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Ashakha (Sanskrit:शाखा,romanized: śākhā,lit. 'branch') is aHindu theological school that specializes in learning certainVedic texts, or else the traditional texts followed by such a school.[1][2] An individual follower of a particular school or recension is called aśākhin.[3] The term is also used inHindu philosophy to refer to an adherent of a particularorthodox system.[4]
A related termcaraṇa, ("conduct of life" or "behavior") is also used to refer to such a Vedic school:[5] "although the wordscaraṇa andśākhā are sometimes used synonymously, yetcaraṇa properly applies to the sect or collection of persons united in one school, andśākhā to the traditional text followed, as in the phraseśākhām adhite, ("he recites a particular version of the Veda")".[2] The schools have different points of view, described as "difference of (Vedic) school" (śākhābhedaḥ). Each school would learn a specific VedicSaṃhita (one of the "fourVedas" properly so-called), as well as its associatedBrahmana,Aranyakas,Shrautasutras,Grhyasutras andUpanishads.[1][2]
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 termBrāhmaṇa had come to be applied to all members of the priestly class, but there were subdivisions within this order based both on varna (class) and on the shakha (branch) with which they were affiliated.[6] ABrāhmaṇa who changed school would be called "a traitor to hisśākhā" (śākhāraṇḍaḥ).[1]
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The traditional source of information on the shakhas of each Veda is theCaraṇa-vyūha, of which two, mostly similar, versions exist: the 49thpariśiṣṭa of the Atharvaveda, ascribed toShaunaka, and the 5thpariśiṣṭa of the Śukla (White) Yajurveda, ascribed toKātyāyana. 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.[8]
Saraswati Gangadhar's devotional poetry written in Marathi calledShri Gurucharitra describes different shakhas of 4 Vedas in 27th chapter.[9]
The schools are enumerated below, categorised according to the Veda each expounds.
Śaunaka'sCaraṇa-vyuha lists five shakhas for the Rig Veda, theŚākala,Bāṣkala,Aśvalāyana,Śaṅkhāyana, andMāṇḍukāyana of which only theŚākala andBāṣkala and very few of Asvalayana are now extant.The Bashkala recension of the Rigveda has theKhilani which are not present in the Shakala text but is preserved in one Kashmir manuscript (now at Pune). TheShakala has theAitareya-Brahmana, The Bashkala has theKausitaki-Brahmana.
Shri Gurucharitra mentions 12 shakhas for the Rig Veda namely śrāvakā, śravaṇiyā, jaṭā, śaphaṭa, pāṭhakrama(2), daṇḍa, aśvalāyanī, śāṃkhāyanī, śākalā, bāṣkalā and māṇḍūkā (श्रावका, श्रवणिया, जटा, शफट, पाठक्रम(2), दण्ड, अश्वलायनी, शांखायनी, शाकला, बाष्कला, माण्डूका) inOvi 35 to 38.[9]
There is, however,Sutra literature from theAśvalāyana shakha, both a shrauta sutra and a grhya sutra, both surviving with a commentary (vrtti) by Gargya Naranaya.Gargya Naranaya's commentary was based on the longer commentary orbhashya byDevasvamin, written in the 11th century.[10]
TheŚaṅkhāyana shakha has been recently rediscovered in Banswada in Rajasthan where two septuagenarians are the last surviving practitioners.[11]
| Shakha | Samhita | Brahmana | Aranyaka | Upanishad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saakala | Aitreya Samhita | Aitreya Aranyaka | Aitreya Upanishad |
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Śaunaka'sCaraṇa-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 inShukla (White) andKrishna (Black) schools. The White recensions have separate Brahmanas, while the Black ones have their(much earlier) Brahmanas interspersed between the Mantras.
| Shakha | Samhita | Brahmana | Aranyaka | Upanishad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madhyandina (VSM) | Currently recited by all over North Indian Brahmins and byDeshastha Brahmins, and Yajurvedi Shrimali Brahmins | Madhyandina Shatapatha (SBM) | survives as Shatapatha XIV.1-8, with accents. | Brihadaranyaka Upanishad = SBM XIV. 3–8, with accents,Ishavasya Upanishad = VSM 40 |
| Kanva (VSK) | Currently recited byUtkala Brahmins,Kannada Brahmins, someKarhade Brahmins and fewIyers | Kanva Shatapatha (SBK)(different from madhyandina) | survives as book XVII of SBK | Brihadaranyaka Upanishad=SBK, with accents,Ishavasya Upanishad = VSK 40 |
| Katyayana | - | - |
| Shakha | Samhita | Brahmana | Aranyaka | Upanishad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taittiriya | TS, Present all over India and inKonkan recited byChitpavan Brahmins | Taittiriya Brahmana (TB) and Vadhula Br. (part of Vadhula Srautrasutra) | Taittiriya Aranyaka (TA) | Taittiriya Upanishad (TU) |
| Maitrayani | MS, Recited by few Brahmins inNasik | - | virtually same as the Upanishad | Maitrayaniya Upanishad |
| Caraka-Katha | Katha Aranyaka (almost the entire text from a solitary manuscript) | Kathaka Upanishad, Katha-Shiksha Upanishad[12] | ||
| Kapishthala | KapS (fragmentary manuscript, only first sections accented), edited (without accents) by Raghu Vira. | - | - |
Śaunaka'sCaraṇa-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.
