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
Kemudian putera Sukarmā menyusun Saṃhitā itu menjadi seribu pecahan. Dua orang muridnya yang berikrar besar menerima dan memelihara tradisi tersebut.
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.