Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 51

Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage

Devanagari script

तासां स चतुर: शिष्यानुपाहूय महामति: । एकैकां संहितां ब्रह्मन्नेकैकस्मै ददौ विभु: ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

tāsāṁ sa caturaḥ śiṣyān upāhūya mahā-matiḥ ekaikāṁ saṁhitāṁ brahmann ekaikasmai dadau vibhuḥ

Translation

ਹੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ, ਮਹਾਬੁੱਧੀ ਅਤੇ ਸਮਰੱਥ ਵਿਆਸਦੇਵ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਚਾਰ ਸ਼ਿਸ਼ਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਬੁਲਾ ਕੇ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਚਾਰ ਸੰਹਿਤਾਵਾਂ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ਇੱਕ-ਇੱਕ ਸੰਹਿਤਾ ਹਰ ਇੱਕ ਨੂੰ ਸੌਂਪ ਦਿੱਤੀ।

Synonyms

• tāsām: of those (Saṁhitās)
• tāsām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• caturaḥ: four
• caturaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• śiṣyān: disciples
• śiṣyān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• upāhūya: having summoned
• upāhūya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-ā-√hū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having summoned/called near’

• mahā-matiḥ: the great-minded one
• mahā-matiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘great-minded’)

• ekaikām: one each
• ekaikām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka + eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व-प्रयोगः (lexicalized) ‘one each’

• saṁhitām: Saṁhitā
• saṁhitām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṁhitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• brahman: O brāhmaṇa (O sage)
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन-पदम्

• ekaikasmai: to each one
• ekaikasmai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka + eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; ‘to each one’

• dadau: gave
• dadau: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• vibhuḥ: the mighty one
• vibhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Parīkṣit Mahārāja
• the four disciples (unnamed in this verse)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about preserving scripture through disciplic succession (paramparā)?

This verse describes a master carefully distributing distinct textual recensions to his disciples, illustrating how sacred knowledge is preserved and transmitted faithfully through guru-disciple lineages.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī mention giving one Saṁhitā to each disciple?

To show the deliberate, organized transmission of Vedic and Purāṇic knowledge—each disciple safeguards a specific recension so the tradition remains intact and accurately remembered.

How can this teaching be applied in modern spiritual life?

Seek learning from reliable lineages, study systematically, and share teachings responsibly—prioritizing fidelity to the original meaning rather than personal invention.