Written by London Swaminathan
Post No. 16,273
Date uploaded in London – 5 October 2026
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Part 123
Words beginning with letter Y in English Alphabet
Yadhava- yadu
Descendants of Yadu also called Yādhavas and Vṛṣṇis; a tribe who had Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma as their lords;1 the maternal uncle line of Sagara with capital at Mathurā; Kakudmin was their king for some time; consisted of Kukuras, Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas; to deprive them of all their possessions was the plan of Kaṃsa;
On Kṛṣhṇa’s advice and in fulfilment of the curse of sages to die of the iron club born to Sāmba, Yadhavas left Dvārakā for Prabhāsa; having drunk they attacked one another and finally took hold of rushes grown out of the iron pieces of musala ((मुसल) denotes a wooden pestle or rod used for pounding and cleaning rice.)and killed themselves. Lates Dvaraka went into sea.
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Yajna
Yajña (यज्ञ) refers to:—(1) a sacrifice in which a deity is propitiated by the chanting of prayers and mantras and the offering of ghee into the sacrificial fire; (2) any kind of intense endeavour which is directed at achieving a particular goal.
Second meaning – An act of worship, any pious or devotional act
Yajna is an ancient ritual of offering and sublimating the havana sámagri (herbal preparations and Samit sticks) in the fire. The sublime meaning of the word yajna is derived from the Sanskrit verb yaj, which has a three-fold meaning of worship of deities (devapujana), unity (sangatikarana) and charity (dána). An essential element is the ritual fire – the divine Agni – into which oblations are poured, as everything that is offered into the fire is believed to reach God.
Rituals associated with temple worship in Hinduism are called agamic, while those involving communication with divinity through Agni are Vedic. Temple rites in modern-day Hinduism are a combination of both Vedic and agamic rituals. The ritualistic portion of the Hindu scriptures is called Karma-Kanda. Parts of Vedas which describe or discuss Yajnas fall into this portion.
Sanskrit dictionary
1) A sacrifice, sacrificial rite; any offering or oblation; यज्ञेन यज्ञमयजन्त देवाः (yajñena yajñamayajanta devāḥ); तस्माद्यज्ञात् सर्वहुतः (tasmādyajñāt sarvahutaḥ) &c.; यज्ञाद् भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्मसमुद्भवः (yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karmasamudbhavaḥ) Bhagavadgītā (Bombay) 3.14.
2) Five Daily Yajnas:
2) An act of worship, any pious or devotional act. (Every householder, but particularly a Brāhmaṇa, has to perform five such devotional acts every day; their names are :-bhūtayajña, manuṣyayajña, pitṛyajña, devayajña, and brahmayajña, which are collectively called the five ‘great sacrifices’; see mahāyajña, and the five words separately.)
Third meaning – In Sangam Age, Tamils called even war as Battle Field Yajna (Kala Velvi in Tamil )
Velvi is a word used in 2000 year old Sangam Tamil Literature with the same meaning of Yajna. (Yaj=Vettal in Tamil)
Kanchi Paramacharya (1894-1994) explained it and emphasized that this has been part of Tamil Life. Even 2000 years ago, they coined the word VELVI and it is found in all the books of Sangam Age.
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Yaga
Sanskrit dictionary
Yāga (याग).—[yaj ghañ kutvam]
Also called Havan, Homa.
1) An offering, a sacrifice, an oblation; इष्टिर्यागः (iṣṭiryāgaḥ) Śatapata Brahmana. on Manu Smriti.6.8.7.
2) Any ceremony in which oblations are presented, with a direct reference to a deity; प्रत्यक्षदेवतासम्बद्धो हि त्यागो यागः (pratyakṣadevatāsambaddho hi tyāgo yāgaḥ) ŚB. on MS.9.4.47; ऋषिदेवगणस्वधाभुजां श्रुतयागप्रसवैः स पार्थिवः (ṛṣidevagaṇasvadhābhujāṃ śrutayāgaprasavaiḥ sa pārthivaḥ) (anṛṇatvamupeyivān) R.8.3.
3) Presentation, grant.
There are 400 types of Yagas and Yajnas according to Kanchi Paramacharya (1894-1994).
