UPNISAHD KI DEVIYAN

*1. Gargi Vachaknavi: The Fearless Warrior-Scholar (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad)* Gargi is one of the most prominent female philosophers in the Upanishadic texts. In the court of King Janaka, she boldly challenged the great sage Yajnavalkya in a philosophical debate regarding the fundamental fabric of the universe. *The Depth of Her Inquiry:* Gargi relentlessly questioned Yajnavalkya about what the elements of the universe are woven into (like warp and woof), taking him from the realm of water, to air, to the sky, to the worlds of the sun, moon, stars, and eventually to the realm of Brahman. *The Bow and Arrow Analogy:* When she stood up to question him a second time, she fiercely compared herself to a warrior from Kashi or Videha. She declared that she was approaching him with two piercing, insurmountable questions, much like a warrior stringing an unstrung bow and holding two deadly arrows in hand. Her profound understanding forced Yajnavalkya to explain the nature of the imperishable, ultimate reality (Brahman). Ultimately, Gargi recognized his greatness and commanded the assembly of Brahmins to bow to him, proving her own supremacy and lack of ego. *2. Maitreyi: The Seeker of Immortality (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad)* Maitreyi, the wife of Sage Yajnavalkya, represents the ultimate spiritual seeker who rejects worldly wealth for eternal truth. *Rejection of Material Wealth:* When Yajnavalkya decided to renounce the world (take Sannyasa) and offered to divide his property between Maitreyi and his other wife Katyayani (who possessed ordinary worldly knowledge), Maitreyi asked a profound question: *"If this entire earth filled with wealth were mine, would I become immortal by it?"*. *The Path of Self-Realization:* Upon learning that wealth cannot buy immortality, she flatly rejected it, asking to be taught the path of eternal truth. Yajnavalkya then imparted the great secret to her: a husband, wife, son, or wealth is not loved for their own sake, but for the sake of the Self (Atman). He instructed her that the **Atman is the only entity that should be seen, heard, reflected upon, and meditated upon**. *3. Uma Haimavati: The Dispeller of the Gods' Pride (Kena Upanishad)* In the Kena Upanishad, the Divine Feminine appears as the ultimate revealer of truth to the highest male deities. *The Story:* Once, the Devas (Agni, Vayu, and Indra) won a great victory and became arrogant, thinking the glory was solely theirs. Brahman appeared before them as a mysterious Yaksha to humble them. Agni (Fire) could not burn a blade of grass, and Vayu (Wind) could not blow it away. *The Divine Revelation:* When Indra approached, the Yaksha disappeared, and in its place appeared the incredibly radiant Goddess Uma Haimavati (the daughter of the Himalayas). She revealed to Indra that the Yaksha was Brahman and that the gods' victory and power were entirely due to Brahman's greatness. *4. Jabala: The Embodiment of Absolute Truth (Chandogya Upanishad)* Jabala was the mother of the young seeker Satyakama. Her story redefines the true meaning of a "Brahmin" (a seeker of Brahman). *The Story:* When Satyakama wanted to go to a Guru's ashram, he asked his mother about his lineage. Jabala honestly told him that she had been a maidservant in her youth, serving many people, and therefore she did not know who his father was. She told him to simply call himself "Satyakama Jabala". Because of his mother's fearless adherence to the truth, Sage Haridrumata Gautama accepted Satyakama as a disciple, declaring that only a true Brahmin could speak with such absolute honesty. *5. The Divine Mother as the Supreme Cosmic Reality (Shakta Upanishads)* In the Shakta Upanishads, the feminine power (Shakti) is not secondary; she is the ultimate creator and the Supreme Brahman itself. *Bahvricha Upanishad:* Declares that before creation, the Goddess (Devi) existed entirely alone. She gave birth to the universe, and from her emerged Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra. She is the supreme power (Para Shakti) and the ultimate consciousness. *Devi Upanishad:* When the gods asked the Devi who she was, she proclaimed: *"I am the form of Brahman. From me emerged the universe comprising Prakriti (Nature) and Purusha (Consciousness). I am knowledge and ignorance... I am the entire cosmos"*. *Sita Upanishad:* Lord Brahma explains that Sita is not just a physical form but the Adhara Shakti (the foundational power of the entire universe) in feminine form. *Tripura Upanishad:* Extols the supreme Goddess Tripura Sundari, illustrating that the universe, all gods, and all knowledge are nothing but manifestations of this great Goddess. *** collected created presented by Pawan Thakur from Thakur Property Consultancy 900 435 2787