Sree:
Just a prelude on what we already know:
Veda is a single collection of all mantras. It consists of mantras which are of three types namely ŗk, the mantra of illumination in one of several metres, the sāman, a mantra with a metre which has to be sung according to the symbols indicated in the mantra and the remaining yajus mantra which is in rhythmic prose. When Veda is said to be threefold (trayi) the reference is to these three types. According to the tradition, Krişhņa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa compiled four collections of mantras with the names Rig Veda Mantra Samhitā (Rig Veda), Yajur Veda Mantra Samhitā (Yajur Veda), Sāma Veda Mantra Samhitā (Sama Veda) and the Atharva Veda Mantra Samhitā (Atharva Veda) from the original single collection
Now:
Yajur Veda Samhitā has two broad types of recensions called as Krişhņa (mixed) Yajur Veda (KYV) Samhitā and the Shukla (pure) Yajur Veda (SYV) Samhitā. We will clarify the words "mixed', and "pure' later. Taittirīya Samhitā is one of the recensions of the Krişhņa Yajur Veda Samhitā, along with Maitrāyaņī Samhitā, Kapişhţhala Samhitā and Kaţhaka Samhitā. The Shukla Yajur Veda Samhitā has two recensions namely Vājasaneyi Mādhyandina and Vājasaneyi Kāņva. There is heavy overlap between the KYV books like Taittirīya and SYV books like the Vājasaneyi.
In south india 90% and above brahmins belong to Krishna Yajur Veda. Some villages in Kaveri Belt (Thanjavoor) and Tambrabharani Belt (Thirunelveli, Kadayanallor) there are families who belong to Sukla Yajur Veda.
Perhaps many of us already know each Veda consist of three major portions Samhitha, Brahmana and Aranyaka. Samhitha portion is mainly of mantras and Brahmana details the mantras of Samhitha as prose, meaning it explains the Samhita portion. Aranyaka is the philosophical portion of the Veda.
One of the peculiarities of the Mantra Samhitā of Krişhņa Yajur Veda such as Taittirīya Samhitā or Maitrayāņī Samhitā is that some of the anuvākās contain brāhmaņa passages of plain prose. It is one of the reasons for these Veda Samhitā for being called kŗşhņa or mixed (i.e., mixed with brāhmaņa). The Shukla Yajur Veda Samhitā does not contain any brāhmaņa passage in Samhita.
There is a interesting legend attached to the above said separation of Yajur Veda into Krishna and Sukla Yajur Veda:
It is said that Rishi Vaisampayana taught Yajur Veda to Yagnavalkya and other disciples. Yagnavalkya was one of the very illustrious and bright students. It was a regular rite for the Rishi Vaisampayana to perform vedic ritual for the welfare of the country and for the King (I think the Janaka Maharaja) and after the ritual the mangala akshdhai (Holy auspicious rice added with turmeric) will be sent to the King’s palace as prasaadam and aseerwadham. One day when Yagnavalkya’s turn had come to bring the Mangala Akshadhai to King’s Palace. When Yagnavalkya reached the palace he found King was not at his Simhasana, since Yagnavalkya was impatient and didn’t want to miss the class J he just placed the Mangala Akshadhai on the Simhasana and came back to the Patasaala. The potent student power made the Akshadhai to get germinated and it got sprouted out. Seeing this wonder the great Maharaja rushed to the place of Rishi and conveyed the wonder. Though this was a wonder the Guru didn’t accepted the way Yagnavalkya behaved and dishonored the King by not giving the Mangala Akshadai to him personally. Hence he punished Yagnavalkya by ordering him to give away what all he had learnt from him. Obeying the order of his Guru Yagnavalkya vomited whatever he learnt. It is said that he vomited what he had learnt as fire (Agni) and the fire was swallowed by other disciples in the form of Tittri Bird (This bird is said to be fed on Fire) and from then a new recension called Tattriya Saaka of Yajur Veda came from them. Later Yagnavalkya made severe penance and thapas towards the Sun god and he again learnt Yajur Veda from the Sun and that was named as Sukla Yajur Veda.
This story need not give us any disgust at all if we understand it properly. Annoyed at the lesser students of the class room, the teacher asked Yagnavalkya to repeat the lesson that he had taught, and the genius in Yagnavalkya ‘vomited’ what was taught to him. When a student has absorbed knowledge and when he gives it out, it becomes more palatable to the other students of the class room, who could not so efficiently understand it directly from the teacher’s learned discourses. Seeing that the delivery of Yagnavalkya was masterly, the teacher in appreciation asked the other students of the class to absorb it in the form of the “sparrows” which they did.
Of all the birds, sparrows are most energetic and industrious; the two great qualities that are unavoidable for any diligent student f Vedantic literature are indicated here.
I remember other explanations are also available for this Legend.
Hope what i said above would give you some idea about Sukla Yajur Veda.
If what said about need to be further explained or any other details you would be seeking I would be more than happy to share.
RV
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