Changes

== Family and Lineage ==

== Family and Lineage ==

== Contributions of Yajnavalkya ==

== Contributions of Yajnavalkya ==

==Origin of Yajurveda Shakas==

==Origin of Yajurveda Shakas==

Bhagavata Purana, Skanda 12, describes the origin of Yajurveda shakhas and the association of Yajnavalkya with it. <blockquote>वैशम्पायनशिष्या वै चरकाध्वर्यवोऽभवन् यच्चेरुर्ब्रह्महत्यांहः क्षपणं स्वगुरोर्व्रतम् ६१</blockquote><blockquote>याज्ञवल्क्यश्च तच्छिष्य आहाहो भगवन्कियत् चरितेनाल्पसाराणां चरिष्येऽहं सुदुश्चरम् ६२</blockquote><blockquote>इत्युक्तो गुरुरप्याह कुपितो याह्यलं त्वया विप्रावमन्त्रा शिष्येण मदधीतं त्यजाश्विति ६३</blockquote><blockquote>देवरातसुतः सोऽपि छर्दित्वा यजुषां गणम् ततो गतोऽथ मुनयो ददृशुस्तान्यजुर्गणान् ६४</blockquote><blockquote>यजूंषि तित्तिरा भूत्वा तल्लोलुपतयाऽऽददुः तैत्तिरीया इति यजुः शाखा आसन्सुपेशलाः ६५</blockquote><blockquote>याज्ञवल्क्यस्ततो ब्रह्मंश्छन्दांस्यधि गवेषयन् गुरोरविद्यमानानि सूपतस्थेऽर्कमीश्वरम् ६६</blockquote><blockquote>एवं स्तुतः स भगवान्वाजिरूपधरो रविः यजूंष्ययातयामानि मुनयेऽदात्प्रसादितः ७३</blockquote><blockquote>यजुर्भिरकरोच्छाखा दश पञ्च शतैर्विभुः जगृहुर्वाजसन्यस्ताः काण्वमाध्यन्दिनादयः ७४ (Bhag. Pura. 12.6.69-74)<ref>Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4% Skanda 12 Adhyaya 6])</ref></blockquote>Summary : Vaisampayana had many disciples called Charakadhvaryus (चरकाध्वर्यवः)., who performed the vrata for the expiation of the Brahmahatya papam. Maharshi Yajnavalkya was the disciple of Sage [[Vaisampayana|Vaisampayana]]. He had mastered various tenets of this branch. He undertook a heterodox, rebellious experiment of separating the ritual ordaining, injuctory part of the Veda, from their explanatory, literary and explicitly philosophical parts, i.e. the Samhita and Brahmana parts. This attempt by Yajnavalkya was considered as a sacrilege, as an attempt to "improve the layout designed by the Grand Arranger, Vyasa". When Yajnavalkya's secret efforts of further segregating the Vedic portions were discovered, [[Vaisampayana|Vaisampayana]] was furious.

Bhagavata Purana, Skanda 12, describes the origin of Yajurveda shakhas and the association of Yajnavalkya with it. <blockquote>वैशम्पायनशिष्या वै चरकाध्वर्यवोऽभवन् यच्चेरुर्ब्रह्महत्यांहः क्षपणं स्वगुरोर्व्रतम् ६१</blockquote><blockquote>याज्ञवल्क्यश्च तच्छिष्य आहाहो भगवन्कियत् चरितेनाल्पसाराणां चरिष्येऽहं सुदुश्चरम् ६२</blockquote><blockquote>इत्युक्तो गुरुरप्याह कुपितो याह्यलं त्वया विप्रावमन्त्रा शिष्येण मदधीतं त्यजाश्विति ६३</blockquote><blockquote>देवरातसुतः सोऽपि छर्दित्वा यजुषां गणम् ततो गतोऽथ मुनयो ददृशुस्तान्यजुर्गणान् ६४</blockquote><blockquote>यजूंषि तित्तिरा भूत्वा तल्लोलुपतयाऽऽददुः तैत्तिरीया इति यजुः शाखा आसन्सुपेशलाः ६५</blockquote><blockquote>याज्ञवल्क्यस्ततो ब्रह्मंश्छन्दांस्यधि गवेषयन् गुरोरविद्यमानानि सूपतस्थेऽर्कमीश्वरम् ६६</blockquote><blockquote>एवं स्तुतः स भगवान्वाजिरूपधरो रविः यजूंष्ययातयामानि मुनयेऽदात्प्रसादितः ७३</blockquote><blockquote>यजुर्भिरकरोच्छाखा दश पञ्च शतैर्विभुः जगृहुर्वाजसन्यस्ताः काण्वमाध्यन्दिनादयः ७४ (Bhag. Pura. 12.6.69-74)<ref name=":0">Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4% Skanda 12 Adhyaya 6])</ref></blockquote>Summary : Vaisampayana had many disciples called Charakadhvaryus (चरकाध्वर्यवः)., who performed the vrata for the expiation of the Brahmahatya papam. At that time Yajnavalkya boastfully remarked to Vaisampayana saying that he can do more severe austerities than the other weak disciples. Hearing this from Yajnavalkya, Vaisampayana, the preceptor became angry and said, "Enough of speaking ill about vipras (brahmanas), give up at once whatever you have learnt from me."

