Gārgī Vāchaknavī
Gargi Vachaknavi (Sans: गार्गी वाचक्नवी (
Gargi, the daughter of sage Vachaknu in the lineage of sage Garga (c. 800-500 BCE) was named after her father Gargi Vachaknavi. From a young age, she evinced a keen interest in Vedic scriptures and became very proficient in fields of philosophy. She became highly knowledgeable in the Vedas and Upanishads in the Vedic times and held intellectual debates with other philosophers.
Early life
Gargi was the daughter of sage Vachaknu in the lineage of sage Garga (c. 800-500 BCE) and hence named after her father as Gargi Vachaknavi.
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 was a leading scholar who also made rich contributions to propagate education.[9]
According to
Sages like
She continued with an array of questions such as what was the universe of the
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 woven, warp and woof?"
Yagnavalakaya answered "Space"
Gargi was not satisfied and then posed the next question:[14]
Across what then pray, is space woven, warp and woof?
Yajnavalkya answered: 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. Across this Imperishable is the unseen, O Gargi, is space woven, warp and woof.
Then she asked a final question, on what was Brahman (world of the imperishable)? Yagnavalakya put an end to the debate by telling Gargi not to proceed further as otherwise, she would lose her mental balance. This riposte put an end to their further dialogue at the conference of the learned.[1][15] However, at the end of the debate she conceded to the superior knowledge of Yajnavalkya 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
In Popular Culture
Actress
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Ahuja 2011, p. 34.
- ^ a b "Gargi". University of Alabama Astronomy.
- ISBN 0-8426-0822-2.
- ^ Banerji 1989, p. 614.
- Swami Sivananda. "The Virgin Philosopher". sivanandaonline.org.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b Mody 1999, p. 125.
- ^ Kapur-Fic 1998, p. 323.
- ^ Kumar 2004, p. 158.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-87100-34-8.
- ^ Mookerji 1998, p. 171.
- ^ O'Malley 1970, p. 331.
- ^ Gadkari 1996, p. 86.
- ^ a b Mookerji 1998, p. 129.
- ^ a b c Carmody & Brink 2013, p. 95.
- ^ a b Glucklich 2008, pp. 64–65.
- ^ "Gargi". Indian Scriptures.com.
- ISBN 978-93-80325-91-0.
- ISBN 81-87847-08-5.
- ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
Bibliography
- Ahuja, M.L. (2011). Women in Indian Mythology. Rupa Publications. ISBN 978-81-291-2171-4.
- Banerji, Sures Chandra (1 January 1989). A Companion to Sanskrit Literature: Spanning a Period of Over Three Thousand Years, Containing Brief Accounts of Authors, Works, Characters, Technical Terms, Geographical Names, Myths, Legends, and Several Appendices. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0063-2.
- Carmody, Denise; Brink, T. (1 January 2013). Cengage Advantage Books: Ways to the Center: An Introduction to World Religions. Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-1-285-41529-1.
- Gadkari, Jayant (1 January 1996). Society and Religion: From Rugveda to Puranas. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-7154-743-2.
- Glucklich, Ariel (11 April 2008). The Strides of Vishnu : Hindu Culture in Historical Perspective: Hindu Culture in Historical Perspective. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-971825-2.
- Great Women of India. Know India. PrabhatPrakashan. 2005. ISBN 978-81-87100-34-8.
- Kapur-Fic, Alexandra R. (1 January 1998). Thailand: Buddhism, Society, and Women. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 978-81-7017-360-1.
- Kumar, Raj (1 January 2004). Essays on Social Reform Movements. Discovery Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7141-792-6.
- Mody, Rekha (1999). A Quest for Roots: Stree Shakti. Stree Shakti.
- Mookerji, Radha Kumud (1 January 1998). Ancient Indian Education: Brahmanical and Buddhist. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0423-4.
- O'Malley, Charles Donald (1970). The History of Medical Education: An International Symposium Held February 5-9, 1968. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-01578-4.