Taittiriya Shakha

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The Taittirīya Shakha (

Krishna (black) Yajurveda. Most prevalent in South India, it consists of the Taittirīya Samhita ('TS'), Taittirīya Brahmana ('TB'), Taittirīya Aranyaka ('TA'), and Taittirīya Pratisakhya
('TP').

Nomenclature

The 'Taittiriya Shakha' can be loosely translated as 'Branch or School of (the sage) Tittri' or 'Branch or School of Taittiriya' or 'School of the pupils of Tittiri'.

Origin

Monier-Williams

According to

Yaska (estimated 4th-5th century BCE).[5] According to the Vishnu Purana, Yaska was in turn a pupil of Vaiśaṃpāyana, (estimated 6th century BCE).[6] Taittiri is also stated in the Mahabharata to have attended 'the Yajña conducted by Uparicaravasu'.[4]

Vishnu Purana

'Tittiri' also means 'partridge'.

Shukla (White) Yajurveda) - 'The other scholars of Vaiśampáyana, transforming themselves to partridges (Tittiri), picked up the texts which he [Yájnawalkya] had disgorged, and which from that circumstance were called Taittiríya'.[6]
This indicates both Yaska and Taittiri were pupils of Vaiśampáyana.

The translator,

H.H. Wilson, states in his commentary to this chapter that 'the term Taittiríya is more rationally accounted for in the Anukramańí or index of the black Yajush [Krishna YajurVeda]. It is there said that Vaiśampáyana taught it to Yaska, who taught it to Tittiri, who also became a teacher; whence the term Taittiríya, for a grammatical rule explains it to mean, 'The Taittiríyas are those who read what was said or repeated by Tittiri'.'[7]

Nirukta

Yaska, attributed as the teacher of Taittiri, is also attributed as the author of the Nirukta, a study of etymology concerned with correct interpretation of Sanskrit words in the Vedas. This is significant as the Nirukta references and quotes extensively from the Taittiriya texts (e.g. as listed in Appendix 1 of the Nirukta).[8]

Overview

The Taittiriya school of the

Krishna (black) Yajurveda produced several types of texts constituting Sruti Vedic
literature (of the YajurVeda). These are the:

Notable members

According to B.R. Modak, the scholar

Shrautasutras, was also a member.[10]

Commentaries

See also:
Shrautasutra and Dharmaśāstra

The 'Śrauta Sútras' (or

Vaikhanasa.(300–100 BCE) are theological texts concerned with procedures and ceremonies of Vedic ritual practice. All are attached to the Taittiriya Samhita.[11][12]

There are other commentaries written by Sanskrit scholars and philosophers on the works of the Taittiriya Shakha. Most notably, according to B.R. Modak,

Sayana wrote commentaries on the Taittirīya texts (and others).[9] According to N. Sharva, the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa was also commented upon by Bhava Swāmī (circa 700 CE or earlier); Kauśika Bhaṭṭa Bhāskara Miśra (preceding and referred to by Sayana in the Nirukta and by Devarāja Yajvā in the Nighantu); and Rāmānḍara / Rāmāgnichitta.[13]

Taittiriya Samhita

See also: Samhita, Yajurveda, and Yajna

R. Dalal states that 'The Yajur Veda consists of passages in verse and prose, arranged for the performance of yajnas (sacrifices)... The two main versions of the Yajur are known as the Shukla (or "white") Yajur Veda and the Krishna (or 'Black') Yajur Veda... of the black Yajur Veda, five shakhas are known: the Taittiriya (Apastamba), Kapishthala (Hiranyakesi), Katha, Kathaka (school of the Kaṭhas), and Maitrayani (Kalapa), with four closely related recensions, known as the Kathaka Samhita, the Kapishthala-Katha Samhita, Maitrayani Samhita, and the Taittiriya Samhita'.[14]

Structure and Content

The Taittiriya

Krishna (black) Yajurveda. M. Winternitz adds that the Samhita also includes Brahmana passages (i.e. instructions and explanations of sacrificial ceremonies).[15] The chapters (prapāṭhakas) for each of the books (kandas) of the Taittiriya Samhita are as follows:[16]

