Gargi Vachaknavi

Gargi Vachaknavi was an ancient Indian philosopher. In Vedic Literature, she is honored as a great natural philosopher,^[1]^[2] renowned expounder of the Vedas,^[3] and known as Brahmavadini, a person with knowledge of Brahma Vidya.^[4] In the Sixth and the Eighth Brahmana of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, her name is prominent as she participates in the brahmayajna, a philosophic debate organized by King Janaka of Videha and challenges the sage Yajnavalkya with perplexing questions on the issue of atman (soul).^[1]^[5] She is also said to have written many hymns in the Rigveda.^[6] She was a nun who took to preaching, a unique position in Hindu religion, which otherwise shunned such a practice by women. She remained a celibate all her life and was held in veneration by the conventional Hindus.^[7]^[8]

Early life

Gargi was the daughter of sage Vachaknu in the lineage of sage Garga (800-500 BCE) and hence named after the sage and her father as Gargi Vachaknavi.^[2]^[9] Right from a young age she was very keen on learning as she had an intellectual bent of mind. She acquired knowledge of the Vedas and scriptures and became renowned for her proficiency in these fields of philosophy; she even surpassed men in her knowledge.^[9]

Later life

Gargi, along with Vadava Pratitheyi and Sulabha Maitreyi are among the prominent females who figure in the Upanishads.^[10] She was as knowledgeable in Vedas and Upanishads as men of the Vedic times and could very well contest the male-philosophers in debates.^[11]Her name appears in the Grihya Sutras of Asvalayana.^[12] She had even awakened her Kundalini (indwelling spiritual energy). In her dialogue with Pandit Mandan Mishra on the subject of sex she had won her arguments as she was a realized soul.^[1] She was a leading scholar who also made rich contribution to propagate education.^[9]

Debate with Yagnavalkya

According to Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, King Janaka of Videha Kingdom held a Rajasuya Yagna and invited all the learned sages, kings and princess of India to participate. The yagna lasted for many days. Large quantities of sandalwood, ghee (clarified butter) and barley (cereal grain) were offered to the Yagna fire creating an atmosphere of spiritual sanctity and aroma. Janaka himself being a scholar was impressed with the large gathering of learned sages. He thought of selecting a scholar from the assembled group of elite scholars, the most accomplished of them all who had maximum knowledge about God. For this purpose, he evolved a plan and offered a prize of 1,000 cows with each cow dangled with 10 grams of gold on its horns. The galaxy of scholars, apart from others, included the renowned sage Yagnavalkya and Gargi Vachaknavi.^[9] Yagnavalkya, who was aware that he was the most spiritually knowledgeable among the assembled gathering, as he had mastered the art of Kundalini Yoga, ordered his disciple Samsrava to drive away the cow herd to his house. This infuriated the scholars as they felt that he was taking way the prize without contesting in a debate. Some of the local pundits (scholars) did not volunteer for debate with him as they were not sure of their knowledge. However, there were eight renowned sages who challenged him for a debate, which included Gargi, the only lady in the assembled gathering of the learned. Sages like Asvala, the priest in Janaka's court, Artabhaga, Bhujyu, Ushasta, and Uddalaka debated with him and asked questions philosophical subjects to which Yagnavalkya provided convincing replies and they lost the debate. It was then the turn of Gargi to take up the challenge.^[1] Gargi, as one of the disputants in the debate, questioned Yagnavalkya on his claim of superiority among the scholars. She held repeated arguments with him.^[13]^[1] Gargi and Yagnavalkya's exchange centered around the ultimate "warp" of reality ("warp" means "the basic foundation or material of a structure or entity).^[14] Her initial dialogue with Yagnavalkaya tended to be too metaphysical, such as unending status of the soul, away from practical situations. She then changed her approach and asked him pointed questions related to the environment existing in the world, the question of the very origin of all existence. Her question was specific when she asked him "since this whole world is woven back and forth on water, on what then is woven back and forth", a question that related to the commonly known cosmological metaphor that expressed the unity of the world, its essential interconnectedness.She continued with an array of questions such as what was the universe of the suns, what were the moon, the stars, the gods, Indra, and Prajapati.

