Yajurveda (यजुर्वेदः)

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The Yajurveda (Samskrit: यजुर्वेदः)

The Krshna Yajurveda has survived in four recensions, while two recensions of Shukla Yajurveda have survived into the modern times.

Talk on Yajurveda

शाखाः ॥ Recensions

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. Only two recensions of the Shukla Yajurveda have survived, Madhyandina and Kanva, and others are known by name only because they are mentioned in other texts. These two recensions are nearly the same, except for few differences. In contrast to Shukla Yajurveda, the four surviving recensions of Krishna Yajurveda are very different versions.

Shukla Yajurveda

The samhita in the Shukla Yajurveda is called the Vajasaneyi Samhita. The name Vajasaneyi is derived from Vajasaneya, patronymic of sage Yajnavalkya, and the founder of the Vajasaneyi branch. There are two (nearly identical) surviving recensions of the Vajasaneyi Samhita (VS): Vajasaneyi Madhyandina and Vajasaneyi Kanva. The lost recensions of White Yajurveda, mentioned in other texts of ancient India, include Jabala, Baudhya, Sapeyi, Tapaniya, Kapola, Paundravatsa, Avati, Paramavatika, Parasara, Vaineya, Vaidheya, Katyayana and Vaijayavapa.

Adhyayas	Anuvakas	No. of Verses	Regional presence	Reference
40	303	1975	Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, North India
40	328	2086	Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu

Krishna Yajurveda

A total of eighty six recensions are mentioned to exist in Vayu Purana, however vast majority of them are believed to be lost. The Katha school is referred to as a sub-school of Carakas (wanderers) in some ancient texts of India, because they did their scholarship as they wandered from place to place.

No. of Sub-recensions	Kanda	Prapathaka	No. of Mantras	Regional presence	Reference
2	7	42		South India
6	4	54		Western India
12	5	40	3093	Kashmir, North India, East India
5	6	48		Haryana, Rajasthan

The Maitrayani saṃhita is the oldest Yajurveda Samhita that has survived, and it differs largely in content from the Taittiriyas, as well as in some different arrangement of chapters, but is much more detailed.

The Kāṭhaka saṃhitā or the Caraka-Kaṭha saṃhitā, according to tradition was compiled by Katha, a disciple of Vaisampayana. Like the Maitrayani Samhita, it offers much more detailed discussion of some rituals than the younger Taittiriya samhita that frequently summarizes such accounts. The Kapiṣṭhala saṃhitā or the Kapiṣṭhala-Kaṭha saṃhitā, named after the sage Kapisthala is extant only in some large fragments and edited without accent marks. This text is practically a variant of the Kāṭhaka saṃhitā.

Organization

Each regional edition (recension) of Yajurveda had Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyakas, Upanishads as part of the text, with Shrautasutras, Grhyasutras and Pratishakhya attached to the text. In Shukla Yajurveda, the text organization is same for both Madhayndina and Kanva shakhas.

In Krishna Yajurveda, each of the recensions has or had their Brahmana text mixed into the Samhita text, thus creating a motley of the prose and verses, and making it unclear, disorganized.

Contents

Samhitas

Structure of the mantras

The various ritual mantras in the Yajurveda Samhitas are typically set in a meter, and call on Vedic deities such as the Savita (Sun), Indra, Agni, Prajapati, Rudra and others. The Taittiriya Samhita in Book 4, for example, includes the following verses for the Agnicayana ritual recitation (abridged)

Upanishads

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

It is key scripture of Hinduism that has influenced all schools of Hindu philosophy. The text is a treatise on Ātman (Soul, Self), with passages on metaphysics, ethics and a yearning for knowledge that influenced various Indian religions, ancient and medieval scholars.

Isha Upanishad

The Isha Upanishad discusses the Atman (Soul, Self) theory of Hinduism, and is referenced by both Dvaita (dualism) and Advaita (non-dualism) sub-schools of Vedanta.

Taittiriya Upanishad

It is the seventh, eighth and ninth chapters of Taittiriya Aranyaka, which are also called, respectively, the Siksha Valli, the Ananda Valli and the Bhrigu Valli.

Katha Upanishad

The detailed teachings of Katha Upanishad have been variously interpreted as Advaita (non-dualistic).

