Yajur Ved

Yajur Ved

The term "Yajur Veda" is derived from the Sanskrit words "Yajus" (यजुस्) and "Veda" (वेद). Let's break down the etymology of these components:

1.   Yajus (यजुस्):

o   The word "Yajus" comes from the root "yaj" (यज्), which means "to worship" or "to sacrifice". The Yajur Veda is primarily concerned with the rituals and sacrificial rites of the Vedic tradition. Thus, "Yajus" refers to the prose mantras used in these rituals.

2.   Veda (वेद):

o   The word "Veda" is derived from the root "vid" (विद्), which means "to know" or "knowledge". "Veda" thus translates to "knowledge" or "wisdom". The Vedas are a body of sacred texts that are considered to be the authoritative scripture of Hinduism.

Therefore, the "Yajur Veda" can be translated as the "Knowledge of Sacrificial Formulas" or the "Wisdom of the Sacrificial Rituals". It is one of the four Vedas, the others being the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, and Atharva Veda, and it is primarily focused on the liturgy and procedural aspects of Vedic rituals.

The Yajur Veda, one of the four Vedas, has two main recensions: Shukla (White) Yajur Veda and Krishna (Black) Yajur Veda. Their origins and distinctions are deeply rooted in Vedic lore.

Origin and Teachers of the Yajur Veda

1.   Vaishampayana Rishi:

o   Vaishampayana was a prominent sage and a disciple of Sage Vyasa (also known as Vedavyasa or Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa), who is traditionally credited with compiling the Vedas.

o   Vaishampayana was taught the Yajur Veda by Vyasa. He then became a significant teacher of this Veda and had many disciples.

2.   Yajnavalkya Rishi:

o   Yajnavalkya was a distinguished disciple of Vaishampayana. He is renowned for his deep knowledge and philosophical contributions to the Vedic literature.

o   A notable incident involving Yajnavalkya led to the creation of the Shukla Yajur Veda. According to tradition, Yajnavalkya had a disagreement with his guru, Vaishampayana, and left him.

The Division of the Yajur Veda

The Yajur Veda originally existed as a single corpus of texts. The divergence into Shukla (White) and Krishna (Black) Yajur Veda occurred as follows:

1.   Krishna (Black) Yajur Veda:

o   The Krishna Yajur Veda, also known as the Taittiriya Samhita, is characterized by a mix of prose and verse, and includes both mantras and explanatory prose (Brahmanas) intermixed.

o   Vaishampayana continued to propagate the Krishna Yajur Veda through his disciples after Yajnavalkya's departure.

2.   Shukla (White) Yajur Veda:

o   After parting ways with Vaishampayana, Yajnavalkya sought further knowledge of the Veda. According to legend, he performed intense penance to the Sun God, Surya, who then revealed to him a new collection of Yajur Vedic mantras.

o   This new collection, known as the Shukla Yajur Veda, is distinguished by its clear separation of mantras and Brahmana texts. The primary text of the Shukla Yajur Veda is the Vajasaneyi Samhita.

o   Yajnavalkya taught this new version to his disciples, thereby establishing a separate lineage of Vedic transmission.

Summary

• Vyasa (Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa) taught the Yajur Veda to Vaishampayana Rishi.
• Yajnavalkya Rishi, initially a disciple of Vaishampayana, later obtained a distinct version of the Yajur Veda (Shukla Yajur Veda) through divine revelation from the Sun God, after leaving Vaishampayana.
• The Krishna Yajur Veda (Black Yajur Veda) continued under Vaishampayana and his disciples, while the Shukla Yajur Veda (White Yajur Veda) was propagated by Yajnavalkya and his disciples.

This division led to the existence of two principal recensions of the Yajur Veda, each with its unique characteristics and textual arrangements.

 

what was the fight between Vaishampayan Rishi and his diciple Yajnyavalkya Rishi about which led to formation of Krishna and Shukla Yajurved?

The conflict between Vaishampayana Rishi and his disciple Yajnavalkya Rishi, which ultimately led to the formation of the Krishna Yajur Veda and the Shukla Yajur Veda, is rooted in an important episode from Vedic lore.

The Conflict

According to tradition, the disagreement between Vaishampayana and Yajnavalkya occurred as follows:

1.   The Curse and the Task:

o   Vaishampayana committed a sin, possibly related to the killing of a Brahmin, and needed to atone for it. He instructed his disciples to perform a specific ritual to cleanse him of this sin.

o   Yajnavalkya, being confident in his abilities and perhaps displaying some arrogance, offered to perform the ritual alone, stating that he could accomplish it more efficiently than the other disciples.

2.   Vaishampayana’s Reaction:

o   Vaishampayana was angered by Yajnavalkya's arrogance and perceived disrespect towards his other disciples.

o   In his anger, Vaishampayana demanded that Yajnavalkya return all the knowledge he had learned from him. This demand was not just metaphorical; it involved Yajnavalkya physically relinquishing the Vedic knowledge he had received.

3.   Yajnavalkya’s Response:

o   Yajnavalkya, using his yogic powers, regurgitated the Yajur Veda mantras in the form of digested food. These mantras were swallowed by Vaishampayana’s other disciples who took the form of partridges (Tittiri birds). This collection of mantras came to be known as the Taittiriya Samhita, which forms part of the Krishna Yajur Veda.

The Emergence of Shukla Yajur Veda

After parting ways with Vaishampayana, Yajnavalkya sought to acquire new Vedic knowledge:

1.   Penance to the Sun God:

o   Yajnavalkya performed rigorous penance to the Sun God (Surya) to gain new Vedic wisdom.

o   Pleased with his devotion, the Sun God appeared before Yajnavalkya in the form of a horse (Vaaji) and imparted to him a new collection of Yajur Vedic mantras.

2.   Vajasaneyi Samhita:

o   The new collection of mantras revealed by the Sun God to Yajnavalkya came to be known as the Vajasaneyi Samhita, named after the horse (Vaaji).

o   This Samhita, which formed the basis of the Shukla Yajur Veda (White Yajur Veda), was distinct from the previously known collection and was characterized by a clear separation of the mantras and the Brahmana texts.

Summary

• The conflict arose from Yajnavalkya's perceived arrogance and his offer to perform a purification ritual alone, which angered his guru, Vaishampayana.
• Vaishampayana demanded Yajnavalkya to relinquish the Vedic knowledge, which Yajnavalkya did, leading to the creation of the Taittiriya Samhita (Krishna Yajur Veda).
• Yajnavalkya then sought new Vedic knowledge from the Sun God and received the Vajasaneyi Samhita, forming the basis of the Shukla Yajur Veda.

This incident not only highlights the intense guru-disciple relationship in Vedic times but also underscores the rich tradition of Vedic transmission and the diversity within the Yajur Veda itself.