  • Kanda 1
  • Kanda 2
    • Prapāṭhaka 1: The special animal sacrifices
    • Prapāṭhakas 2-4: The special sacrifices
    • Prapāṭhakas 5-6: The new and full moon sacrifices
  • Kanda 3
    • Prapāṭhakas 1-3: The supplement to the Soma sacrifice
    • Prapāṭhaka 4: The optional and occasional offerings
    • Prapāṭhaka 5: Miscellaneous supplements
  • Kanda 4
    • Prapāṭhaka 1: The lacing of the fire in the fire-pan.
    • Prapāṭhaka 2: The reparation of the ground for the fire
    • Prapāṭhaka 3: The five layers of bricks
    • Prapāṭhaka 4: The fifth layer of bricks
    • Prapāṭhaka 5: The offerings to Rudra
    • Prapāṭhaka 6: The preparation of the fire
    • Prapāṭhaka 7: The piling of the fire (continued)
  • Kanda 5
    • Prapāṭhaka 1: The placing of the fire in the fire-pan
    • Prapāṭhaka 2: The preparation of the ground for the fire
    • Prapāṭhaka 3: The second and later layers of bricks
    • Prapāṭhakas 4-7: The piling of the fire altar (continued)
  • Kanda 6
    • Prapāṭhakas 1-5: The exposition of the Soma sacrifice.
    • Prapāṭhaka 6: Exposition of the
      Daksina
      and other offerings
  • Kanda 7
    • Prapāṭhaka 1: The Ekaha and Ahina Sacrifices
    • Prapāṭhaka 2: The Ahina sacrifices (continued)
    • Prapāṭhakas 3-4: The Sattras.
    • Prapāṭhaka 5: The Gavam Ayana

Nakshatras

Main article: Nakshatra

D.M. Harness states that 'The Vedic Nakshatras [stars] arose from a spiritual perception of the cosmos. Nakshatras are the mansions of the Gods or cosmic powers and of the Rishis or sages. They can also project negative or anti-divine forces, just as certain planets like Saturn have well known malefic effects. The term Nakshatra refers to a means (tra) of worship (naksha) or approach... The Nakshatras dispense the fruits of karma... For this reason Vedic rituals and meditations to the present day follow the timing of the Nakshatras... [which] are of prime [importance] in muhurta or electional astrology for determining favorable times for actions, particularly sacramental or sacred actions like marriage'.[17]

Reference to the Nakṣhatra Sūktam (star positions relating to new and full moon ceremonies), occurs in kāṇḍa (book) 3, prapāṭhaka (chapter) 5, anuvākaḥ (section) 1 (3.5.1).[18]

Shaivism

See also: Shiva and Shaivism

Shri Rudram and Namah Shivaya homages to Shiva

The

Shri Rudram Chamakam and Namah Shivaya, homages to Rudra / Shiva (the supreme deity in Shaivism), occur in kāṇḍa (book) 4, prapāṭhakas (chapters) 5 and 7 (4.5 and 4.7).[19]

Vaishnavism

See also: Vishnu and Vaishnavism

The Varaha Avatara of Vishnu

See also: Varaha and Dashavatara

Varaha, the boar avatar of Vishnu (listed in the Dashavatara, or ten primary incarnation of Vishnu) is primarily associated with the Puranic legend of lifting the Earth out of the cosmic ocean. A.A. Macdonell and R. Janmajit both state that the origin and development of the boar avatar is found in the Taittiriya Samhita, albeit initially as a form of Prajapati:[20][21]

This was in the beginning the waters, the ocean. In it

Adityas.

— Taittiriya Samhita, translated by Arthur Berriedale Keith (1914), Kanda VII ('The Exposition of the Sattras; The Ahina Sacrifices'), Prapathaka I (vii.1.5)[22]

Another extract attributed to the early development of the Varaha avatar by Macdonell is:

Now a boar, stealer of the good, keeps the wealth of the

Asuras which is to be won beyond the seven hills. Him smite, if thou art he who smites in the stronghold. He [Indra] plucked out a bunch of Darbha grass, pierced the seven hills, and smote him. He said, 'Thou art called he who brings from the stronghold; bring him.' So the sacrifice bore off the sacrifice for them; in that they won the wealth of the Asuras which was to be won (védyam), that alone is the reason why the Vedi is so called. The Asuras indeed at first owned the earth, the gods had so much as one seated can espy.