“

Then Gargi Vacaknavi questioned him. “Yajnavalkya,” said she, “since all this

world is woven, warp and woof, on water, on what, pray, is the water woven, warp
and woof?” “On wind, O Gargi.”
“On what then, pray, is the wind woven, warp and woof?”
“On the atmosphere-worlds, O Gargi.”
“On what then, pray, are the atmosphere-worlds woven, warp and woof?”
“On the worlds of the Gandharvas, O Gargi.”
“On what then, pray, are the worlds of the Gandharvas woven, warp andwoof?”
“On the worlds of the sun, O Gargi.”
“On what then, pray, are the worlds of the sun woven, warp and woof?”
“On the worlds of the moon, O Gargi.”
“On what then, pray, are the worlds of the moon woven, warp and woof?”
“On the worlds of the stars, O Gargi.”
“On what then, pray, are the worlds of the stars woven, warp and woof?”
“On the worlds of the gods, O Gargi.”
“On what then, pray, are the worlds of the gods woven, warp and woof?”
“On the worlds of Indra, O Gargi.”
“On what then, pray, are the worlds of Indra woven, warp and woof?”
“On the worlds of Prajapati, O Gargi.”
“On what then, pray, are the worlds of Prajapati woven, warp and woof?”
“On the worlds of Brahma, O Gargi.”
“On what then, pray, are the worlds of Brahma woven, warp and woof?”
Vajnavalkya said: “Gargi, do not question too much, lest your head fall off. In
truth, you are questioning too much about a divinity about which further questions
cannot be asked. Gargi, do not over-question.”
Thereupon Gargi Vacaknavi held her peace

”

(Brihad Aranyaka 3 . 6)^[15]

Gargi then pressed on with two more questions. Gargi urged Yagnavalkya to enlighten her on the weave of reality and asked:^[14]

“

Then (Gargi) Vacaknavi said: “Venerable brahmans, lo , I will ask him (Yajnavalkya)

two questions. If he will answer me these, not one of you will surpass
him in discussions about Brahma.”

“Ask, Gargi.”
She said: “As a noble youth of the Kashis or of the Videhas might rise up
against you, having strung his unstrung bow and taken two foe-piercing
arrows in his hand, even so, O Yajnavalkya, have I risen up against you with
two questions. Answer me these.”

Yajnavalkya said: “Ask, Gargi.”

She said: “That, O Yajnavalkya, which is above the sky, that which is beneath
the earth, that which is between these two, sky and earth, that which people
call the past and the present and the future—across what is that woven,
warp and woof?”

He said: “That, O Gargi, which is above the sky, that which is beneath the
earth, that which is between these two, sky and earth, that which people call
the past and the present and the future—across space is that woven, warp
and woof.”

She said: “Adoration to you, Yajnavalkya, in that you have solved this question
for me. Prepare yourself for the other.” “Ask, Gargi.”

She said: “That, O Yajnavalkya, which is above the sky, that which is beneath
the earth, that which is between these two, sky and earth, that which
people call the past and the present and the future—across what is that
woven, warp and woof?”

He said: “That, O Gargi, which is above the sky, that which is beneath the
earth, that which is between these two, sky and earth, that which people call
the past and the present and the future—across space is that woven, warp
and woof.”

“Across what then, pray, is space woven, warp and woof?”

He said: “That, O Gargi, brahmans call the imperishable. It is not coarse, not
fine, not short, not long, not glowing like fire, not adhesive like water, without
shadow and without darkness, without air and without space, without
stickiness, (intangible), odorless, tasteless, without eye, without ea r, without
voice, without wind, without energy, without breath, without mouth, (without
personal or family name, unaging, undying, without fear, immortal,
stainless, not uncovered, not covered), without measure, without inside and
without outside.It consumes nothing soever.No one soever consumes it.

