कथं वेदाः पुनर्व्यस्तास्तन्नो ब्रूहि महामते
How were the Vedas again scattered? Tell us that, O greatly wise one.
ब्रह्मा मनुमुवाचेदं रक्षवेदं महामते
Brahmā spoke this to Manu: 'Protect the Veda, O greatly wise one.'
संवृता युगदोषेण सर्वे चैव यथाक्रमम्
All were concealed due to the fault of the age, each in its own order.
दशसाहस्रभागेन ह्यवशिष्टं कृतोदितम्
Only a ten-thousandth part remained, as declared in the Kṛta age.
वेदक्रिया हि कार्याः स्युर्माभूद्वेदविनाशनम्
Vedic rites must indeed be performed, lest the destruction of the Veda occur.
यज्ञे नष्टे वेदनाशस्ततः सर्वं प्रणश्यति
When sacrifice is lost, the Veda is destroyed; then, all is utterly lost.
पुनर्दशगुणः कृष्णो यज्ञो वै सर्वकामधुक्
Again, the sacrifice performed by Krishna is tenfold and grants all desires.
वेदमेकं चतुष्पादं चतुर्द्धा व्यभजत्प्रभुः
The Lord divided the single, four-footed Veda into four parts.
तदहं वर्त्तमानेन युष्माकं वेदकल्पनम्
Therefore, I have established the arrangement of the Veda for you in the present age.
प्रत्यक्षेण वरोक्षंवै तन्निबोधत सत्तमाः
Understand this, O excellent ones, both directly and indirectly, as I declare it.
द्वैपायन इति ख्यातो विष्णोरंशः सनातनः
Vyasa, known as Dvaipayana, is the eternal portion of Vishnu.
अथ शिष्यान्सजग्राह चतुरो वेदकारणात्
Then, for the sake of the Veda, he accepted four disciples.
चतुर्थं पैलमेतेषां पञ्चमं लोमहर्षणम्
Of these, Paila was the fourth, and Lomaharshana the fifth.
यजुर्वेदप्रवक्तारं वैशंपायनमेव च
He made Vaishampayana the expounder of the Yajur Veda.
तथैवाथर् ववेदस्य सुमन्तुमृषिसत्तमम्
Likewise, the most excellent sage Sumantu for the Atharva Veda.
मां चैव प्रतिजग्राह भगवानीश्वरः प्रभुः
And the blessed Lord, the Master, also accepted me.
चातुर्हेत्रमभूत्तस्मिंस्तेन यज्ञमकल्पयत्
Thus, the fourfold priesthood arose, and he arranged the sacrifice accordingly.
औद्गात्रं सामभिश्चक्रे ब्रह्मत्वं चाप्यथर्वभिः
He established the Udgatri with the Samans, and the office of Brahman with the Atharvans.
होतृकं कल्पयत्तेन यजुर्वेदं जगत्पतिः
The Lord of the world appointed the Hotṛ with the Yajur Veda.
रा५स्त्वथर्ववेदेन सर्वकर्माण्यकारयत्
And with the Atharva Veda, he caused all the rites to be performed.
पुरामसंहितां चक्रे पुराणार्थविशारदः
Long ago, the one skilled in the meaning of the Puranas composed the Purana Samhita.
यजनात्स यजुर्वेद इति शास्त्रविनिश्चयः
Because it is used in sacrifice, it is called the Yajur Veda—so the scripture is determined.
शतेनोद्धतवीर्यस्तु ऋत्विग्भिर्वेदपारगैः
Endowed with a hundredfold vigor, he, along with the priests learned in the Veda—
ऋचो गृहीत्वा पैलस्तु व्यभजत्तु द्विधा पुनः
Paila, having received the Rig verses, divided them again into two.
इन्द्रप्रमत्तये चैकां द्वितीयां बाष्कलाय च
One was for Indrapramatta, and the second for Bashkala.
शिष्यानध्यापया मास शुश्रुषाभिरतान्हितान्
He taught his disciples for a month, those devoted to service and welfare.
पाराशरीं तृतीयां तु या५वल्क्यामथापराम्
The third was for Parashara, and another for Yajnavalkya.
अध्यापयन्महाभागं माण्डूकेयं यशस्विनम्
He instructed the illustrious Manduka, the highly fortunate one.
सत्यस्रवाः सत्यहितं पुत्रमध्यापयद्विभुः
The exalted one taught his son Satyasrava, who was truthful and devoted to righteousness.
सत्यश्रियं महात्मानं सत्य धर्मपरायणम्
He taught Satyaśri, the great-souled one, devoted to truth and dharma.