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== Family and Lineage ==

== Family and Lineage ==

Yajnavalkya was the son of Devarata (देवरातसुतः) as per Bhagavata Purana.<ref name=":0" /> He had two wives. They were Maitreyi and Katyayani.

Yajnavalkya was the son of Devarata (देवरातसुतः) as per Bhagavata Purana.<ref name=":0" /> Skanda Purana describes the anecdotes associated with Yajnavalkya's family life.  <blockquote>तस्य भार्याद्वयं श्रेष्ठमासीत्सर्वगुणान्वितम् ॥ एका गुणवती तस्य मैत्रेयीति प्रकीर्तिता ॥ २ ॥</blockquote><blockquote>ज्येष्ठा चान्याथ कल्याणी ख्याता कात्यायनीति च ॥ यस्याः कात्यायनः पुत्रो वेदार्थानां प्रजल्पकः ॥ ३ ॥ (Skan. Pura. 6.130.2-3)<ref>Skanda Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः_६_(नागरखण्डः)/अध्यायः_१३० Khanda 6 (Nagara Khanda) Adhyaya 130])</ref></blockquote>He (Yajnavalkya) had two excellent wives, Maitreyi and Katyayani endowed with good qualities. One, endowed with good qualities, is known as Maitreyi. She was the senior (of the two). The other with good auspicious characteristics (Kalyani) was well known as Katyayani. Katyayana, the expounder of the meaning of the Vedas, was her son.<ref>Tagare, G. V. (1958) ''The Skanda Purana, Part 17.'' Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass Pvt. Ltd. (Pages 530-548)</ref>

== Contributions of Yajnavalkya ==

== Contributions of Yajnavalkya ==

==Formation of Yajurveda Shakas (यजुर्वेदशाख-अवतरणम्)==

==Formation of Yajurveda Shakas (यजुर्वेदशाख-अवतरणम्)==

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."

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."