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Brahmavadinis (ब्रह्मवादिन्यः) (view source)
Revision as of 14:25, 19 June 2019
, 14:25, 19 June 2019→गार्गी ॥ Gargi: added content and references
According to Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Raja Janaka of Videha held a Rajasuya Yajna and invited all the learned rshis, rajas and brahmins of various places such as Kuru and Panchala to participate in a shastra debate. Janaka intended to select a scholar from the assembled group of elite scholars, the most accomplished of them all who had maximum knowledge about Brahman and declared a thousand cows, each decorated with golden horns as reward for the same. No scholar in the assembled group had the knowledge nor courage as no Brahmavid would announce that he is an all-knower of Brahman, but Yajnavalkya asked that the herd of cows be driven to his home. When asked by Janaka whether he is the Brahmavetta, Yajnavalkya declines and starts to discuss the qualities of Brahman among the scholarly group.
According to Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Raja Janaka of Videha held a Rajasuya Yajna and invited all the learned rshis, rajas and brahmins of various places such as Kuru and Panchala to participate in a shastra debate. Janaka intended to select a scholar from the assembled group of elite scholars, the most accomplished of them all who had maximum knowledge about Brahman and declared a thousand cows, each decorated with golden horns as reward for the same. No scholar in the assembled group had the knowledge nor courage as no Brahmavid would announce that he is an all-knower of Brahman, but Yajnavalkya asked that the herd of cows be driven to his home. When asked by Janaka whether he is the Brahmavetta, Yajnavalkya declines and starts to discuss the qualities of Brahman among the scholarly group.
Gargi, as one of the disputants in the debate, questioned Yajnavalkya on his claim of superiority among the scholars. She asks <blockquote>यदिदं सर्वमप्स्वोतं च प्रोतं च कस्मिन्नु खल्वाप ओताश्च प्रोताश्चेति । वायौ गार्गीति । (Brhd. Upan. 3.6.1)<ref>Brhdaranyaka Upanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%95_%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D_3p Adhyaya 3 Brahmana 6])</ref></blockquote>"Bhagavan! if all the earthly material is woven like warp and woof (ओताश्च प्रोताश्च) in waters, what then is that, in which the waters are woven?" Yajnavalkya replies"in Vayu (air) O!Gargi"<ref>Ananta Rangacharya, N. S., (2004) Principal Upanishads,Volume 3, Brhadaranyaka Upanishad. Bangalore : Sri Rama Press (Pages 187 and 203)</ref>
Gargi, as one of the disputants in the debate, questioned Yajnavalkya on his claim of superiority among the scholars. She asks <blockquote>यदिदं सर्वमप्स्वोतं च प्रोतं च कस्मिन्नु खल्वाप ओताश्च प्रोताश्चेति । वायौ गार्गीति । (Brhd. Upan. 3.6.1)<ref name=":2">Brhdaranyaka Upanishad ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%95_%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D_3p Adhyaya 3] )</ref></blockquote>"Bhagavan! if all the earthly material is woven like warp and woof (ओताश्च प्रोताश्च) in waters, what then is that, in which the waters are woven?" Yajnavalkya replies"in Vayu (air) O!Gargi"<ref name=":3">Ananta Rangacharya, N. S., (2004) Principal Upanishads,Volume 3, Brhadaranyaka Upanishad. Bangalore : Sri Rama Press (Pages 187 and 203)</ref>
Gargi was honoured as one of scholarly people in the court of King Janaka of Mithila.
Continuing like this she further questions as what was the foundation of Vayu, Akasha, Antariksha, Gandharvaloka, Adityaloka, Chandraloka, Nakshatraloka, Devaloka, Indraloka followed by Prajapatiloka. When the question of Brahmaloka arises Yajnavalkya restrains her way of questioning and she stops there. The idea is do not question about the support of the worlds above Brahmaloka. After Uddalaka poses some questions and is quietened by Yajnavalkya Gargi resumes her questioning. She asks him two other straight questions. <ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">Kalyan Magazine, Nari Anka - Brahmavadini Vachaknavi Gargi ([https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.427009/page/n413 Page No 359]) by Gita Press, Gorakhpur.</ref><blockquote>सा होवाच यदूर्ध्वं याज्ञवल्क्य दिवो यदवाक्पृथिव्या यदन्तरा द्यावापृथिवी इमे यद्भूतं च भवच्च भविष्यच्चेत्याचक्षते कस्मिंस्तदोतं च प्रोतं चेति ॥ ३,८.३ ॥ (Brhd. Upan. 3.8.3)<ref name=":2" /></blockquote>She said "By what, O! Yajnavalkya, is that pervaded above the heavens, below the earth and in between the two (heaven and earth) about which they say it was, is and will be (exist)." For this Yajnavalkya answers "Akasha in the form of unmanifested ether".
Gargi further questions (2nd question) "In what is that Akasha ir unmanifested eather woven like warp and woof?" Yajnavalkya replies "स होवाच एतद्वै तदक्षरं गार्गि!"(Brhd. Upan. 3.8.8). Aksharam is that which pervades everything or utilizes everything. This signifies the immutable Brahman about which the people who have realised Brahman describe as the support of the unmanifested ether also.<ref name=":3" /> And in this way Yajnavalkya proves the Aksharatattva of the Parabrahman by way of negation of worldly things. In the end she accepts his proficiency and offers salutations to him. Reading the deep philosophy embedded in her questions one can understand her knowledge, by which she did not develop pride but was forthcoming in praising her opponent.<ref name=":4" />
Gargi was honoured as one of scholarly people in the court of King Janaka of Mithila.
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