Manuscripts and translations

Devi Chand published a re-interpreted translation of Yajurveda in 1965, reprinted as 3rd edition in 1980, wherein the translation incorporated Dayananda Saraswati's monotheistic interpretations of the Vedic text, and the translation liberally adds "O Lord" and "the Creator" to various verses, unlike other translators.

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.’

Puranic Encyclopedia

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 taughtṛgveda to paila, yajurveda to vaiśampāyana, sāmaveda to jaimini and Atharvaveda to sumantu.

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.

Vachaspatyam

यजुषां ऋक्साममिन्नानां मन्त्राणां प्रतिपादकोवेदः। वेदभेदे स च शुक्लकृष्णभेदेन द्विधा तद्विवरणंचरणव्यूहे भाग॰

{@यजुस्@}¦ न॰ यज--उसि। ऋकसामभिन्ने पदच्छेदरहितेमन्त्रभेदे अमरः। तल्लक्षणम् “वृत्तगीतिवर्जितत्वेनप्रश्लिष्टपठिता मन्त्रा यजूंषि” सा॰ भा॰ उक्तम्।

Shabdakalpadruma

यजुर्व्वेदः, पुं, (यजुरेव वेदः । यजुषां वेद इति वा ।) वेदविशेषः । तस्याधिपतिर्यथा, -- “ऋग्वेदाधिपतिर्जीवः सामवेदाधिपः कुजः । यजुर्व्वेदाधिपः शुक्रः शशिजोऽथर्व्ववेदराट् ॥” इति ज्योतिषम् ॥ अस्य वक्ता वैशम्पायनः । स तु आदावेक एवासीत् । यथा, -- “ऋग्वेदंश्रावकं पैलं जग्राह स महामुनिः । यजुर्व्वेदप्रवक्तारं वैशम्पायनमेव च ॥ जैमिनं सामवेदस्य श्रावकं सोऽन्वपद्यत । तथैवाथर्व्ववेदस्य सुमन्तुमृषिसत्तमम् ॥ एक आसीद्यजुर्व्वेदस्तञ्चतुर्धा व्यकल्पयत् । चातुर्होत्रमभूद्यस्मिंस्तेन यज्ञमथाकरोत् ॥ अध्वर्यवं यजुर्भिः स्यादृग्भिर्होत्रं द्विजोत्तमाः । उद्गात्रं सामभिश्चक्रे ब्रह्मत्वञ्चाप्यथर्व्वभिः ॥ ततः स ऋच उद्धृत्य ऋग्वेदं कृतावान् प्रभुः । यजूंषि च यजुर्व्वेदं सामवेदञ्च सामभिः ॥ एकविंशतिभेदेन ऋग्वेदं कृतवान् पुरा । शाखानान्तु शतेनाथ यजुर्व्वेदमथाकरोत् ॥ सामवेदं सहस्रेण शाखानाञ्च विभेदतः । अथर्व्वाणमथो वेदं बिभेद नवकेन तु ॥” इति कौर्म्म्ये ४९ अध्यायः ॥

