The Branches of the Samaveda and Atharvaveda, and the Eighteen Puranas

Verse 1 (vishnu.3.6.1)

सामवेदतरोः शाखा व्यासशिष्यः स जैमिनिः । क्रमेण येन मैत्रेय! बिभेद श्वृणु तन्मम

sāmavedataroḥ śākhā vyāsaśiṣyaḥ sa jaiminiḥ krameṇa yena maitreya! bibheda śvṛṇu tanmama

Parashara said: Hear from me, O Maitreya, in what order Jaimini, the disciple of Vyasa, divided the branches of the tree of the Samaveda.

Verse 2 (vishnu.3.6.2)

सुमन्तुस्तस्य पुत्रोऽभूत् सुकर्मास्याप्यभूत् सुतः । अधीतवन्तावेकैकां संहितां तौ महामुनी

sumantustasya putro'bhūt sukarmāsyāpyabhūt sutaḥ adhītavantāvekaikāṁ saṁhitāṁ tau mahāmunī

He had a son named Sumantu, and also a disciple named Sukarma; those two great sages each studied one Samhita.

Verse 3 (vishnu.3.6.3)

साहस्त्रं संहिताभेदं सुकर्मा तत्सुतस्ततः । चकार तञ्च तिच्छिष्यौ जगृहाते महामती

sāhastraṁ saṁhitābhedaṁ sukarmā tatsutastataḥ cakāra tañca ticchiṣyau jagṛhāte mahāmatī

Sukarma then made a Samhita of a thousand divisions, which his two disciples took up.

Verse 4 (vishnu.3.6.4)

हिरण्यनाभः कौशल्यः पौष्पिञ्जिश्च द्विजोत्तम । उदीच्यसामगाः शिष्यास्तेब्यः पञ्चदशा स्मृताः

hiraṇyanābhaḥ kauśalyaḥ pauṣpiñjiśca dvijottama udīcyasāmagāḥ śiṣyāstebyaḥ pañcadaśā smṛtāḥ

O best of Brahmins, Hiranyanabha, Kausalya, and Pauspinji -- these were the Udichya Samaga disciples, from whom fifteen branches are remembered.

Verse 5 (vishnu.3.6.5)

हिरणयनाभात् तावत्यः संहिता यैर्द्विजोत्तमैः । गृहीतास्तेऽपि चोच्यन्ते पण्डितैः प्राच्यसामगाः

hiraṇayanābhāt tāvatyaḥ saṁhitā yairdvijottamaiḥ gṛhītāste'pi cocyante paṇḍitaiḥ prācyasāmagāḥ

As many Samhitas as were received from Hiranyanabha by those excellent Brahmins, they too are called by the learned the Prachya Samagas.

Verse 6 (vishnu.3.6.6)

लोकाक्षिः कुथमिश्चैव कुसीदिर्लाङ्गलिस्तथा । पौष्पिञ्जिशिष्यास्तद्भदैः संहिता बहूलीकृताः

lokākṣiḥ kuthamiścaiva kusīdirlāṅgalistathā pauṣpiñjiśiṣyāstadbhadaiḥ saṁhitā bahūlīkṛtāḥ

Lokakshi, Kuthumi, Kusidi, and Langali -- through the divisions made by these disciples of Pauspinji, the Samhitas were further multiplied.

Verse 7 (vishnu.3.6.7)

हिरण्यनाभशिष्यश्च चतुर्विशंतिसंहिताः । प्रोवाच कृतिनामासौ शिष्येभ्यः स महामतिः

hiraṇyanābhaśiṣyaśca caturviśaṁtisaṁhitāḥ provāca kṛtināmāsau śiṣyebhyaḥ sa mahāmatiḥ

A disciple of Hiranyanabha, the highly intelligent one named Kriti, taught twenty-four Samhitas to his disciples.

Verse 8 (vishnu.3.6.8)

तैश्चापि सामवेदोऽसौ शाखाभिकर्बहुलीकृतः । अथर्वणामथो वक्ष्ये संहितानां समुज्वयम्

taiścāpi sāmavedo'sau śākhābhikarbahulīkṛtaḥ atharvaṇāmatho vakṣye saṁhitānāṁ samujvayam

Thus, through them too, the Samaveda became multiplied into many branches. Now I shall tell of the collection of the Atharvaveda Samhitas.