— Taittiriya Samhita, translated by Arthur Berriedale Keith (1914), Kanda VI ('The Exposition of Soma Sacrifice'), Prapathaka II (vi. 2. 4)[23]

Taittiriya Brahmana

Main articles:
Taittiriya Brahmana and Brahmana

When the completion of

Taittirīya Brāhmaņa ('TB') is considered by academics to be an appendix or extension of the Taittirīya Samhita.[25][15][13] The first two books (ashṭakas) largely consist of hymns and mantras to the Vedic-era Devas, as well as mythology, astronomy, and astrology (i.e. the Nakshatras); the third book contains commentaries and instructions on Vedic sacrificial rites such as the Purushamedha, Kaukili-Sutramani, Ashvamedha, and Agnicayana. Recorded around 300-400 BCE,[5] it was prevalent in southern India in areas such in Andhra Pradesh, south and east of Narmada (Gujarat), and areas on the banks of the Godavari river down to the sea.[13]

A.B Keith states that 'at a comparatively early period the formulae [i.e. mantras from the Samhitas of the YajurVeda] were accompanied by explanations, called Brahmanas, texts pertaining to the Brahman or sacred lore, in which the different acts of the ritual were given symbolical interpretations, the words of the texts commented on, and stories told to illustrate the sacrificial performance... a mass of old material, partly formulae, partly Brahmana, which had not been incorporated in the Taittiriya Samhita was collected together in the Taittiriya Brahmana, which in part contains matter more recent than the Samhita, but in part has matter as old as, at any rate, the later portions of that text'.[26]

Structure and Content

Based on information provided by Kashyap and R. Mitra,[27][28][29] the chapters (prapāṭhakas) for each of the books (ashṭakas or sometimes referred to as kandas) are as follows:

  • Ashṭaka 1: Pārakshudra
    • Prapāṭhaka 1: Explanation for the establishment of Agni
    • Prapāṭhaka 2: (Devas, chants, Vishuvat, Solstices, Mahavrata, and the bird-shaped altar)
    • Prapāṭhaka 3: Vajapeya Yajna
    • Prapāṭhaka 4: Explanation of Soma offerings
    • Prapāṭhaka 5: The powers of stars or nakshatras, rites and RigVeda Mantras
    • Prapāṭhaka 6: (Unknown)
    • Prapāṭhaka 7: (Unknown)
    • Prapāṭhaka 8: (Unknown)
  • Ashṭaka 2: Agnihotra
    • Prapāṭhaka 1: The Agnihotra Sacrifice
    • Prapāṭhaka 2: Dasahotra Sacrifice
    • Prapāṭhaka 3: Dasahotra Sacrifices concluded
    • Prapāṭhaka 4: Mantras for Subsidiary Sacrifices or Upahomas
    • Prapāṭhaka 5: Mantras for Subsidiary Sacrifices or Upahomas (Concluded)
    • Prapāṭhaka 6: Kaukila Sautramani or the Sacrifice with Spirituous Liquor
    • Prapāṭhaka 7: Ephemeral Sacrifices or Savas
    • Prapāṭhaka 8: Sacrifices with especial prayers (Kamya)
  • Ashṭaka 3: (Various)
    • Prapāṭhaka 1: Sacrifices to the Constellations - Nakshatra Ishti
    • Prapāṭhaka 2: Dars'a Ya'ga or Sacrifices meet on the wane of the Moon
    • Prapāṭhaka 3: Paurnamasa Ishti or Ceremonies to be performed on the full moon
    • Prapāṭhaka 4: On Human sacrifices
    • Prapāṭhaka 5: Ishti Sacrifices
    • Prapāṭhaka 6: Pa'Shuka Hotra
    • Prapāṭhaka 7: Expiations for defects in the performance of ceremonies
    • Prapāṭhaka 8: On the operations of the first day of the Asvamedha sacrifice
    • Prapāṭhaka 9: On the operations of the second and third days of the horse sacrifice
    • Prapāṭhaka 10: Sa'vitra-Chayana or collection of fire for the adoration of the sun
    • Prapāṭhaka 11: Nachiketa-Chayana, or collection of Nachiketa Fire
    • Prapāṭhaka 12: Cha-tur-hotra and Vaisvasrij ceremonies

Taittiriya Aranyaka

See also: Aranyaka, Upanishads, and Pravargya

The Taittiriya

Muktika or primary Upanishad) and the Mahanarayana Upanishad (a minor Vaishnava
Upanishad).

