Yajnavalkya Jayanti

Yajnavalkya Jayanti () is a Hindu festival observed to celebrate the birth of the Vedic sage Yajnavalkya.

Dates

In northern India, scholars believe that Yajnavalkya was born on ''Phalguna Shukla Panchami''. Some scholars believe ''Phalguna Krishna Panchami'' to be his birth date. In some parts of the subcontinent, scholars believe Kartika Shukla Dvadashi to be his birthday. In Gujarat, Yajnavalkya's birthday is considered to be on the seventh day in the month of Kartika.

Literature

According to the ''Puranas'', Yajnavalkya is considered to be an incarnation of Brahma, and he is sometimes regarded to be a Brahmarshi. In one legend, when Brahma gave place to Gayatri instead of his wife Savitri in a ''yajna'', Savitri cursed him in anger due to which he was later born as Yajnavalkya in the house of a sage named Charana.

According to the ''Skanda Purana'', Brahma incarnated himself as Yajnavalkya in response to a curse from Shiva.

According to the ''Mahabharata'', Vaisampayana, Yajnavalkya's maternal uncle and renowned teacher of the ''Vedas'', grew resentful when the latter received knowledge of the sacred texts from Surya and started teaching them. A dispute arose between the two men regarding the selection of the '' dakshina'' (honorarium) to be offered at the sacrifice Bahudakshina Yajna of Janaka. In the ''Vishnu Purana'', Vaisampayana is replaced by Paila. Vyasa asked Yajnavalkya to return the knowledge of the ''Vedas'' which he had obtained, and the latter promptly regurgitated them from his mouth. Two other sages present took the form of '' tittiri'' birds and instantly devoured the texts, thus lending them the name ''Taittiriya Upanishad''. In the same text, Yajnavalkya wins Janaka as a disciple as well as a reward of one thousand cows from the latter after offering satisfactory answers to his questions, proving himself to be a consummate scholar.

He is attributed the authorship of a number of texts such as the ''Shatapatha Brahmana, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Ishopanishad, Pratyekshasutra, Yajnavalkaya Smriti,'' and the ''Yoga Yajnavalkya,'' and is hence regarded a significant figure in ancient Indian philosophy.

According to the ''Matsya Purana'', Yajnavalkya is referred the Gotrakar of the Vasishtha clan, bearing the name ''Yajnadatta''. Yajnavalkya has also been referred to as ''Kaushika'' in many texts, including the ''Mahabharata''.

Observances

His birth anniversary is celebrated every year with great reverence and devotion. On this occasion, prayers, worship and meetings are organized all over India and the texts written by ''Rishi'' Shrestha are recited. Also, people try to implement his teachings in their lives and guide themselves. The philosophy of Yajnavalkya is considered to be the philosophy of the soul. Yajnavalkya Jayanti is celebrated with great enthusiasm by the Brahmin communities in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. It is also celebrated in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.

Every year on the ''Phalguna Shukla Panchami'', one day cultural program is organised at the campus of the Yajnavalkya Ashram in the Mithila region locally known as ''Yajnavalkya Mahotsava''.

References

{{Reflist
Annual events
Hindu festivals