Yajurveda: Yajurveda is the second oldest Veda after Rigveda, know its characteristics and brief description.

Yajurveda: Sage Vaishnampayan got the division of Vedic mantras done by Yajnavalkya at some time, keeping in mind the way of writing. It is divided into three parts namely Rigveda, Yajurveda and Samaveda. The rhyming mantras are named Rigveda, the prose mantra community is named Yajurveda and the lyrical mantras are known as Samaveda.

Yasak told the meaning of Yajurveda that it determines the form of Yagya. ‘Yagyasya Matram Vi Mimit U Tvah’ (Rigveda 10.71.11)

Different types of Yajurveda:-

• Shuklayajurveda – Mantras received from Aditya tradition Shuklayajurveda and
• Krishnayajurveda – The mantra received from Brahma tradition is called Krishnayajurveda.

An interesting story behind it

First of all, Parashar, son of Satyavati, Lord Vedvyas divided the same Veda Samhita into four parts and taught the four Vedas named Rik, Yajuh, Sama and Atharva to four disciples named Pail, Vaishampayan, Jaimini and Sumantu respectively. After that Vaishampayana has received Shuklayajushas from Aditya, it is clear that Yajnavalkyadi had made his disciples listen to Yajurveda. One time when Vaishampayan became angry and asked Yajnavalakya to return his knowledge. On that occasion, Yajnavalakya vomited out all the knowledge through the power of yoga and on the orders of his Guru. those mantras ‘Krishnayajurveda’ They say. The other disciples of Vaishampayan consumed the vomited Yajushas by taking the form of Tittiri (a special bird). Since then he Yajurmantra ‘Krishnayajurveda Became famous by the name of.

Branches of Yajurveda:- According to Mahabhashyakar Patanjali, there were 101 branches of Yajurveda, of which Krishnayjurveda has 86 branches and Shuklayajurveda has 14 branches. Nowadays all these branches have become extinct due to unknown reasons.

Shukla Yajurvedic branches: –
In Charanvyuhadi texts, Acharya Sayan has given the names of 14 branches of Shuklayajurveda in Kanva Bhashya-Bhumika as follows –
Kāṇvaḥ, Madhyāndināḥ, Shapeyaḥ, Tapaṇīyaḥ, Kapālaḥ, Paundvatsaḥ, Aavatikaḥ, Paramavaṭikaḥ, Paraśārīyaḥ, Vaidheyaḥ, Vaineyaḥ, Audheyaḥ, Galvaḥ, Vaijavaḥ, Katyāyaṇīyaḥ.

Introduction to Shukla Yajurveda:,
Maharishi preached the Shukla Yajurveda received by Yajnavalakya from the worship of Surya to his 15 Kanwadi disciples. Those disciples are called Vajaseni. There are two reasons why Shuklayjurvedi is called Vajseni.

According to Acharya Sayan, the one whose father has donated food is Vajsaneya because his father Yajnavalkya used to donate food. That is why this branch is also called Vajseni. Sage Sayan has written in Kanva Samhita- Vajasya antrasya, sanih danam yasya maharsherasthi soyam vajasanih, tasya putro vajasaneyah. (Vajasani Dhak)’- According to this etymology, the one who donated food is Vajasani and his son’s name is Vajasaneya. Maharishi Yajnavalkya’s father used to donate food. Hence Vajasaneya is another name of Yajnavalkya. The second reason is that another name for Surya is Vajsaneya. Being his son, he was called by this name.

Midday Branch:-

There are two opinions about Madhyandin branch. Madhyandin was one of the 15 disciples of Yajnavalakya. Probably, on the basis of his name, it came to be known by his name or Yajnavalkya might have got this name when he received this education in the afternoon. The logical thing is first. This branch was widely propagated in North India. The code of this branch is also called Madhyandin Vajaseni Code.

The subject matter propounded by it is ritual. In the first and second chapters, there is the description of Darsha-Poornamas and Pindapitri Yagya, in the third chapter there is the compilation of Agrihotra, Chaturmasya mantras, in chapters 4 to 8 there is description of Som institutions. In that also there is a detailed description about Agnishtom as all Somayagas are nature yagas. Rajasuya and Vajpayyag are described in the 9th and 10th chapters. Agnichayan is described in chapters 11 to 18.

Under this, there are mantras of Shatrudriya Homa in the 16th and mantras related to Vasordhara in the 18th. From 19 to 21, there is description of Sautramani Yag, from 22 to 25 there is description of Ashwamedha Yag performed by the sovereign Kshatriya king. There is a collection of Khil Mantras from 26 to 29.

