Yajnavalkya and the Origin of the Taittiriya and Vajasaneyi Yajurveda

Verse 1 (vishnu.3.5.1)

पराशर उवाच । यजुर्वेदतरोः शाखाः सप्तविंशन्महामतिः । वैशम्पायननामासौ व्यासशिष्यश्चकार वै

parāśara uvāca yajurvedataroḥ śākhāḥ saptaviṁśanmahāmatiḥ vaiśampāyananāmāsau vyāsaśiṣyaścakāra vai

Parashara said: The highly intelligent disciple of Vyasa, named Vaishampayana, made twenty-seven branches of the tree of the Yajurveda.

Verse 2 (vishnu.3.5.2)

शिष्येभ्यः प्रददौ ताश्च जगृहुस्तेऽप्यनुक्रमात् । याज्ञवल्क्यस्तु तत्राभूद् ब्रह्मरातसुतो द्विजः

śiṣyebhyaḥ pradadau tāśca jagṛhuste'pyanukramāt yājñavalkyastu tatrābhūd brahmarātasuto dvijaḥ

He gave those branches to his disciples, and they in turn received them in due succession. Among them was Yajnavalkya, a Brahmin, son of Brahmarata,

Verse 3 (vishnu.3.5.3)

शिष्यः परधर्मज्ञो गुरुवृत्तिपरः सदा । ऋषिर्योऽद्य महामेरौः समाजे नागमिष्यति

śiṣyaḥ paradharmajño guruvṛttiparaḥ sadā ṛṣiryo'dya mahāmerauḥ samāje nāgamiṣyati

a disciple ever devoted to service of his guru, and skilled even in the duties owed to others. It had been ordained that whatever sage did not come today to the assembly at Mahameru,

Verse 4 (vishnu.3.5.4)

तस्य वै सप्तरात्रात्तु ब्रह्महत्या भविष्यति । पूर्वमेवं मुनिगणैः समयोऽभूत् कृतो द्विज

tasya vai saptarātrāttu brahmahatyā bhaviṣyati pūrvamevaṁ munigaṇaiḥ samayo'bhūt kṛto dvija

upon him, within seven nights, would fall the sin of killing a Brahmin -- such was the compact made beforehand, O Brahmin, by the assembly of sages.

Verse 5 (vishnu.3.5.5)

वैशम्पायन एकस्तु तं व्यतिक्रान्तवांस्तदा । स्वस्त्रीयं बालकं सोऽथ पदास्पृष्टमघातयत्

vaiśampāyana ekastu taṁ vyatikrāntavāṁstadā svastrīyaṁ bālakaṁ so'tha padāspṛṣṭamaghātayat

Vaishampayana alone transgressed that rule at that time -- he unwittingly killed a boy, his own sister's son, by the mere touch of his foot.

Verse 6 (vishnu.3.5.6)

शिष्यानाह स भोः शिष्य! ब्रह्महत्यापहं ब्रतम् । चरध्व मत्कृते सर्वे न विचार्यमिदं तथा

śiṣyānāha sa bhoḥ śiṣya! brahmahatyāpahaṁ bratam caradhva matkṛte sarve na vicāryamidaṁ tathā

He said to his disciples: 'O disciples, all of you undertake, on my behalf, the vow that removes the sin of killing a Brahmin; let there be no debate about this.'

Verse 7 (vishnu.3.5.7)

अथाह याज्ञबल्क्यस्तु किमेभिर्भगवन् ! द्विजैः । क्लेशितैरल्पतेजोभिश्वरिष्येऽहमिदं व्रतम्

athāha yājñabalkyastu kimebhirbhagavan ! dvijaiḥ kleśitairalpatejobhiśvariṣye'hamidaṁ vratam

Then Yajnavalkya said: 'O venerable one, what use are these afflicted, feeble Brahmins? I myself alone will perform this vow.'

Verse 8 (vishnu.3.5.8)

ततः क्रु द्धो गुरुः प्राह याज्ञवल्क्यं महामतिः । मुच्यतां यत् त्वयाधात मत्तो विप्रावमानक

tataḥ kru ddho guruḥ prāha yājñavalkyaṁ mahāmatiḥ mucyatāṁ yat tvayādhāta matto viprāvamānaka

Then the wrathful, highly intelligent guru said to Yajnavalkya: 'O insulter of Brahmins, give back whatever you have learned from me.

Verse 9 (vishnu.3.5.9)

निस्तेजसो वदस्येनान् यस्त्वं ब्राह्मणपुङ्गवान् । तेन शिष्येण नार्थोऽस्ति ममाज्ञाभङ्गकारिणा

nistejaso vadasyenān yastvaṁ brāhmaṇapuṅgavān tena śiṣyeṇa nārtho'sti mamājñābhaṅgakāriṇā

You who call these excellent Brahmins powerless -- I have no need of such a disciple, one who defies my command.'

