Maitri (Maitrāyaṇīya) Upaniṣad 2.3

2.3

atha khalviyaṃ brahmavidyā sarvopaniṣadvidyā vā rājannasmākaṃ bhagavatā maitreyeṇa vyākhyātāhaṃ te kathayiṣyāmītyathāpahatapāpmānastigmatejasa ūrdhvaretaso vālakhilyā iti śruyante'thaite prajāpatimabruvanbhagavañśakaṭamivācetanamidaṃ śarīraṃ kasyaiṣa khalvīdṛśo mahimātīndriyabhūtasya yenaitadvidhamidaṃ cetanavatpratiṣṭhāpitaṃ pracodayitāsya ko bhagavannetadasmākaṃ brūhīti tānhovāca ||

3. Now, indeed, O king, this is the Brahma-knowledge, even the knowledge contained in all the Upanishads, as declared to us by the honorable Maitri. I will narrate it to you.

Now, the Vālakhilyas are reputed as free from evil, of resplendent glory, living in chastity. Now, they said to Kratu Prajāpati : “Sir, this body is like a cart without intelligence (*a-cetana*). To what supersensuous being, forsooth, belongs such power whereby this sort of thing is set up in the

possession of this sort of intelligence? Or, in other words, who is its driver? Sir, tell us what you know!”

Then he said to them:—