Yajurvedam has two branches - Sukla (bright or white) Yajurvedam and Krishna (dark or black) Yajurvedam. This is also called Thaithireeya Yajurvedam. The former is non-existent in Kerala. Krishna Yajurvedam contains primarily Sroutha matters like Agnyaadhaanam, and has two parts - Samhitha and Saakha.

(i) Samhitha (Text) : This consists of 7 Kaandams divided into 44 Prasnams (Parvams) with 8, 6, 5, 7, 7, 6 and 5 Prasnams in 1 to 7 Kaandams, respectively. These are further sub-divided into 651 Anuvaakams or Othu, with roughly 2,200 Panchaathis (usually called Panchaathi) of about 50 Padams (words) each. They mainly contain Manthrams, Kriyas, Braahmanams, and concepts for various Yaagams, Ishtis, etc. Specific contents of the various Prasnams are given in Table - 1. The most important Sreerudram is the 24th Prasnam and Chamakam is the first 11 Othu of the 25th Prasnam.

Table - 1. DETAILS OF SAMHITHA

PRASNAM NO.	NO. OF ANUVAAKAMS OR OTHU	CONTENT
1	14	Dasapoornamaaseshti Manthrams
2 to 4	14, 14, 41	Somayaagam Manthrams
5	11	Othu 1- 4 : Punaraadhaanavidhaanam, Manthrams and Braahmanam
		next 5       : Agnihothram Manthram, Braahmanam, purpose (Uddesyam)
		next 1       : Darsapoornamaaseshti Manthram
6	12	1-6           : Darsapoornamaaseshti Manthram
		rest           : Its Braahmanam
7	13	1 - 6         : Its Braahmanam
		rest           : Vaajapeya Yaagam - Manthrams
8	22	Raajasooyam - Ishtis and Manthrams
9 and 10	11, 12	Kaamyeshti Vidhi
11 and 12	14 each	Kaamyeshti Vidhi and Manthrams
13	12	1 and 2  : Kaamyeshti Vidhi (no Manthrams)
		rest        : Darsapoornamaaseshti - Vidhi
14	12	Darsapoornamaaseshti - Vidhi
15 to 17	11 each	Somayaagam Kriyas and Manthrams
18	11	Some special Yaagams, Jayaa, Abhyaathaana, Raashtrabhruth - Manthrams and its Braahmanams and Vaasthoshpathi
20 to 26	11,12,14,13,11,9,15	Athiraathram - Ukhaasambharam, Ishtakopadhaanam (laying of bricks for Chithi) - their Manthrams
27 to 30	11, 12 each	- do -                       their Kriyas
31	24	1 - 10      : Athiraathram - Manthrams and Kriyas
		rest          : Aswamedham - Ishtis
32	23	1 - 10      : Athiraathram - Manthrams and Kriyas
		rest          : Aswamedham - Ishtis
33	28	1 - 10      : Athiraathram - Manthrams and Kriyas
		rest          : Aswamedham - Manthams
34 to 39	11 each	Somayaagam - Kriyas
40 to 44	20,20,20,22,25	1 - 10 of  40,41,42 and 44, and } Ekaaham, Aheenam, Sathram 1 - 11 of  43                              } - Vidhis (Yaagaviseshams)
		rest          : Aswamedham - Manthrams and Ishtis

NOTE : The last Othu of Prasnam 1 to 28 are Yaajyaapuronuvaakyas for various gods.
 

(ii) Saakha (Branch) : The 39 Prasnams (Parvams) containing 557 Anuvaakam or Othu of what is called Saakha by Namboothiris, contain Thaithireeya Braahmanam, Aaranyakam, and Upanishath. Prasnams 14 to 39 have specific names (see Table - 2). Saakha contains primarily the Manthrams, Sookthams, Braahmanams, guidelines, strictures, etc. for various Kriyas, Ishtis, Homams, Yaagams, etc. Purusha Sooktham is the 12th Othu of the 33rd (Hothaaram) Parvam. The names and contents of the 39 Parvams are shown in the table.