Maitreyi

Story

A long time ago, there was a great and knowledgeable sage named Yajnavalkya. He had a very skilled and wise wife, Maitreyi, who had a great knowledge of the Vedas and she had also composed ten hymns included in the Rigveda.

She enjoyed discussing the Vedas with Sage Yajnavalkya. Whenever Yajnavalkya imparted knowledge to his disciples, Maitreyi also used to listen to him.

One day, Sage Yajnavalkya said to Maitreyi, "I will give you all my wealth and then go to the forest for meditation. There, I will spend the rest of my life. You can use this wealth to live happily."

Upon hearing this, Maitreyi asked her husband, "Swami, if I were to receive all the wealth of this earth, would I become immortal?"

Yajnavalkya replied, "No, your life will be spent in comfort and luxury with that wealth, but you will not become immortal."

After hearing Yajnavalkya's response, Maitreyi said to him, "I do not want wealth; please impart to me the knowledge through which I may become immortal."

Yajnavalkya explained to her, "Maitreyi, just as the ocean cannot exist without water, the fragrance cannot be smelt without a nose, and the taste cannot be known without a tongue.

knowledge cannot exist without hearing, work cannot be done without hands, one cannot walk without feet, and a book cannot be written without words, similarly, this world or anything in it cannot exist without God or truth.

We are not separate from God; rather, God and we are the same, and God always exists. One who understands this truth becomes immortal."

Maitreyi contemplated the lesson given by Yajnavalkya for a long time and understood it, thus becoming immortal herself.

Nothing is greater than knowledge because only through true knowledge we can attain God.

Note: Considering the mindset of children, we have made some changes in the story.