As the Veda was divided by the intelligent Veda-Vyāsa, to it was divided at various other periods by myself and other Vyāsas. In this way, O foremost of twice-born ones, the Veda is divided into various branches and the people of the four Yugas perform sacrifices. O Maitreya, know this Krishna Dwaipāyana Vyāsa, as the Nārāyana, for who else on this earth could have composed the Mahabhārata? How in the Dwāpara age the Veda was divided by my high-souled son, I shall describe, O Maitreya, do thou hear it.
When Vyāsa was engaged by Brahmā in the work of arranging the Vedas, he took four persons, proficient in these works, as his disciples. He appointed Paila reader of the Rich; Vaisampāyana of Yajush; and Jaimini of the Shāma Veda. And Sumantu, who was acquainted with the Atharva-Veda, was also the disciple of the learned Vyāsa. He also took Suta, who was named Lomaharshana, as his disciple in history and Purānas.
There was but one Yaju Veda, which he divided into four parts—from which originated the sacrificial rite that is performed by the four orders of priests. In this, the Muni enjoined the Adhwaryu to recite the prayers of Yajuns; the Hotri to sing the hymn of (Rik-Veda); the Udgatri to sing the hymns of Shāma-Veda and the Brahman to utter the formulæ of the Atharva-Veda. He then compiled the Rig-Veda with the collection of these hymns (Richas); the Yajur-Veda with the prayers and directions named Yajush; and Shāma Veda, with those called Shāma; and with the Atharvas he laid down the function of the Brahman and the rules for the performance of all the ceremonies by kings.
In this way the huge Veda tree was divided into four stems, which soon spread out into an extensive forest. O Brahmin, Paila first divided the Rig-Veda and gave the two Sanhitas to Indra-Pramati and to Bhāshkali. Bhāshkali again divided his Sanhita into four and handed them over to his disciples Baudhya, Agnimathara, Yajtiawalka, and Parāçara; and they studied these secondary branches from the original O Muni.
Indira-Pramati, O Maitreya, gave his Sanhita to his magnanimous son Mandukeya, which thence descended through successive generations and disciples. Vedamitra, otherwise called Sākalya, read the same Sanhita and divided it into five Sanhitas which he gave to his disciples named severally Mudgala, Goswalu, Vātsya, Sāliya and Sisira. Sākapuvni made a different classification of the original Sanhita into three and added a Nirukta (glossary) constituting a fourth. And he gave these three Sanhjtas to his three pupils, Kraunch, Vaitalaki, and Valaka. And the glossary was given to the fourth who was named Niruktakrit and who was versed in the Vedas and their various branches.
In this way, O foremost of twice-born ones, Vedas, their divisions and Sub-divisions sprang up. Bash kall composed three other Sanhitas which he gave to his three pupils Kalayani, Gargya, and Kathajava. These are they by whom various Sanhitas have been composed.
SECTION V.
Parāçara said:—The high-minded disciple of Vyāsa, Vaisampayana made out twenty-seven branches of the tree of Yajur-Veda and gave them to as many disciples, of whom Yajnawalka, the son of Brahmarata was famous for piety and obedience to his preceptor.
Formerly at one time the Munis had entered into a covenant that any one of them, who at a certain time, did not join a council held on mount Meru, should perpetrate the crime of Brahminicide within a period of seven nights. Vaisampayana alone was not present at the appointed hour and so broke the engagement. And he accidentally slew the child of his sister by a kick of his foot. Thereupon he said to his disciples—"O my disciples, do ye engage in such ceremonies as will remove the sin consequent upon the destruction of a Brahmin on my behalf. You need not hesitate in this". Thereupon Yājnawalka said—"What is the use of troubling these miserable and inefficient Brahmans? I shall alone perform this penance". Thereupon the high-minded preceptor, enraged, said to him—"O thou who hast insulted these Brahmins, relinquish all thou hast learnt from me. Dost thou that these Brahmins are inefficient? What is the use of a disciple who disobeys my commands?" Whereto Yājnawalka replied—"I spoke this out of my devotion to thee. It is more than enough—do thou take, O twice-born one, what I have learnt from thee".
Having said this, he ejected from his stomach the texts of Yajush stained in blood. He then went away. The other pupils of Vaisampayana transforming themselves into partridges (Tittiri) picked up the texts which he had ejected, which, in consequence thereof, were called Taittriya and the pupils were named the Charaka professors, of the Yajush, from Charana [241] —'going through.' Yājnawalka too, O Maitreya, who was accomplished in devout practices engaged in propitiating the sun, being desirous of recovering the texts of the Yajush.