Krishna Yajurveda

These Upanishads are either the part of the Krishna Yajurveda, Krishna yajurvedeeya brahmana, Krishna yajurvedeeya aaranyaka or those written by the Rushies belonging to the Krishna Yajurveda saakha.

1. The first among the series of Krishna yajurvedeeya Upanishads is the Katopanishad. The subject matter is described in vallies (chapters).

2 The Upanishad starts (in the first vally) with the description of a minor incident. The son of Vajasravas, a great emperor performed a yaaga and at the end he donated (performing daana) many cows and gold coins to scholars. Many of these cows were very old. Seeing this the son of the emperor, Nachiketas asked his father why he was giving this old useless cows to scholars. He further commented to his father, that he may even donate his son to others for getting heaven, if so to whom will the emperor donate his son ? The father angrily answered that he will donate Nachiketas to Yamadharma (god of death)! Listening to these words, the son said that he shall go by himself to Yamadharma and the Upanishad starts with the discussion between Nachiketas and Yamadharma.

3. The description of the absolute truth – soul- jeevaathma – paramaathma is given in second vally . In the third vally excellent description/ comparison of human body is given as: The human body is compared with a chariot, the wisdom is the charioteer, the five sensory organs are the five horses, all the five, that are linked with the five sensory organs are the pathway of the horses to move. Says Yama to Nachiketas.

4. For deep meditation and realization of the soul, the preliminary requirements like purity, control and guidance of the mind are needed says Yama.

5. The description of pancha praana : praana-apaana – vyaana – udaana –samaana and vyaana are given.

6.The relation between Brahmam and also aathma chaitanyam are described further

7. In the last vally Yamadharma shows the path for the realization of the soul and for the attainment of the heavenly abode, to Nachiketas. 7. After listening to the detailed description from Yamadharma, Nachiketas attained moksha. Thus ends the Upanishad which is tough to understand too.