A shakha (Sanskrit śākhā, "branch" or "limb"), is a Hindu theological school that specializes in learning certain Vedic texts, or else the traditional texts followed by such a school.[3][4] An individual follower of a particular school or recension is called a śākhin.[5] The term is also used in Hindu philosophy to refer to an adherent of a particular orthodox system.[6]
A related term caraṇa, ("conduct of life" or "behavior") is also used to refer to such a Vedic school[7]: "although the words caraṇa and śākhā are sometimes used synonymously, yet caraṇa properly applies to the sect or collection of persons united in one school, and śākhā to the traditional text followed, as in the phrase śākhām adhite, ("he recites a particular version of the Veda")".[4] The schools have different points of view, described as "difference of (Vedic) school" (śākhābhedaḥ). Each school would learn a specific Vedic Saṃhita (one of the "four Vedas" properly so-called), as well as its associated Brahmana, Aranyakas, Shrautasutras, Grhyasutras and Upanishads.[3][4]
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 caste and on the shakha (branch) with which they were affiliated.[8] A Brāhmaṇa who changed school would be called "a traitor to his śākhā" (śākhāraṇḍaḥ).[3]
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[edit]Summary of schools
The traditional source of information on the shakhas of each Veda is the Caraṇa-vyūha, of which two, mostly similar, versions exist: the 49th pariśiṣṭa of the Atharvaveda, ascribed to Shaunaka, and the 5th pariśiṣṭa of the Śukla (White) Yajurveda, ascribed to Kātyāyana. 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.[9]
The schools are enumerated below, categorised according to the Veda each expounds.
[edit]Rig Veda
Śaunaka's Caraṇa-vyuha lists five shakhas for the Rig Veda, the Śākala, Bāṣkala, Aśvalāyana, Śaṅkhāyana, andMāṇḍukāyana -- of which only the Śākala,Aśvalāyana and Kaushitaki, are now extant (the Asvalayana and Kaushitaki are still learnt by the Nambudiri Brahmins of Kerala)[10]
The Bashkala recension of the Rigveda has the Khilani which are not present in the Shakala text but is prserved in one Kashmir manuscript (now at Pune).[1]
The Shakala has the Aitareya-Brahmana, The Bashkala has the Kausitaki-Brahmana.
| Shakha | Samhita | Brahmana | Aranyaka | Upanishad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shakala | the mainstream text of the editio princeps by Max Müller,Recited by Maharashtra,Karnataka Brahmins.Mostly found all over India | Aitareya Brahmana | Aitareya Aranyaka | Aitareya Upanishad |
| Ashvalayana | Currently recited by Nambudiri Brahmins. Manuscript exists, with accents and Padapatha.[citation needed] | Same as Shakala | Same as Shakala | Same as Shakala |
| Kaushitaki | Currently recited by Nambudiri Brahmins | Kaushitaki Brahmana | Manuscript exists[citation needed] | Kaushitaki Upanishad |
| Bashkala | Manuscript exists with accents and Padapatha.[citation needed] | Same as Kaushitaki | Same as Kaushitaki | Same as Kaushitaki |
| Shankhayana | Manuscript exists with accents and Padapatha.[citation needed] | Shankhayana Brahmana | Shankhyana Aranyaka | edited as a part of the Aranyaka |
| Paingi | - | Manuscript might exist[citation needed] | Rahashya Brahmana, lost. | - |
[edit]Yajur Veda
Śaunaka's Caraṇa-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 in Shukla (White) and Krishna (Black) schools. The White recensions have separate Brahmanas, while the Black ones have their(much earlier) Brahmanas interspersed between the Mantras.
- Shukla Yajurveda: Vājasaneyi Samhita Madhyandina (VSM), Vājasaneyi Samhita Kānva (VSK): Shatapatha Brahmana (ShBM, ShBK)
- Krishna Yajurveda: Taittirīya Saṃhita (TS) with an additional Brahmana, Taittiriya Brahmana (TB), Maitrayani Saṃhita (MS), Caraka-Katha Saṃhita (KS), Kapiṣṭhala-Katha Saṃhita (KapS).
[edit]Shukla
| Shakha | Samhita | Brahmana | Aranyaka | Upanishad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madhyandina (VSM) | Currently recited by all over North Indian Brahmins and by Deshastha 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 by Utkala Brahmins, Kannada Brahmins, Karhade Brahmins and few Iyers | Kanva Shatapatha (SBK)(different from madhyandina) | survives as book XVII of SBK | Brihadaranyaka Upanishad=SBK,with accents,Ishavasya Upanishad = VSK 40 |
| Katyayana | Manuscript (?)[citation needed] | Manuscript (only first 6 books, rest lost)[citation needed] | - | - |
[edit]Krishna
| Shakha | Samhita | Brahmana | Aranyaka | Upanishad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taittiriya | TS,Present all over South India and in Konkan | Taittiriya Brahmana (TB) and Vadhula Br. (part of Vadhula Srautrasutra) | Taittiriya Aranyaka (TA) | Taittiriya Upanishad (TU) |
| Maitrayani | MS,Recited by few Brahmins in Nasik | - | virtually same as the Upanishad | Maitrayaniya Upanishad |
| Caraka-Katha | KS. Accents survive only on 1/3 on the text.[citation needed] | Fragments printed and in manuscript)[citation needed] | Katha Aranyaka (almost the entire text from a solitary manuscript) | Kathaka Upanishad, Katha-Shiksha Upanishad[11] |
| Kapishthala | KapS (fragmentary manuscript, only first sections accented), edited (without accents) by Raghu Vira. | - | - |
[edit]Sama Veda
Śaunaka's Caraṇa-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.
The Kauthuma shakha has the PB, SadvB, the Jaiminiya shakha has the Jaiminiya 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 by Gokarna,and Deshastha Brahmins[citation needed] | Same as Kauthuma with minor differences. | None. The Samhita itself has the ‘Aranyaka’. | Same as Kauthuma. |
| Jaiminiya/Talavakara | Samhita edited.Recited by Nambudiris[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 | (traditions might be similar to Jaminiya SV)[citation needed] | Manuscript (?)[citation needed] | - | - |
[edit]Atharva Veda
Only one shakha of an original nine is now extant for the Atharvaveda.
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 by Utkala Brahmins as samhita patha only. otherwise, two manuscripts survive: Kashmirian (mostly edited) and Orissan (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 19th century. However some Orissa Brahmins [2] and Nambudiri Brahmins still continue the tradition of Paippalada. No Brahmana is known for the Shaunaka shakha. The Paippalada is possibly associated with the Gopatha Brahmana.
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