Page 10 - Seers and Sages of India

Prominent Rishikas of Ancient India

Rishika Gargi

One of the significant female philosophers of the Vedic

period, Gargi was known as a Brahmavadini (a person

having knowledge of Brahman). She was one of the nine

Navaratnas in the court of King Janaka of Mithila. She

chose to remain celibate all her life.

Gargi is mentioned in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad,

which tells us of the incident at a particular philosophical

congress organized by King Janaka where she challenged

Yājñavalkya to answer her questions to prove his highest

scholarship and knowledge of Brahman. The

Yogayājñavalkya Samhita, a text on Yoga expounds the

dialogue between Gargi and Yājñavalkya at this

congress.Gargi has contributed some hymns in the Rig

Veda. Many of her hymns deal with questions related to the

origin of all existence.