Hindu texts

Śruti Hindu scripture is overwhelmingly written in Sanskrit. ... Image File history File links Aum. ... Åšruti (Sanskrit श्रुति, what is heard) is a canon of Hindu scriptures. ... Vedas Rig Veda Sama Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda Brahmanas Aranyakas Upanishads Smriti The Vedas (Sanskrit: वेद), collectively refers to a corpus of ancient Indo-Aryan religious literature that are associated with the Vedic civilization and are considered by adherents of Hinduism to be revealed knowledge. ... The Rig Veda ऋग्वेद (Sanskrit ṛc praise + veda knowledge) is the earliest of the four Hindu religious scriptures known as the Vedas. ... The Sama Veda (सामवेद), or Veda of Holy Songs, is third in the usual order of enumeration of the four Vedas, the ancient core Hindu scriptures. ... The Yajur Veda यजुर्वेद is one of the four Hindu Vedas; it contains religious texts focussing on liturgy and ritual. ... The Atharva Veda is a sacred text of Hinduism, part of the four books of the Vedas. ... The Brahmanas (Brahmin Books) are part of the Hindu Shruti; these religious scriptures focus on sacrifice -- particularly that of horses and soma. ... The Aranyakas (Forest Books, Forest Treatises) are part of the Hindu Shruti; these religious scriptures are sometimes argued to be part of either the Brahmanas or Upanishads. ... The Upanishads (; Devanagari ) are part of the Hindu Shruti scriptures which primarily discuss meditation and philosophy and are seen as religious instructions by most schools of Hinduism. ... Smriti (Sanskrit स्मॄति, that which is remembered) refers to a specific canon of Hindu religious scripture. ... Itihāsas Mahābhārata Bhagavad Gītā Ramayana Puranas (List) Tantras Sutras (List) Stotras Ashtavakra Gita Gherand Samhita Gita Govinda Hatha Yoga Pradipika

The Yajurveda (Sanskrit यजुर्वेदः yajurveda, a tatpurusha compound of yajus "sacrifice" + veda "knowledge") is one of the four Hindu Vedas. It contains religious texts focussing on liturgy, rituals and sacrifices, and how to perform the same. The Yajurveda was probably written around 900 BCE. The great Hindu Epics are also occasionally termed Mahakavya (Great Compositions); the terms refer to a canon of Hindu religious scripture. ... The Mahabharata (Devanagari: महाभारत, phonetically Mahābhārata - see note), sometimes just called Bharata, is one of the two major ancient Sanskrit epics of India, the other being the Ramayana. ... Bhagavad Gīta भगवद्गीता, composed ca the fifth - second centuries BC, is part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva chapters 23–40. ... The Rāmāyaņa (Sanskrit: रामायण (a sandhi form of rāma-ayana = march or journey (Ä€yana) of Rāma) is part of the Hindu smriti, written by Valmiki. ... The Puranas (Sanskrit पुराण, purāṇá ancient, since they focus on ancient history of the universe) are part of Hindu Smriti; these religious scriptures discuss varied topics like devotion to God in his various aspects, traditional sciences like Ayurveda, Jyotish, cosmology, concepts like dharma, karma, reincarnation and many others. ... The Puranas (Sanskrit पुराण, purāṇá ancient, since they focus on ancient history of the universe) are part of Hindu Smriti; these religious scriptures discuss varied topics like devotion to God in his various aspects, traditional sciences like Ayurveda, Jyotish, cosmology, concepts like dharma, karma, reincarnation and many others. ... The Tantra (Looms or Weavings), refer to numerous and varied scriptures pertaining to any of several esoteric traditions rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. ... Sutra (सूत्र) in Sanskrit is derived from the verb siv-, meaning to sew (these words, including English to sew and Latinate suture, all derive from PIE *syÅ«-). It literally means a rope or thread, and more metaphorically refers to an aphorism (or line, rule, formula), or a collection of such aphorisms... Below is a list of sutras organized alphabetically under the broad categories of Hinduism and Buddhism. ... Stotras are Hindu prayers that praise aspects of God, such as Devi, Siva, or Vishnu. ... The Ashtavakra Gita (Song of Ashtavakra) also known by the name Ashtavakra Samhita is an influential nondualist Hindu text traditionally said to have been written by the Sage Ashtavakra, though its authorship is not known with certainty. ... Gheranda Samhita (Sanskrit for Gherandas Collection) is one of the three classic texts of Hatha Yoga (the other two being the Hatha Yoga Pradapika and the Shiva Samhita). ... The Gita Govinda or the Song of the Shri Krishna is a work composed in the 12th century by Jayadeva Goswami. ... The most fundamental text of Hatha Yoga is the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a Sanskrit classic written by Swami Swatamarama, a disciple of Swami Goraknath. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation: ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... A Tatpurusha is a type of compound in Sanskrit grammar. ... Marcus Aurelius and members of the Imperial family offer sacrifice in gratitude for success against Germanic tribes: contemporarybas-relief, Capitoline Museum, Rome Sacrifice (from a Middle English verb meaning to make sacred, from Old French, from Latin sacrificium : sacer, sacred; sacred + facere, to make) is commonly known as the practice... Hinduism (Sanskrit/Hindi —, also known as , and ) is a religion originating in the Indian subcontinent, based on the Vedas and the beliefs of other people of India. ... The Vedas are part of the Hindu Shruti; these religious scriptures form part of the core of the Brahminical and Vedic traditions within Hinduism and are the inspirational, metaphysical and mythological foundation for later Vedanta, Yoga, Tantra and even Bhakti forms of Hinduism. ... Fishers of Men, oil on panel by Adriaen van de Venne (1614) Various religious symbols Religion is commonly defined as a group of beliefs concerning the supernatural, sacred, or divine, and the moral codes, practices, values, institutions, and rituals associated with such belief. ...

