Shloka 3
सामवेद–अथर्ववेदशाखाः, पुराणसंहिता, अष्टादशपुराणानि, विद्यास्थानानि
Sāma/Atharvan branches, Purāṇa compendium, 18 Purāṇas, knowledge taxonomy
साहस्रं संहिताभेदं सुकर्मा तत्सुतस् ततः चकार तं च तच्छिष्यौ जगृहाते महाव्रतौ
sāhasraṃ saṃhitābhedaṃ sukarmā tatsutas tataḥ cakāra taṃ ca tacchiṣyau jagṛhāte mahāvratau
Thereafter Sukarmā’s son arranged the Saṃhitā into a thousand distinct recensions, and his two disciples—men of great vows—received and preserved that tradition.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: How the Sāma Saṃhitā proliferated into many śākhās and how disciples safeguarded them
Teaching: Historical
Quality: authoritative
Concept: Multiplicity of recensions can coexist with fidelity when disciplined practitioners preserve each stream through vows and rigorous learning.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Respect diverse schools within a tradition while maintaining rigorous standards of accuracy and practice.
Vishishtadvaita: Unity-in-diversity: many śākhās serving one śruti-purpose resonates with the Viśiṣṭādvaita vision of plurality harmonized in the One Lord.
Dharma Exemplar: Tapas and vrata (austere guardianship of tradition)
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
It highlights how Vedic knowledge was systematized into many recensions to ensure accurate preservation and wide transmission across regions and lineages.
Through an explicit teacher-to-student chain: a successor composes/organizes the recensions, and vowed disciples receive them—showing preservation through paramparā rather than private authorship.
Even in a verse about Vedic transmission, the Purana’s frame implies that the stability of śruti and dharma ultimately rests on Vishnu’s sovereignty as the sustainer of universal order.