Shloka 30

यजुर्वेदशाखाः, याज्ञवल्क्य–वैशम्पायनसंवादः, सूर्यस्तुतिः

Yajurveda branches and Yājñavalkya’s solar revelation

Devanagari script

शाखाभेदास् तु तेषां वै दश पञ्च च वाजिनाम् कण्वाद्याः सुमहाभागा याज्ञवल्क्यप्रवर्तिताः

Transliteration

śākhābhedās tu teṣāṃ vai daśa pañca ca vājinām kaṇvādyāḥ sumahābhāgā yājñavalkyapravartitāḥ

Translation

Of those Vājinas there are indeed fifteen distinct branch lineages. Chief among them are the fortunate schools beginning with the Kāṇvas, set in motion and authoritatively propagated by Yājñavalkya.

Word by Word

• शाखाभेदाः: branch-divisions
• शाखाभेदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाखा (प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘शाखानां भेदाः’; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sampradana/Adhikara (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः/प्रथमा (numeral used adjectivally)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः/प्रथमा (numeral used adjectivally)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• वाजिनाम्: of the Vājins
• वाजिनाम्: Sampradana/Adhikara (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कण्वाद्याः: (those) beginning with Kaṇva
• कण्वाद्याः: Karta (Appositional subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (आदि-समास): ‘कण्वः आदिः येषाम्’ (beginning with Kaṇva); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सुमहाभागाः: very fortunate
• सुमहाभागाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘सु-महाभागाः’ (very fortunate); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• याज्ञवल्क्यप्रवर्तिताः: propagated by Yājñavalkya
• याज्ञवल्क्यप्रवर्तिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याज्ञवल्क्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवर्तित (प्रातिपदिक; प्रवृत्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः: ‘याज्ञवल्क्येन प्रवर्तिताः’ (set in motion/propagated by Yājñavalkya); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Enumeration of Vājasaneyin śākhā divisions (15), including the Kāṇva branch, traced to Yājñavalkya

Teaching: Historical

Quality: systematic

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śāstra is preserved through disciplined lineages (śākhās) and responsible teachers who propagate learning without distortion.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Value authentic learning lineages, verify sources, and transmit knowledge with fidelity and humility.

Vishishtadvaita: Order (niyati) and authority in transmission reflect a cosmos governed by divine law, where human teachers serve as instruments of higher will.

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Kāṇva (school/tradition)
• Vājasaneyins (Śukla Yajurveda)

FAQs

What is the significance of śākhā-bheda (branch divisions) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights how Vedic revelation is preserved through multiple authorized recensions (śākhās), ensuring continuity of dharma and ritual knowledge across regions and teacher lineages.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Vājasaneyin (Śukla Yajurveda) tradition here?

He notes that the Vājasaneyins possess fifteen recognized branches, and he attributes their authoritative propagation to the sage Yājñavalkya, with prominent lines such as the Kāṇvas.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when discussing textual lineages, the Vishnu Purana frames ordered transmission of sacred knowledge as part of cosmic governance—dharma and Veda endure as facets of the universal order upheld by Vishnu.