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{{Hindu philosophy}}'''Yagnyavalkya'''  (Sanskrit: याज्ञवल्क्य, Yagnyavalkya ) of Videha (fl. c. 7th century BCE<ref>H. C. Raychaudhuri (1972), Political History of Ancient India, Calcutta: University of Calcutta, pp.41–52</ref>) was a sage and philosopher of [[Vedic]] India. He was one of the first philosophers in recorded history, alongside [[Uddalaka Aruni]]. In the court of King [[Janaka]] of [[Mithila,]] he was renowned for his expertise in Vedic ritual and his unrivaled talent in theological debate. He expounded a doctrine of [[neti neti]] to describe the universal Self or [[Ātman]]. He later became a wandering ascetic. His teachings are recorded in the [[Shatapatha Brahmana]] and the [[Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]].

{{Hindu philosophy}}'''Yagnyavalkya'''  (Sanskrit: याज्ञवल्क्य, Yagnyavalkya ) of Videha (fl. c. 7th century BCE<ref>H. C. Raychaudhuri (1972), Political History of Ancient India, Calcutta: University of Calcutta, pp.41–52</ref>) was a sage and philosopher of [[Vedic]] India. He was one of the first philosophers in recorded history, alongside [[Uddalaka Aruni]]. In the court of King [[Janaka]] of [[Mithila,]] he was renowned for his expertise in Vedic ritual and his unrivaled talent in theological debate. Yagnyavalkya  was the son of Devarāta and was the student of sage Vaisampayana.<ref name=":1">The Vedas, Haraf publication, Calcutta, 2004 edition</ref>  He had two wives Maitreyi and Katyaayanee.<ref name=":0">The Brihad Aranyak Upanishad, Part 2, Chapter 4, Mahesh Library publication, Calcutta, 2008 edition</ref>

He is traditionally credited with the authorship of the [[Shatapatha Brahmana]] (including the [[Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]), besides the Yagnyavalkya  Smṛti.<ref>Hindu Dharma Parichaya, Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Calcutta, publication, 2000 edition</ref> He is also a major figure in the Upanishads.

 

 

He is traditionally credited with the authorship of the  

* [[Shatapatha Brahmana]] (including the [[Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]]),  

* Yagnyavalkya  Smṛti.<ref>Hindu Dharma Parichaya, Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Calcutta, publication, 2000 edition</ref>  

==Origin of Yajurveda Shakas==

==Origin of Yajurveda Shakas==

He ordered Yagnyavalkya to "return all he had received from him (Vaisampayana)". This can be compared with modern day practice of denying Copy Rights. The learnings could not be passed on by Yagnyavalkya in letter or spirit further.<ref name=":3" />  In response to this order, Yagnyavalkya "vomitted" - that is he emptied his "stomach" of all its Vedic content, earlier received from his Master.<ref name=":3" />

He ordered Yagnyavalkya to "return all he had received from him (Vaisampayana)". This can be compared with modern day practice of denying Copy Rights. The learnings could not be passed on by Yagnyavalkya in letter or spirit further.<ref name=":3" />  In response to this order, Yagnyavalkya "vomitted" - that is he emptied his "stomach" of all its Vedic content, earlier received from his Master.<ref name=":3" />

Thereafter Yagnyavalkya 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 Yagnyavalkya 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.<ref name=":3" />

Thereafter Yagnyavalkya 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 Yagnyavalkya 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.<ref name=":3" />

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.

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.

==Taittiriya Shaka of Yajurveda==

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

Sage [[Vaisampayana|Vaisampayan]] did not want the wisdom taught to Yagnyavalkya 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 Yagnyavalkya.  Thus, the name Taittiriya is assigned to this shaka of Yajurveda.  It is also called Krishna Yajurveda shaka.  