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Yajnavalkya
Yājñavalkya of Videha (fl. c. 8th century BCE) was a sage and philosopher of Vedic India. He was one of the first philosophers in recorded history, alongside Uddalaka Aruni. In the court of King Janaka of Mithila, he was renowned for his expertise in Vedic ritual and his unrivalled talent in theological debate. He expounded a doctrine of neti neti to describe the universal Self or Ātman. He later became a wandering ascetic. His teachings are recorded in the Shatapatha Brahmana and the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.
He is traditionally credited with the authorship of the Shatapatha Brahmana (including the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad), besides the Yoga Yajnavalkya and the Yājñavalkya Smṛti. He is also a major figure in the Upanishads.
According to traditional accounts, Yājñavalkya was the son of Devarāta and was the pupil of sage Vaisampayana .
Yājñavalkya married two wives. One was Maitreyi and the other Katyaayanee. Of the two, Maitreyi was a Brahmavadini (one who is interested in the knowledge of Brahman). Wisdom of Yājñavalkya is shown in Brhadaranyaka Upanishad where he gives his teachings to his wife Maitreyi and King Janaka. He also participates in a competition arranged by King Janaka about the selecting great Brhama Jnani (knower of Brahman). His intellectual dialogues with Miss Gargi (a learned scholar of the times) form a beautiful chapter filled with lot of philosophical and mystical question-answers in Brhadaranyaka Upanishad. He was then praised as the greatest Brahmajnyani by all the sages at the Philosophers Conference organised by king Janaka. In the end, Yājñavalkya took Vidvat Sanyasa (renunciation after the attainment of the knowledge of Brahman) and retired to the forest.
He was also King Janaka’s priest.
Yājñavalkya quarrelled with his guru and vomited the yaju (s.v.) he learnt; propitiated the Sun god to get chandas unknown to his guru. Pleased with him the Sun god instructed him in Vājasenyastas (Yajus ayātayāma, Viṣṇu-purāṇa); in the form of a horse.
(Vomitted- vowed not to use it anymore).
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Yajur Veda
It was Vyāsa who divided the Vedas into four parts. After dividing them, the sage Vyāsa taught Rg Veda to Paila, Yajurveda to Vaiśampāyana, Sāmaveda to Jaimini and Atharvaveda to Sumantu.
The rules for Japa, Homa etc. of Yajurveda were taught to Vyāsa by Agnideva. If all the rules of Yajurveda are correctly observed, all desires will be fulfilled. There are special rules for the observance of homa for the fulfilment of particular desires.
Yajurveda (यजुर्वेद).—See Yajus;1 divided into four parts from which originated yajña, performed by four orders of priests —adhvaryu to recite yajus, hota, the rks, and udgāta, the sāman, and Brahmā, the atharvamantras.
its śākhas/branches are 27; arranged by Vaiśampāyana, pupil of Vyāsa, and taught to his disciples including Yājñavalkya; the latter was made to vomit (banned from using it and he promised not to use it) for his behaviour, all the texts, which the other disciples digested, in the form of partridges and hence this portion came to be known as Taittirīya; but Yājñavalkya prayed to the Sun-god who initiated him into the other portions of the Yajus in the form of a horse and hence called Vājaseneya; part of Viṣṇu.(Tittiri-Partridge; Vaji-Horse)
Yajurveda often consisting of the prose Yajus, are frequently identical with the Mantras of the Ṛg-veda, the Yajur-veda being only a sort of sacrificial prayer-book for the Adhvaryu priests formed out of the Ṛg-veda. its division into two distinct collections of texts, the Taittirīya-saṃhitā and the Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā, the former of which is also called Kṛhṣṇa / ‘Black’, and the latter Śukla ‘White’, however, two of the principal being the Darśa-pūrṇa-māsa or sacrifice to be performed at new and full moon, and the Aśva-medha or horse-sacrifice are similar.
