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− | Yajurveda (Samskrit: यजुर्वेदः) is one of the Chaturvedas (four Vedic texts). The other three being Rigveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda.<ref>Vettam Mani (1975), [https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/892/mode/2up?view=theater Puranic Encyclopaedia], Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.</ref> It has two chief branches namely, Shukla Yajurveda and Krishna Yajurveda. And consists of a collection of mantras relating to various Yajnas.<ref>Vaman Shivram Apte (1890), [https://archive.org/details/ldpd_7285627_000/page/882/mode/2up?view=theater The Practical Sanskrit English Dictionary], Poona: Shiralkar & Co.</ref> {{#evu:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hTuHb4uNHs&feature=youtu.be | + | Yajurveda (Samskrit: यजुर्वेदः) is one of the Chaturvedas (four Vedic texts); the other three being Rigveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda.<ref name=":1">Vettam Mani (1975), [https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/892/mode/2up?view=theater Puranic Encyclopaedia], Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.</ref> It has two chief branches namely, Shukla Yajurveda and Krishna Yajurveda. And consists of a collection of mantras relating to various Yajnas.<ref>Vaman Shivram Apte (1890), [https://archive.org/details/ldpd_7285627_000/page/882/mode/2up?view=theater The Practical Sanskrit English Dictionary], Poona: Shiralkar & Co.</ref> {{#evu:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hTuHb4uNHs&feature=youtu.be |
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| ==परिचयः ॥ Introduction== | | ==परिचयः ॥ Introduction== |
− | Also, known as Adhvaryuveda. Has 18 Parishishtas. In the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, vi. 4, 33, there is a reference to the śuklāni Yajūṃṣi, ‘white or pure Yajus,’ as promulgated by Vājasaneya Yājñavalkya, whence the Vājasaneyi Saṃhītā is popularly known as the ‘White Yajurveda.’
| + | According to the Vishnu Purana, in every Dvapara yuga, Vishnu in the form of Vyasa divides the Vedas into various branches.<ref>Manmath Nath Dutt (1896), [https://archive.org/details/Vishnupurana-English-MnDutt/page/n191/mode/2up?view=theater Vishnu Purana], Calcutta.</ref><blockquote>द्वापरे द्वापरे विष्णुर्व्यासरूपी महामुने । वेदमेकं सुबहुधा कुरुते जगतो हितः॥५॥<ref>Vishnu Purana, Amsha 3, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B6%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 Adhyaya 3]</ref> |
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| + | dvāpare dvāpare viṣṇurvyāsarūpī mahāmune । vedamekaṁ subahudhā kurute jagato hitaḥ॥5॥</blockquote>Thus, the Veda was divided into four texts ie. Rik, Yajus, Sama and Atharva by Veda Vyasa who then taught it to four of his disciples Paila, Vaishampayana, Jaimini and Sumantu respectively.<ref name=":2">Swami Sivananda (1999), [http://www.dlshq.org/download/hinduismbk.pdf All About Hinduism], Uttar Pradesh: The Divine Life Society.</ref><ref name=":1" /> |
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| + | The Yajurveda is mostly in prose and contains mantra specifications and rules applicable in the performance of various yajnas. Meant to be used by the Adhvaryu (the Yajurvedic priest), Yajurveda forms the foundation of Karmakanda.<ref name=":2" /><ref>Ahilya Singh (2010), Pracheen bharat mein aarthik jeevan Prarambh se vaidik kaal tak ([https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/180070/3/03_chapter%201.pdf Chapter 1]).</ref> It is said that there are special rules for the observance of homa performed towards fulfilment of specific desires. These rules for japa, homa etc. of the Yajurveda were taught to Vyasa by Agnideva. And that, if all the rules of the Yajurveda are correctly observed, all desires will be fulfilled.<ref name=":1" /> |
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| Puranic Encyclopedia | | Puranic Encyclopedia |
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− | The Caturvedas are:--ṛgveda, yajurveda sāmaveda and Atharvaveda. viṣṇu purāṇa, Part 3, Chapter 5, mentions that vaiśampāyana, the disciple of vedavyāsa, divided yajurveda into twentyseven branches and taught them to his disciples. Among those disciples there was yājñavalkya, the son of Brahmarāta. It was vyāsa who divided the Vedas into four parts. After dīviding them, the sage vyāsa taught ṛgveda to paila, yajurveda to vaiśampāyana, sāmaveda to jaimini and Atharvaveda to sumantu.