Structure and Content

R. Mitra states that the Taittiriya Aranyaka is 'by far the largest of the Aranyakas. It extends altogether to ten prapāṭhakas or 'Great Lessons', i.e. books or chapters, of which the last four are Upanishads, and the first six, are Aranyaka strictly so-called'.[31] The 10 chapters (prapāṭhakas) of the Taittiriya Aranyaka, including numbers of anuvakas (sections) for each, are as follows:[31]

Prapāṭhaka Anuvakas Description Comment
1 32 Propitiation of the Eastern Altar - Uttara Vedi
2 20 Brahmanic Education
3 21 Mantras of the Chaturhotra-Chiti
4 42 Pravargya Mantras Used for the Pravargya ceremony
5 12 Pravargya Ceremony Pravargya Brahmana
6 12 Pitrimedha or Rites for the welfare of the Manes
7 12 S'iksha or the training necessary for acquiring a knowledge of Brahman Taittiriya Upanishad
8 9 Knowledge of Brahman
9 10 Relation of Brahman to food, mind, life, etc.
10 54 The worship of Brahman Mahanarayana Upanishad

Vaishnavism

See also:
Vaishnava Upanishad. In addition to this, the Taittiriya Aranyaka is also considered significant by academics in the development of the avatars (or incarnations) and their associated legends of the RigVedic god Vishnu
, the supreme being in Vaishnavism.

The Varaha Avatara of Vishnu

A. Daniélou states that a hundred-armed black boar lifts the earth out of the waters in the Taittiriya Aranyaka (TA 10.1.8).

Shukla or White Yajurveda) incorrectly states it was 'a black boar with a thousand arms'.[33] The Journal Of The Indian Society Of Oriental Art (volume 13) states 'in the ‘Taittiriya Aranyaka’, the earth is said to have been raised by a black boar with a hundred arms (‘varahena krsnena satabahuna uddhrta’). It is an easily understandable step to the making of the boar an incarnation of Visnu himself, a step which is finally taken in the epics and the Puranas'.[34] This legend is also contained in the Mahanarayana Upanishad
(prapāṭhaka 10 of the Taittiriya Aranyaka):

bhūmirdhenurdharaṇī lokadhāriṇī uddhṛtāsi varāheṇa kṛṣṇena
śatabāhunā

The earth [Bhumi] is the giver of happiness like the milk cow, the sustainer of life and support for all living beings. (Represented as such the earth is addressed:) Thou wert raised up by Kṛṣṇa in His incarnation of the boar having hundred hands.

— Mahanarayana Upanishad, Prapāṭhaka 10, Anuvaka 1, Khandika 38[35]

As 'Krishna' also means 'black', the verse can also be interpreted as 'black boar' or 'raised up by the black boar', as stated by Daniélou and Eggeling. However, the translation given above clearly shows how Krishna is linked with Varaha.

The Kurma Avatara of Vishnu

N. Aiyangar states that the following verse from the Taittiriya Aranyaka (prapāṭhaka 1.23-25) 'is narrated in connection with the ritual called Arunaketuka-kayana, in which the tortoise ['Kurma'] is placed below the uttara-vedi [altar]. In it Prajapati or his juice the Tortoise is called Arunaketu (one who had red rays)':

The waters, this (universe), were salilam (chaotic liquid) only.

Samudra manthan.[37] Prajapati
then encounters a tortoise (Kurma/Arunaketu) that existed even before he, the creator of the universe, came into being.

Taittiriya Pratisakhya

See also: Pratishakhyas

The Taittiriya Pratisakhya ('TP') is concerned with phonetics, i.e. the correct pronunciation of words.

Structure and Content

The 24 chapters of the Taittiriya Pratisakhya are as follows:[38]

  1. List of sounds
  2. Origin of sounds
  3. Shortening of vowels
  4. Pragraha or uncombinable words
  5. Sanhita or combination of words
  6. Conversions of s and visarjaniya into sh.
  7. Conversion of n into ṇ
  8. Changes of unaspirated surds
  9. Changes of h, ah, áh, n, ṉ, án, in, etc.
  10. Coalescence of vowels
  11. Elision of vowels
  12. Elision of vowels
  13. Elision of m
  14. Duplication
  15. Nasalization
  16. the use of n
  17. Various opinions about nasality
  18. Opinions about the aspiration of Om
  19. Emphasis and shaking
  20. Different kinds of circumflex letters
  21. Division of consonants in syllabication
  22. Formation of articulate sounds, tones, pitch, long and short syllables, etc.
  23. Articulation
  24. Various kinds of texts, and qualifications of Vedic teachers and readers

Manuscripts and translations

Samhita Brahmana Aranyaka Pratisakhya
Sanskrit archive.org archive.org: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3 archive.org archive.org
Sanskrit-English transliteration archive.org: Part 1 and Part 2
English archive.org: Kandas 1-3 and Kandas 4-7 (Keith);

sacred-texts.com: Full e-text (Keith)

Volume 1 and Volume 2

(Kashyap; partial translation; limited preview)

