The Taittirëya Shakha (Sanskrit, loosely meaning 'Branch or School of the sage Tittiri'), is a shakha (i.e. 'branch', 'school', or rescension) of the Krishna (black) Yajurveda. The Taittiriyas are themselves divided into numerous sub-schools. Among these, the followers of Baudhayana and Apastamba were found all over South India (including Maharashtra), while the Hiranyakeshins were found mainly in Konkan and Western Maharashtra. The Vaikhanasas have a more eastern presence- around Tirupati and Chennai. The Vadhulas are present currently in Kerala and earlier in adjacent parts of Tamil Nadu. The Agniveshyas, a subdivision of the Vadhula immigrants from Malabar, are found around Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. The Apastamba, Hiranyakeshin, Vaikhanasa and Baudhayana schools have survived with all their texts intact, it consists of the Taittirëya Samhita ('TS'), Taittirëya Brahmana ('TB'), Taittirëya Aranyaka ('TA'), and Taittirëya Pratisakhya ('TP').
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'.
According to Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Taittiri was a pupil of Yaska (estimated 4th-5th century BCE). According to the Vishnu Purana, Yaska was in turn a pupil of Vaià Âaá¹ÂpÃÂyana (estimated 6th century BCE). Taittiri is also stated in the Mahabharata to have attended 'the Yajña conducted by Uparicaravasu'.
<nowiki/>'Tittiri' also means 'partridge'. This meaning is worked into the account of the stated origin of the School of Tittri in the Vishnu Purana (Book 3, Chapter 5). Following a division between Brahmins at Mount Meru - including Vaià Âampáyana (whose pupil, Tittiri, is attributed to the Krishna (black) Yajurveda) and Yajnavalkya (attributed to the Shukla (White) Yajurveda) â 'The other scholars of Vaià Âampáyana, transforming themselves to partridges (Tittiri), picked up the texts which he [Yájnawalkya] had disgorged, and which from that circumstance were called TaittirÃÂya'. This indicates both Yaska and Taittiri were pupils of Vaià Âampáyana.
The translator, H.H. Wilson, states in his commentary to this chapter that 'the term TaittirÃÂya is more rationally accounted for in the Anukramaà Âàor index of the black Yajush [Krishna YajurVeda]. It is there said that Vaià Âampáyana taught it to Yaska, who taught it to Tittiri, who also became a teacher; whence the term TaittirÃÂya, for a grammatical rule explains it to mean, 'The TaittirÃÂyas are those who read what was said or repeated by Tittiri'.'
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).
The Taittiriya school of the Krishna (black) Yajurveda produced several types of texts constituting Sruti Vedic literature (of the YajurVeda). These are the:
According to B.R. Modak, the scholar Sayana (died 1387 CE), notable for his commentaries on Vedic literature including the Taittirëya texts, was a member of the Taittiriya Shakha. According to G.R. Garg, Apastamba, notable for his Shrautasutras, was also a member.
The 'à Ârauta Sútras' (or Shrautasutras) of Apastamba (450âÂÂ350 BCE), Bodhayana (500âÂÂ200 BCE), and Vaikhanasa.(300âÂÂ100 BCE) are theological texts concerned with procedures and ceremonies of Vedic ritual practice. All are attached to the Taittiriya Samhita.
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 Taittirëya texts (and others). According to N. Sharva, the Taittirëya BrÃÂhmaá¹Âa was also commented upon by Bhava SwÃÂmë (circa 700 CE or earlier); Kauà Âika Bhaá¹Âá¹Âa BhÃÂskara Mià Âra (preceding and referred to by Sayana in the Nirukta and by DevarÃÂja Yajvàin the Nighantu); and RÃÂmÃÂná¸Âara / RÃÂmÃÂgnichitta.
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 Kaá¹Âhas), and Maitrayani (Kalapa), with four closely related recensions, known as the Kathaka Samhita, the Kapishthala-Katha Samhita, Maitrayani Samhita, and the Taittiriya Samhita'.
