Page 11 - Seers and Sages of India

Prominent Rishikas of Ancient India

Rishika Maitreyi

Respected for her deep knowledge of the Vedas and

Upanishads she too was a ‘Brahmavadini’ (expounder of

the Vedas). She was raised by her aunt Gargi Vachaknavi,

a renowned philosopher and Vedic scholar. Later, she

became the second wife of Rishi Yājñavalkya. Due to the

influence of her aunt, and later her husband, Maitreyi’s

inclination towards the learning of the Vedas and other

scriptures became more intense.

In return, she also helped enhance the spiritual knowledge

of her husband. About 10 hymns in the Rig Veda are

accredited to her. Later in life when Yājñavalkya took up

sannyasa, Maitreyi too decided to lead the life of an

ascetic. Wandering and living on alms, she spread her

knowledge among people, and contributed towards the

composition of the ‘Maitreyi Upanishad’.