Pre-Religion Indian Wisdom Part II

This is Part II of a five parts series on Pre-Religion Indian Wisdom introducing Vedas and major Upanishads 🙏 Today we cover the basics of Yajur Veda. M G Warrier Sri Mookambika Yatra https://youtu.be/iePZIZh6e9w Pre-Religion Indian Wisdom Part II YAJUR VEDA A Yajur Veda : Introduction https://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/yajurveda/ Excerpts : The Yajurveda is more pronouncedly a ritual Veda for it is essentially a guide-book for the Adhvaryu priest who had to do practically all ritualistic works in a sacrifice. His works vary from the selection of a plot of land for the sacrificial altar down to offering oblations to the sacred fires. Just as the Samaveda-Samhita is the song-book of the Udgata priest, so the Yajurveda-Samhitas are the prayer-books for the Adhvaryu priest. It is solely meant for the purposes of sacrificial rituals. The Yajurveda is also important for its presentation of philosophical doctrines. It preaches the concept of Prana and Manas also. Many times, it is quoted for depicting religious and social life of the Vedic people. It is also known for giving certain geographical data. B Understanding Yajurveda : Speaking Tree https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/yajurveda-says-not-to-worship-the-things-which-are-part-of-the-falsehood Excerpts : Yajurved says, not to worship the things which are part of the falsehood. Translation 1. They enter darkness, those who worship natural things (for example air, water, sun, moon, animals, fire, stone, etc). They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example table, chair, idol etc.) ~(Yajurved 40:9) Translation 2. "Deep into shade of blinding gloom fall asambhuti's worshippers. They sink to darkness deeper yet who on sambhuti are intent."~ (Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Giffith pg 538) Translation 3. "They are enveloped in darkness, in other words, are steeped in ignorance and sunk in the greatest depths of misery who worship the uncreated, eternal prakrti -- the material cause of the world -- in place of the All-pervading God, But those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time." (Yajur Veda 40:9.) So, Yajur Veda indicates that:~ They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example table, chair, idol etc (Yajurved 40:9) Those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time." (Yajur Veda 40:9.) C Know More : https://www.encyclopedia.com/philosophy-and-religion/eastern-religions/hinduism/yajur-veda Excerpts : The great system of sacrifices at the heart of Vedic religion depended upon invocations of deities and ritual prescriptions of the Yajur Veda, literally "knowledge of the yajus (sacrificial formulas)," and the melodies of the Samur Veda, literally "knowledge of the saman (chant)." Together with the Rig Veda, they form a "triple Veda," following a traditional predilection for triads. A fourth Saṃhitā, the Atharva Veda, was added as an important ancient compendium of hymns regarding popular religious practices not directly related to the sacrificial calendar. Four major priests were assigned to these four Vedas, the hota, adhvaryu, udgata, and brahman, for the Rig, Yajur, Samur, and Atharva Vedas, respectively. Each has essential ritual roles, but it is the adhvaryu, reciting from the Yajur Veda, who functions as executive priest, assigning sacrificial duties and mantras to the yajamana (sacrificer-patron) and other priests. In great shrauta sacrifices, including paradigmatic soma and animal offerings, the adhvaryu may direct sixteen or seventeen priests in an arena outside the sacrificer's home. Or the adhvaryu may direct sixteen or seventeen priests in an arena outside the sacrificer's home. Or the adhvaryu may direct actions inside the home in new- and full-moon-day sacrifices, with the yajamana alone or with one to three other priests in the grihya (domestic) schedule patterned after that of the shrauta. In either case, portions of the Yajur Veda are incorporated into ritual handbooks for procedures.