Yajnavalkya of the Ancient Mithila University

By Santosh Chaudhary M.Sc (Physics)

Nalanda Open University,




Yajnavalkya was a Vedic sage who lived around the 8th century BCE. He is considered one of the most important figures in the development of Indian philosophy, and is credited with coining the term Advaita (non-duality of Atman and Brahman).

He also developed the theory of neti neti ("not this, not this"), which is a method of negating all false notions of the Atman in order to realize its true nature.

Yajnavalkya was associated with the Ancient Mithila University, a renowned center of learning in the Mithila region of India. 

He is said to have been the head of the philosophical Vidya Parishad (council of scholars) at the university.


Yajnavalkya is best known for his teachings on the nature of reality, consciousness, and the Self. His ideas are recorded in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, one of the most important Upanishads in Hinduism.


In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Yajnavalkya engages in a series of philosophical debates with other sages, including the famous Gargi Vachaknavi. He also teaches his wife, Maitreyi, about the nature of the Self and the path to liberation.


Yajnavalkya's teachings have been influential in a number of Hindu philosophical traditions, including Vedanta, Advaita Vedanta, and Yoga. He is also considered to be one of the founders of the Hindu Smriti tradition, which is concerned with law and social order.


In addition to his philosophical and legal teachings, Yajnavalkya is also known for his contributions to other fields, such as grammar, ritual, and astronomy. He is the author of the Yajnavalkya Smriti, a legal treatise that is still widely used in Hindu law today.


Yajnavalkya was a truly versatile and brilliant scholar. His contributions to Indian thought have had a profound impact on the development of Hinduism and Indian culture.He is credited with authoring several important texts, including the, Isopanishad Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, the Yajnavalkya Smriti, and the Yoga Yajnavalkya.

Yajnavalkya is considered as the "Father of Indian Philosophy".

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