Maitreyi-Brahmana-Bhashya Tatparya Deepika : A Famous Dialogue Between Yagnavalkya & Maitreyi - An Old and Rare Book (Sanskrit)

PUBLISHER'S PREFACE

I am very glad to note that Sarasvati Mahal Manuscript Library brings to the light a small but rare and worthy book named " MAITREYI - BRAHMANA BHASHYA. - TATPARYA DEEPIKA " of Sri Mahadevendra Sarasvati an acclaimed exponent " Advaita Vedanta ".
The Sanskrit word " BRAHMANA " means a portion of the Veda which states rules for the employment of the hymns at the various sacrifices, their origin and detailed explanations' with sometimes lengthy illustrations in this shape of legends or stories or dialogues.
This book reveals the essence of dialogue between MAITREYI (The wife of sage Yagna-valkya) and Yagnavalkya the great preceptor of Advaita Philosophy. The dialogue described in chapters 2-4 and 4-5 in BRUHADARANYAKA UPANISHAD is summarized in 150 verses by Sri Mahadevendra Sarasvati.
The introduction in English provides an introductory to the essentials of Advaitha Philosophy.
I hope this book will be welcomed by the disciples and students of Advaita Vedanta. The editor richly deserves sincere appreciation.
I am thankful to Thiru S. Srinivasa Raghavan, the Administrative Officer and Thiru A. Pachanathan. the Publication Manager for their encouragement to publish rare manuscripts.
My thanks are due to the Government of India for financial assistance to publish rare manuscripts.
I congratulate the members of printing unit of Sarasvati Mahal for the appreciable printing work.

Introduction

Sri Sankara's commentary on the Bruhadaranya-kopanishad has been commented upon by Sri Sureshvara in his Vartika comprising 11,151 verses. The Bruhadaranyakopanishad consists of six chapters and the famous dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi occurs in 2.4 and 4.5 and it provides the quintessence of the Upanishads. Sri Mahadevendra Sarasvati, in the present text, has summarized the entire teaching of the sections dealing with the dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi in 150 verses.
In the history of Advaita Vedanta, Sri Mahadevendra Sarasvati is a well-known figure. He was a disciple of Svayamprakasananda the disciple of Gopalabalayogi¹ Eleven of his works are known to exist.
1. A dvaitagrantha,
2. Advaitaprakasa,
3. Advaitabhushana,
4.Tattvabodha,
5. Tattvanusandhana,
6. Advaitakaustubha,
7. Paramamrutam,
8. Maitreyi Brahmana Bhashya Tatparya Dipika,
9. Visvesvaranusandhana,
10. Vedantasangrahavyakhyaprakasika

and
11. Sariraka Samkshepa Vivrutti Prakasika.
Our author is known to have flourished during the seventeenth century (A.D. 1700).
Yajnavalkya in his instruction to Maitreyi emphasises the following points:
1. The self is bliss;
2. it is free from duality and the latter is non-real; and,
3. it is fit to be realized and for that purpose one must pursue Vedantic study, reflection and meditation

**Contents and Sample Pages**