| + | viṣṇu purāṇa, Part 3, Chapter 5, mentions that vaiśampāyana, the disciple of vedavyāsa, divided yajurveda into twentyseven branches and taught them to his disciples. Among those disciples there was yājñavalkya, the son of Brahmarāta. |
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− | The rules for japa, homa etc. of yajurveda were taught to vyāsa by Agnideva. If all the rules of yajurveda are correctly observed, all desires will be fulfilled. There are special rules for the observance of homa for the fulfilment of particular desires. | + | All about Hinduism - Swami Sivananda |
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| + | The Veda is divided into four great books: the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda and the Atharva-Veda. The Yajur-Veda is again divided into two parts, the Sukla and the Krishna. The Krishna or the Taittiriya is the older book and the Sukla or the Vajasaneya is a later revelation to sage Yajnavalkya from the resplendent Sun-God. |
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| + | The Rig-Veda is divided into twenty-one sections, the Yajur-Veda into one hundred and nine sections, the Sama-Veda into one thousand sections and the Atharva-Veda into fifty sections. In all, the whole Veda is thus divided into one thousand one hundred and eighty recensions. |
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| + | The Yajur-Veda Samhita is mostly in prose and is meant to be used by the Adhvaryu, the Yajur- Vedic priest, for superfluous explanations of the rites in sacrifices, supplementing the Rig-Vedic Mantras. |
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| + | Ahilya Singh (2010), [https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/180070/3/03_chapter%201.pdf Pracheen bharat mein aarthik jeevan Prarambh se vaidik kaal tak Chapter 1.] |
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| + | Chapter 1 |
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| + | Yajurveda is the collection of yajus used by the Adhvaryus. The term yajus derived from yaj + usi is used in the sense of Yajniya prarthana or mantra. The mantras in Gadya (prose) uttered by the Adhvaryu while performing Yajna-vidhis are known as Yajus. The mantras different from Rk and Sama are designated as Yajus. |
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| + | यजुर्वेदप्रवक्तारं वैशंपायनमेव च ।। [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 ३४.१४] ।। Brahmanda Purana, Purvabhaga |
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| + | Shakha Vibhaga |
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| + | According to Muktikopanishad 109 shakhas |
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| + | नवाधिकशतं शाखा यजुषो मारुतात्मज ॥ १२॥ [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D Muktikopanishad] |
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| + | Currently, there are 5 Shakhas of Yajurveda viz. |
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| + | # Taittiriya |
| + | # Katha-Kapishthala |
| + | # Maitrayani |
| + | # Vajasaneyi |
| + | # Kanva |
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| + | The Yajurveda text includes Shukla Yajurveda of which about 16 recensions are known, while the Krishna Yajurveda may have had as many as 86 recensions.<ref name="prabhakar" /> |
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| + | Baldev Upadhyay (1955), [https://ia801607.us.archive.org/10/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.347181/2015.347181.Vaidik-Sahitya.pdf Vaidik Sahitya], Kashi |
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| + | There are two Sampradayas of the Vedas viz. Brahma Sampradaya and Aditya Sampradaya. |
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| + | According to the Shatapatha Brahmana, Shukla Yajurveda narrated by Yajnavalkya represents the Aditya Sampradaya. |
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| + | आदित्यानीमानि शुक्लानि यजूंषि वाजसनेयेन याज्ञवल्क्येनाख्यायन्ते १४.९.५.३३ |
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| + | Consequently, the Krshna Yajurveda represents the Brahma Sampradaya. |
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| + | The differentiation of the Yajurveda into Krshna and Shukla is to do with their content. |
