Maitreyī

Maitreyī is the wife of the sage Yājñavalkya and a profound philosopher in her own right. Her dialogue with Yājñavalkya in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad is one of the most important passages on the nature of the Self and immortality.

Life/History

Maitreyī is known as a Brahmavadini (expounder of the Veda) and appears in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad as one of the two wives of Yājñavalkya (fl. c. 8th century BCE per Wikipedia’s dating, though her dates are traditional and uncertain). When Yājñavalkya decided to renounce worldly life and divide his wealth between his two wives, Maitreyī asked him to teach her what would make her immortal, rather than accepting material wealth. Her inquiry prompted Yājñavalkya’s famous discourse on the nature of the Self. (In the Mahabharata and Gṛhyasūtras, by contrast, Maitreyī is described as an Advaita philosopher who never married.)

Teachings/Contributions

In her dialogue with Yājñavalkya, Maitreyī asks pointed questions about the nature of love and the Self. When Yājñavalkya says that the Self is what is loved for the sake of the Self, she asks how the Self could be known if it is everything. This leads Yājñavalkya to teach that the Self is beyond speech and mind, and that it is through the Self that all is known.

Legacy

Maitreyī’s legacy is that of a philosopher who prioritized spiritual wisdom over material wealth. Her dialogue with Yājñavalkya is a core passage in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad and has been commented upon by all major Vedāntic teachers. She represents the Vedic ideal of the seeking wife (sahadharmini) who engages in philosophical inquiry with her husband.

Verification notes

• Content based on client-provided research.
• Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026). Dating is traditional/uncertain.