DIVINEINFORMATION PART 34 There are 1147 words in this posting counted bythe computer. Approximately114 sentences counting 10 words/line
While going through one of my external memorydevice, I came across some good information stored from websites. I thought of sharing interestingones from them as a series. In part 33, I am starting with 123TH item in this posting. Sincerely, GopalaKrishnan 14-6-21 123 Yajnavalkya’ Many people in Chennai City and elsewhere sometimesmay not be aware of the fact that thereis a beautiful Temple for ‘Yogeeswara Yajnavalkya’ in Pallavaram, Chennai. Among sucheminent Vedic Sages, Yogeeshwara Yajnavalkya occupies and exalted position ashe has played and continues to play an important role in the renaissance andrejuvenation of India’s ancient Vedic culture. Yajnavalkya isconsidered as even greater than Veda Vyasa, because Vyasa interpretsYajnavaliya’s ideas which are recorded in the Vedas. The great Maharishi Jaimini emphasizes the value and importance of seminal ideas more than that ofindividuals. Yajnavalkya is a renowned Sage through whomhave come to us many life-giving thoughts of philosophy and religion. Among theUpanishads, BRIHADARANYAKA UPANISHAD is very big, both in content and meaning.In this classical Upanishad, Yajnavalkya plays the main part and monopolises along portion. He is intimately connected with the Vedic KingJanaka of Mithila and father of Goddess Sita. The dialogueswith King Janaka and Yajnavalkya, the discussions and debates of Yajnavalkya at Janaka’s Yagasalaand his Court, have become the maindoctrines of Hinduism. Yajnavalkya is the revealer of theSHUKLA YAJUR VEDA,which contains Mantras of Vedic Rituals and the Brihadaranya and IsavasyaUpanishads.” Yajnavyalkyas’slife, times and teachings constitute the cornerstone of the basic philosophyand tenets of the Sanatana Dharma. Hewas a beacon light of what an ideallyliberated soul or Jivan Mukhta could achieve in this world, for the common good of humanity. Indeed, Yajnavyalkya’s precepts and preachings serve as a veritable bridge forelevating the mundane mankind from the ephemeral earth on to the ethereal worldof eternal bliss, harmony and peace. He was the foremost of the apostles of the Advaitaphilosophy who had contributed most gloriously to the spiritual andVedic renaissance. We can seefrom the SATAPATHA BRAHMANAthat Yajnavalkya participated in manydiscussions and debates about the esotericmeanings of various forms ofrituals. Vedas endure on the basis ofrituals. Yajnavalkya was not only a Philosopher-Scholar but also a master ofsacrificial rituals. The quintessence of the teachings of Yogishwara,Yajnavalkya is found in the immortalSatapatha Brahmana, an authoritative treatise on various types of sacrifices and ritualsand also in the self-elevating BrihadaranyakaUpanishad, the foremost of the ten majorUpanishads, and the transcendental Isavasya Upanishad. Seekers ofself-knowledge or Brahma-Vidya are bound to benefit a great deal by a study of the SatapathaBrahmana and the two soul-stirring Upanishads. The entire gamut ofHinduism rests on the solid foundation of Advaita, propounded in crystal clearterms in the Maha Vakya of the Shukla Yajurveda—AHAMBRAHMASMI: “I am Brahman’. This philosophy was propagated by YogishwaraYajnavalkya. ThusYajnavalkya tands out as a great ritualistic authority. No other Sage can surpass him. He is not only a ritualist, but also a philosopher and esoteric interpreter of VedicRituals, a great debater and likePathanjali, Yajnavalkya is also an authority on YOGA. The Satapatha Brahmana, comprising theBrihadaranyaka Upanishad, records the views of Yajnavalkya about the importanceof metaphysics. Yajnavalkyawas an erudite scholar and had distinguished himself in many other allied fields of humanactivity. He is a great Law-Giver as well. In fact, Yajnavalkya has beenacclaimed as one of the Law-Givers ofancient India, because his teachings and writings abound in the exposition of Law andJurisprudence. Yajnavalkya Smriti, an embodiment of legal tenets, isa fundamental source of the Hindu Law. A major portion of thepresent provisions of the Hindu Lawhas been based on and derived from Yajnavalkya Smriti, dealing with the intricate scheme of human conduct and affairs of life. Episodes connected with Yajnavalkya are scattered inthe Satapatha Brahmana including Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. In the PURANAS, there is an attempt to give the complete story ofYajnavalkya, giving a detailed accountof the episodes connected with this life referred to Upanishads. Puranas say that Yajnavalkya spent the majorpart of his life at the Court of KingJanaka. He was also King Janaka’s ChiefPriest. Once King Janaka conducted a‘Yaga’. At that time, he wished to find out as to who was the most eminent manpresent among the Sages then present in his Court. King Janaka promised topresent a thousand cows to the Sage who was a consummate scholar. A bag of goldcoins was also to be attached to each horn of the thousand cows. No one amongthe numerous Sages who were present dared to come forward. Yajnavalkya, however, ordered his disciple to take the cows home with him. The other Sages questioned his rightto do so. Thediscussions and disputations he had with Sage Arthavhaga, Sage Kahola, SageSakalya, Sage Aruni, Saint Gargi and above all with King Janaka constitute one of the mostfascinating chapters in the timeless history of Hinduism and Sanatana Dharma. 123 a Two branches of Sukla Yajurveda There are twoSakhas now prevalent in the Shukla Yajur Veda. Madhyandina Sakha is very popular in the northernparts of India. Kanva Sakha is the second Sakha which is popular indifferent parts of South India. All the people belonging to Shukla Yajur Veda followKatyayana Sutra. Sri E R Krishnamurti, the former President ofYajnavalkya Sabha authored a bookcalled ‘Yogeeswara Yajnavalkya’ which was published in 1984. In this book, he has described indetail the life, work and achievementsof Yajnavalkya and his title to everlasting fame. To quote his inimitable words in this context:“That Yajnavalkya was a versatile Yoga Acharya is revealed in his monumentalwork ‘YOGA YAJNAVALKYA’—a SamhitaTreatise on Yoga, incorporating his instructions to the erudite lady Vedic Scholar Gargi Vachakanu. This excellent treatise on Yoga incorporatesthe detailed practical instructions on the intricacies of Yoga as imparted byYajnavalkya to his lady disciple andmany other male sishyas. What agenerous gesture of forward thinking on the part of Yajnavalkya to have undertaken the responsibility of instructinga lady in the fine arts of Yoga in thepresence of male students. ... Gargi andMytrayi are monumental illustrations for the lofty levels of learning, superlative heightsof knowledge and excellence of intellectual acumen acquired by the ladies inthe theological and metaphysical subjects in the vintage and Vedic Age ofYajnavlkya. This immortal Yoga Yajnavalkya Samita is aquintessence of Yogic Wisdom, showingthe path of Yoga leading to Mukti and Liberation, besides dealing with a variety of subjects. I will continue in next posting -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/475762659.5168086.1623642004628%40mail.yahoo.com.