The Taittiriya Samhita ('TS') consists of seven kandas (or 'books') of hymns, mantras, prayers, and three Anukramanis (indexes). In translations such as that by A.B. Keith, this Samhita is presented as the Krishna (black) Yajurveda. M. Winternitz adds that the Samhita also includes Brahmana passages (i.e. instructions and explanations of sacrificial ceremonies). The chapters (prapÃÂá¹Âhakas) for each of the books (kandas) of the Taittiriya Samhita are as follows:
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'.
Reference to the Naká¹£hatra Sà «ktam (star positions relating to new and full moon ceremonies), occurs in kÃÂá¹Âá¸Âa (book) 3, prapÃÂá¹Âhaka (chapter) 5, anuvÃÂkaḥ (section) 1 (3.5.1).
The Shri Rudram Chamakam and Namah Shivaya, homages to Rudra / Shiva (the supreme deity in Shaivism), occur in kÃÂá¹Âá¸Âa (book) 4, prapÃÂá¹Âhakas (chapters) 5 and 7 (4.5 and 4.7).
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:
Another extract attributed to the early development of the Varaha avatar by Macdonell is:
The Taittirëya BrÃÂhmaà Âa ('TB') is considered by academics to be an appendix or extension of the Taittirëya Samhita. The first two books (ashá¹Âakas) 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, 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 in the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Telangana.
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'.
Based on information provided by Kashyap and R. Mitra, the chapters (prapÃÂá¹Âhakas) for each of the books (ashá¹Âakas or sometimes referred to as kandas) are as follows:
The Taittiriya Aranyaka ('TA') is primarily a theological text consisting of ten chapters (prapÃÂá¹Âhakas). J. Dowson states that 'Aranyaka' means 'belonging to the forest' as this type of text is intended to 'expound the mystical sense of the [<nowiki/>sacrificial] ceremonies, discuss the nature of God [etc.]. They are attached to the Brahmanas, and [are] intended for study in the forest by people who have retired from the distractions of the world'. As illustrated below, the Taittiriya Aranyaka contains a Brahmana text of its own, the Pravargya Brahmana, as well as two Upanishads, the Taittiriya Upanishad (a Muktika or primary Upanishad) and the Mahanarayana Upanishad (a minor Vaishnava Upanishad).
R. Mitra states that the Taittiriya Aranyaka is 'by far the largest of the Aranyakas. It extends altogether to ten prapÃÂá¹Âhakas or 'Great Lessons', i.e. books or chapters, of which the last four are Upanishads, and the first six, are Aranyaka strictly so-called'. The 10 chapters (prapÃÂá¹Âhakas) of the Taittiriya Aranyaka, including numbers of anuvakas (sections) for each, are as follows:
The Mahanarayana Upanishad is classified as a 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.
A. Daniélou states that a hundred-armed black boar lifts the earth out of the waters in the Taittiriya Aranyaka (TA 10.1.8). J. Eggeling in note 451:1 to the Shatapatha Brahmana (relating to the Shukla or White Yajurveda) incorrectly states it was 'a black boar with a thousand arms'. The Journal Of The Indian Society Of Oriental Art (volume 13) states 'in the âÂÂTaittiriya AranyakaâÂÂ, the earth is said to have been raised by a black boar with a hundred arms (âÂÂvarahena krsnena satabahuna uddhrtaâÂÂ). 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'. This legend is also contained in the Mahanarayana Upanishad (prapÃÂá¹Âhaka 10 of the Taittiriya Aranyaka):
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.
N. Aiyangar states that the following verse from the Taittiriya Aranyaka (prapÃÂá¹Âhaka 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 VÃÂtaraà ÂanÃÂḥ Rishis (or Munis) created are also mentioned in RigVeda 10.136, where Shiva drank water/poison, linking to the legend of Kurma and the churning of the Ocean of Milk, referred to as the Samudra manthan. Prajapati then encounters a tortoise (Kurma/Arunaketu) that existed even before he, the creator of the universe, came into being.
The Taittiriya Pratisakhya ('TP') is concerned with phonetics, i.e. the correct pronunciation of words.
The 24 chapters of the Taittiriya Pratisakhya are as follows: