are fortunate to have a member of the sangha whose knowledge of

the ancient stories and the vedas is as vast as yours.

 

As Maharishi Bingo Ram has pointed out, we can see that the

teachings of the modern sages such as Papaji, Nisargadatta, and

others is clearly outlined in the Upanishads.

 

Pranams and love to all,

Harsha

 

, "adi_shakthi16"

<adi_shakthi16> wrote:

> YAJNAVALKYA and MAITREYI:(Brihadaranyaka upanishad)

>

> The sage Yajnavalkya is going to retire to the forest, he

approaches

> Maitreyi to discuss the division of his property between her and

her

> co-wife Katyayani.

[Guest guest]

, "harshaimtm"

wrote:

> Thank you Adiji,

>

> We are fortunate to have a member of the sangha whose knowledge of

> the ancient stories and the vedas is as vast as yours.

>

> As Maharishi Bingo Ram has pointed out, we can see that the

> teachings of the modern sages such as Papaji, Nisargadatta, and

> others is clearly outlined in the Upanishads.

>

> Pranams and love to all,

> Harsha

 

Namaste H,

 

With the net we are only a click away from this vast knowledge,

myths and parables...........one advantage of it..Yet in our

lifetimes we can't even absorb all the info in a small local

library.........ONS..Tony.

[Guest guest]

Dear sweet Irish prince,

 

You are right. We are only one click away from vast knowledge on the Internet.

But how many can understand such knowledge. I was expressing my appreciation for

the one who is blessed by the Goddess Sarsvati and offered us the story of Sage

Yagnavalkya and his wife Matitreyi upon request.

 

It does not seem right if we don't show gratitude to others for their good

deeds.

 

Love and blessings

 

...................

> Namaste H,

>

> With the net we are only a click away from this vast knowledge,

> myths and parables...........one advantage of it..Yet in our

> lifetimes we can't even absorb all the info in a small local

> library.........ONS..Tony.

 

Love, serve, and be helpful but without getting disgusted, tired, pessimistic,

and exhausted

[Guest guest]

, MaharishiBingoRam

<bingoram@c...> wrote:

> Dear sweet Irish prince,

>

> You are right. We are only one click away from vast knowledge on

the Internet. But how many can understand such knowledge. I was

expressing my appreciation for the one who is blessed by the Goddess

Sarsvati and offered us the story of Sage Yagnavalkya and his wife

Matitreyi upon request.

>

> It does not seem right if we don't show gratitude to others for

their good deeds.

>

> Love and blessings

 

Namaste,

 

These are mainly myths and teaching parables, but I like them

too.......ONS..Tony.

[Guest guest]

Dearest tony,

 

day afrer day , you post sayings from the Gospel of Thomas which are

very enjoyable to read.

 

and they are also only a keystroke away for a person who knows how to

use the Google search effectively.

 

but, all the same, by posting these sayings here on a daily basis you

are doing a wonderful service to this satsangha and members can wake

up to these 'truths' everyday!

 

Bingoramji asked for the Maitreyi and yagnavalkya dialogue- i merely

reproduced the story.

 

Parables were used by Jesus to illustrate great 'truths' ... Jesus

loved to tell stories and they were memorable stories!

 

Tony, i am sure you know the Parable of the Acorn and the OAK TREE.

 

An acorn is something so small and yet it holds all the potential of

a full grown oak tree.

 

Placed in good soil with Water and Sunshine, an acorn will grow over

time to become a might Oak tree . God causes the Miracle of GROWTH.

iS THIS NOT SOMETHING TO MARVEL AT?

 

Are you not child of god? are we all not children of God? this is why

bingoramji calls us all children in an endearing way.

 

Your life is a wonderful opportunity given by God to lead a

meaningful and full life in the service of god and your fellow men!

is it not?

 

Let the love of God reign in your heart and one day you will become

majestic and mighty like a oak tree under whose shade all can take

shelter and learn about how to love god and serve humanity!

 

THE UPANISHADS are time-honored rtesxts that contain eternal truths.

They are not some tv soap operas !

 

tell stories and i luv to hear them not perverted storiies but good

ones that are pleasant to hear!

 

love and (hugs)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-- In , "Tony OClery" <aoclery>

wrote:

> , "harshaimtm"

> wrote:

> > Thank you Adiji,

> >

> > We are fortunate to have a member of the sangha whose knowledge

of

> > the ancient stories and the vedas is as vast as yours.

> >

> > As Maharishi Bingo Ram has pointed out, we can see that the

> > teachings of the modern sages such as Papaji, Nisargadatta, and

> > others is clearly outlined in the Upanishads.

> >

> > Pranams and love to all,

> > Harsha

>

> Namaste H,

>

> With the net we are only a click away from this vast knowledge,

> myths and parables...........one advantage of it..Yet in our

> lifetimes we can't even absorb all the info in a small local

> library.........ONS..Tony.

[Guest guest]

, "adi_shakthi16"

<adi_shakthi16> wrote:

> Dearest tony,

>

> day afrer day , you post sayings from the Gospel of Thomas which

are

> very enjoyable to read.

>

> and they are also only a keystroke away for a person who knows how

to

> use the Google search effectively.

>

> but, all the same, by posting these sayings here on a daily basis

you

> are doing a wonderful service to this satsangha and members can

wake

> up to these 'truths' everyday!

>

> Bingoramji asked for the Maitreyi and yagnavalkya dialogue- i

merely

 

Namaste,

 

Whose complaining? I said I like the myths and parables

also...ONS..Tony.

[haveBliss 0]

YAJNAVALKYA and MAITREYI

==================

The conversation is one the greatest understanding of SELF (or Soul) in the Indian known contexts. I thank sincerely who made this effort to put here at the net.

However, one needs to be careful to understand it clearly, as MAITREYI herself was bewildered, as she said. It's easy for us (common people) to be bewildered! Bhagavad-Gita has more definitive and easier to understand the SELF. As Sri Gita warns Arjuna not to be bewildered with various explanations of Vedic contexts, because many sages explain the same immortality in many various ways, so simply follow the simple procedure that Sri Krishna instructed Arjuna mainly in chapters 7th to 12th in the Gita. As YAJNAVALKYA himself said that SELF understanding is not comprehensible, then why bother to understand it that way? Just we need to do our duty such that we rest results of our duties to God and follow what Sri Krishna instructed in Gita. In doing so, understanding of SELF shall gradually appear to us – without any doubt, and that is doable and comprehensive.