Changes

According to Pt Gajanan Shastri - the word yajus is derived by the combination of यज् || yaj and उसि || usi.<ref name=":13222">Singh, Ahilya. (2010) PhD Thesis Title: [http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/180070/3/03_chapter%201.pdf Pracheen bharat mein aarthik jeevan prarambh se vaidik kaal tak]. V. B. S. Purvanchal University.</ref><blockquote>गद्यात्मको यजुः || gadyātmako yajuḥ || </blockquote>Meaning: Yajus are (the mantras) in prose form.<ref name=":1" />

According to Pt Gajanan Shastri - the word yajus is derived by the combination of यज् || yaj and उसि || usi.<ref name=":13222">Singh, Ahilya. (2010) PhD Thesis Title: [http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/180070/3/03_chapter%201.pdf Pracheen bharat mein aarthik jeevan prarambh se vaidik kaal tak]. V. B. S. Purvanchal University.</ref><blockquote>गद्यात्मको यजुः || gadyātmako yajuḥ || </blockquote>Meaning: Yajus are (the mantras) in prose form.<ref name=":1" />

Content and usage of Yajurveda  

Following texts clearly define the purpose of "Yajus" mantras in yajnas and hence the name Yajurveda is given. 

According to Nirukta, यजुः यजतेः । ७.१२ ।<ref>Nirukta ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 7])</ref> (Kath. Samh. 27.1), यजर्भियजन्ति and (Kath. Samh. 200.21) यजुस्तस्माद् (यज्ञात्) अजायत the 

* Katha Samhita (27.1), यजर्भियजन्ति and (Kath. Samh. 200.21) यजुस्तस्माद् (यज्ञात्) अजायत 

 

* Brahmanda Purana : यच्छिष्टं तु यजुर्वेदे तेन यज्ञमयुंजत । यजनात्स यजुर्वेद इति शास्त्रविनिश्चयः ।। ३४.२२ ।। (Brah. Pura. Purvabhaga 34.22)<ref>Brahmanda Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A9%E0%A5%AA Purvabhaga Adhyaya 34])</ref>  

=== यजुर्वेद-विभाजनम् ॥ Yajurveda Vibhajana ===

=== यजुर्वेद-विभाजनम् ॥ Yajurveda Vibhajana ===

The divisions of the text for शुक्लयजुर्वेदः ॥ Shukla Yajurveda are slightly different and include a combination of these as given below (See Page xviii of the Introduction in Reference <ref>Swaminathan, C. R. (1997) ''Kanvasatapathabrahmanam Vol 2.'' New Delhi : Indra Gandhi National Centre For the Arts and Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd.</ref> ). However, variations of these divisions is seen according to other scholars.  

The divisions of the text for शुक्लयजुर्वेदः ॥ Shukla Yajurveda are slightly different and include a combination of these as given below (See Page xviii of the Introduction in Reference <ref>Swaminathan, C. R. (1997) ''Kanvasatapathabrahmanam Vol 2.'' New Delhi : Indra Gandhi National Centre For the Arts and Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd.</ref> ). However, variations of these divisions is seen according to other scholars.  

The term कृष्ण ||  krishna of the shakha is so given due to following reasons  

The term कृष्ण ||  krishna of the shakha is so given due to following reasons  

# It contains both the छन्दोबद्ध ॥ Chandas (metrical) and गद्यात्मक ॥ Gadya (prose) forms of mantras<ref name=":223222" />   

# It contains both the छन्दोबद्ध ॥ Chandas (metrical) and गद्यात्मक ॥ Gadya (prose) forms of mantras<ref name=":223222" />   

# Mantras and ब्राह्मण-s || Brahmanas (which explain the usage of the mantras) are mixed.<ref name=":0223222" /><ref name=":3">Yajurveda Samhita ([https://archive.org/stream/Yajurved/Yagurved#page/n7/mode/2up Hindi Translation])</ref>   