यजुः, [स्] क्ली, (इज्यतेऽनेनेति । यज् + “अर्त्ति- पॄवपियजीति ।” उणा० २ । ११८ । इति उसिः ।) वेदविशेषः । इत्यमरः । १ । ६ । ३ ॥ “इज्यतेऽनेनेति यजुः । यजै ञौ देवार्च्चादानसङ्ग- कृतौ । त्रासुसिस् इति उस् ।” इति भरतः ॥ * ॥ अपि च । यजुराह जैमिनिः । शेषे वा यजुः- शब्दः । शेषे ऋक्सामभिन्ने मन्त्रजाते ततश्च यन्मन्त्रजातं प्रश्लिष्य पठितं गानादिविच्छेद- रहितं तत् यजुरिति । इति तिथ्यादितत्त्वम् ॥ यजुर्व्वेदस्य षडशीतिर्भेदा भवन्ति । तत्र चरका नाम द्वादश भेदा भवन्ति । चरकाः १ आह्व- रकाः २ कठाः ३ प्राच्यकठाः ४ कपिष्ठलकठाः ५ औपमन्याः ६ आष्ठालकठाः ७ चाराय- णीयाः ८ वारायणीयाः ९ वार्त्तान्तवेयाः १० श्वेताश्वतराः ११ मैत्रायणीयाश्चेति १२ । तत्र मैत्रायणीया नाम सप्त भेदा भवन्ति । मानवाः १ दुन्दुभाः २ चैकेयाः ३ वाराहाः ४ हारिद्रवेयाः ५ श्यामाः ६ श्यामायनीया- श्चेति ७ । तेषामध्ययनमष्टौ शतम् । यजुः- महस्राण्यधीत्य शाखापारो भवति । तान्येव द्विगुणान्यधीत्य पदपारो भवति । तान्येव त्रिगु- णान्यधीत्य क्रमपारो भवति । षडङ्गान्यधीत्य षडङ्गविद्भवति । शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणं निरुक्तं च्छन्दो ज्योतिषमित्यङ्गानि । तत्र प्राच्योदीच्यां नैरृत्यां निरृत्यः । तत्र वाजसनेया नाम सप्त- दश भेदा भवन्ति । जाबालाः १ औधेघाः २ काण्वाः ३ माध्यन्दिनाः ४ शापीयाः ५ तापायनीयाः ६ कापालाः ७ पौण्ड्रवत्साः ८ आवटिकाः ९ पामावटिकाः १० पारा- शर्य्याः ११ वैधेयाः १२ वैनेयाः १३ औधेयाः १४ गालवाः १५ वैजवाः १६ कात्यायनीया- श्चेति १७ । प्रतिपदमनुपदं छन्दो भाषा धर्म्मो मीमांसा न्यायस्तर्क इत्युपाङ्गानि भवन्ति । उपज्योतिषम् १ साङ्गलक्षणम् २ प्रतिज्ञा ३ अनुवाक्यम् ४ परिसंख्या ५ चरणच्यूहम् ६ श्राद्धकल्पः ७ प्रवराध्यायश्च ८ शास्त्रम् ९ क्रतुः १० संख्या ११ अनुगमः १२ यज्ञम् १३ पाश्वानः १४ होत्रकम् १५ पशवः १५ उक्- थानि १७ कूर्म्मलक्षणम् १८ । इत्यष्टादशपरि- शिष्टानि । “द्बे सहस्रे शते न्यूने मन्त्रे वाजसनेयके । इत्युक्तं परिसंख्यातमेतत् सकलं सशुक्रियम् ॥ ग्रन्थांश्च परिसंख्यातं ब्राह्मणञ्च चतुर्गुणम् । आदावारभ्य वेदान्तं ब्रह्मव्याहृतिपूर्ब्बकम् । वेदमध्याय एतेषां होमान्ते तु समारभेत् ॥” तत्र तैत्तिरीयका नाम द्विभेदा भवन्ति । औख्याः खाण्डिकेयाश्चेति । तत्र खाण्डिकेया नाम पञ्च भेदा भवन्ति । आपस्तम्बी १ बौधा- यनी २ सत्याषाढी ३ हिरण्यकेशी ४ औधेया- श्चेति ५ । तत्र कठानान्तूपगानविशेषः । चतु- श्चत्वारिंशत्युपग्रन्थान् । “मन्त्रब्राह्मणयोर्वेदस्त्रिगुणं यत्र पठ्यते । यजुर्व्वेदः स विज्ञेयोऽन्ये शाखान्तराः स्मृताः ॥” यजुर्व्वेदस्य धनुर्व्वेद उपवेदः । यजुर्व्वेदस्य भार- द्वाजगोत्रम् । रुद्रदैवत्यम् । त्रैष्टुभं छन्दः । यजु- र्व्वेदः कृशः । दीर्घः । कपाली । ताम्रवर्णः । काञ्चननयनः । आदित्यवर्णः वर्णेन । पञ्चारत्नि- मात्रः । अस्य ध्यानम् । “वन्दे रौद्रं त्रैष्टभं ताम्रवर्णं भारद्वाजं रुक्मनेत्रं कृशाङ्गम् । यजुर्व्वेदं दीर्घमादित्यवर्णं कापालीनं पञ्च चारत्निमात्रम् ॥” य इदं दैवतं रूपं गोत्रं प्रमाणं छन्दो वर्णं वर्णयति स विद्यां लभते स विद्यां लभते । जन्मजन्मनि वेदपारो भवति । जन्मजन्मनि वेदधारो भवति । अव्रतो व्रती भवति । अप्रयतः प्रयतो भवति । अब्रह्मचारी ब्रह्म- चारी भवति । जातिस्मरो जायते । इति चरणव्यूहम् ॥ (ऋक्सामभिन्नो मन्त्रविशेषः । इति केचित् ॥)

Apte

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.