Verse 10 (vishnu.3.5.10)

याज्ञवल्क्यस्ततः प्राह भक्त्यैतत्ते मयोदितम् । ममाप्यलं त्वयाधीतं यन्मया तदिदं द्विज

yājñavalkyastataḥ prāha bhaktyaitatte mayoditam mamāpyalaṁ tvayādhītaṁ yanmayā tadidaṁ dvija

Yajnavalkya then said: 'This I said to you only out of devotion. O Brahmin, enough now of what I have learned from you -- here, take it back.'

Verse 11 (vishnu.3.5.11)

इत्युक्तो रुधिराक्तानि सरूपाणि यजूंषि सः । छर्दयित्वा ददौ तस्मै ययौ स स्वेच्छया मुनिः

ityukto rudhirāktāni sarūpāṇi yajūṁṣi saḥ chardayitvā dadau tasmai yayau sa svecchayā muniḥ

Having said this, he vomited up those blood-stained, embodied Yajus verses and gave them to his guru, and that sage then departed of his own will.

Verse 12 (vishnu.3.5.12)

यजूंष्यथ विसृष्टानि याज्ञवल्क्येन वै द्विज । जगृहुस्तित्तिरा भूत्वा तैत्तिरीयास्तु ते ततः

yajūṁṣyatha visṛṣṭāni yājñavalkyena vai dvija jagṛhustittirā bhūtvā taittirīyāstu te tataḥ

O Brahmin, those Yajus verses cast off by Yajnavalkya were taken up by his fellow disciples, who became partridges (tittiri) to gather them -- and from that they became known as the Taittiriyas.

Verse 13 (vishnu.3.5.13)

ब्रह्महत्याव्रतं चीर्णं गुरुणा चोदितैस्तु यैः । चरकाध्वर्यवस्ते तु चरणान्मुनिसत्तम

brahmahatyāvrataṁ cīrṇaṁ guruṇā coditaistu yaiḥ carakādhvaryavaste tu caraṇānmunisattama

Those disciples who, urged on by their guru, performed the vow removing the sin of killing a Brahmin, O best of sages, became known, from that observance (carana), as the Charaka-Adhvaryus.

Verse 14 (vishnu.3.5.14)

याज्ञवल्क्योऽपि मैत्रेय! प्राणायामपरायणः । तुष्टाव प्रयतः सूर्यं यजूष्यबिलषंस्ततः

yājñavalkyo'pi maitreya! prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇaḥ tuṣṭāva prayataḥ sūryaṁ yajūṣyabilaṣaṁstataḥ

Yajnavalkya too, O Maitreya, devoting himself to breath-control, then, desiring the Yajus verses, humbly praised the Sun.

Verse 15 (vishnu.3.5.15)

नमः सवित्रे द्वाराय विमुक्तेः सिततेजसे । ऋगूयजुः सामभूताय त्रयीधामवते नमः

namaḥ savitre dvārāya vimukteḥ sitatejase ṛgūyajuḥ sāmabhūtāya trayīdhāmavate namaḥ

Salutation to Savita, the gateway of liberation, of boundless radiance; salutation to him who is the very form of Rig, Yajus, and Sama, the abode of the sacred triad.

Verse 16 (vishnu.3.5.16)

नमोऽग्नीषोमभूताय जगतः कारणात्मने । भास्कराय परं तेजः सौषुम्नमुरु बिभ्रते

namo'gnīṣomabhūtāya jagataḥ kāraṇātmane bhāskarāya paraṁ tejaḥ sauṣumnamuru bibhrate

Salutation to him who is Agni and Soma combined, the very cause of the universe; to Bhaskara, who bears the vast, supreme radiance called Sushumna.

Verse 17 (vishnu.3.5.17)

कलाकाष्ठानिमेषादिकालज्ञानात्मने नमः । ध्येयाय विष्णुरूपाय परमाक्षररूपिणे

kalākāṣṭhānimeṣādikālajñānātmane namaḥ dhyeyāya viṣṇurūpāya paramākṣararūpiṇe

Salutation to him who is the very knowledge of time -- of the kala, kashtha, nimesha, and other divisions; to him worthy of meditation, of the form of Vishnu, of the supreme, imperishable nature.

Verse 18 (vishnu.3.5.18)

बिभर्त्ति यः सुरगणानाप्याय्येन्दु खरश्मिभिः । स्वधामृतेन च पितॄस्तस्मै तृप्तात्मने नमः

bibhartti yaḥ suragaṇānāpyāyyendu kharaśmibhiḥ svadhāmṛtena ca pitṝstasmai tṛptātmane namaḥ

Who, by satiating the moon with his own rays, sustains the host of gods, and with the nectar of svadha sustains the ancestors -- to him, ever-satisfied in himself, salutation.

Verse 19 (vishnu.3.5.19)

हिमाम्बुघर्मवृष्टीनां कर्ता हर्ता च यः प्रभुः । तस्मै त्रिकालरूपाय नमः सूर्य्याय वेधसे

himāmbugharmavṛṣṭīnāṁ kartā hartā ca yaḥ prabhuḥ tasmai trikālarūpāya namaḥ sūryyāya vedhase

To that Lord who is the maker and the destroyer of snow, water, heat, and rain -- to that Sun of threefold form, the ordainer, salutation.

