Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 59
Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage
बाष्कलि: प्रतिशाखाभ्यो वालखिल्याख्यसंहिताम् । चक्रे वालायनिर्भज्य: काशारश्चैव तां दधु: ॥ ५९ ॥
bāṣkaliḥ prati-śākhābhyo vālakhilyākhya-saṁhitām cakre vālāyanir bhajyaḥ kāśāraś caiva tāṁ dadhuḥ
Bāṣkali compiled the Vālakhilya-saṁhitā by gathering it from all the branches of the Ṛg Veda. This sacred collection was received and preserved in succession by Vālāyani, Bhajya, and Kāśāra.
According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, Vālāyani, Bhajya and Kāśāra belonged to the Daitya community.
FAQs
This verse explains that Vedic knowledge was maintained through multiple branch traditions (pratiśākhās), with teachers compiling, dividing, and preserving specific Saṁhitās such as the Vālakhilya.
They are Vedic tradition-bearers mentioned in the Bhagavatam’s account of textual transmission: Bāṣkali compiles the Vālakhilya Saṁhitā, Vālāyani divides it, and Kāśāra preserves that same recension.
The verse highlights careful preservation and faithful transmission—practically, it encourages learning sacred texts from authentic lineages, keeping accurate study notes, and passing teachings on responsibly without distortion.