Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.560

c7.560

4) The Taittirīya branch. Once all the sages learned in the Vedas made a decision. He who does not attend the Brahmasamāja meeting held at the mountain of Mahāmeru will be tainted with the sin of Brahmahatyā (murder of a brahmin). At one time Vaiśampāyana was not able to attend and so was charged with the sin of Brahmahatyā. He called his disciples to his side and told them that they should observe a Vrata to absolve Vaiśampāyana of his sin. Then one of his disciples, Yājñavalkya, stood up and said that he would observe the vrata alone and that there was no need of anybody else in that matter. When asked why he said so he replied that none of the colleagues of his was so brilliant and majestic as he was. Vaiśampāyana did not like this arrogance of Yājñavalkya and so angrily commanded Yājñavalkya to give back all that had been taught to him by Vaiśampāyana. Obeying orders Yājñavalkya vomited all the yajus and went away from the place. The other sages taking the form of the bird, Tittiri, accepted the vomited yajus. Therefore that branch of the Veda got the name of Taittirīya and those sages were known as the Taittirīyas.