A shakha (Sanskrit śākhā, "branch" or "limb"), is a Hindu theological school that specializes in learning certain Vedic texts, or else the traditional texts followed by such a school.[1][2] An individual follower of a particular school or recension is called a śākhin.[3] - the term is also used in Hindu philosophy to refer to an adherent of a particular orthodox system.[4]
A related term caraṇa, ("conduct of life" or "behavior") is also used to refer to such a Vedic school[5]: "although the words caraṇa and śākhā are sometimes used synonymously, yet caraṇa properly applies to the sect or collection of persons united in one school, and śākhā to the traditional text followed, as in the phrase śākhām adhite, ("he recites a particular version of the Veda")".[6] The schools have different points of view, described as "difference of (Vedic) school" (śākhābhedaḥ). Each school would learn a specific Vedic Saṃhita (one of the "four Vedas" properly so-called), as well as its associated Brahmana, Aranyakas, Shrautasutras, Grhyasutras and Upanishads.[7] [8]
In traditional Hindu society affiliation with a specific school is an important aspect of class identity. By the end of the Rig Vedic period the term Brāhmaṇa had come to be applied to all members of the priestly class, but there were subdivisions within this order based both on caste and on the shakha (branch) with which they were affiliated.[9] A Brāhmaṇa who changed school would be called "a traitor to his śākhā" (śākhāraṇḍaḥ).[10]
Contents |
Summary of schools
The traditional source of information on the shakhas of each Veda is the Caraṇa-vyūha, of which two, mostly similar, versions exist: the 49th pariśiṣṭa of the Atharvaveda, ascribed to Shaunaka, and the 5th pariśiṣṭa of the Śukla (White) Yajurveda, ascribed to Kātyāyana. These have lists of the numbers of recensions that were believed to have once existed as well as those still extant at the time the works were compiled. Only a small number of recensions have survived.[11]
The schools are enumerated below, categorised according to the Veda each expounds.
Rig Veda
Śaunaka's Caraṇa-vyuha lists five shakhas for the Rig Veda, the Śākala, Bāṣkala, Aśvalāyana, Śaṅkhāyana, and Māṇḍukāyana -- of which only one, the Śākala, is now extant.
The Rigveda is known in the Shakala-shakha only (with surviving Bashkala fragments), The Bashkala recension of the Rigveda has the Khilani which are not present in the Shakala text.
The Shakala has the Aitareya-Brahmana, The Bashkala has the Kausitaki-Brahmana.
| Shakha | Samhita | Brahmana | Aranyaka | Upanishad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shakala | Oral and Printed | Printed (=Aitareya Brahmana) and Oral (?) | Printed (Aitareya Aranyaka) and Oral (?) | Printed (Aitareya Upanishad) and Oral (?) |
| Ashvalayana | Manuscript exists, with accents and Padapatha. | Same as Shakala | Same as Shakala | Same as Shakala |
| Kaushitaki | - | Printed (=Kaushitaki Brahmana) and Oral | Manuscript exists | Printed (=Kaushitaki Upanishad) |
| Bashkala | Manuscript exists with accents and Padapatha. | Same as Kaushitaki | Same as Kaushitaki | Same as Kaushitaki |
| Shankhayana | Manuscript exists with accents and Padapatha. | Printed (=Shankhayana Brahmana) | Printed (=Shankhyana Aranyaka) | Printed as a part of the Aranyaka |
| Paingi | - | Manuscript might exist | ‘Rahashya Brahmana’ lost. | - |
Yajur Veda
Śaunaka's Caraṇa-vyuha lists forty-two or forty-four out of eighty-six shakhas for the Yajur Veda, but that only five of these are now extant, with a sixth partially extant. For the Yajur Veda the five (partially in six) shakhas are the (Vajasaneyi Madhandina, Kanva; Taittiriya, Maitrayani, Caraka-Katha, Kapisthala-Katha).
The Yajurvedin shakhas are divided in "White" and "Black" schools. The White recensions have separate Brahmanas, while the Black ones have their Brahmanas interspersed between the Mantras.
- White Yajurveda: vājasaneyi madhyandina (VSM), vājasaneyi kānva (VSK): Shatapatha Brahmana (ShBM, ShBK)
- Black Yajurveda: taittirīya saṃhita (TS) with an additional Brahmana, Taittiriya Brahmana (TB), maitrayani saṃhita (MS), caraka-katha saṃhita (KS), kapiṣṭhala-katha saṃhita (KapS).
