The Vedas and Their Ancillary Literature I

Veda: Titles and Divisions

The Vedas and their Ancillary Literature

James Santucci Department of Comparative Religion California State University Fullerton, CA 92834-6868

I. Veda A. Saµhitå-s “Collections” or (grammar) “texts of uninterrupted speech in accordance with the proper Sandhi rules” 1. ‰gveda-saµhitå 2. Såmaveda-saµhitå 3. Yajurveda-saµhitå

a. Black Yajurveda

1) Taittirîya-saµhitå 2) Maitråyañî(ya)-saµhitå 3) Kå†haka-saµhitå 4) Kapiß†hala-ka†ha-saµhitå

b. White Yajurveda

1. Våjasaneyi-saµhitå

4. Atharvaveda-saµhitå

B. Bråhmaña-s “Discussions of ‘priests’ (brahmán) pertaining to the rituals.

1. Those belonging to the ‰gveda-saµhitå

a. Aitareya-Bråhmaña b. ˛å∫khåyana- (Kaußîtaki-) Bråhmaña

2. Those belonging to the Såmaveda-saµhitå

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a. Pa∆caviµ≈a-Bråhmaña b. Ía∂viµ≈a-Bråhmaña c. Adbhuta-Bråhmaña d. Såmavidhåna-Bråhmaña e. Årßeya-Bråhmaña f. Devatådhyåya-Bråhmaña g. Mantra-Bråhmaña h. Saµhitå-Upanißad-Bråhmaña i. Jaiminîya-Bråhmaña j. [˛åtyåyana-Bråhmaña] LOST

3. Those belonging to the Yajurveda-saµhitå

a. Taittirîya-Bråhmaña b. [Kå†haka-Bråhmaña] LOST c. ˛atapatha-Bråhmaña

4. Those belonging to the Atharvaveda-saµhitå

a. Gopatha-Bråhmaña

C. Årañyakas ‘(Those teachings) recited in the forest’

1. Those belonging to the ‰gveda-saµhitå

a. Aitareya-Årañyaka b. ˛å∫khåyana- (Kaußîtaki-) Årañyaka

2. Those belonging to the Såmaveda-saµhitå

a. Jaiminîya- (or Talavakåra-) Upanißad-Årañyaka

3. Those belonging to the Yajurveda

a. Taittirîya-Årañyaka

D. Upanißads ‘Secret Instructions’ or “Connections”

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1. Those belonging to the ‰gveda-saµhitå

a. Aitareya-Upanißad b. Kaußîtaki-Upanißad

2. Those belonging to the Såmaveda-saµhitå

a. Chåndogya-Upanißad b. Kena- (Talavakåra-) Upanißad

3. Those belonging to the Yajurveda

a. B®had-Årañyaka-Upanißad b. Taittirîya-Upanißad c. Mahånåråyaña-Upanißad d. Ka†ha- (Kå†haka-) Upanißad e. ˆ≈å- (ˆ≈åvåsya-) Upanißad f. Maitri- (Maitråyañîya-) Upanißad g. ˛vetå≈vatara-Upanißad

4. Those belonging to the Atharvaveda-saµhitå

a. Muñ∂aka-Upanißad b. Pra≈na-Upanißad c. Måñ∂ukya-Upanißad

II. Vedå∫ga Literature

A. ˛ikßå Phonetics

1. Pråti≈åkhya-s ‘Texts connected to the Saµhitå recensions that serve as a guide for their proper recitation.

a. ‰gveda-Pråti≈åkhya b. Våjasaneyi-Pråti≈åkhya (or Kåtyåyanîya-Pråti≈åkhya) c. Taittirîya-Pråti≈åkhya d. ‰k-Tantra-Vyåkaraña (belongs to the Såmaveda- saµhitå)

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e. Atharvaveda-Pråti≈åkhya (or ˛aunakîyå- Caturådhyåyikå)

2. Later Works

a. Åpi≈åli-˛ikßå b. Bhåradvåja-˛ikßå c. Kauhalîya-˛ikßå d. Nåradîyå-˛ikßå e. Påñinîya-˛ikßå f. ˛ai≈irîya-˛ikßå g. Vyåsa-˛ikßå h. Sarvasaµmata-˛ikßå i. Måñ∂üki-˛ikßå j. Pratij∆a-Sütra k. Chandra-Sütra

B. Kalpa-Sütras “Ritual Practice”

1. ˛rauta-Sütra-s Aphorisms describing the rituals in the Veda

a. Those belonging to the ‰gveda-saµhitå

1) Å≈valåyana-˛rautasütra 2) ˛å∫khåyana-˛rautasütra

b. Those belonging to the Såmaveda-saµhitå

1) Lå†yåyana-˛rautasütra 2) Dråhyåyana-˛rautasütra 3) Jaiminîya-˛rautasütra 4) Ma≈aka-Kalpasütra (= Arßeyakalpa)

c. Those belonging to the Yajurveda

1) Taittirîya School

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a) Baudhåyana-˛rautasütra b) Bhåradvåja-˛rautasütra c) Åpastamba-˛rautasütra d) Satyåßå∂ha-Hirañyake≈i-˛rautasütra e) Vaikhånasa-˛rautasütra

2) Maitråyanî School

a) Månava-˛rautasütra b) Våråha-˛rautasütra

3) Kå†haka School

a) Kå†haka-˛rautasütra (fragment)

