Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 1
Paramparā of the Atharva Veda and Purāṇas; Definition of a Purāṇa
Daśa-lakṣaṇam
सूत उवाच अथर्ववित्सुमन्तुश्च शिष्यमध्यापयत् स्वकाम् । संहितां सोऽपि पथ्याय वेददर्शाय चोक्तवान् ॥ १ ॥
sūta uvāca atharva-vit sumantuś ca śiṣyam adhyāpayat svakām saṁhitāṁ so ’pi pathyāya vedadarśāya coktavān
قال سوتا: إنّ سُمَنتو رِشي، المرجع في الأثرفا ويدا، علّم سَمْهِيتاه لتلميذه كَبَنْدها، فقام هذا بدوره بإبلاغها لِپَثْيَه وڤيدَدَرْشا.
As confirmed in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa:
FAQs
This verse highlights that Vedic knowledge is preserved through guru-to-disciple transmission: Sumantu teaches his Saṁhitā, and the disciple further teaches Pathya and Vedadarśa.
Sumantu is described here as a knower of the Atharva Veda, and he teaches his own Atharva Saṁhitā to his disciple, continuing the Vedic lineage.
Seek learning from authentic teachers and established traditions, and then live and share the teachings responsibly—preserving clarity, meaning, and practice rather than relying on speculation.