Sage [[Vaisampayana|Vaisampayan]] did not want the wisdom taught to Yagnyavalkya 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 Yagnyavalkya.  Thus, the name Taittiriya is assigned to this shaka of Yajurveda.  It is also called Krishna Yajurveda shaka.  

==Dialogue of Yagnyavalkya and Maitreyi==

==Conversation of Yagnyavalkya and Maitreyi==

Yagnyavalkya  was the son of Devarāta and was the student of sage Vaisampayana.<ref name=":1">The Vedas, Haraf publication, Calcutta, 2004 edition</ref>

Yagnyavalkya  was the son of Devarāta and was the student of sage Vaisampayana.<ref name=":1">The Vedas, Haraf publication, Calcutta, 2004 edition</ref>

Yagnyavalkya had two wives. One was [Maitreyi] and the other Katyaayanee.<ref>The Brihad Aranyak Upanishad, Part 2, Chapter 4, Mahesh Library publication, Calcutta, 2008 edition</ref> Of the two, Maitreyi was a Brahmavadini (one who is interested in the knowledge of Brahman).The descendant sects of Brahmans are the progeny of the first wife Katyaayanee. When Yagnyavalkya  wished to divide his property between the two wives, Maitreyi asked whether she could become immortal through wealth. Yagnyavalkya  replied that there was no hope of immortality through wealth and that she would only become one among the wealthy. When she heard this, Maitreyi asked Yagnyavalkya  to teach her what he considered as the best. Then Yagnyavalkya described to her the greatness of the Absolute Self, the nature of its existence, the way of attaining infinite knowledge and immortality through acquiring Brahmajnana. This immortal conversation between Yagnyavalkya  and Maitreyi is recorded in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.

Yagnyavalkya had two wives. One was [Maitreyi] and the other Katyaayanee.<ref name=":0">The Brihad Aranyak Upanishad, Part 2, Chapter 4, Mahesh Library publication, Calcutta, 2008 edition</ref> Of the two, Maitreyi was a Brahmavadini (one who is interested in the knowledge of Brahman).The descendant sects of Brahmans are the progeny of the first wife Katyaayanee. When Yagnyavalkya  wished to divide his property between the two wives, Maitreyi asked whether she could become immortal through wealth. Yagnyavalkya  replied that there was no hope of immortality through wealth and that she would only become one among the wealthy. When she heard this, Maitreyi asked Yagnyavalkya  to teach her what he considered as the best. Then Yagnyavalkya described to her the greatness of the Absolute Self, the nature of its existence, the way of attaining infinite knowledge and immortality through acquiring Brahmajnana. This immortal conversation between Yagnyavalkya  and Maitreyi is recorded in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.

===A Commentary on Yagnyavalkya<ref>Insights Into the Taittiriya Upanishad, Dr. K. S. Narayanacharya, Published by Kautilya Institute of National Studies, Mysore,Page 15</ref>===

== Conversation of Yagnyavalkya and Gargi ==

"Yagnyavalkya was more interested in philosophy, the Jnanakanda of the Vedas and not so much in the Karmakanda. That is why he wanted to separate the two. He had an inclination towards asceticism (world renouncement). Till then Rishis were mostly householders, and they combined "action" with "thought". (Karma and Jnana). - the so called "forward path" (Pravratti Marga) with the "return path", (Nivrtti Marga).  Perhaps Vaisampayan, his Guru, understood that if rituals were shunted out (as desired by Yagnyavalkya), an unwarranted greater importance would be associated with "knowledge" part leading to a greater importance being bestowed on escapism, asceticism and world-renouncing tendency". "Our traditional wisdom was that Living for God and and spiritual attainment of the highest order was compatible with householdership or Grahastya." 