4) White Yajus School

a) Kåtyåyana-˛rautasütra

d. Those belonging to the Atharvaveda-saµhitå

1) Vaitåna-Sütra 2) Kau≈ika-Sütra (combines ˛rauta and G®hya rituals)

2. G®hya Sütra-s Aphorisms describing domestic rituals

a. Agnive≈ya-G®hyasütra (Taittirîya School) b. Åpastamba-G®hyasütra (Taittirîya School) c. Å≈valåyana-G®hyasütra (‰gveda ˛åkala) d. Baijavåpa-G®hyasütra (White Yajurveda School) e. Baudhåyana-G®hyasütra (Taittirîya School) f. Bhåradvåja-G®hyasütra (Taittirîya School) g. Dråhyåyana-G®hyasütra (Såmaveda School) h. Gobhila-G®hyasütra (Såmaveda School: used by both the Kauthuma-s and Råñayañîya-s) i. Hirañyake≈i-G®hyasütra (Taittirîya School) j. Jaiminîya-G®hyasütra (Såmaveda School: Jaiminîya)

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k. Kå†haka-G®hyasütra l. Kau≈ika-G®hyasütra (Atharvaveda School) m. Kauthuma-G®hyasütra (Såmaveda School: Kauthuma) n. Khådira-G®hyasütra (Såmaveda School: Råñayañîya) o. Lå†yåyana-G®hyasütra (?) p. Laugåkßi-G®hyasütra (may be = to the Kå†haka- G®hyasütra) q. Månava-G®hyasütra (White Yajus School: Mådhyaµdina recension) r. Påraskara-G®hyasütra (White Yajus School: Mådhyaµdina recension) s. ˛å∫khåyana-G®hyasütra ((‰gveda Båßkala) t. ˛aunaka-G®hyasütra (may be = to Å≈valåyana) u. Vaikhånasa-G®hyasütra (Taittirîya School) v. Våraha-G®hyasütra (White Yajus School: Mådhyaµdina recension)

3. Additional works attached to the Kalpa-Sütras

a. Attached to the ˛rauta-Sütras are sutras that give directions and rules for the measurement and building of the fire altars and sacrificial sites. These are called ˛ulva- [sulva- ‘measuring cord’] or ˛ulba- Sütras. Some of the individual Sütras of this genre are the following:

1) Åpastamba -˛ulbasütra 2) Kåtyåyana-˛ulbasütra 3) Baudhåyana-˛ulbasütra

b. Closely related to the G®hyasütra are more specialized texts containing instructions for honoring the dead subsequent to the funeral proper (≈råddha) and honoring the ancestors (pit®medha). Such works are entitled ˛råddha-kalpas (or -sütras) and Pit®medha–sütras respectively. Examples of such works are as follows:

1) Gautama-˛råddhakalpa 2) Kåtyåyana-˛råddhakalpa 3) Månava-˛råddhakalpa

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4) Paippalåda-˛råddhakalpa 5) Baudhåyana-Pit®medhasütra 6) Hirañyake≈i-Pit®medhasütra 7) Gautama-Pit®medhasütra

4. Dharma-Sütra-s Aphorisms on dharma or ‘duty-law- custom-usage.’ In all probability these works arose in close association with the Kalpa Sütras, especially the G®hyasütra-s. Examples of these works are:

a. Åpastamba-Dharmasütra b. Baudhåyana-Dharmasütra c. Gautama-Dharmasütra d. Hårîta-Dharmasütra e. Pai†hînasi-Dharmasütra f. ˛a∫khalikhita-Dharmasütra g. Vaikhånasa-Dharmasütra h. Vaißñava-Dharmasütra (Vißñu-Dharmasütra and Vißñu-Sm®ti) i. Våsiß†ha-Dharmasütra

5. The Pari≈iß†a-s “Addenda” are works attached to the ˛rautasütra-s and G®hyasütra-s. They provide additional information on the rites. These—as well as the Prayoga-s ‘Manuals,’ Paddhati-s ‘Outlines,’ and Kårikå-s ‘Brief versified statements on the ritual’—are post-Vedic. As such, they are not strictly part of the Kalpa-vedå∫ga. To these works might be added the ‘Indices’ or Anukramañî-s.

C. Vyåkaraña ‘Grammar’ No early grammatical works of a purely Vedå∫ga nature exist. By that I mean there is no grammar describing the Vedic language. A fairly late work (fourth or fifth century BCE) does exist that amounts to the culmination of linguistic science up to that time: the Aß†ådhyåyî of Påñini. Tradition also assigns several works that are connected to the grammar. Examples are the ˛iva- or Pratyåhåra-sütras, which are phonetic indices and references; the Dhåtu-på†ha ‘Lists of Roots’; and the Gaña-på†ha ‘List of Word-Groups.’ The earliest commentary on the Sütras of Påñini is the Kå≈ikåv®tti, dated not earlier than the seventh century BCE.

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D. Nirukta ‘Etymology’ The only surviving nirukta is the one composed by Yåska. His etymological speculations and commentaries are based upon the words contained within the Nighañ†u-s ‘Collections of Word-lists’ (divided in five sections), extracted from the Saµhitå-s, particularly the ‰gveda-saµhitå.

E. Chandas ‘Meter’

1. Chanda-Sütra of Pi∫gala (post-Vedic) 2. Nidåna-Sütra (Såmaveda School)

F. Jyotißa ‘Astronomy’

1. Jyoti≈a-Vedå∫ga (or Vedå∫ga-Jyotißa).

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