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Vedic Shakhas

A Vedic Shakha (Sanskrit ล›ฤkhฤ, "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. An individual follower of a particular school or revision is called a Shakhin. The term is also used in Hindu philosophy to refer to an adherent of a particular orthodox system.

A related term, Charana ("conduct of life" or "behavior") is also used to refer to such a Vedic school: "although the words Charana and Shakha are sometimes used synonymously, yet Charana properly applies to the sect or collection of persons united in one school, and Shakha to the traditional text followed, as in the phrase Shakham Adithe ("he recites a particular version of the Veda").

In short, Shakha is the branch and Charana is the way of the followers of that branch.

Function of Shakhas

The four Vedas were transmitted in various Shakhas. Each school likely represented an ancient community of a particular area, or kingdom. Each school followed its own canon. Multiple recensions (revisions) are known for each of the Vedas.

There were Vedic schools that believed in polytheism in which numerous gods had different natural functions, henotheistic beliefs where only one god was worshipped but others were thought to exist, monotheistic beliefs in a single god, agnosticism, and monistic beliefs where "there is an absolute reality that goes beyond the gods and that includes or transcends everything that exists." Indra, Agni, and Yama were popular subjects of worship by polytheist organizations

Transmission of Shakhas

The schools have different points of view, described as Shakha Bedha ("difference of (Vedic) school"). Each school would learn a specific Vedic Samhita (one of the "four Vedas" properly so-called), as well as its associated Brahmana, Aranyakas, Shrauta Sutras, Griha Sutras and Upanishads.

The Shrauta Sutras and Griha Sutras are part of the Kalpa Sutras, from the Kalpa Vedaanga.

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 term Brahmana (Brahmin) 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.

A Brahmana (Brahmin) who changed school would be called Shakharandah ("a traitor to his ล›ฤkhฤ").

List of Shakhas by Vedas

I'm skipping Shrauta Sutras and Griha Sutras for now (except whenever I find it).
EDIT: Actually, a full list is available in Sutras.

Note that several (thousands) of Shakhas have gone missing over the years, and we have only been able to obtain a small list.

Rig Veda

Shaakala Shakha

  • Samhita: Shaakala Samhitha
  • Brahmana: Aitreya Samhita
  • Aranyaka: Aitreya Aranyaka
  • Upanishad: Aitreya Upanishad
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra: Asvalayana Shrauta Sutra
    • Griha Sutra: Asvalayana Griha Sutra

Yajur Veda

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 (White)

Madhyandina Shakha

  • Samhita: Vajasneyi Samhita (Madhyandina) (VSM)
    • Currently recited by all over North Indian Brahmins and by Deshastha Brahmins
  • Brahmana: Shatapatha Brahmana (Madhyandina) (SBM)
  • Aranyaka: Survives as Shatapatha XIV.1โ€“8, with accents
  • Upanishad: Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (SBM XIV.3โ€“8 with accents), Ishavasya Upanishad (VSM 40)
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra:
    • Griha Sutra:

Kanva Shakha

  • Samhita: Vajasneyi Samhita (Kanva) (VSK)
  • Brahmana: Shatapatha Brahmana (Kanva) (SBK)
  • Aranyaka: Survives as book XVII of SBK
  • Upanishad: Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (SBK with accents), Ishavasya Upanishad (VSK 40)
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra:
    • Griha Sutra:

Katyayana Shakha

  • Samhita:
  • Brahmana:
  • Aranyaka:
  • Upanishad:
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra:
    • Griha Sutra:

Krishna (Black)

Tattireeya Shakha

  • Samhita: Tattireeya Saแนƒhita
    • Present all over South India and in Konkan
  • Brahmana: Tattireeya Brahmana and Vadhula Br. (part of Vadhula Srautrasutra)
  • Aranyaka: Tattireeya Aranyaka
  • Upanishad: Tattireeya Upanishad
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra: The Shrauta Sutras of Apastamba (450โ€“350 BCE), Bodhayana (500โ€“200 BCE), and Vaikhanasa (300โ€“100 BCE).
      • All are attached to the Tattireeya Samhita
    • Griha Sutra:

Maitrayani Shakha

  • Samhita: Maitrayani Saแนƒhita
    • Recited by few Brahmins in Nasik
  • Brahmana:
  • Aranyaka: Virtually same as the Upanishad
  • Upanishad: Maitrayaniya Upanishad
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra:
    • Griha Sutra:

Charaka-Kฤtha / Kฤtha Shakha

  • Samhita: Charaka-Kฤtha Saแนƒhita / Kฤแนญhaka saแนƒhitฤ
  • Brahmana: ลšatฤdhyฤya Brฤhmaแน‡a (only exists in fragments)
  • Aranyaka: Kฤtha Aranyaka (almost the entire text from a solitary manuscript)
  • Upanishad: Kฤthaka Upanishad, Kฤtha-Shiksha Upanishad
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra:
    • Griha Sutra:

Kapishthala Shakha

  • Samhita: Kapiแนฃแนญhala-Kฤtha Saแนƒhita (fragmentary manuscript, a variant of Kฤthaka Samhita, only first sections accented), edited (without accents) by Raghu Vira
  • Brahmana:
  • Aranyaka:
  • Upanishad:
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra:
    • Griha Sutra:

Sama Veda

Kauthuma Shakha

  • Samhita: Edited, Recited by all over North and in South India
  • Brahmana: Edited (8 Brahmanas in all), no accents
  • Aranyaka: None. The Samhita itself has the 'Aranyaka'
  • Upanishad: Chandogya Upanishad
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra:
    • Griha Sutra:

Ranayaniya Shakha

  • Samhita: Manuscripts of Samhita exist. Recited by Gokarna, and Deshastha Brahmins
  • Brahmana: Same as Kauthuma with minor differences.
  • Aranyaka: None. The Samhita itself has the 'Aranyaka'
  • Upanishad: Same as Kauthuma
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra:
    • Griha Sutra:

Jaiminiya/Talavakara Shakha

  • Samhita: Samhita edited. Recited by Nambudiris and choliyal of Tamil nadu. Two distinct styles of Saman recitation, partially recorded and published
  • Brahmana: Brahmana published (without accents) โ€“ Jaiminiya Brahmana, Arsheya Brahmana
  • Aranyaka: Tamil Nadu version of Talavakara Aranyaka (=Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana) published
  • Upanishad: Kena Upanishad
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra:
    • Griha Sutra:

Shatyayana Shakha

  • Samhita:
  • Brahmana:
  • Aranyaka:
  • Upanishad:
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra:
    • Griha Sutra:

Atharva Veda

Only one shakha of an original nine is now extant for the Atharvaveda. The nine Shakhas were Paippalada, Tauda, Mauda, Shaunakiya, Jajala, Jalada, Brahmavada, Devadarsa and Chaarana-Vaidya.

The Shaunaka is the only Shakha of the Atharvaveda for which both printed texts and an active oral tradition are known to still exist.

Shaunaka Shakha

  • Samhita: Atharva Veda Shaunaka Samhita
  • Brahmana: Fragmentary Gopatha Brahmana (extant and published), no accents
  • Aranyaka:
  • Upanishad: Mundaka Upanishad (?) published
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra:
    • Griha Sutra:

8 lost Shakhas

Paippalada Shakha

  • Samhita: Atharva Veda Paippalada Samhitha
  • Brahmana: Lost, similar to that of Gopatha Brahmana
  • Aranyaka:
  • Upanishad: Prashna Upanishad, Sharabha Upanishad etc. โ€“ all edited
  • Kalpa Sutras
    • Shrauta Sutra:
    • Griha Sutra:

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