Verse 9 (vishnu.3.6.9)

शिष्यमध्यापयामास कबन्धं सोऽपि तं द्रिधा । कृता तु देवदर्शाय तथा पथ्याय दत्तवान्

śiṣyamadhyāpayāmāsa kabandhaṁ so'pi taṁ dridhā kṛtā tu devadarśāya tathā pathyāya dattavān

The sage Sumantu, of boundless splendor, taught the Atharvaveda to a disciple named Kabandha; he, in turn, dividing it in two, gave it to Devadarsha and to Pathya.

Verse 10 (vishnu.3.6.10)

अथर्ववेदं स मुनिः सुमन्तुरमितद्युतिः । देवदर्शस्य शिष्यास्तु मौदगो ब्रह्मबलिस्तथा । शौल्कायनिः पिप्पलादस्तथान्यो मुनिसत्तमः

atharvavedaṁ sa muniḥ sumanturamitadyutiḥ devadarśasya śiṣyāstu maudago brahmabalistathā śaulkāyaniḥ pippalādastathānyo munisattamaḥ

The disciples of Devadarsha were Maudga, Brahmabali, Shaulkayani Pippalada, and, O best of sages, another besides.

Verse 11 (vishnu.3.6.11)

पथ्यस्यापि त्रयः शिष्याः कृता यैर्द्विज! संहिताः । जाजालिः कुमुदादिश्च तृतीयः शौनको द्विज

pathyasyāpi trayaḥ śiṣyāḥ kṛtā yairdvija! saṁhitāḥ jājāliḥ kumudādiśca tṛtīyaḥ śaunako dvija

Pathya too had three disciples by whom, O Brahmin, Samhitas were made -- Jajali, Kumuda and others, and third, Shaunaka, O Brahmin.

Verse 12 (vishnu.3.6.12)

शौनकस्तु द्रिधा कृत्वा ददावेकन्तु बभ्रवे । द्रितीयां संहिता प्रादात् सौन्धवायनसंज्ञिने

śaunakastu dridhā kṛtvā dadāvekantu babhrave dritīyāṁ saṁhitā prādāt saundhavāyanasaṁjñine

Shaunaka, dividing his own into two, gave one to Babhru, and gave the second Samhita to the one called Saindhava.

Verse 13 (vishnu.3.6.13)

सैन्धवा मूञ्जिकेशाश्व द्रिधा भिन्नास्त्रिधा पुनः । नक्षत्रकल्पो वेदानां संहितानां तथैव च

saindhavā mūñjikeśāśva dridhā bhinnāstridhā punaḥ nakṣatrakalpo vedānāṁ saṁhitānāṁ tathaiva ca

Saindhava and Munjikesha also again divided the [Atharva]veda in two; likewise the Nakshatrakalpa too, among the Samhitas of the Vedas, became threefold.

Verse 14 (vishnu.3.6.14)

चतुर्थः स्यादाङ्गिरसः शान्तिकल्पश्च पञ्चमः श्रेष्ठास्त्वथर्वणामेते संहितानां विकल्पकाः

caturthaḥ syādāṅgirasaḥ śāntikalpaśca pañcamaḥ śreṣṭhāstvatharvaṇāmete saṁhitānāṁ vikalpakāḥ

The fourth is the Angirasa, and the fifth the Shantikalpa -- these are held to be the foremost divisions of the Atharvaveda Samhitas.

Verse 15 (vishnu.3.6.15)

आख्यानेश्चाप्युपाख्यानैर्गाथाभिः कल्पसिद्धिभिः । पुराणसंहितां चक्र पुराणार्थविशारदः

ākhyāneścāpyupākhyānairgāthābhiḥ kalpasiddhibhiḥ purāṇasaṁhitāṁ cakra purāṇārthaviśāradaḥ

With tales, sub-tales, ballads, and completions of ritual formulas, he, skilled in the meaning of the Puranas, composed the Purana-Samhita.

Verse 16 (vishnu.3.6.16)

प्रख्यातो व्यासशिष्योऽभूत् सूतो वै रोमहर्षणः । पुराणसंहितां तस्मै ददौ व्यासो महामुनिः

prakhyāto vyāsaśiṣyo'bhūt sūto vai romaharṣaṇaḥ purāṇasaṁhitāṁ tasmai dadau vyāso mahāmuniḥ

A renowned disciple of Vyasa was the Suta Romaharshana; to him the great sage Vyasa gave that Purana-Samhita.