# The texts of Mantras and ब्राह्मण-s || Brahmana (which explain the usage of the mantras) parts of the Veda are mixed.<ref name=":0223222" /><ref name=":3">Yajurveda Samhita ([https://archive.org/stream/Yajurved/Yagurved#page/n7/mode/2up Hindi Translation])</ref>   

This samhita is said to have contained 85 Shakhas but only four of them are available now, out of which the Taittiriya Samhita is widely studied and followed especially in South India and other three Shakhas are not so well known.<ref name=":223222" />

This samhita is said to have contained 85 Shakhas but only four of them are available now, out of which the Taittiriya Samhita is widely studied and followed especially in South India and other three Shakhas are not so well known.<ref name=":223222" /><ref name=":122" />

Texts of the four major shakhas that have survived are<ref name=":122" />

Texts of the four major shakhas that have survived are<ref name=":122" />

The Shukla Yajurveda separates the Samhita from its Brahmana (the शतपथ-ब्राह्मणम् ॥ Shatapatha Brahmana).  

The Shukla Yajurveda separates the Samhita from its Brahmana (the शतपथ-ब्राह्मणम् ॥ Shatapatha Brahmana).  

This Samhita was said to contain 15 shakhas (See footnote 1 in Page 20 of Reference <ref name=":0223222" />) which were called वाजसनेयी ॥ Vajasaneyi. शुक्ल-यजुर्वेद-संहिता || Shukla Yajurveda Samhita is said to have been brought to the knowledge of the world by the famous sage याज्ञवल्क्यः || Yajnavalkya from Vajasani which means the सूर्य-देवता ॥ Surya devata. Hence, this is also known as वाजसनेयी संहिता || Vajasaneyi Samhita.<ref name=":122" /> Shatapatha Brahmana (14.9.5.33) clearly mentions that the Shukla Yajus are expounded by Yajnavalkya <ref name=":122" /><ref name=":3" />  

This Samhita was said to contain 15 shakhas (See footnote 1 in Page 20 of Reference <ref name=":0223222" />) which were called वाजसनेयी ॥ Vajasaneyi. शुक्ल-यजुर्वेद-संहिता || Shukla Yajurveda Samhita is said to have been brought to the knowledge of the world by the famous sage याज्ञवल्क्यः || Yajnavalkya from Vajasani which means the सूर्य-देवता ॥ Surya devata. Hence, this is also known as वाजसनेयी संहिता || Vajasaneyi Samhita.<ref name=":122" /> Shatapatha Brahmana (14.9.5.33) clearly mentions that the Shukla Yajus are expounded by Yajnavalkya <ref name=":122" /><ref name=":3" /><blockquote>आदित्यानीमानि शुक्लानि यजूंषि वाजसनेयेन याज्ञवल्क्येनाख्यायन्ते || (Shat. Brah. 14.9.5.33)<ref>Shatapatha Brahamana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AA/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AF/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3_%E0%A5%AA Kanda 14, Adhyaya 9])</ref></blockquote>Meaning : From Aditya these shukla yajus (mantras) are given to Yajnavalkya through Vajasaneya.

 

आदित्यानीमानि शुक्लानि यजूंषि वाजसनेयेन याज्ञवल्क्येनाख्यायन्ते  

Texts of only two major shakhas have survived   

Texts of only two major shakhas have survived   

# '''माध्यन्दिन ॥ Madhyandina'''  

# '''माध्यन्दिन ॥ Madhyandina'''  

# काण्व ॥ '''Kanva'''  

# '''काण्व''' ॥ '''Kanva'''  

===== ब्राह्मणानि आरण्यकानि उपनिषदः च ॥ Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads =====

===== ब्राह्मणानि आरण्यकानि उपनिषदः च ॥ Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads =====

The ब्राह्मण-s ॥ Brahmanas, आरण्यक-s || Aranyakas and उपनिषद्-s || Upanishads related to this संहिता ॥ Samhita are-

The ब्राह्मण-s ॥ Brahmanas, आरण्यक-s || Aranyakas and उपनिषद्-s || Upanishads related to this संहिता ॥ Samhita are-