Wisdom of Yagnyavalkya is shown in Brhadaranyaka Upanishad where he gives his teachings to his wife Maitreyi and King Janaka.<ref name=":2">The Sacred Books of East, by Max Muller Volume 15 Oxford University Press publication, 1879 edition</ref> He also participates in a competition arranged by King Janaka about the selecting great Brhama Jnani (knower of Brahman). His intellectual dialogues with Gargi (a learned scholar of the times) form a beautiful chapter filled with lot of philosophical and mystical question-answers in Brhadaranyaka Upanishad.<ref name=":2" /> He was then praised as the greatest Brahmajnyani by all the sages at the function organised by king Janaka.<ref>The Upanishads, Mahesh Library publication, 2009 edition, Calcutta</ref> In the end, Yagnyavalkya  took Vidvat Sanyasa (renunciation after the attainment of the knowledge of Brahman) and retired to the forest.

== Importance of Yagnyavalkya ==

== Importance of Yagnyavalkya ==

Yagnyavalkya is honoured in several traditions. Saint Kulasekhara claims him as a  great "Vaishnava Yogi". <ref>Mukundmala Verse 17 (mentioned in Insights Into the Taittiriya Upanishad, Dr. K. S. Narayanacharya, Published by Kautilya Institute of National Studies, Mysore)</ref> His references to some of the Avataras of Vishnu (Varaha and Vamana for instance) in a new light in [[Shatapatha Brahmana|Shatapatha Brahman]], wherein he declares Vishnu as God Supreme do attest to this certificate.<ref name=":3" />

Yagnyavalkya is honoured in several traditions. Saint Kulasekhara claims him as a  great "Vaishnava Yogi". <ref>Mukundmala Verse 17 (mentioned in Insights Into the Taittiriya Upanishad, Dr. K. S. Narayanacharya, Published by Kautilya Institute of National Studies, Mysore)</ref> His references to some of the Avataras of Vishnu (Varaha and Vamana for instance) in a new light in [[Shatapatha Brahmana|Shatapatha Brahman]], wherein he declares Vishnu as God Supreme do attest to this certificate.<ref name=":3" />

Wisdom of Yagnyavalkya is shown in Brhadaranyaka Upanishad where he gives his teachings to his wife Maitreyi and King Janaka.<ref name=":2">The Sacred Books of East, by Max Muller Volume 15 Oxford University Press publication, 1879 edition</ref> He also participates in a competition arranged by King Janaka about the selecting great Brhama Jnani (knower of Brahman). His intellectual dialogues with Gargi (a learned scholar of the times) form a beautiful chapter filled with lot of philosophical and mystical question-answers in Brhadaranyaka Upanishad.<ref name=":2" /> He was then praised as the greatest Brahmajnyani by all the sages at the function organised by king Janaka.<ref>The Upanishads, Mahesh Library publication, 2009 edition, Calcutta</ref> In the end, Yagnyavalkya  took Vidvat Sanyasa (renunciation after the attainment of the knowledge of Brahman) and retired to the forest.

=== A Commentary on Yagnyavalkya<ref>Insights Into the Taittiriya Upanishad, Dr. K. S. Narayanacharya, Published by Kautilya Institute of National Studies, Mysore,Page 15</ref> ===

"Yagnyavalkya was more interested in philosophy, the Jnanakanda of the Vedas and not so much in the Karmakanda. That is why he wanted to separate the two. He had an inclination towards asceticism (world renouncement). Till then Rishis were mostly householders, and they combined "action" with "thought". (Karma and Jnana). - the so called "forward path" (Pravratti Marga) with the "return path", (Nivrtti Marga).  Perhaps Vaisampayan, his Guru, understood that if rituals were shunted out (as desired by Yagnyavalkya), an unwarranted greater importance would be associated with "knowledge" part leading to a greater importance being bestowed on escapism, asceticism and world-renouncing tendency". "Our traditional wisdom was that Living for God and and spiritual attainment of the highest order was compatible with householdership or Grahastya." 

=== Exploitation of Yagnyavalkya's name by other traditions<ref name=":3" /> ===

=== Exploitation of Yagnyavalkya's name by other traditions<ref name=":3" /> ===