Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 26
Chapter 150 — Manvantarāṇi (The Manvantaras) and the Purāṇic Map of Vedic Transmission
इन्द्रः प्रमतये प्रादाद्वास्कलाय च संहितां बौध्यादिभ्यो ददौ सोपि चतुर्धा निजसंहितां
indraḥ pramataye prādādvāskalāya ca saṃhitāṃ baudhyādibhyo dadau sopi caturdhā nijasaṃhitāṃ
Indra concedeu a Saṁhitā a Pramata e também a Vāskala; e este (Vāskala), por sua vez, transmitiu a sua própria Saṁhitā em quatro divisões a Baudhya e aos demais.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Alamkara","secondary_vidya":"Vyakarana","practical_application":"Serves as a compact record of śākhā/saṃhitā transmission (guru–śiṣya paramparā), useful for cataloging recension history and for traditional bibliographic mapping.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Ṛg-Saṃhitā transmission: Indra → Pramata/Vāskala → Baudhya etc.","lookup_keywords":["Indra","Pramata","Vāskala","Saṃhitā","Baudhya"],"quick_summary":"Gives a lineage note: Indra transmits a Saṃhitā to Pramata and Vāskala; Vāskala further divides and teaches his Saṃhitā in four parts to Baudhya and others. Practical takeaway: Vedic texts proliferate through authorized lineages and internal subdivision."}
Alamkara Type: Itihasa-parampara (sahitya concept)
Concept: Knowledge is safeguarded by disciplined transmission and structured subdivision; authority flows through recognized teachers.
Application: For students and institutions: emphasize teacher-lineage, accurate copying/recitation, and clear recension identification to prevent textual drift.
Khanda Section: Sahitya-shastra (Vedic textual transmission and Shakha/recension history)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A teacher-lineage scene: Indra bestowing a sacred Saṃhitā to Pramata and Vāskala; Vāskala then teaching four subdivided manuscripts to Baudhya and other students.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Indra in celestial court handing palm-leaf manuscripts to two sages, below Vāskala seated as guru with four manuscript bundles before attentive disciples (Baudhya and others), stylized clouds and ornate borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, Indra with gold halo presenting a manuscript, sages receiving with añjali, lower register shows Vāskala distributing four scrolls, heavy gold work on manuscripts and jewelry, rich maroon background.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, classroom-like gurukula scene with clear fourfold manuscript division, fine linework, soft colors, emphasis on pedagogical transmission and labeled bundles.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, celestial-to-terrestrial split composition: Indra’s court above, scholarly teaching circle below with manuscripts, ink, and palm-leaf bundles, intricate borders and naturalistic faces."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रादात् + वास्कलाय → प्रादाद्वास्कलाय; सः + अपि → सोपि.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: lists of Vyāsa’s disciples and śākhā expansions (adjacent verses)
FAQs
It conveys Veda-vidyā in the form of Saṁhitā-paramparā: how a Vedic Saṁhitā is transmitted through named teachers and how a recension may be arranged or divided (caturdhā) for preservation and teaching.
Beyond ritual and devotion, the Agni Purana catalogs knowledge-systems, including textual history—naming transmitters, recensions (śākhās), and methods of organizing Saṁhitā material—thereby functioning like a compendium of cultural and scholastic memory.
By emphasizing faithful transmission of sacred Saṁhitā knowledge through a lineage, the verse highlights preservation of śruti as a meritorious act (puṇya), supporting dharma through accurate learning, teaching, and continuity of Vedic tradition.