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| + | The Shukla Yajurveda has a collection of only mantras essential for performing rituals like darshapurnamasa, etc. While the Krshna Yajurveda also includes the relevant brahmana portions therein. The combination of mantras and brahmanas defines the nature of Krshna Yajurveda and the unalloyed collection of mantras alone defines the nature of the Shukla Yajurveda. |
| + | == Rtvik == |
| + | Apte |
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| + | अध्वर्युः. Any officiating priest, technically distinguished from होतृ, उद्रातृ and ब्रह्मन्. His duty was "to measure the ground, build the altar, prepare sacrificial vessels, to fetch wood and water, to light the fire, to bring the animal and immolate it," and while doing this to repeat the Yajurveda; होता प्रथमं शंसति तमध्वर्युः प्रोत्साहयति Sk. See अच्छावाक also. |
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| + | The Yajurveda Samhita was compiled keeping in mind the procedural principles of Yajnas. And among the four rtviks imperative to the fulfilment of Yajna-karmas, the Adhvaryu is of prime importance as he fulfils the prime rituals of the Yajna. And it is to aid the fulfilment of his specific duties known as the Adhvaryava that the Yajurveda Samhitas are compiled within different shakhas. The adhvaryu recites the prosaic mantras or yajus and performs the rituals. |
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| + | Baldev Upadhyay (1955), [https://ia801607.us.archive.org/10/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.347181/2015.347181.Vaidik-Sahitya.pdf Vaidik Sahitya], Kashi |
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| + | Also, known as Adhvaryuveda. Has 18 Parishishtas. In the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, vi. 4, 33, there is a reference to the śuklāni Yajūṃṣi, ‘white or pure Yajus,’ as promulgated by Vājasaneya Yājñavalkya, whence the Vājasaneyi Saṃhītā is popularly known as the ‘White Yajurveda.’ |
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| Apte | | Apte |
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| Sripad Damodar Satavlekar published the Yajuevedic Samhita with an index. A hindi translation of the Yajurveda Samhita by Acharya Shriram Sharma is available. | | Sripad Damodar Satavlekar published the Yajuevedic Samhita with an index. A hindi translation of the Yajurveda Samhita by Acharya Shriram Sharma is available. |
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− | Baldev Upadhyay (1955), [https://ia801607.us.archive.org/10/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.347181/2015.347181.Vaidik-Sahitya.pdf Vaidik Sahitya], Kashi
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− | == Rtvik ==
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− | Apte
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− | अध्वर्युः. Any officiating priest, technically distinguished from होतृ, उद्रातृ and ब्रह्मन्. His duty was "to measure the ground, build the altar, prepare sacrificial vessels, to fetch wood and water, to light the fire, to bring the animal and immolate it," and while doing this to repeat the Yajurveda; होता प्रथमं शंसति तमध्वर्युः प्रोत्साहयति Sk. See अच्छावाक also.
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− | The Yajurveda Samhita was compiled keeping in mind the procedural principles of Yajnas. And among the four rtviks imperative to the fulfilment of Yajna-karmas, the Adhvaryu is of prime importance as he fulfils the prime rituals of the Yajna. And it is to aid the fulfilment of his specific duties known as the Adhvaryava that the Yajurveda Samhitas are compiled within different shakhas. The adhvaryu recites the prosaic mantras or yajus and performs the rituals.
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| Baldev Upadhyay (1955), [https://ia801607.us.archive.org/10/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.347181/2015.347181.Vaidik-Sahitya.pdf Vaidik Sahitya], Kashi | | Baldev Upadhyay (1955), [https://ia801607.us.archive.org/10/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.347181/2015.347181.Vaidik-Sahitya.pdf Vaidik Sahitya], Kashi |