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Yaksha
Yakṣa (यक्ष):— Yakṣas represent a group of mysterious beings, with Kubera as their chief. They are also known as Guhyaka (‘the secret-ones’) and are often associated with Rākṣasas (‘the night-wanderers’) and Nāgas (‘serpents’). Kubera is the Vedic God of wealth presiding over all earthly treasures. They are the protectors of environment. In Sangam Tamil Books Anangu (nymphs) paly the same role of guarding environment. Because of this belief, they don’t pollute natural treasures.
Yaksha is the name of a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, who are caretakers of the natural treasures hidden in the earth and tree roots. In many stories, they harass mortals( when they try to pollute them), chiefly by enchanting forests, lakes and rivers and killing any human who ventures near them. The Yakshas are said to be very wealthy. Their king Kubera is said to be the wealthiest of all beings.
A class of Semi-gods. There are chiefly three classes of inhabitants in Heaven:—Devas, Gaṇadevas and Upadevas. Gaṇadevas consist of the 12 Ādityas, 10 Viśvadevas, 8 Vasus, 36 Tuṣitas, 64 Ābhāsvaras, 49 Anilas 220 Mahārājikas, 12 Sādhyas and 11 Rudras.
Among the Upadevas there are 10 subdivisions. They are, Vidyādharas, Apsaras, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Piśācas, Guhyakas, Siddhas and Bhūtas.
Origin. There are different views relating to the origin of the Yakṣas. In Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter l we find that the Yakṣas took birth after Brahmā’s birth from “Virāṭ Puruṣa’s” aṇḍa. According to a statement in Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 19, Yakṣas and Rākṣasas were born from Munī, the grand daughter of Kaśyapa prajāpati. Thus Yakṣas and Rākṣasas are related as brothers. In Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 66, Verse 7, there is another passage which says that Yakṣas are the progeny of the sage Pulastya.
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Yaksha prashna in Mahabharata (Yaksha’s Questions)
The Yaksha Prashna features around 124 to 126 individual questions (grouped across 34 main sets or verses).
• The Setting: Found in the Vana Parva (Forest Book) of the Mahabharata.
• The Participants: Yudhishthira and a Yaksha (who is actually Lord Yama in disguise).
• The Format: The spirit asks rapid-fire ethical and metaphysical questions about life, duty (dharma), and death.
• The Outcome: Yudhishthira answers every question correctly, and his fallen brothers are brought back to life
Yudhishthira, upon seeing his brothers lying dead on the ground, was overwhelmed with grief and began to lament their loss. He came across a Yaksha who had slain his brothers for taking water without permission, and in order to bring them back to life, Yudhishthira had to answer a series of questions posed by the Yaksha. Throughout the questioning, Yudhishthira displayed his wisdom, knowledge, and adherence to virtue, impressing the Yaksha with his answers. He emphasized the importance of behaviour in determining one’s status as a Brahmana, the value of virtues such as generosity and honest conduct, and the consequences of various actions in this life and the next.
Yudhishthira explained that true happiness lies in contentment, proper conduct, and adherence to one’s duties. He highlighted the importance of good behaviour and restraint in determining one’s status as a learned person or a Brahmana. He also discussed the significance of virtues such as patience, forgiveness, and charity, and the detrimental effects of vices like pride, anger, and covetousness. Yudhishthira’s responses reflected his deep understanding of moral and ethical principles, and his commitment to upholding righteousness in all aspects of life.
The Yaksha, impressed by Yudhishthira’s wisdom and virtue, offered to revive one of his brothers. Yudhishthira, true to his principles of fairness and equality, chose Nakula (his step brother) to be revived, demonstrating his love and respect for all his siblings, regardless of their birth order or biological relationships. He emphasized the importance of treating all family members with equal care and concern, regardless of any perceived differences.
By choosing Nakula to be revived, Yudhishthira not only displayed his love and affection for his step-brother but also upheld the principles of fairness and equality in his decision-making. Nakula was born to Madhuri while Yudhishthira was born to Kunthi. At the end all the brothers are revived.
The story serves as a powerful reminder of the value of virtue and righteousness, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
To be continued…………………..
Tags-Yaga, Yajna, Yajnavalkya, Yajur Veda, Yaksha Prashna, HINDU DICTIONARY IN ENGLISH AND TAMIL-123; இந்து மத கலைச்சொல் அகராதி-123