White
| Shakha | Samhita | Brahmana | Aranyaka | Upanishad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madhyandina (VSM) | Oral and Printed | Madhyandina Shatapatha (SBM) | Oral and Printed (=Shatapatha XIV.1-8) with accents | Brihadaranyaka Upanishad = SBM XIV. 3-8) with accents. |
| Kanva (VSK) | Oral and Printed | Kanva Shatapatha (SBK) | Oral and Printed (Book XVII of SBK) | Brihadaranyaka Upanishad |
Black
| Shakha | Samhita | Brahmana | Aranyaka | Upanishad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katyayana | Manuscript (?)[citation needed] | Manuscript (only first 6 books, rest lost)[citation needed] | - | - |
| Taittiriya | TS | Taittiriya Brahmana (TB) and Vadhula Br. (part of Vadhula Srautrasutra) | Taittiriya Aranyaka (TA) | Taittiriya Upanishad (TU) |
| Maitrayani | MS | - | Maitrayani Aranyaka | virtually same as Aranyaka |
| Caraka-Katha | KS. Accents survive only on 1/3 on the text.[citation needed] | Fragments printed and in manuscript)[citation needed] | Katha Aranyaka (almost the entire text from a solitary manuscript) | Kathaka Upanishad, Katha-Shiksha Upanishad[12] |
| Kapishthala | KapS (fragmentary manuscript, unaccented)[citation needed] | Small fragment extant in manuscript[citation needed] | - | - |
Sama Veda
Śaunaka's Caraṇa-vyuha lists twelve shakhas for the Sama Veda out of a thousand that are said to have once existed, but that of these only one or perhaps two are still extant. The two Samaveda recensions are the Jaiminiya and Kauthuma.
The Kauthuma shakha has the PB, SadvB, the Jaiminiya shakha has the Jaiminiya Brahmana.
| Shakha | Samhita | Brahmana | Aranyaka | Upanishad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kauthuma | Samhita and Samans printed/recorded | Printed (8 Brahmanas in all). Accents lost long back. | None. The Samhita itself has the ‘Aranyaka’. | The famous Chhandogya Upanishad with numerous commentaries |
| Ranayaniya | Manuscripts of Samhita exist. Samans recorded but not printed | Same as Kauthuma with minor differences. | None. The Samhita itself has the ‘Aranyaka’. | Same as Kauthuma. |
| Jaiminiya/Talavakara | Samhita published. Two distinct styles of Saman recitation, partially recorded and published. | Brahmana published (without accents) – Jaiminiya Brahmana, Arsheya Brahmana | Tamil Nadu version of Talavakara Aranyaka (=Jaiminiya Up. Brahmana) published | Kena Upanishad |
| Shatyayana | (traditions might be similar to Jaminiya SV) | Manuscript (?) | - | - |
Atharva Veda
Only one shakha of an original nine is now extant for the Atharvaveda.
The Shaunaka is the only shakha of the Atharvaveda for which both printed texts and an active oral tradition are known to still exist.
For the Atharvaveda, both the Shaunakiya and the Paippalada traditions contain textual corruption, and the original text of the Atharvaveda may only be approximated from comparison between the two.
| Shakha | Samhita | Brahmana | Aranyaka | Upanishad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paippalada | Two versions: Kashmirian (published) and Orissan (partly published, in manuscript, unaccented) | Lost | - | Prashna Upanishad, Sharabha Upanishad etc. – all published. |
| Shaunaka | Printed and Oral traditions alive | Fragmentary Gopatha Brahmana (extant and published). No accents. | - | Mundaka Upanishad (?) published. |
The Paippalada tradition was discontinued, and its text is known only from manuscripts collected since the 19th century. No Brahmana is known for the Shaunaka shakha. The Paippalada is possibly associated with the Gopatha Brahmana.
Notes
- ^ V. S. Apte. A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary, p. 913, left column.
- ^ Monier-Williams, A Sanskit-English Dictionary, p. 1062, right column.
- ^ V. S. Apte. A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary, p. 913, left column
- ^ E.g., Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli; and Moore, Charles A. A Source Book in Indian Philosophy. Princeton University Press; 1957. Princeton paperback 12th edition, 1989. ISBN 0-691-01958-4. p. 560. The example is given here of a text which refers to a dispute involving śākhins [followers] who do not accept a particular position.
- ^ V. S. Apte. A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary. p. 429, middle column
- ^ Monier-Williams, A Sanskit-English Dictionary, p. 1062, right column.
- ^ V. S. Apte. A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary, p. 913, left column.
- ^ Monier-Williams, A Sanskit-English Dictionary, p. 1062, right column.
- ^ Basham, A. L. The Wonder That Was India: A Survey of the Culture of the Indian Sub-Continent Before The Coming Of The Muslims. (Grove Press, Inc.: New York, 1954) p. 139.
- ^ V. S. Apte. A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary, p. 913, left column.
- ^ For a brief summary of the shakhas as given in Shaunaka's Caraṇa-vyūha see: Monier-Williams, A Sanskit-English Dictionary, p. 1062, right column.
- ^ a lost Upanishad reconstructed by Michael Witzel as having been very similar in content to the Taittiriya Upanishad. M. Witzel, An unknown Upanisad of the Krsna Yajurveda: The Katha-Siksa-Upanisad. Journal of the Nepal Research Centre, Vol. 1, Wiesbaden-Kathmandu 1977, pp. 135
References
- Michael Witzel, Tracing the Vedic dialects in Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes ed. Caillat, Paris, 1989, 97–265.
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