Upon hearing the wise words of King Janaka, the gathered sages—each patient and deeply versed in the Vedas—were stirred. Their scholarly spirits awakened, and they began to challenge one another, each eager to display their formidable mastery of the sacred texts. Voices rose, each sage insisting, “This is mine, not yours; so speak otherwise—why do you boast?” The air crackled with the energy of learned debate. Amidst them stood another, a learned poet and the son of Brahma himself. Born from a portion of Brahma, he spoke with a melodious voice, declaring, “Take this home, child; this is mine, there is no doubt about it. If any learned one is not pleased, let him summon me without delay.” His confidence echoed through the assembly. At this moment, Yājñavalkya, composed and serene, addressed the sages with a gentle smile. “Let us speak according to our ability, questioning each other in a thousand ways, with auspicious meanings arising from subtle insight,” he suggested. Those endowed with excellent qualities were also recognized as examiners of the king, setting the stage for a grand contest. All the sages gathered on one side, and Yājñavalkya stood alone on the other. Each sage was questioned individually, yet none could provide an answer. Yājñavalkya then directly addressed Śākalya, the disputant, and the wager was bound by the sacrificer and taken as agreed. Yājñavalkya spoke before the assembly, his attendants by his side, saying, “You wish to seize for yourself the great wealth of knowledge. Know that the strength of those devoted to Brahman is the vision of the essence of knowledge. O Brahmins, whose wealth is questions of desire, let us speak the question of desire.” Śākalya, hearing these words, was overcome with rage and fainted from anger. He demanded, “Now, speak forth the questions of desire that I have set before you, just as they are.” Śākalya then put forth a thousand questions, complete in every respect. Without dispute, Yājñavalkya answered him. In this debate for a wager, it was understood that death would come to whichever of the two speakers was defeated—whether it be on the principal path of the inner self or the way of meditation. Śākalya, unable to comprehend the depth of the discourse, met his death in this contest. Thus, a great debate arose among those seekers of knowledge and wealth. After the debate, the self-controlled Yājñavalkya returned to his own pure home, surrounded by his disciples. The wise knower of the Veda then composed five collections. Among them were Khalīya, Sutapā, Vatsa, and Śaiśireya as the fifth. The best of the twice-born made Nirukta as the fourth. Dhīmān, Tabalāka, and Gaja were excellent Brāhmaṇas, and three noble disciples of Yājñavalkya were endowed with great qualities. The third was Ārjava; all were steadfast in austerity and firm in their vows. Thus, these many-versed collections were declared, set forth by these sages. Yājñavalkya himself proclaimed eighty-six auspicious collections of the Yajur Veda. Among them, one was abandoned by the great ascetic Yājñavalkya. Among all these collections, threefold divisions are described: those from the north, the central region, and the east, each of a different kind. Asuri is remembered as the foremost founder of the tradition in the central region. In this way, the wisdom and traditions of the Vedas were preserved and passed down, through debate, devotion, and the steadfast pursuit of knowledge.