Yajurveda

The Yajurveda is one of the four Vedas in Hinduism, a collection of liturgical formulas and rituals used in sacrifices. It provides instruction for priests to perform yajnas, including both the mantras and the procedural details.

There are two major recensions: White Yajurveda (Shukla) and Black Yajurveda (Krishna). The White Yajurveda presents a Samhita called the Vajasaneyi Samhita, and is followed by the Shatapatha Brahmana, a prose ritual commentary. The Black Yajurveda presents the Samhita called the Taittiriya Samhita, in which mantras are interwoven with prose; its accompanying prose tradition is the Taittiriya Brahmana.

In addition to the Samhitas and Brahmanas, the Yajurveda tradition includes several Upanishads linked to its corpus. The two recensions share content and differ in order and wording, shaping ritual practice and liturgical expression within the Vedic period.

Historically, the Yajurveda is dated to the late second millennium BCE, with redaction continuing into the early centuries CE, and it has influenced later Hindu liturgy, ritual practice, and philosophical literature. It remains a central source for understanding Vedic sacrifice, priestly conduct, and the development of Hindu thought.