InOvi 203 to 210 of chapter 27,Shri Gurucharitra mentions 8 of the thousands of shakhas namely āsurāyaṇīyā, vāsurāyaṇīya़ā, vātāntareyā, prāṃjalī, ṛjñagvainavidhā, prācīna yogyaśākhā, jñānayoga and rāṇāyaṇīyā (आसुरायणीया, वासुरायणीय़ा, वातान्तरेया, प्रांजली, ऋज्ञग्वैनविधा, प्राचीन योग्यशाखा, ज्ञानयोग, राणायणीया). Of these rāṇāyaṇīyā (राणायणीया) has 10 shakhas namely rāṇāyaṇīyā, sāṃkhyāyanī, śāṭhyā, mugdala, khalvalā, mahākhalvalā, lāṅgalā, kaithumā, gautamā and jaiminī (राणायणीया, सांख्यायनी, शाठ्या, मुग्दल, खल्वला, महाखल्वला, लाङ्गला, कैथुमा, गौतमा, जैमिनी).[9]
The Kauthuma shakha has the PB, SadvB, theJaiminiya shakha has theJaiminiya Brahmana.
| Shakha | Samhita | Brahmana | Aranyaka | Upanishad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kauthuma | edited, Recited by all over North and in South India[citation needed] | edited (8 Brahmanas in all), no accents | None. The Samhita itself has the ‘Aranyaka’. | Chandogya Upanishad |
| Ranayaniya | Manuscripts of Samhita exist.Recited byGokarna, andDeshastha Brahmins[citation needed] | Same as Kauthuma with minor differences. | None. The Samhita itself has the ‘Aranyaka’. | Same as Kauthuma. |
| Jaiminiya/Talavakara | Samhita edited.Recited byNambudiris andcholiyal ofTamil nadu[citation needed] Two distinct styles of Saman recitation, partially recorded and published.[citation needed] | Brahmana published (without accents) – Jaiminiya Brahmana, Arsheya Brahmana | Tamil Nadu version of Talavakara Aranyaka (=Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana) published[citation needed] | Kena Upanishad |
| Shatyayana | - | - |
Only one shakha of an original nine is now extant for the Atharvaveda. The nine sakhas were Paippalada, Tauda, Mauda, Shaunakiya, Jajala, Jalada, Brahmavada, Devadarsa and Chaarana-Vaidya. InOvi 217 to 219 of chapter 27,Shri Gurucharitra mentions 9 shakhas namely paippalā, dāntā, pradāṃta, stotā, autā, brahmadā yaśadā, śaunakī, vedadarśā and caraṇavidyā (पैप्पला, दान्ता, प्रदांत, स्तोता, औता, ब्रह्मदा यशदा, शौनकी, वेददर्शा, चरणविद्या).[9]
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 corruptions, and the original text of the Atharvaveda may only be approximated from comparison between the two.
| Shakha | Samhita | Brahmana | Aranyaka | Upanishad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaunaka | AVS, edited and recited by all over North India and South India | Fragmentary Gopatha Brahmana (extant and published), no accents. | - | Mundaka Upanishad (?) published. |
| Paippalada | AVP; recited byUtkala Brahmins as samhita patha only. otherwise, two manuscripts survive: Kashmiri (mostly edited) and Oriya (partly edited, by Dipak Bhattacharya and others, unaccented) | lost, similar to that of Gopatha Brahmana | - | Prashna Upanishad, Sharabha Upanishad etc. – all edited.[citation needed] |
The Paippalada tradition was discontinued, and its text is known only from manuscripts collected since the 20th century. However some Orissa Brahmins[13] still continue the tradition of Paippalada.No Brahmana is known for the Shaunaka shakha.The Paippalada is possibly associated with theGopatha Brahmana.