Verse 20 (vishnu.3.5.20)

यो हन्ति तिमिराण्येको जगतोऽस्य जगत्पतिः । सत्त्वधामधरो देवो नमस्तस्मै विवस्वते

yo hanti timirāṇyeko jagato'sya jagatpatiḥ sattvadhāmadharo devo namastasmai vivasvate

Who alone destroys the darkness of this world, who is the lord of the world, that god bearing the radiance of sattva -- to Vivasvat, salutation.

Verse 21 (vishnu.3.5.21)

सत्कर्मयोग्यो न जनो नैवापः सौचकारणम् । यस्मिन्ननुदिते तस्मै नमो देवाय वेधसे

satkarmayogyo na jano naivāpaḥ saucakāraṇam yasminnanudite tasmai namo devāya vedhase

Without whose rising neither is man fit for righteous action, nor does water become a means of purification -- to that ordaining god, salutation.

Verse 22 (vishnu.3.5.22)

स्पृष्टो यदंशुबिर्लोकः क्रियायोग्योऽभिजायते । पवित्रताकारणाय तस्मै शुद्धात्मने नमः

spṛṣṭo yadaṁśubirlokaḥ kriyāyogyo'bhijāyate pavitratākāraṇāya tasmai śuddhātmane namaḥ

Touched by whose rays the world becomes fit for [ritual] action -- to him, the very cause of purity, of purified self, salutation.

Verse 23 (vishnu.3.5.23)

नमः सवित्रे सूर्याय भास्कराय विवस्वते । आदित्यायादिभूताय देवादीनां नमो नमः

namaḥ savitre sūryāya bhāskarāya vivasvate ādityāyādibhūtāya devādīnāṁ namo namaḥ

Salutation to Savita, Surya, Bhaskara, Vivasvat; salutation again and again to Aditya, the primal source of all, the first among the gods.

Verse 24 (vishnu.3.5.24)

हिरण्मयं रथं यस्य केतवोऽमृतधायिनः । वहन्ति भुवनालोकचक्षुषं तं नमाम्यहम्

hiraṇmayaṁ rathaṁ yasya ketavo'mṛtadhāyinaḥ vahanti bhuvanālokacakṣuṣaṁ taṁ namāmyaham

Whose golden chariot, with its nectar-bearing banners, is drawn onward, and who is the very eye by which all the worlds are seen -- to him I offer salutation.

Verse 25 (vishnu.3.5.25)

इत्येवमादिभिस्तेन स्तूयमानः स्तवै रविः । वाजिरूपधरः प्राह व्रियतामिति वाच्छितम्

ityevamādibhistena stūyamānaḥ stavai raviḥ vājirūpadharaḥ prāha vriyatāmiti vācchitam

Thus praised with these and other hymns, the Sun, taking the form of a horse, said: 'Ask for whatever boon you desire.'

Verse 26 (vishnu.3.5.26)

याज्ञवल्कयस्तदा प्राह प्रणिपत्य दिवाकरम् । यजूषि तानि मे देहि यानि सन्ति न मे गुरौ

yājñavalkayastadā prāha praṇipatya divākaram yajūṣi tāni me dehi yāni santi na me gurau

Yajnavalkya then, bowing to the Sun, said: 'Give me those Yajus verses which are not with my guru.'

Verse 27 (vishnu.3.5.27)

एवमुक्तो ददौ तस्मै यजूषि भगवान् रविः । अयातयामसंज्ञानि यानि वेत्ति न तदगुरुः

evamukto dadau tasmai yajūṣi bhagavān raviḥ ayātayāmasaṁjñāni yāni vetti na tadaguruḥ

Thus addressed, the illustrious Sun gave him those Yajus verses called Ayatayama (ever-fresh, undecaying), which even his former guru did not know.

Verse 28 (vishnu.3.5.28)

यजूषि यैरधीतानि तानि विप्रैर्द्विजोत्तम । वाजिनस्ते समाख्याताः सूर्याश्वः सोऽभवद यतः

yajūṣi yairadhītāni tāni viprairdvijottama vājinaste samākhyātāḥ sūryāśvaḥ so'bhavada yataḥ

O best of Brahmins, those Brahmins who studied those Yajus verses came to be called Vajins ('of the horse'), since it was the Sun himself who had become a horse.

Verse 29 (vishnu.3.5.29)

शाखाभेदास्तु तेषां वै दश पञ्च च वाजिनाम् । काण्वाद्यास्तु महाभाग! याज्ञवल्क्या-प्रवर्तिताः

śākhābhedāstu teṣāṁ vai daśa pañca ca vājinām kāṇvādyāstu mahābhāga! yājñavalkyā-pravartitāḥ

Of these Vajins, the branches came to fifteen in number, O fortunate one -- the Kanva and the rest, set forth by Yajnavalkya.