Long ago, the assembly of sages established a sacred rule: if anyone committed the sin of Brahmin-slaying and let seven nights pass, that sin would befall them, O twice-born. This decree was well known among the learned. Yet, at one time, only Vaiśampāyana transgressed this law. In a moment of anger, he struck his own young nephew—his sister’s son—with his foot, thus incurring the great sin. Realizing the gravity of his act, Vaiśampāyana turned to his disciples and commanded, “O disciples! For my sake, all of you must undertake the vow that removes the sin of Brahmin-slaying. Do not question this.” Among his students was the wise Yājñavalkya, who replied, “Revered one, what need have I of these twice-born, who are troubled and of little energy? I alone shall undertake this vow.” Hearing these words, Vaiśampāyana grew greatly angered. He said to 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, steadfast and respectful, 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, in obedience, Yājñavalkya vomited forth the Yajur Veda formulas he had learned, stained with blood and in their original form, and returned them to his teacher. Having done so, the sage departed as he wished. Those Yajur Veda formulas released by Yājñavalkya were then taken up by beings who assumed the form of partridges, and thus these mantras became known as the Taittirīyas. The disciples who, at their teacher’s command, performed the vow for the expiation of Brahminicide came to be known as the Caraka Adhvaryus, O best of sages. Yājñavalkya, ever devoted to supreme purity, turned his mind with single-pointed concentration to worship the Sun, desiring to obtain anew the Yajur Veda formulas. With deep reverence, he offered praise: “Salutations to Savitṛ, the supporter, the liberator, of pure radiance; to the one who is the very essence of Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma, the embodiment of the threefold Veda—salutations. Salutations to the one who is Agni and Soma, the very cause of the universe; to Bhāskara, who bears supreme brilliance and the great rays of Sūṣumna. Salutations to the one whose essence is the knowledge of time—of kalās, kāṣṭhās, and nimeṣas; to the one to be meditated upon, who is of Viṣṇu’s form, the embodiment of the supreme imperishable. He who nourishes the hosts of gods with his fierce rays, and the ancestors with nectar—salutations to him, whose very self is satisfaction. He who is the lord who creates and destroys snow, water, heat, and rain—salutations to Sūrya, the creator, who is the form of the three times. He alone dispels the darkness, he is the awakener of this world; the god who upholds the abode of existence—salutations to that Vivasvat. No one is fit for righteous acts, nor is water a cause of purity, when he has not risen; to that god, the creator, salutations. When the world is touched by his rays, it becomes fit for action; to him, the pure self, who is the cause of purity, salutations. Salutations to Savitṛ, to Sūrya, to Bhāskara, to Vivasvat; to Āditya, the primal being, to the foremost of the gods—salutations, salutations. I bow to him whose golden chariot is borne by rays that carry nectar, who is the eye that illuminates the worlds.” As Yājñavalkya offered these and other hymns, the Sun, pleased with his devotion, appeared before him in the form of a radiant horse and spoke, “Choose whatever you desire.” Yājñavalkya, bowing low in humility, requested, “Grant me those Yajur Veda formulas which are not with my teacher.” Thus addressed, the blessed Sun bestowed upon him those Yajur Veda formulas, called the Ayātayāma, which his former teacher had not possessed. O best of the twice-born, these mantras, learned by the Brahmins, were taught by Vājina, from whom the Sun-horsed tradition arose. O most fortunate one, there are fifteen branches of the Vājinas; the Kāṇva and others, initiated by Yājñavalkya, are well known among the learned. Now, O Maitreya, listen as I recount how the Sāma Veda was divided. Jaimini, the disciple of Vyāsa, divided the tree of the Sāma Veda in succession. His sons were Sumantu and Sukarmā, both great sages, and each studied one Saṃhitā. Sukarmā, son of Sumantu, created a thousand divisions of the Saṃhitā, and two wise disciples received them. These disciples were Hiraṇyanābha of the Kauśalya lineage and Pauṣpiñji. From them, the northern singers of Sāma are remembered as fifteen. The Saṃhitās received from Hiraṇyanābha are also called the eastern singers of Sāma by the learned. The disciples of Pauṣpiñji—Lokākṣi, Kuthumi, Kusīdi, Laṅgali, and others—greatly multiplied the Saṃhitās. Hiraṇyanābha’s own disciple taught twenty-four Saṃhitās to accomplished students, and by their efforts, the Sāma Veda flourished with many branches. Now, let me speak of the Atharva Veda. Sumantu, radiant in wisdom, taught it to his disciple Kabandha, who in turn firmly transmitted it to Devadarśa and Pathya. Devadarśa’s disciples were Maudaga, Brahmabali, Śaukyāyani, Pippalāda, and another eminent sage. Pathya had three disciples—Jājāli, Kumuda, and Śaunaka—by whom the Saṃhitās were divided. Śaunaka, having firmly established the tradition, gave one Saṃhitā to Babhrava and the second to Saundhavāyana. The Saindhava and Mūñjikeśa further divided the established Saṃhitā into three, as did the Nakṣatrakalpa and other Saṃhitās of the Vedas. The fourth is Āṅgirasa, and the fifth is Śāntikalpa; these are the foremost among the Atharvaṇa, the great arrangers of the Saṃhitās. Thus, O Maitreya, the branches of the sacred Vedas grew and flourished, preserved by devoted sages and their disciples through the ages.