Verse 17 (vishnu.3.6.17)

सुमतिश्चाग्निवर्चाश्च मित्रायुः शांशपायनः । अकृतव्रणः सावर्णिः षट् शिष्यास्तस्य चाभवन्

sumatiścāgnivarcāśca mitrāyuḥ śāṁśapāyanaḥ akṛtavraṇaḥ sāvarṇiḥ ṣaṭ śiṣyāstasya cābhavan

Sumati, Agnivarcha, Mitrayu, Shamshapayana, Akritavrana, and Savarni -- these were his six disciples.

Verse 18 (vishnu.3.6.18)

काश्यपः संहिताकर्ता सावर्णिः शांशपायनः । रोमहर्षणिका चान्या तिसृणां मूलसंहिताः

kāśyapaḥ saṁhitākartā sāvarṇiḥ śāṁśapāyanaḥ romaharṣaṇikā cānyā tisṛṇāṁ mūlasaṁhitāḥ

Kashyapa, along with Savarni, became composers of a Samhita, and likewise Shamshapayana; and Romaharshana's own -- thus there were three root Samhitas.

Verse 19 (vishnu.3.6.19)

चतुष्टयेनाप्येतेन संहितानामिदं मुने । आद्यं सर्वपुराणानां पुराणं ब्राह्ममुच्यते

catuṣṭayenāpyetena saṁhitānāmidaṁ mune ādyaṁ sarvapurāṇānāṁ purāṇaṁ brāhmamucyate

By means of these four Samhitas as well, O sage, this Purana-tradition spread. The foremost among all the Puranas is called the Brahma.

Verse 20 (vishnu.3.6.20)

अष्टादश पुराणानि पुराणज्ञाः प्रचक्षते । ब्राह्मं पाद्मं वैष्णवञ्च शैवं भागवतं तथा

aṣṭādaśa purāṇāni purāṇajñāḥ pracakṣate brāhmaṁ pādmaṁ vaiṣṇavañca śaivaṁ bhāgavataṁ tathā

Those who know the Puranas declare there to be eighteen Puranas: the Brahma, the Padma, and the Vaishnava, the Shaiva, and likewise the Bhagavata.

Verse 21 (vishnu.3.6.21)

अथान्यन्नारदीयञ्च मार्कण्डेयञ्च सप्तमम् । आग्नेयमष्टमञ्चैव भविष्यं नवमं तथा

athānyannāradīyañca mārkaṇḍeyañca saptamam āgneyamaṣṭamañcaiva bhaviṣyaṁ navamaṁ tathā

Then another, the Naradiya, and seventh the Markandeya. The Agneya as the eighth, and likewise the Bhavishya as the ninth.

Verse 22 (vishnu.3.6.22)

दशमं ब्रह्मवैवर्तं लैङ्गमेकादशं स्मृतम् । वाराहं द्वादशञ्चैव स्कान्दञ्चात्र त्रयोदशम्

daśamaṁ brahmavaivartaṁ laiṅgamekādaśaṁ smṛtam vārāhaṁ dvādaśañcaiva skāndañcātra trayodaśam

The tenth, the Brahmavaivarta; the eleventh remembered as the Linga; the twelfth, the Varaha; and here the thirteenth, the Skanda.

Verse 23 (vishnu.3.6.23)

चतुर्दशं वामनञ्च कौर्मं पञ्चदशं स्मृतम् । मात्स्यञ्च गारुडञ्चैव ब्रह्माण्डञ्च ततः परम

caturdaśaṁ vāmanañca kaurmaṁ pañcadaśaṁ smṛtam mātsyañca gāruḍañcaiva brahmāṇḍañca tataḥ parama

The fourteenth, the Vamana; the Kaurma remembered as the fifteenth; the Matsya, and the Garuda, and after that the Brahmanda.

Verse 24 (vishnu.3.6.24)

तथा चोपपुराणानि मुनिभिः कथितानि च । महापुराणान्येतानि ह्यष्टादश महामुने

tathā copapurāṇāni munibhiḥ kathitāni ca mahāpurāṇānyetāni hyaṣṭādaśa mahāmune

And likewise the Upapuranas too have been told by the sages. These, O great sage, are the eighteen Mahapuranas.

Verse 25 (vishnu.3.6.25)

सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च । सर्वेष्वेतेषु कथ्यन्ते वंशानुचरितञ्च यत्

sargaśca pratisargaśca vaṁśo manvantarāṇi ca sarveṣveteṣu kathyante vaṁśānucaritañca yat

Creation, and re-creation, dynasty, and the Manvantaras -- in all of these is told also whatever pertains to the continuation of the dynastic line.

