Parāśara began his account by describing the profound nature of the Veda. The Supreme Being, who is the very embodiment of the Veda itself, divides and multiplies the Veda into countless branches. This Blessed One, free from all attachment, is the source and form of knowledge in every branch, and thus the Veda becomes manifold. He explained that originally, the Veda was fourfold, consisting of one hundred thousand verses, and from this vast Vedic reservoir arose the entire sacrificial tradition, ten times greater, which is the essence of all sacred chants. In the twenty-eighth cycle of time, Parāśara’s own son, the great sage Vyāsa, divided this singular fourfold Veda into four distinct parts. Just as Vyāsa performed this division, so too had all previous Vyāsas, including Parāśara himself, undertaken the same task. Therefore, Parāśara urged Maitreya, the best among the twice-born, to understand the divisions and branches of the Vedas, which have been established in all four ages. Parāśara then revealed a deeper truth: Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, dark-complexioned and renowned, is none other than Nārāyaṇa, the Lord Himself. “For who else on earth,” he asked Maitreya, “could have authored the Mahābhārata?” It was Vyāsa, his own great-souled son, who divided the Vedas during the Dvāpara age, and Parāśara invited Maitreya to listen to how this division took place. Commanded by Brahmā, Vyāsa began the division of the Vedas, taking four disciples who had already mastered them. The great sage entrusted Paila with the Ṛgveda, Vaiśampāyana with the Yajurveda, Jaimini with the Sāmaveda, and Sumantu with the Atharvaveda. Additionally, Vyāsa took Romaharṣaṇa, the Sūta, as a disciple for the Itihāsa and Purāṇas. Originally, there was only one Yajurveda, but Vyāsa divided it into four parts, from which the fourfold priesthood arose, and then he performed the sacrifice. He assigned the office of Adhvaryu to those reciting Yajus mantras, Hotṛ to those reciting Ṛg mantras, Udgātṛ to those reciting Sāma mantras, and Brāhmaṇa to those reciting Atharva mantras. Thus, the Ṛg mantras became the Ṛgveda, the Yajus mantras became the Yajurveda, and the Sāma mantras became the Sāmaveda. Through the Atharvaveda, the Lord established all royal rituals and the office of Brāhmaṇa as was fitting. In this way, Vyāsa divided the great Veda tree, and from its trunk arose the fourfold Veda, like branches spreading out. Parāśara continued, explaining that Paila first divided the Ṛgveda into two collections, giving one to Indrapramati and the other to Bāskala. Bāskala’s collection was then further divided into four parts, which he gave to his disciples, beginning with Baudha. Baudhya, Agnimaṭhara, Uddālaka, Yājñavalkya, and Parāśara each took up their own branch from that school. Indrapramati taught the Saṃhitā to his son, Māṇḍūkāya, and from his disciples and their disciples, that Saṃhitā was studied and propagated. Indrapramati composed five Saṃhitās, which he gave to his disciples: Mudugala, Gomukha, Vātsya, Śālīya, and Śiśira. Śākapūrṇi composed three Saṃhitās, and the noble sage Ujvatu created the Nirukta. Krauñca, Vaitālika, and the wise Balāka were the creators of the Nirukta, learned in the Veda and its ancillary sciences. From these branches arose further sub-branches, and Bāskali composed three other Saṃhitās. His disciples were Kālāyani, Gārgya, and Kathājava. Thus, the many Saṃhitās were described, along with those who set them forth. Turning to the Yajurveda, Parāśara recounted that the wise Vaiśampāyana, a disciple of Vyāsa, composed twenty-seven branches of the Yajur Veda and gave them to his disciples, who received them in succession. Among them was Yājñavalkya, the son of Brahmarāta, learned in righteousness and devoted to his teacher. Yet, Yājñavalkya would not attend the assembly on Mahāmeru that day, for after seven nights he would incur the sin of Brahmin-slaying—a rule previously established by the assembly of sages. At that time, only Vaiśampāyana transgressed this rule, striking his young nephew, his sister’s son, with his foot. He then commanded his disciples, “For my sake, all of you must undertake the vow that removes the sin of Brahmin-slaying; do not question this.” Yājñavalkya responded, “Revered one, what need have I of these twice-born, who are troubled and of little energy? I alone shall undertake this vow.” This angered his teacher, who told Yājñavalkya, “Give up what you have received from me, O one who has shown disrespect to the Brāhmaṇas. Since you speak thus of these Brāhmaṇas as lacking energy, there is no purpose for me with a disciple who disobeys my command.” Yājñavalkya replied, “O Bhattayā, what you have asked has been explained by me. You have sufficiently learned from me all that I know, O twice-born.” Thus addressed, he vomited the Yajur Veda formulas, stained with blood and in their original form, and gave them to his teacher, then departed as he wished. The Yajur Veda formulas released by Yājñavalkya were taken up by those who became partridges, and from them they became known as the Taittirīyas. Those disciples who performed the vow for the expiation of Brahminicide became the Caraka Adhvaryus. Thus, Parāśara narrated the sacred unfolding of the Veda, its divisions, branches, and the lineage of sages who preserved and propagated its wisdom.