[14] The debate ended with Gargi, a female scholar and one of the nine gems of King Janaka’s court, clearly asserting Yajnavalkya as the most superior brahmin of them all.

[18] Katyayani is merely described as "striprajna," which translates to "woman-like knowledge;" this can be interpreted as one who is well-versed in traditionally females roles.

[18] While Yajnavalkya and Katyayani lived in contented domesticity, Maitreyi studied metaphysics and engaged in theological dialogues with her husband in addition to "making self-inquiries of introspection.

"[17][19] In contrast to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, the epic Mahabharata states Maitreyi is a young beauty who is an Advaita scholar but never marries.

[16] Yajnavalkya plays a central position within the Brihadaranyaka Upanisad, which is a part of the Sukla Yajur Veda.

[14] The scripture details one of the most famous debates in Hindu texts in the presence of King Janaka in Mithila, Videha, which is in the east of India, where Yajnavalkya defeats philosophers from all around the country.

[27][14] In the first story of the Brihadaranyak Upanisad, King Janaka hosts a sacrifice known as Bahudakshina Yajna, where he is willing to donate one thousand cows with gold horns to the best brahmin called as Brahmistha.

[16] This leads to a philosophical debate amongst the sages, in which Yajnavalkya defeats each opponent who faces him by rightly answering their questions.

[16] Some of the key participants of the debate include Asvala, Uddalaka Aruni, Bhujyu, Sakalya, Artabhaga, Ushasta, Kahola and others, many who are well known within other Hindu literature.

[18] Yajnavalkya’s threat is not produced out coercion to halt the asking of complex questions, but to end a discussion that had become finite, which Gargi had not realized yet.

Yajnavalkya responds by discussing the metaphysical element known as Akshar (Brihadaryanka Upanishad 3.8.8-9), or that which is imperishable.

"[18] Gargi’s scholarship is depicted through the fact that she is the first person in the entire debate to discuss the concept of Brahman.

[16] In the fourth chapter of the Brihadaranyaka Upanisad, Yajnavalkya decides to renounce and leave his family.

[18] Both Gargi and Maitreyi discuss the deepest spiritual topics of the Brihadaranyaka Upanisad, namely about Brahman and the atman, showing their knowledge and curiosity.

[14] The scripture is broken into three sections discussing: (1) achara (i.e., behavior), (2) vyavahara (i.e., legal procedure), and (3) prayascita (i.e., atonement).

[31] In the second section, Yagnavalkya breaks down the entire court process into four steps: plaint, plea, evidence and verdict.

Max Muller and Paul Deussen, in their respective translations, describe the Upanishad's view of "Soul, Self" and "free, liberated state of existence" as, "[Self] is imperishable, for he cannot perish; he is unattached, for he does not attach himself; unfettered, he does not suffer, he does not fail.

It has a dialogue between Janaka and Yajnavalkya exploring the nature of the Atman in different states of consciousness and existence, including wakefulness, dream, deep sleep, death, migration, and final liberation.

Paul Deussen calls it, "unique in its richness and warmth of presentation", with profoundness that retains its full worth in modern times.

He then says, he who knows this truth remains "controlled, at peace, patient and full of faith" and "everyone comes to be his self" and "he becomes the self of everyone"[41][42] Yajnavlkya believed that dreams are active projections of the self.

[48][49] Adi Shankara, a scholar of the influential Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy, wrote in his Brihadaranyakopanishad bhashya that the purpose of the Maitreyi-Yajnavalkya dialogue in chapter 2.4 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is to highlight the importance of the knowledge of Atman and Brahman, and to understand their oneness.

[50][51] According to Shankara, the dialogue suggests renunciation is prescribed in the Sruti (vedic texts of Hinduism), as a means to knowledge of the Brahman and Atman.

[52] He adds, that the pursuit of self-knowledge is considered important in the Sruti because the Maitreyi dialogue is repeated in chapter 4.5 as a "logical finale" to the discussion of Brahman in the Upanishad.

He introduces the idea that fulfilling desires with the right intention is part of dharma, a departure from previous texts.

Yajnavalkya emphasizes the significance of gift-giving (dana) and yoga in dharma, considering them central practices.

Yajnavalkya categorizes dharma into three divisions, covering everyday life, royal conduct, and extraordinary circumstances.

He recognizes that not all dharma originates from Vedic sources; some are derived from worldly customs or enforced by rulers.