MADYANDINA SHAKHA

Rishi Yajnavalkya gave the knowledge of Shukla Yajur Ved to Rishi Madyandina and Rishi Kanva. It is because of this that it is known as Madyandina Shakha. The Madyandina Shakha is prevalent in Northern India.

Kanva Shakha of Shukla Yajur Ved is mainly found in Maharashtra but, in early times it existed in North India. Kanva Shakhas teacher was Rishi Kanva.

A shakha means a school that teaches certain Vedic texts.

An individual follower of a particular school is called a sakhin. Shukla Yajur Ved was given to Rishi Yagnavalkya by Lord Surya. Shukla Yajur Ved originally had 17 Branches out of which only two Shakhas exists at present known as Vajasaneyi Madyandina and Vajasaneyi Kanva Shakhas. The book known Charana Vuyha Tantram lists all the 17 Shakhas.

The 14 books of the Madhyandina shakha can be divided into two major parts. The first 9 books have text commentaries. The 5 books cover supplementary.

In both the Manyandina and Kanva sakhas the Brahmana is called Shathpath Brahman. The name Shathpath means 100 paths because Yajur Ved has 101 Shakha.

In Madyandina Shathpath Brahman an additional sub division is called Prapathaks. Where as there is no sub division in Kanva Shathpath Brahman. Madyandina Shathpath contains 14 Kandas, 100 Adhyayas, 68 Prapathaks, 436 Brahmans and 7179 Kandiks.