Volume 1 and Volume 2

(S. Jamadagni; partial translation; limited preview)

archive.org (W.D. Whitney)
archive.org: Taittiriya Upanishad (S.S. Sastri); Taittiriya Upanishad (A.M. Sasti)

Supplemental

References

  1. ^ "Sanskrit Dictionary for Spoken Sanskrit: 'Taittiriya'". spokensanskrit.org. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Sanskrit Dictionary for Spoken Sanskrit: 'shakha'". spokensanskrit.org. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  3. ^ Williams, Monier (1872). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary: 'Taittira'. p. 384.
  4. ^ a b Mani, Vettam (1975). Puranic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature. Robarts - University of Toronto. Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass. p. 782.
  5. ^ a b c "Sanskrit Dictionary: 'tittiri'". www.sanskritdictionary.com. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  6. ^ a b "The Vishnu Purana: Book III: Chapter V". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  7. ^ Wilson, H. H. (Horace Hayman) (1862). Works by the late Horace Hayman Wilson (Vol. 8), The Vishnu Purana Books III and IV. Princeton Theological Seminary Library. London : Trübner. pp. 54 (footnote 1).
  8. ^ Lakshman Sarup (1967). The Nighantu And The Nirukta. pp. 282 (archive.org reader numbering).
  9. ^
    ISBN 978-81-7201-940-2
    .
  10. ISBN 978-81-7022-375-7
    .
  11. ^ Āpastamba (1885). The Śrauta Sútra of Ápastamba, Belonging to the Taittiríya Samhití, with the ... University of California. The Asiatic society.
  12. ^ Baudhayana; Caland, Willem (1904). The Baudhyana srauta sutra, belonging to the Taittiriya samhita. Edited by W. Caland. Robarts - University of Toronto. Calcutta Asiatic Society.
  13. ^ a b c Dr. Narinder Sharma. History Of Vedic Literature Brahmana And Aranyaka Works S Shr. pp. 28–29, 191–200.
  14. ISBN 978-81-8475-763-7
    .
  15. ^ a b Winternitz, M. (1927). A History Of Indian Literature,vol.1. p. 192.
  16. ^ Keith, Athur Berriedale. The Veda of the Black Yajus School: The Taittiriya Samhita. pp. 2–17.
  17. ISBN 978-81-208-2068-5
    .
  18. ^ "Yajur Veda Kanda III". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  19. ^ "Yajur Veda Kanda IV". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  20. ^ Macdonell, Arthur Anthony (1897). ... Vedic mythology. Princeton Theological Seminary Library. Strassburg : Karl J. Trübner. pp. 41, 151.
  21. ISBN 978-81-269-0169-2
    .
  22. ^ "Yajur Veda Kanda VII". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  23. ^ "Yajur Veda Kanda VI". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  24. ISBN 978-81-7994-166-9
    .
  25. ^ "Taittiriya Brahmana". Vedic Heritage. Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.
  26. ^ Keith, Arthur Berridale (1925). The Religion And Philosophy Of The Veda And Upanishads (volume 1).
  27. ISBN 978-81-7994-166-9
    .
  28. ^ Mitra, Rajendralala (1862). The Taittiriya Brahmana Of Black Yajur Veda (volume 2). pp. 1–31 (Contents).
  29. ^ Mitra, Rajendralala (1890). The Taittiriya Brahmana Of The Black Yajur Veda (volume 3). pp. v–viii, 1–73 (Contents).
  30. ^ John Dowson (1903). Classical Dictionary Of Hindu Mythology And Religion Etc. pp. 20–21 ('Aranyaka').
  31. ^ a b Mitra, Rajendralala (1872). Taittiriya Aranyaka (Sanskrit); Biblotheca Indica. University of California. Baptist Mission Press. pp. 7 (Introduction), 1–55 (Contents).
  32. ISBN 978-0-89281-354-4
    .
  33. ^ "Satapatha Brahmana Part V (SBE44): Fourteenth Kânda: XIV, 1, 2. Second Brâhmana". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  34. ^ Journal Of The Indian Society Of Oriental Art Vol.13. 1945. p. 118.
  35. ^ "Mahā Nārāyaṇa Upanishad | Section I 34-53 | Red Zambala". Mahā Nārāyaṇa Upanishad | Section I 34-53 | Red Zambala. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  36. ^ Narayan Aiyangar (1901). Essays On Indo Aryan Mythology. p. 213.
  37. ^ "Rig Veda: Rig-Veda, Book 10: HYMN CXXXVI. Kesins". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  38. ^ Mitra, Rajendralala (1872). The Taittiriya Pratisakhya.
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