Yajur Veda Quotes

The etymological meaning of Veda is sacred knowledge or wisdom. There are four Vedas: Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva. Together they constitute the samhitas that are the textual basis of the Hindu religious system. To these samhitas were attached three other kinds of texts. These are, firstly, the Brahmanas, which is essentially a detailed description of rituals, a kind of manual for the priestly class, the Brahmins. The second are the Aranyakas; aranya means forest, and these ‘forest manuals’ move away from rituals, incantations and magic spells to the larger speculations of spirituality, a kind of compendium of contemplations of those who have renounced the world. The third, leading from the Aranyakas, are the Upanishads, which, for their sheer loftiness of thought are the foundational texts of Hindu philosophy and metaphysics.

Thou hast come into being by the toil; the work of the gods thou art the way of holy order. With the Vasus, the gods, as deity, with the Gayatri metre I yoke thee, with the spring season as oblation I consecrate thee. —Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Samhita, Khand VII 1.18

The youngest layer of the Yajur Veda Text includes the largest collection of primary Upanishadas. These include the Brihadaranya Upanishada, the Isha Upanishada, the Taittriya Upanishada, the Katha Upanishada and Maitriya Upanishada.

Sintetizando entonces: el primer requisito del discípulo es EL ESTADO DE FELICIDAD. A partir del mismo, éste, o sea el discípulo, el Adikari, se encarará con los prolegómenos a los estudios del Veda —el llamado Veda Rey—, o mejor dicho el único Veda, el Rig. Todos los otros, el Sama, el Yajur, el Atharvana, son ramificaciones que se desprendieron del Veda Central.

Different parts of the Vedic teaching focuses on different processes for different categories of people. In the first level of veiled consciousness, books about spirits, black arts, and black magic are given. In the second level of shrunken consciousness, the four Vedic literatures, namely the Åg Veda, Yajur Veda, Säma Veda, and Atharva Veda are recommended. In this platform one is situated on the path of fruitive activities. In third level of budding consciousness, the Upaniñhads are advocated. In this platform one is situated on the path of speculative knowledge. In fourth level of blooming consciousness the Vedänta-sütra is recommended. In this platform one is situated on the path of mysticism. And in the fifth level of fully bloomed consciousness, Çrémad-Bhägavatam, which directly reveals the glories of the Supreme Lord and His devotional service, is given. In this platform one is situated on the path of devotional service to the Supreme Lord.

His monotheism left no place for apparent polytheism. We know that a fundamental Hindu teaching is that God is one: Truth is One; sages call it by many names such as Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Yama, Garutman, or Matarishvan. (Rig Veda: 1:164:46) The Yajur Veda, another important scripture, expresses the same truth as follows: For an awakened soul, Indra, Varuna, Agni, Yama, Aditya, Chandra – all these names represent only One spiritual being. (32:1) These words lie at the heart of the religion but for many devotees and non-Hindu observers the reality seems to be polytheistic. The pictures and images which may be seen in a mandir, ranging from Rama and Hanuman, to Jesus, the Virgin Mary, Guru Nanak and Gandhi, might convey this message to the uninformed, rather than one of diversity within unity which is at the heart of Hinduism. Certainly that seems to have been true of the village Hinduism that Guru Nanak experienced.