Maitri Upanishad
A later Upanishad from the Maitrayani branch of the Krishna Yajurveda, in seven chapters. Introduces early Yoga and Samkhya concepts alongside Vedantic thought. Discusses the three states of consciousness, OM, Brahman as the inner fire (Vaishvanara), and the bondage and liberation of the individual soul.
Upanishad·Krishna Yajurveda — Maitrayani Shakha·7 chapters·Language: Sanskrit·Composed: 300–100 BCE
- The Maitri (or Maitrayaniya) Upanishad belongs to the Maitrayani branch of the Krishna Yajurveda and is one of the later principal Upanishads.
- It is notable for incorporating early Yoga terminology alongside Vedantic teachings — the six-limbed Yoga (Shadanga Yoga) appears here for the first time.
- The text opens with King Brihadratha's question: how can a body full of desire and suffering attain liberation? — setting the tone for its practical, salvation-focused teaching.
- Chapter 6 contains an important teaching on the three states of consciousness (Jagrat, Svapna, Sushupti) and the Turiya (fourth) — anticipating the Mandukya Upanishad's framework.
- The text discusses Brahman as Vaishvanara (the inner cosmic fire), Prana as Brahman, and the syllable OM as the means to liberation.
- Its integration of Puranic ideas (mention of Vishnu, Brahma, Rudra) alongside Upanishadic Vedanta makes it a transitional text between the classical Upanishadic and Puranic periods.
Structural Organization
PrapatakaChapter — 7 total→SectionProse passages within each chapter
Example: Maitri Upanishad 6.18 → Prapataka 6, Section 18 (six-limbed Yoga)
Key Topics
Shadanga Yoga
Six-limbed Yoga (6.18): Pranayama (breath), Pratyahara (withdrawal), Dhyana (meditation), Dharana (concentration), Tarka (inquiry), Samadhi (absorption) — earliest systematic Yoga in the Upanishads
Bondage of the Soul
Opening teaching: the soul is bound by the qualities of Nature (Rajas/Tamas) — renunciation of desires and cultivation of Sattva leads to liberation
Vaishvanara
Brahman as the cosmic fire (Vaishvanara) within all beings — the digestive fire, the cosmic fire, and the self are ultimately one
Four States
Jagrat (waking), Svapna (dreaming), Sushupti (deep sleep), and the Turiya — the transcendent fourth state beyond all three
Key Figures
King Brihadratha
The student — asks the sage Shankhayana the fundamental question: how can this body attain liberation? His question sets up the entire philosophical content
Shankhayana
The teacher — a forest sage who delivers the teachings on Yoga, Brahman, and liberation to King Brihadratha
Key Texts & Works
Maitrayani Samhita
The parent Vedic text of the Maitrayani branch — the Upanishad forms part of this tradition
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
The eight-limbed Yoga of Patanjali builds on the earlier six-limbed Yoga of the Maitri Upanishad