Collections

There are two primary collections or samhitas of the Yajurveda: Shukla (white) and Krishna (black). Both contain the verses necessary for rituals, but the Krishna Yajurveda has additional prose commentary and detailed instructions within the work itself. Shukla is Sanskrit for white, also bright phase of lunar fortnight, as opposed to Krishna, or dark phase. ... Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari, IAST , Sanskrit for black or dark) is according to common Hindu tradition the eighth avatar of Vishnu. ...

Krishna Yajurveda

There are four recensions of the Black Yajurveda: Shakha (IAST ), literally branch or limb, is the Sanskrit term for a recension or version of Vedic texts according to a particular school. ...

• taittirīya saṃhita (TS)
• maitrayani saṃhita (MS)
• caraka-katha saṃhita (KS)
• kapiṣṭhala-katha saṃhita (KapS)

The best known of these is TS, named after Tittiri, a pupil of Yaska. It consists of 8 books or kandas, subdivided in chapters or prapathakas, further subdivided into individual hymns. Yaska Acharya is a celebrated Sanskrit scholar and grammarian of ancient India. ...

Some individual hymns have gained importance in Hinduism, e. g. TS 4.5 and 4.7 correspond to the Shri Rudram Chamakam, and 1.8.6.i to the Shaivaite Tryambakam mantra. The formula bhūr bhuvaḥ suvaḥ prefixed to the (rigvedic) Gayatri mantra is also from the Yajurveda, appearing four times. Hinduism (Sanskrit/Hindi —, also known as , and ) is a religion originating in the Indian subcontinent, based on the Vedas and the beliefs of other people of India. ... The Shri Rudram Chamakam (TS 4. ... Saivite: of Saivism; belonging to Saivism, the Hindu denomination that worships God Siva as the Supreme God. ... The Shaivaite Tryambakam mantra is a verse of the Yajurveda (TS 1. ... The Rigveda (Sanskrit: , a tatpurusha compound of praise, verse and knowledge) is a collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns counted among the four Hindu religious texts known as the Vedas. ... Gayatri (gāyatrÄ« Sanskrit: गायत्री) is the feminine form of gāyatra, a Sanskrit word for a song or a hymn. ...

Each of the recensions has a Brahmana associated with it, and some of them also have associated Shrautasutras, Grhyasutras, Aranyakas, Upanishads and Pratishakhyas. The Brahmana (Sanskrit ब्राह्मण) are part of the Hindu Shruti; They are composed in Vedic Sanskrit, and the period of their composition is sometimes referred to as the Brahmanic period or age (approximately between 900 BC and 500 BC). ... Sutra (सूत्र) in Sanskrit is derived from the verb √siv, meaning to sew. ... Sutra (सूत्र) in Sanskrit is derived from the verb √siv, meaning to sew. ... The Aranyakas (Sanskrit आरण्यक, Forest Books, Forest Treatises) are part of the Hindu Shruti; these religious scriptures are sometimes argued to be part of either the Brahmanas or Upanishads. ... The Upanishads (; Devanagari ) are part of the Hindu Shruti scriptures which primarily discuss meditation and philosophy and are seen as religious instructions by most schools of Hinduism. ...

In particular the Taittiriya Shakha (or branch) of the Krishna Yajur Veda is the most prevalent shakha in Southern Bharat. Among the followers of this Shakha, the Apastamba Sutras is the common Shrautasutra associated with the Shakha. ... Sutra (सूत्र) in Sanskrit is derived from the verb √siv, meaning to sew. ...

