Maitri (Maitrāyaṇīya) Upaniṣad 1.1

1.1

maitrāyaṇī kauṣitakī bṛhajjābālatāpanī |
kālāgnirudramaitreyī subālakṣuramantrikā |
oṃ bṛhadratho ha vai nāma rājā rājye jyeṣṭhaṃ putraṃ nidhāpayitvedamaśāśvataṃ manyamānaḥ śārīraṃ vairāgyamupeto'raṇyaṃ nirjagāma sa tatra paramaṃ tapa āsthāyādityamīkṣamāṇa ūrdhvabāhustiṣṭhatyante sahasrasya munirantikamājagāmāgnirivādhūmakastejasā nirdahannivātmavidbhagavāñchākāyanya uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha varaṃ vṛṇīśveti rājānamabravītsa tasmai namaskṛtyovāca bhagavannāhamātmavittvaṃ tattvavicchṛṇumo vayaṃ sa tvaṃ no brūhītyetadvṛtaṃ purastādaśakyaṃ mā pṛccha praśnamaikṣvākānyānkāmānvṛṇīśveti śākāyanyasya caraṇavabhimṛśyamāno rājemāṃ gāthāṃ jagāda ||

2. Verily, a king, Bṛihadratha by name, after having established his son in the kingdom, reflecting that this body is non-eternal, reached the state of indifference towards the world (_vairāgya_), and went forth into the forest. There he stood, performing extreme austerity, keeping his arms erect, looking up at the sun.

At the end of a thousand [days] there came into the presence of the ascetic, the honorable knower of the Soul (Ātman), Śākāyanya, like a smokeless fire, burning as it were with glow. ‘Arise! Arise! Choose a boon!’ said he to the king.

He did obeisance to him and said: ‘Sir, I am no knower of the Soul (Ātman). You are one who knows its true nature, we have heard. So, do you tell us.’

‘Such things used to occur! Very difficult [to answer] is

this question! Aikshvāka, choose other desires!’ said Śākāyanya.

With his head touching that one’s feet, the king uttered this speech:—