यजुस्. A text of the Yajurveda, or the body of sacredmantras in prose muttered at sacrifices; वृत्तगीतिवर्जितत्वेन प्रश्लिष्टपठिता मन्त्रा यजूंषि Sāyaṇ

वेदः the second of the three (or four, including the Atharvaveda) principal Vedas, which is a collection of sacred texts in prose relating to sacrifices; it has two chief branches or recensions: the तैत्तिरीय or कृष्ण- यजुर्वेद and बाजसनेयी or शुक्लयजुर्वेद.

Shabda Sagara

-जुः) The Yajur or Yajush, one of the four Ve4das; it is divided into two principal portions, the white and black, or Va4jasane4yi and Taittiri4ya, the former of which is attributed to the saint YA4JNAWALKYA, to whom it was revealed by the sun, in the form of a horse; and the latter to TAITTIRI, to whom it was communicated by YA4SKA, the first pupil of its original author, the sage VAIS4AMPA4YANA: according to the Pura4n4as the Taittiri4ya portion was named from Tittiri a partridge; the disciples of VAIS4AMPA4YANA being changed into those birds, to pick up the texts of the Ve4da as they were disgorged in a tangible shape by YA4JNAWALKYA, at the command of VAIS4AMPA4YANA: both portions of this Ve4da are very full on the subject of religious rites, and the prayers peculiar to it, are chiefly in measured and poetical prose. E. यज् to worship, Una4di aff. उसि ।

Mahabharata Cultural Index

Yajus : nt. (sg. or pl.): Sacrificial prose formula from the Yajurveda; when used in plural it stands also for the Yajurveda; when in plural, it mostly occurs with ṛcs and sāmans.

Gift of Āditya to Yājñavalkya: The sage Yājñavalkya told king Janaka that while he was practising the prescribed rite, (although) he was despised (? avamatena), he propitiated the god Sun with severe austerity; he then received from Āditya the yajuses (yathārṣeṇeha vidhinā caratāvamatena ha/mayādityād avāptāni yajūṁṣi mithilādhipa//mahatā tapasā devas tapiṣṭhaḥ sevito mayā) 12. 306. 2-3; when the pleased god Sūrya offered a boon to Yājñavalkya, the latter requested the god to grant him the yajuses which had not been used before (? yajūṁṣi nopayuktāni kṣipram icchāmi veditum) 12. 306. 4-5; the god agreed to Yājñavalkya's request; Sarasvatī then in the form of speech entered Yājñavalkya's mouth 12. 306. 6-7; the God said that as a result of that, the whole of Veda (i. e. the Yajurveda) together with its latter half and the khila would be established in him (Yājñavalkya) (pratiṣṭhāsyati te vedaḥ sottaraḥ sakhilo dvijā) 12. 306. 10 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 12. 318. 10: khilaṁ paraśākhīyaṁ svaśākhyāyām apekṣāvaśāt paṭhyate tat khilam ity ucyate/…sakhilam tatsahitam/ sottaraṁ sopaniṣatkam/); Yājñavalkya received fifteen yajuses from Arka (Sūrya) (daśa pañca ca prāptāni yajūṁṣy arkān mayānagha) 12. 306. 21; Sūrya gave the yajuses (to Yājñavalkya) in the east (atra (i. e. in the east) dattāni sūryeṇa yajūṁṣi) 5. 106. 11 (Nī on Bom. Ed. 5. 108. 11: yājñavalkyāyeti śeṣaḥ).

All about Hinduism - Swami Sivananda

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.

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.

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.

The Satapatha Brahmana belongs to the Sukla Yajur-Veda. The Krishna-Yajur-Veda has the Taittiriya and the Maitrayana Brahmanas. Each of the Brahmanas has got an Aranyaka.

There are as many Upanishads to each Veda as there are Sakhas, branches or recensions, i.e., 21, 109, 1000 and 50 respectively to the four Vedas, the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda and the Atharva-Veda.

Among the Kalpa Sutras, The Katyayana and Paraskara belong to the Sukla Yajur-Veda. The Apastamba, Hiranyakesi, Bodhayana, Bharadvaja, Manava, Vaikhanasa and the Kathaka belong to the Krishna Yajur-Veda.