Srimad Bhagavatam — Prathama Skandha, Shloka 21

The Appearance of Śrī Nārada and Vyāsa’s Dissatisfaction

Veda-vibhāga and the Need for Bhakti

Devanagari script

तत्रर्ग्वेदधर: पैल: सामगो जैमिनि: कवि: । वैशम्पायन एवैको निष्णातो यजुषामुत ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

tatrarg-veda-dharaḥ pailaḥ sāmago jaiminiḥ kaviḥ vaiśampāyana evaiko niṣṇāto yajuṣām uta

Translation

其中，裴罗仙人执持《梨俱吠陀》；诗圣阇弥尼教授《娑摩吠陀》；而唯有毗舍波耶那以精通《夜柔吠陀》而著称。

Synonyms

• tatra: there/in that context
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• ṛg-veda-dharaḥ: the bearer of the Ṛgveda
• ṛg-veda-dharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛc (प्रातिपदिक) + veda (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘holder of the Ṛgveda’ (ऋग्वेद-धर)

• pailaḥ: Paila
• pailaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); proper noun

• sāmagaḥ: the chanter of Sāma (Sāmaveda singer)
• sāmagaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāmaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• jaiminiḥ: Jaimini
• jaiminiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaimini (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); proper noun

• kaviḥ: sage/poet
• kaviḥ: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kavi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• vaiśampāyanaḥ: Vaiśampāyana
• vaiśampāyanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśampāyana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); proper noun

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय)

• ekaḥ: one
• ekaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• niṣṇātaḥ: well-versed
• niṣṇātaḥ: Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-√snā (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (कृत्: क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); ‘well-versed/bathed (in learning)’

• yajuṣām: of the Yajus (Yajurveda)
• yajuṣām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी) Plural (बहुवचन)

• uta: also/and
• uta: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uta (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थक अव्यय)

Purport

The different Vedas were entrusted to different learned scholars for development in various ways.

Characters & Entities

• Paila
• Jaimini
• Vaiśampāyana

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about how the Vedas were preserved?

This verse explains that the Vedas were safeguarded through division and disciplic succession—Paila carried the Ṛg Veda, Jaimini the Sāma Veda, and Vaiśampāyana mastered the Yajur Veda.

Why are Paila, Jaimini, and Vaiśampāyana mentioned in Canto 1?

They are cited as principal transmitters of Vedic knowledge, showing how sacred revelation was systematically entrusted to qualified sages for accurate preservation.

Practical application of guru-paramparā in modern life?

Learn scripture from authentic teachers and reliable lineages, emphasizing faithful transmission, disciplined study, and living the teachings rather than treating them as mere information.