Verily, O Gargi, at the command of that Imperishable the sun and the moon
stand apart.
Verily, O Gargi, at the command of that imperishable the earth
and the sky stand apart.
Verily, O Gargi, at the command of that imperishable
the moments, the hours, the days the nights, the fortnights, the months, the
seasons, and the years stand apart.
Verily, O Gargi, at the command of that
imperishable some rivers flow from the snowy mountains to the east, others
to the west, in whatever direction each flows.
Verily, O Gargi, at the command of that imperishable men praise those who give, the gods are desirous of a
sacrificer, and the fathers (are desirous) of the manes-sacrifice .
Verily, O Gargi, if one performs sacrifices and worship and undergoes austerity
in this world for many thousands of years, but without knowing that
imperishable, limited indeed is that [work] of his.
Verily, O Gargi, he whodeparts from this world without knowing that imperishable is pitiable.
But, O Gargi, he who departs from this world knowing that imperishable is a
brahman .
Verily, O Gargi, that Imperishable is the unseen seer, the unheard hearer, the
unthought thinker, the ununderstood understander. Other than It there is
naught that sees. Other than It there is naught that hears. Other than It
there is naught that thinks. Other than It there is naught that understands.
Across this imperishable, O Gargi, is space woven, warp and woof?”
She said: “Venerable brahmans, you may think it a great thing if you escape
from this man with (merely) making a bow. Not one of you will surpass him
in discussions about Brahma.”
Thereupon [Gargi] Vacaknavi held her peace.

”

(Brihad Aranyaka 3 . 7)^[15]

In the above debate she asked a final question, on what was Brahman (world of the imperishable)? Yagnavalakya felt enough was enough and ticked her off by telling her not to proceed further as other wise she would loose her mental balance. This riposte put an end to their further dialogue at the conference of the learned.^[1]^[16] However, at the end of the debate she conceded to the superior knowledge of Yagnavalkya by saying: "venerable Brahmins, you may consider it a great thing if you get off bowing before him. No one, I believe, will defeat him in any argument concerning Brahman." ^[13]

Her philosophical views also find mention in the Chandogya Upanishad.^[1] Gargi composed several hymns that questioned the origin of all existence. The Yoga Yajnavalkya, a classical text on Yoga is a dialogue between Gargi and sage Yajnavalkya.^[17] Gargi had the honour of recognition as one of the Navaratnas (nine gems) in the court of King Janaka of Mithila.^[1]

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Ahuja 2011, p. 34.
↑ 2.0 2.1 "Gargi". University of Alabama Astronomy.
↑ Mani, Vettam (1975). Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary With Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 348–9. ISBN 0-8426-0822-2.
↑ Banerji 1989, p. 614.
↑ Swami Sivananda. Gargi - "The Virgin Philosopher". sivanandaonline.org.
↑ Mody 1999, p. 125.
↑ Kapur-Fic 1998, p. 323.
↑ Kumar 2004, p. 158.
↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Great Women of India. Know India. Prabhat Prakashan. 2005. p. 15. ISBN 978-81-87100-34-8.
↑ Mookerji 1998, p. 171.
↑ O'Malley 1970, p. 331.
↑ Gadkari 1996, p. 86.
↑ 13.0 13.1 Mookerji 1998, p. 129.
↑ 14.0 14.1 Carmody & Brink 2013, p. 95.
↑ 15.0 15.1 Harold Coward, Ronald Neufeldt, Eva K. Neumaier (2013). Readings in Eastern Religions. Wilfrid Laurier University Press. ISBN 978-0-88920-435-5.
↑ Glucklich 2008, pp. 64–65.
↑ Yogayajnavalkya Samhita – The Yoga Treatise of Yajnavalkya, by T. K. V. Desikachar and T. Krishnamacharya, Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (2004), ISBN 81-87847-08-5.

Bibliography