• Kanva branch:- The second branch of Shuklajurveda which is available even today is famous by the name Kanva. The preacher of this code was sage Kanva. It is famous in Maharashtra, Utkal region, Gujarat and Karnataka. Its formulation is also similar to that of Madhyantidin Shuklajurveda.
• Shuklayajurvediya Brahmin:- In this, the most important part related to Yagya ritual is Shatapatha Brahmana which is also in Kanva and Madhyatidin Shukla Yajurvedia. In this, except Pind Pitra Yagya, there are other things only. Its specialty is that both the Shatapatha Brahmins have the completeness of Yagya Nirupa. The smallest rules and regulations are described.
• Brihad Aranyaka:-The preacher of Brihad Aranyaka is Maharishi Yajnavalkya. Aranyaka is the last part of Brahmin texts.
• Shuklayajurvedi Shatapath – Shukla Yajurvedi Shatapath Brahmin is the Aranyaka text of Shuklayajurveda, the 14th Kanda of Madhyandin branch and 18th Kanda of Kanva branch. Due to the similarity between Aranyaka and Upanishads from the subject point of view, Aranyaka texts like Brihadaranyaka etc. are also considered as Upanishads.
• Upanishad:- According to Muktikopanishad (Shuklayajurvediya), there are 19 Upanishads related to Shuklayajurveda, the main ones being Ishavasyopanishad and Brihadaranyakaupanishad.
• Shuklayajurvedi Katyayana Shrautasutra – The name of the only Shrauta Sutra available today among the Shuklayajurvedic Shrauta Sutras is ‘Katyayana Shrauta Sutra’. This book holds a very important place among the Shrutasutras. To know the nature of Shrautasutra, Katyayana Shrautasutra is a representative text. The main objective of Shrautasutras is to give a concise and systematic presentation of Shrautyagas.

Branches of Krishnayjurveda:-
Today, out of 86 branches of Krishnayjurveda, only 4 branches are available, whose names are as follows – (1) Taittiriya, (2) Maitrayaniya, (3) Kath and (4) Kapisthal.

Introduction to Krishnayajurveda:-

• Taittiriya branch:- Shuklakrishna saved this knowledge by becoming a special bird for the other disciples of Vaishampayan to the Yajushas vomited by Yajnavalkya during the differentiation of Yajushas. By assuming the form of Tittiri and eating the Yajushas, ​​those Yajushas became Krishna.
• Taittiriya Samhita- Krishnayjurvedi Taittiriya Samhita is more prevalent in South India. Some Maharashtra states and the entire Andhra-Dravidian country are followers of this branch. This branch has meticulously kept its Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka, Upanishad, Shrautasutra and Grihyasutra intact.
• Maitrayani branch- Maitrayaniya branch is the last among the branches of Krishnayjurveda. It has Maitrayan Samhita. Due to the sermons of an Acharya named ‘Mitrayu’, its name might have become Maitrayani. Panini has mentioned Maitrayana in his Ganapath.
• hard branch – Kathshakha is also one of the available branches. It has been preached by an Acharya named Kath. For this reason the name of the code of this branch ‘Kathak Samhita’ Is. Kathak Samhita (Kathshakha) is also the second among the 27 main branches of Krishnayjurveda. According to Patanjali, Kathashakha was propagated and taught in every village. “Grame Grame Kathakan Kalapakan Cha Prochyate (Mahabhashya)”, Due to which we get complete information about the extensive propagation of this branch in ancient times, but nowadays there is not much information about the number of its scholars.
• Kapisthal branch- The name of the Yajushas propounded by Kapishthal Rishi is Kapishthal Shakha. Kapisthal has been named by Panini in the sutra ‘Kapisthalo Gotre’ (8.3.91). In this the word ‘Kapisthal’ is Gotravachi. Probably Kapisthal Rishi was the originator of this gotra. Nirukta’s commentator Durgacharya has described himself as Kapisthala Vasistha – ‘Aham ca Kapisthalo Vasishtha'(Niruktatika).
• Krishnayjurvediya Brahmin – The only Brahmin fully available and more important in the Krishnayajurvedic branches is ‘Taittiriya Brahmin’. The name of ‘Kathak Brahmin’ is also heard, but it is not available. Like Shatapath Brahmin, Taittiriya Brahmin is also recited.

According to Acharya Sayan, Yagya body is derived from Yajurveda. Therefore, being Yajurvedic, the complete activities of Adhvaryukartrik are described in Taittiriya Brahmin. Apart from the above mentioned topics, stories related to Bhardwaj, Nachiketa, Prahlad and Agastya, truthful speech, sweetness of speech, ascetic life etc. are also mentioned.

read this also: Rigveda: Is idol worship supported in Rigveda, know the importance and brief introduction of Rigveda.
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