Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 54
Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage
पैल: स्वसंहितामूचे इन्द्रप्रमितये मुनि: । बाष्कलाय च सोऽप्याह शिष्येभ्य: संहितां स्वकाम् ॥ ५४ ॥ चतुर्धा व्यस्य बोध्याय याज्ञवल्क्याय भार्गव । पराशरायाग्निमित्र इन्द्रप्रमितिरात्मवान् ॥ ५५ ॥ अध्यापयत् संहितां स्वां माण्डूकेयमृषिं कविम् । तस्य शिष्यो देवमित्र: सौभर्यादिभ्य ऊचिवान् ॥ ५६ ॥
pailaḥ sva-saṁhitām ūce indrapramitaye muniḥ bāṣkalāya ca so ’py āha śiṣyebhyaḥ saṁhitāṁ svakām
After dividing his saṁhitā into two parts, the wise Paila spoke it to Indrapramiti and Bāṣkala. Bāṣkala further divided his collection into four parts, O Bhārgava, and instructed them to his disciples Bodhya, Yājñavalkya, Parāśara and Agnimitra. Indrapramiti, the self-controlled sage, taught his saṁhitā to the learned mystic Māṇḍūkeya, whose disciple Devamitra later passed down the divisions of the Ṛg Veda to Saubhari and others.
According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, Māṇḍūkeya was the son of Indrapramiti, from whom he received Vedic knowledge.
FAQs
This verse describes how Paila transmitted his Vedic recension to Indrapramiti and Bāṣkala, and how Bāṣkala further taught disciples—showing Vedic knowledge is preserved through guru-to-disciple succession.
The verse indicates that teachings were passed on as distinct saṁhitās, and Bāṣkala instructed disciples according to their aptitude—supporting an organized preservation of Vedic branches through qualified students.
Seek authentic learning through a genuine teacher-student relationship, study according to your capacity, and preserve sacred teachings by sharing them responsibly and accurately.