Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 53
Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage
पैलाय संहितामाद्यां बह्वृचाख्यां उवाच ह । वैशम्पायनसंज्ञाय निगदाख्यं यजुर्गणम् ॥ ५२ ॥ साम्नां जैमिनये प्राह तथा छन्दोगसंहिताम् । अथर्वाङ्गिरसीं नाम स्वशिष्याय सुमन्तवे ॥ ५३ ॥
pailāya saṁhitām ādyāṁ bahvṛcākhyāṁ uvāca ha vaiśampāyana-saṁjñāya nigadākhyaṁ yajur-gaṇam
Śrīla Vyāsadeva taught the first saṁhitā, the Ṛg Veda, to Paila and gave this collection the name Bahvṛca. To the sage Vaiśampāyana he spoke the collection of Yajur mantras named Nigada. He taught the Sāma Veda mantras, designated as the Chandoga-saṁhitā, to Jaimini, and he spoke the Atharva Veda to his dear disciple Sumantu.
FAQs
This verse explains that the Vedic saṁhitās were preserved through disciplic succession: Paila received the Bahvṛca (Ṛg), Vaiśampāyana the Yajur compilation called Nigada, Jaimini the Sāma with the Chāndoga tradition, and Sumantu the Atharvāṅgirasī (Atharva).
They are presented as key transmitters of Vedic revelation, each safeguarding a major Vedic branch so that sacred knowledge remains accessible through authentic guru–śiṣya paramparā.
It highlights the value of learning scripture through reliable lineages and qualified teachers—prioritizing faithful transmission, disciplined study, and respect for sources rather than casual or distorted interpretations.