वाजसनेयि—संहिता f. f. ‘the
संहिता or continuous text of the
वाजसनेयिन्s’ (
i.e. of the hymns of the White
यजुर्-वेद ascribed to the
ऋषियाज्ञवल्क्य and called
शुक्ल, ‘white’, to distinguish it from the Black or Dark
यजुर्-वेद, which was the name given to the
तैत्तिरीय-संहिता [q.v.] of the
यजुर्-वेद, because in this last, the separation between the
मन्त्र and
ब्राह्मण portion is obscured, and the two are blended together; whereas the White
संहिता is clearly distinguished from the
ब्राह्मण; it is divided into 40
अध्यायs with 303
अनुवाकs, comprising 1975 sections or
कण्डिकाs: the legend relates that the original
यजुस् was taught by the
ऋषिवैशम्पायन to his pupil
याज्ञवल्क्य, but the latter having incurred his teacher's anger was made to disgorge all the texts he had learnt, which were then picked up by
वैशम्पायन's other disciples in the form of partridges [see
तैत्तिरीय-संहिता]
याज्ञवल्क्य then hymned the Sun, who gratified by his homage, appeared in the form of a
वाजिन् or horse, and consented to give him fresh
यजुस् texts, which were not known to his former master;
cf. वाजिन्)