The Taittiriya Shakha consists of Taittiriya Samhita (having seven kaandas), Taittiriya Braahmana (having three kaandas), Taittiriya Aaranyaka (having seven six prashnas), Taittiriya Upanishad (having three prashnas or vallis- Sheeksha valli, Ananda valli and Bhrigu valli) and the Mahaanaarayana Upanishad. The Taittiriya Upanishad and Mahaanaarayana Upanishad are considered to be the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth prashnas of the Aaranyaka.

Note: The words prapaathaka and kaanda (meaning sections) are interchangeably used in the Vedic literature. Prashna and valli refer to sections of the Aaranyaka.

Shukla Yajurveda

The Shukla Yajurveda has two recensions:

• Vajasaneyi Madhyandiniya
• Vajasaneyi Kanva

The former is popular in North India and Orissa and is by far the largest Vedic tradition followed among Hindus in the country in terms of population.

The Kanva Shakha is restricted to Kerala and Tamila Nadu. Jagadguru Adi Shankara is said to have followed this recension. The Vedic rituals of the famous Ranganathaswamy Temple, the biggest temple in India, are performed according to this Shakha. Adi Shankara with the Four Disciples Adi Shankara (Śankara, Shri Shankaracharya, Adhi Shankaracharya, Ādi Śhankarācārya; the first Shankara in his lineage), reverentially called Bhagavatpada Acharya (the teacher at the feet of the Lord) (approximately 8th century, but see below) was the most famous advaita philosopher, who had a...

Vedic traditions have it that Yajnavalkya had serious differences with his teacher Vaishampayana, from whom he had been studying the Yajurveda collections. On one occasion, Vaishampayana was so enraged with Yajnavalkya that he asked him to return all the knowledge acquired from him. Yagnavalkya vomited out whatever he had learnt, in the form of flesh. The other disciples of Vaishampayana assumed the form of tittiriya birds and ate the flesh, eager to receive the knowledge. Thus, the work came to be called the Taittiriya Samhita (eaten by tittiriya birds). Sage Yajnavalkya of Mithila (perhaps 1800 BC) advanced a 95-year cycle to synchronize the motions of the sun and the moon. ...

- After having vomited out the knowledge acquired from his teacher, Yajnavalkya worshipped the Sun God Surya (also known as Aditya) with great penance. Pleased, Surya taught Yajnavalkya new portions from the Yajurveda. These portions were collected under the name Shukla Yajurveda This article is in need of attention. ... Who dare interfer in my wrk# In Hinduism, the Adityas are a group of solar deities, sons of Aditi and Kasyapa. ...

The Shukla Yajur Veda is also prominent for its two great Upanishads: the Isa Vasya and the Brihadaranyaka. The latter is the biggest of all Upanishads and is also considered to be Upanishad Shreshtha, or the most refined of all Upanishads. The Upanishads (उपनिषद्, Upanişad) are part of the Hindu Shruti scriptures which primarily discuss meditation and philosophy and are seen as religious instructions by most schools of Hinduism. ... The Upanishad is one of the older, primary (mukhya) Upanishads commented upon by Shankara. ...

Large numbers

The Yajurveda documents the earliest known use of numbers up to a trillion (parardha). It even discusses the concept of numeric infinity (purna "fullness"), stating that if you subtract purna from purna, you are still left with purna. [1] The word infinity comes from the Latin infinitas or unboundedness. It refers to several distinct concepts which arise in theology, philosophy, mathematics and everyday life. ...

See also: History of large numbers. In the Western world specific number names for larger numbers did not come into common use until quite recently. ...

Literature

• Ralph Thomas Hotchkin Griffith, The Texts of the White Yajurveda. Translated with a Popular Commentary (1899).
• Devi Chand, The Yajurveda. Sanskrit text with English translation. Third thoroughly revised and enlarged edition (1980).
• The Sanhitâ of the Black Yajur Veda with the Commentary of Mâdhava ‘Achârya, Calcutta (Bibl. Indica, 10 volumes, 1854-1899)
• Kumar, Pushpendra, Taittiriya Brahmanam (Krsnam Yajurveda), 3 vols., Delhi (1998).

Ralph Thomas Hotchkin Griffith (1826-1906), scholar of indology, translated the Vedic scriptures into English. ...

External links

• Sanskrit Web Freely downloadable, carefully edited Sanskrit texts of Taittiriya-Samhita, Taittiriya-Brahmana, Taittiriya-Aranyaka, Ekagni-Kanda etc. as well as English translations of the Taittiriya-Samhita etc.
• Sacred Texts Electronic text of the 1914 Arthur Berriedale Keith translation at sacred-texts.com