Shaunaka ( sa, शौनक, ) is the name applied to teachers, and to a
Shakha
A shakha (Sanskrit ', "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.V. S. Apte. A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary, p. 913, left column.Mon ...
of the
Atharvaveda. It is especially the name of a celebrated
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominalization, nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cul ...
grammarian, author of the , the , the and six
Anukramaṇīs (indices) to the
Rigveda
The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts ('' śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only one ...
. He is claimed as the teacher of
Katyayana and especially of
Ashvalayana, and is said to have united the Bashkala and Shakala Shakhas of the
Rigveda
The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts ('' śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only one ...
. In legend, he is sometimes identified with
Gritsamada, a Vedic
rishi
''Rishi'' () is a term for an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mentions in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "great yogis" or ...
.
Literature
According to the
Vishnu Purana
The Vishnu Purana ( IAST:, sa, विष्णुपुराण) is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of ancient and medieval texts of Hinduism. It is an important Pancharatra text in the Vaishnavism literature corpus.
The manusc ...
, Shaunaka was the son of
Gritsamada and invented the system of the four levels of human life. Sūta mahamuni narrated mythological stories to a group of sages headed by Shaunaka maha muni.
is attributed to Shaunaka who taught it to others in a satra-yajna (a 12-day very large scale collective yajna) held in
Naimisha according to Vishnumitra of Champa town, the commentator of 's commentary of
[(Hindi)Virendrakumar Verma, Rgveda-prātiśākhya of Śaunaka Along with ; Chaukhambha Sanskrit Pratishthan,38 U.A., Jawaharnagar, Bungalow Road, Delhi-110007, Reprint-1999; (also published by Saujanya Books, Delhi, and by Benaras Hindu University)]
Shaunaka had a prominent role in the epic
Mahābhārata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuru ...
. The epic Mahābhārata was narrated to Shaunaka by a storyteller named
Ugrasrava Sauti during a conclave of sages headed by Shaunaka in a forest named
Naimisha.
See also
*
Gritsamada
*
Bhargava
*
Bhrigu
Bhrigu ( sa, भृगु, ) was a rishi in Hinduism. He was one of the seven great sages, the Saptarshis, one of the many Prajapatis (the facilitators of Creation) created by Brahma. The first compiler of predictive astrology, and also the a ...
References
External links
*
Titles and occupations in Hinduism
Ancient Sanskrit grammarians
Characters in the Mahabharata
Gurus and saints
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