He ordered Yajnavalkya to "return all he had received from him (Vaisampayana)". This can be compared with modern day practice of denying copyrights. The learnings could not be passed on by Yajnavalkya in letter or spirit further.  In response to this order, Yajnavalkya "vomitted" - that is he emptied his "stomach" of all its Vedic content, earlier received from his Master.

Thereupon, the son of Devarata (Yajnavalkya), vomited out the Yajus mantras and left the place, while the other seers saw the collection of the Yajurveda texts. Assuming the form of Tittira birds they collected the so discharged Yajus mantras, thus giving rise to the Taittriya shaka of Yajurveda (तैत्तिरीया इति यजुः शाखा). Yajnavalkya in further search of the vedas took to Surya as his guru and praised him in many words.  

The glorious Surya pleased by his stuti, assuming the form of a horse imparted to Yajnavalkya those Yajus mantras hiterto not revealed to anyone. Those Yajus mantras, he then classified into fifteen shakas known as Vajasanis and they were learnt by Kanva, Madhyandina and other rshis.<ref>Shastri, J.L. and Tagare. G. V., (1955) ''The Bhagavata Purana. Part 5.'' Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass Pvt. Ltd. (Pages 2161-2164)</ref>

Thereafter Yajnavalkya went away, severed all connections from his Master and fellow students. He began meditation and rigorous penance to recover what he had lost from God Himself directly. God was pleased with his unique prayer and is said to have revealed to him all that he had lost in a totally different form, order and sound notation pattern. The new form that was revealed to Yajnavalkya was through blessings of Sun, and was a radiating beam of knowledge and light and hence this branch came to be known as Sukla Yajurveda.

The disciples of Vaisampayan refused to acknowledge the Sukla Yajurveda, and even to this day the followers of Krishna Yajus branch look down upon the two branches of Sukla Yajurveda, the Kanva and Madhyandina as heterodox.

Vaisampayana's order to "return all he had received from him (Vaisampayana)" can be compared with modern day practice of denying copyrights. The learnings could not be passed on by Yajnavalkya in letter or spirit further.  In response to this order, Yajnavalkya "vomitted" - that is he emptied his "stomach" of all its Vedic content, earlier received from his Master.

This portion of the Yajurveda goes by the name of Śukla Yajurveda or White-Yajurveda on account of it being revealed by Sun. It is also known as the Vajasaneya Yajurveda, because it was delivered by the Sun who was in the form of a horse. The rhythm of recital of these Vedas is therefore similar to the rhythm of the horse's canter and distinguishes itself from the other forms of Veda recitals. In Sanskrit, the term "Vaji" means horse. Yajnavalkya  divided this Vajasaneya Yajurveda again into fifteen branches, each branch comprising hundreds of Yajus Mantras. Sages like Kanva, Madhyandina and others learnt those and Śukla Yajurveda branched into popular recensions named after them.

=== Vajasaneya Shaka of Yajurveda (Shukla) ===

The disciples of Vaisampayana refuse to acknowledge the Shukla Yajurveda as he had defied his Guru, however, both Krishna and Shukla Yajurveda shaka samhitas are very similar in content, though Shukla Yajurveda is said to me much more organized in the mantra and brahmana parts.  

It is important to note that within the hierarchy of Brāhmaṇas, certain sects believe in the Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda while others practice from the Śukla Yajurveda.

The portion of the Yajurveda given by Yajnavalkya goes by the name of Śukla Yajurveda on account of it being revealed by Surya. It is also known as the Vajasaneya Yajurveda, because it was delivered by the Surya who was in the form of a horse. The rhythm of recital of these Vedas is therefore similar to the rhythm of the horse's canter and distinguishes itself from the other forms of Veda recitals. In Sanskrit, the term "Vaji" means horse. Yajnavalkya  divided this Vajasaneya Yajurveda again into fifteen branches, each branch comprising hundreds of Yajus Mantras. Kanva, Madhyandina and others learnt these mantras and Shukla Yajurveda branched into popular recensions named after them.

 

It is important to note that Taittriya shaka is thus much older than the Shukla shaka of Yajurveda.

===Taittiriya Shaka of Yajurveda (Krishna)===

===Taittiriya Shaka of Yajurveda (Krishna)===

Sage [[Vaisampayana|Vaisampayan]] did not want the wisdom taught to Yajnavalkya to be wasted. He wanted it to be "absorbed", "re-imbibed" by someone with matchless ability. Now Sastras prohibit consumption of the vomit. The sage asked rest of his students to consume this knowledge but without violating holy conduct. They all took the form of a bird of Tittiri (Partridge) and absorbed the remnants vomitted by Yajnavalkya.  Thus, the name Taittiriya is assigned to this shaka of Yajurveda. It is also called Krishna Yajurveda shaka.  

The Yajus mantras given out by Yajnavalkya were ingested and preserved by all the students of Vaisampayana who took the form of a bird of Tittiri came to be known as Taittriya shaka. It is also called Krishna Yajurveda shaka.  

==Conversation of Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi==

==Conversation of Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi==