MPPSC 2025 Prelims Paper-I · Question 20 of 100

Correct — A, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. The exchange in which Gargi Vachaknavi twice cross-examines the sage Yajnavalkya — ending with her question about what everything above the sky and below the earth is 'woven, warp and woof' upon, and Yajnavalkya's answer of Akshara, the imperishable — occurs in the third chapter of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, set in the assembly of King Janaka of Videha. The same text also carries Yajnavalkya's dialogue with his wife Maitreyi.

• (b)Taittiriya Upanishad — Belongs to the Krishna Yajurveda and is known for the five-sheath (panchakosha) doctrine and the convocation address 'Satyam vada, dharmam chara' — it contains no Gargi dialogue.
• (c)Aitareya Upanishad — Attached to the Rigveda (part of the Aitareya Aranyaka); famous for the mahavakya 'Prajnanam Brahma' and an account of creation — not for the Yajnavalkya-Gargi debate.
• (d)Prashnopanishad — Belongs to the Atharvaveda and is built around six questions put to the sage Pippalada by six disciples. It is a question-and-answer text, which makes it tempting — but the questioners are not Gargi and the respondent is not Yajnavalkya.

The Upanishads form the concluding, philosophical layer of Vedic literature (hence 'Vedanta'), and each is attached to a particular Veda. The Brihadaranyaka — literally 'the great forest book' — forms the closing portion of the Shatapatha Brahmana of the Shukla Yajurveda and is among the oldest and longest of the principal Upanishads. It is largely dialogue: Yajnavalkya with Gargi, Yajnavalkya with Maitreyi, and the brahmodya, the philosophical contest held at King Janaka's court.

Both MPPSC and UPSC test 'which text contains which idea or person'. The efficient way to prepare is one hook per Upanishad: Brihadaranyaka = Yajnavalkya, Gargi, Maitreyi, 'Aham Brahmasmi' and 'Asato ma sadgamaya'; Chandogya = 'Tat Tvam Asi' and the Uddalaka-Shvetaketu dialogue; Mundaka = 'Satyameva Jayate'; Katha = Nachiketa and Yama; Prashna = Pippalada's six questions.

• The Yajnavalkya-Gargi dialogue appears in the third chapter of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, at the court of King Janaka of Videha.
• The Brihadaranyaka belongs to the Shukla Yajurveda and forms the last part of the Shatapatha Brahmana.
• Its famous lines include the mahavakya 'Aham Brahmasmi' and the prayer 'Asato ma sadgamaya, tamaso ma jyotirgamaya, mrityor ma amritam gamaya'.
• Gargi Vachaknavi and Maitreyi are the best-known women thinkers of the Upanishadic age.
• Mahavakya map: Prajnanam Brahma (Aitareya, Rigveda), Aham Brahmasmi (Brihadaranyaka, Yajurveda), Tat Tvam Asi (Chandogya, Samaveda), Ayam Atma Brahma (Mandukya, Atharvaveda).

• Mixing up the Yajnavalkya-Gargi dialogue (Brihadaranyaka) with the Uddalaka-Shvetaketu dialogue (Chandogya)
• Attaching the Brihadaranyaka to the Rigveda — it belongs to the Shukla Yajurveda
• Assuming any question-and-answer Upanishad must be the Prashna

Standard 'in which text does X appear' or 'match the Upanishad with its Veda/mahavakya' — UPSC has asked the source of 'Satyameva Jayate' (Mundaka) and MPPSC has asked which Veda calls Sabha and Samiti twin institutions.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The mahavakya 'Aham Brahmasmi' occurs in which Upanishad?

  • (a)Chandogya Upanishad
  • (b)Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
  • (c)Mandukya Upanishad
  • (d)Katha Upanishad

  Answer(b) Brihadaranyaka Upanishad — of the Shukla Yajurveda.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The dialogue in which sage Pippalada answers six questions put by six disciples forms the core of which Upanishad?

  • (a)Prashna Upanishad
  • (b)Kena Upanishad
  • (c)Isha Upanishad
  • (d)Mundaka Upanishad

  Answer(a) Prashna Upanishad — attached to the Atharvaveda.