Krishna Yajur Veda

Each of the recensions has or had a Brahmana associated with it, and most of them also have associated
Shrautasutras, Grhyasutras, Aranyakas, Upanishads and Pratishakhyas.
The Taittiriya recension of the Black Yajurveda is the shakha now most prevalent in southern India.
Krishna Yajur Veda’s four parts: Taittiriya Samhita, Maitrayani Samhita, Caraka Katha Samhita and Kapisthala
Katha Samhita are associated with a Brahmana that explains about Panchala, area of Kurukshetra and the parts of
southern Punjab respectively.
The Taittiriya Samhita or Taittiriya Shakha is considered as to be the best known and best preserved portions of
Yajur Veda.
Content of Yajur Veda
Yajnas
The Vedas describe 400 Yajnas.
A (late) subset of them are the Pancha Mahayajnas - Five Great Yajnas, as given in Taittiriya Aranyaka 2.10).
These are:
• Devayajña consists of offering āhutis to devas
• Pitṛyajña consists of offering libations to ancestors or pitṛs
• Bhūtayajña consists of offering bali or food to certain spirits
• Manuṣyayajña consists of feeding guests
• Brahmayajña consists of daily repetition of reciting the Vedas.
Of the 400, 21 are theoretically compulsory for the Twice-Born (Dvijas: Brahmin, Ksatriya and Vaisya). They are
also called nityakarmas. The rest of the yagyas are optional, which are performed kamyakarma (for particular
wishes and benefits).
Out of the 21 nityakarmas, only the Agnihotra and the Aupasana are to be performed twice daily, at dawn and dusk.
The remaining ones are done over the course of the year. The more complicated the yagya, the less frequently it is
performed. The most complex ones need to be performed only once in a lifetime.
• The first seven yagyas are called pākayagyas "cooked sacrifice", These are
• Ashtaka
• Parvana Stalipaka
• Masika Shraaddha
• Shravani
• Aagrhayani
• Chaitree
• Aashvayuji
• the second seven haviryagyas "oblation or burnt offering", are
• Agni Aadheyam
• Agnihotram
• Darshapoornamasam
• Aagrhayanam
• Chaturmasyam
• Nirudha Pashu Bandham