Eternal and time-defying truths of Hinduism through the ages, either in philosophy or religion or dharma, have come down to us through the Maharishis of the past.
The great VEDAS record the thoughts and feelings of great Maharishis of ancient India who comprehended the elemental truths through their Divine Power, otherwise called Tapas and Yoga. Among such eminent Vedic Sages, Yogeeshwara Yajnavalkya occupies and exalted position as he has played and continues to play an important role in the renaissance and rejuvenation of India’s ancient Vedic culture.
Yajnavalkya is considered as even greater than Veda Vyasa, because Vyasa interprets Yajnavaliya’s ideas which are recorded in the Vedas. The great Maharishi Jaimini emphasizes the value and importance of seminal ideas more than that of individuals.
Mahamahimopadyaya Agnihotram Ramanuja Thathachariar has rightly observed: “The ‘APOURUSHEYATVA’ of the Vedic thoughts stands, even if they are the language of Sages, since thoughts are eternal. Yajnavalkya is a renowned Sage through whom have come to us many life-giving thoughts of philosophy and religion.
Among the Upanishads, BRIHADARANYAKA UPANISHAD is very big, both in content and meaning. In this classical Upanishad, Yajnavalkya plays the main part and monopolises a long portion. He is intimately connected with the Vedic King Janaka of Mithila and father of Goddess Sita.
The dialogues with King Janaka and Yajnavalkya, the discussions and debates of Yajnavalkya at Janaka’s Yagasala and his Court, have become the main doctrines of Hinduism. Yajnavalkya is the revealer of the SHUKLA YAJUR VEDA, which contains Mantras of Vedic Rituals and the Brihadaranya and Isavasya Upanishads.”
Yajnavyalkyas’s life, times and teachings constitute the cornerstone of the basic philosophy and tenets of the Sanatana Dharma. He was a beacon light of what an ideally liberated 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 for elevating the mundane mankind from the ephemeral earth on to the ethereal world of eternal bliss, harmony and peace. He was the foremost of the apostles of the Advaita philosophy who had contributed most gloriously to the spiritual and Vedic renaissance.
We can see from the SATAPATHA BRAHMANA that Yajnavalkya participated in many discussions and debates about the esoteric meanings of various forms of rituals. Vedas endure on the basis of rituals. Yajnavalkya was not only a Philosopher-Scholar but also a master of sacrificial rituals.
The quintessence of the teachings of Yogishwara, Yajnavalkya is found in the immortal Satapatha Brahmana, an authoritative treatise on various types of sacrifices and rituals and also in the self-elevating Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, the foremost of the ten major Upanishads, and the transcendental Isavasya Upanishad.
Seekers of self-knowledge or Brahma-Vidya are bound to benefit a great deal by a study of the Satapatha Brahmana and the two soul-stirring Upanishads. The entire gamut of Hinduism rests on the solid foundation of Advaita, propounded in crystal clear terms in the Maha Vakya of the Shukla Yajurveda—AHAM BRAHMASMI: “I am Brahman’. This philosophy was propagated by Yogishwara Yajnavalkya.
Thus Yajnavalkya stands 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 Vedic Rituals, a great debater and like Pathanjali, Yajnavalkya is also an authority on YOGA. The Satapatha Brahmana, comprising the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, records the views of Yajnavalkya about the importance of metaphysics.
Yajnavalkya was an erudite scholar and had distinguished himself in many other allied fields of human activity. He is a great Law-Giver as well. In fact, Yajnavalkya has been acclaimed as one of the Law-Givers of ancient India, because his teachings and writings abound in the exposition of Law and Jurisprudence.
Yajnavalkya Smriti, an embodiment of legal tenets, is a fundamental source of the Hindu Law. A major portion of the present provisions of the Hindu Law has 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 in the Satapatha Brahmana including Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. In the PURANAS, there is an attempt to give the complete story of Yajnavalkya, giving a detailed account of the episodes connected with this life referred to Upanishads.
Puranas say that Yajnavalkya spent the major part of his life at the Court of King Janaka. He was also King Janaka’s Chief Priest. Once King Janaka conducted a ‘Yaga’. At that time, he wished to find out as to who was the most eminent man present among the Sages then present in his Court. King Janaka promised to present a thousand cows to the Sage who was a consummate scholar.
A bag of gold coins was also to be attached to each horn of the thousand cows. No one among the 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 right to do so.
The discussions and disputations he had with Sage Arthavhaga, Sage Kahola, Sage Sakalya, Sage Aruni, Saint Gargi and above all with King Janaka constitute one of the most fascinating chapters in the timeless history of Hinduism and Sanatana Dharma.
There are two Sakhas now prevalent in the Shukla Yajur Veda. Madhyandina Sakha is very popular in the northern parts of India. Kanva Sakha is the second Sakha which is popular in different parts of South India. All the people belonging to Shukla Yajur Veda follow Katyayana Sutra.
Sri E R Krishnamurti, the former President of Yajnavalkya Sabha authored a book called ‘Yogeeswara Yajnavalkya’ which was published in 1984. In this book, he has described in detail the life, work and achievements of 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 monumental work ‘YOGA YAJNAVALKYA’—a Samhita Treatise on Yoga, incorporating his instructions to the erudite lady Vedic Scholar Gargi Vachakanu. This excellent treatise on Yoga incorporates the detailed practical instructions on the intricacies of Yoga as imparted by Yajnavalkya to his lady disciple and many other male sishyas.
What a generous gesture of forward thinking on the part of Yajnavalkya to have undertaken the responsibility of instructing a lady in the fine arts of Yoga in the presence of male students. ... Gargi and Mytrayi are monumental illustrations for the lofty levels of learning, superlative heights of knowledge and excellence of intellectual acumen acquired by the ladies in the theological and metaphysical subjects in the vintage and Vedic Age of Yajnavlkya.
This immortal Yoga Yajnavalkya Samita is a quintessence of Yogic Wisdom, showing the path of Yoga leading to Mukti and Liberation, besides dealing with a variety of subjects.
I would conclude with the great Prayer of Yogeeswara Yajnavalkya to Goddess Saraswati: (Saraswati Stuti). I am presenting below the sanskrit text together with the English translation.
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