Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 61
Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage
वैशम्पायनशिष्या वै चरकाध्वर्यवोऽभवन् । यच्चेरुर्ब्रह्महत्यांह: क्षपणं स्वगुरोर्व्रतम् ॥ ६१ ॥
vaiśampāyana-śiṣyā vai carakādhvaryavo ’bhavan yac cerur brahma-hatyāṁhaḥ kṣapaṇaṁ sva-guror vratam
The disciples of Vaiśampāyana became authorities in the Atharva Veda. They were known as the Carakas because they executed strict vows to free their guru from his sin of killing a brāhmaṇa.
FAQs
This verse notes that Vaiśampāyana’s disciples undertook an expiation (kṣapaṇam) for the grave sin called brahma-hatyā, showing that serious wrongdoing is addressed through prescribed atonement under proper authority.
Because Vaiśampāyana’s disciples became identified as a distinct group of Adhvaryu priests—known as the Carakas—connected with the transmission and practice of Yajur-vedic ritual tradition described in this chapter.
The verse highlights disciplined accountability: accept guidance from a qualified teacher, follow corrective practices sincerely, and treat ethical restoration as a committed vow rather than a casual apology.