Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 64
Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage
देवरातसुत: सोऽपि छर्दित्वा यजुषां गणम् । ततो गतोऽथ मुनयो ददृशुस्तान् यजुर्गणान् ॥ ६४ ॥ यजूंषि तित्तिरा भूत्वा तल्लोलुपतयाददु: । तैत्तिरीया इति यजु:शाखा आसन् सुपेशला: ॥ ६५ ॥
devarāta-sutaḥ so ’pi charditvā yajuṣāṁ gaṇam tato gato ’tha munayo dadṛśus tān yajur-gaṇān
Yājñavalkya, fils de Devarāta, rejeta alors l’ensemble des mantras du Yajur Veda et s’en alla. Les disciples, les contemplant avec avidité, prirent la forme de perdrix (tittirāḥ) et les ramassèrent tous; ainsi cette belle branche du Yajur fut appelée Taittirīya-saṁhitā.
According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, it is improper for a brāhmaṇa to collect what has been vomited, and so the powerful brāhmaṇa disciples of Vaiśampāyana assumed the form of tittiras, partridges, and collected the valuable mantras.
FAQs
This verse describes Yājñavalkya (son of Devarāta) casting out the Yajur mantras, which the sages then saw—setting the stage for how a distinct Yajur tradition became available again.
In the narrative, it indicates he relinquished the mantras he had received, and the sages later recovered them—showing how Vedic knowledge can re-manifest through extraordinary events within paramparā.
Treat sacred knowledge with responsibility and humility, and honor authentic transmission—learning from qualified teachers and preserving teachings without distortion.