Verse 26 (vishnu.3.6.26)

यदेतत् तव मैत्रेय! पुराणां कथ्यते मया। एतद् वैष्णवसंज्ञं वै पाद्मस्य समनन्तरम्

yadetat tava maitreya! purāṇāṁ kathyate mayā etad vaiṣṇavasaṁjñaṁ vai pādmasya samanantaram

This Purana, O Maitreya, which is now being told to you by me, is called the Vaishnava, and comes immediately in sequence after the Padma.

Verse 27 (vishnu.3.6.27)

सर्गे च प्रतिसर्गे च वंशमन्वन्तरादिषु । कथ्यते भगवान् विष्णुरशेषेष्वेव सत्तम

sarge ca pratisarge ca vaṁśamanvantarādiṣu kathyate bhagavān viṣṇuraśeṣeṣveva sattama

In the creation, and in the re-creation, in the dynasty, the Manvantaras and the rest, O most excellent one, in all of these the Lord Vishnu alone is told of, without exception.

Verse 28 (vishnu.3.6.28)

अङ्गानि चतुरो वेदाः मीमांसा न्यायविस्तरः । पुराणां धर्मशास्त्रञ्च विद्या ह्य ताश्चतुर्दश

aṅgāni caturo vedāḥ mīmāṁsā nyāyavistaraḥ purāṇāṁ dharmaśāstrañca vidyā hya tāścaturdaśa

The four Vedas are its limbs; and Mimamsa, the extensive science of Nyaya, the Purana, and Dharmashastra -- thus these branches of knowledge are fourteen.

Verse 29 (vishnu.3.6.29)

आयुर्वेदो धनुर्वेदो गान्धर्वश्चैव ते त्रयः । अर्थशास्त्र चतुर्थन्तु विद्या ह्यष्टादशैव ताः

āyurvedo dhanurvedo gāndharvaścaiva te trayaḥ arthaśāstra caturthantu vidyā hyaṣṭādaśaiva tāḥ

Ayurveda, Dhanurveda, and Gandharva-veda -- these three, and Arthashastra as the fourth -- thus these branches of knowledge become eighteen.

Verse 30 (vishnu.3.6.30)

ज्ञेया ब्रह्मर्षयः पूर्व तेभ्यो देवर्षयः पुनः । राजर्षयः पुनस्तेभ्य ऋषिप्रकृतयस्त्रयः

jñeyā brahmarṣayaḥ pūrva tebhyo devarṣayaḥ punaḥ rājarṣayaḥ punastebhya ṛṣiprakṛtayastrayaḥ

First the Brahmarshis should be known; then from them, the Devarshis; and again from them, the Rajarshis -- these are the three orders of sages.

Verse 31 (vishnu.3.6.31)

इति शाखाः प्रसंख्याताः शाखाभेदास्तथैव च । कर्तारश्चैव शाखानां भेदहेतुस्तथोदितः

iti śākhāḥ prasaṁkhyātāḥ śākhābhedāstathaiva ca kartāraścaiva śākhānāṁ bhedahetustathoditaḥ

Thus the branches have been enumerated, and likewise the divisions of the branches; and the makers of the branches, and the cause of their division, have also been declared.

Verse 32 (vishnu.3.6.32)

सर्वमन्वन्तरेष्वेव शाखाभेदाः समाः स्मृताः । प्राजापत्या श्रुतिनित्या तद्विकल्पास्त्विमे द्विज

sarvamanvantareṣveva śākhābhedāḥ samāḥ smṛtāḥ prājāpatyā śrutinityā tadvikalpāstvime dvija

In all the Manvantaras alike, the divisions of the branches are remembered as being the same; O Brahmin, the Prajapatya revelation is eternal, and these are merely its variant forms.

Verse 33 (vishnu.3.6.33)

एतत् तवोदितं सर्वं यत् पृष्टोऽहमिह त्वया । मैत्रेय! वेदसम्बद्ध किमन्यत् कथयामि ते

etat tavoditaṁ sarvaṁ yat pṛṣṭo'hamiha tvayā maitreya! vedasambaddha kimanyat kathayāmi te

All this, connected with the Veda, whatever you asked of me, has now been told to you. O Maitreya, what else shall I tell you?