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Shakhas of the Rigveda as mentioned in the Puranas [puranesu nirdista rgvedasya sakhah] / By Dr. Ganga Sagar Rai, M.A., Ph.D., Research Assistant, Purana-Department, All-India Kashiraj Trust. / 97-112

[ srasmin nibandhe puranesu nirdistanam rgvedasakhanam vibhaga- visayakam gavesanatmakamadhyayanam prastutam | rgvedasakha samkhyavisaye matanyanekani prapyante | mahabhasye, kurmapurane, muktikopanisadi, ahirbudhnyasamhitayam, mahabharate, prapancahrdaye caikavimsatih sakha nirdistah santi, kintu saunakacaranavyuhe panca srathavaranacaranavyuhe sapta tatha anubhasye caturvimsatih sakha ullikhitah santi | yad rgvedasakha samkhyanam iyatta kada'pi nasiditi | atah pratiyate lekhe'smina pramukhanam sakala baskala mandukayana-prasvalayana- samkhayana- aitareya kausitaki saunakasakhanam pravarttanavisayakam varnanam varttate, puranesvanirdistanam bahvaca-paijya-vasistha- sambhavyasakhanamapi samksiptam varnanamatra pradattam | ] According to the Puranas the Rgveda was taught to Paila, by Vedavyasa. From Paila its knowledge descended to various Rsis and in this way, this single Rgveda branched into many recensions. However, tradition is not unanimous as to the number of these recensions. The number of the Sakhas vary from text to text. The Kurma-Purana gives the number of the Rgvedic Sakhas as twenty-one. The Caranavyuha of Saunaka gives the number as only five. On the other hand, another Caranavyuha, the 49th Parisista of the Atharvaveda, enumerates these Sakhas as seven." The Mukti kopanisat' and the Ahirbudhnya-Samhita' count it as twenty-one, which is 1. ekavimsatibhedena rgvedam krtavanpura | 2. etesam sakhah pancavidha bhavanti | 3. tatra rgvedasya saptasakha bhavanti | Karma-P, I. 52.8. ab. P. 13 (Chaukhamba ed.) Ath. Parisista, 49.1.6. 4. rgvedasya tu sakhah syurekavimsati samkhyaya | Muktikopanisat 5. XII. 8. 1

98 puranam- PURANA [Vol. VI., No. 1 confirmed by Prapancahrdaya. Patanjali also mentions twenty one Sakhas. With the Anubhasya this number rises to twenty four. Thus, it is obvious that these texts are not of the one and the same opinion in respect of the Rgveda-Sakhas. But the majority view is that the number is twenty-one. Owing to this diversity of opinion it is impossible to fix the exact number of the Rgvedic Sakhas. Moreover, all the Sakhas are not extant now, and the ancient tradition is also not consistent. In fact it appears that as they differed owing to their textual peculiarities, their number could never be fixed. An elaborate list of the Rgvedic Sakhas is given in the Vayu-Purana. It runs as follows : rco grhitva pailastu vyabhajattad dvidha punah | dvihkrtva samyuge caiva sisyabhyamadadatprabhuh || 24 || indrapramitaye caikam dvitiyam baskalaya ca | catasrassamhitah sisyanadhyapayamasa krtva baskalirdvijasattamah | susrupabhiratanhitan || bodhantu prathamam sakham dvitiyamagnimatharam | parasaram trtiyam tu yajnavalkyamathaparam || indrapramitirekam ta samhitam dvijasattamah | adhyapayanmahabhagam markandeyam yasasvinam || satyathava samagryam tu putram sa tu mahayasah | satyasravah satyahitam punaradhyapayad dvinah || so'pi satyataram putram putram punaradhyapayadvibhuh | satyasriyam satyadharmaparayanam || mahatmanam abhavamstasya sisya vai trayastu sumahaujasah | satyasriyastu vidvamsah sastragrahanatatparah || sakalyah prathamastesam tasmadanyo rathantarah | bapkalisca bharadvajah iti sakhapravartakah || 1. Cf. Its Veda - Prakarapa. 2. ekavimsatigha bahvrcyam | Jan., 1964] SAKHAS OF RGVEDA IN THE PURANAS devamitrastu sakalyo jnanahankaragarvitah | janakasya sa yajne vai vinasamagamad dvinah || 32 || devamitrastu sakalyo mahatma dvijasattamah cakara samhitah panca buddhimanpadavittamah || 63|| tacchisya abhavan panca mudgalo golakastatha | khaliyasca tatha matsyah saisireyastu pancamah || provaca samhitastisrah sakapurnarathitarah | niruktanca punascakre caturtham dvijasattamah || tasya sisyastu catvarah ketavo dalakistatha | dharmasarma devasarma sarve vratadhara dvinah || 66 || 99 Vayu-P., I. 60. 24-32, 63-66. It is interesting to note that these verses are also found in the Brahmanda-purana. Only a few names differ and some other additional names are added in the Brahmanda (I. 34. 24-33; 35. 1-7). It is also remarkable that the story of Sakalya's death at the sacrifice of Janaka is narrated in both the Puranas in identical verses. thus: The list of the Visnu-Purana mentions the gvedic schools vibheda prathamam vipra pailo rgvedapadapam | indrapramitaye pradadvankalaya ca samhite || caturdha sa vibhedatha baskalo'pi ca samhitam | bodhyadibhyo dadau tasca sisyebhyassa mahamunih || bodhyagnimadhako tadvadyajnavalkyaparasarau | pratisakhastu sakhayastasyaste jagrhurmune || indrapramitirekam tu samhitam svasutam tatah | mandukeya mahatmanam maitreyadhyapayattada || tasya sisyaprasisyebhyah putra sisyakramadyayau | vedamitrastu sakalyah samhitam tamavan ||

100 puranam -- PURANA [Vol. VI., No. 1 cakara samhitah panca sisyebhyah pradadau ca tah | tasya sisyastu ye panca tesam namani vai srnu || mudgalo gomukhascaiva vatsyah saliya eva ca | sarirah pancamascasinmaitreya sumahamatih || samhitatritayam cakre sakapurnistathetarah | niruktamakarottadvacaturtham munisattama || kraunco vaitalikastadvadvalakasca mahamunih | niruktakrccaturtho'bhrdvedavedangaparagah || ityetah pratisakhabhyo hyanusakha dvijottama | bapkalascaparastisrassamhitah krtavan dvija || sisyah kalayanirgargyastrtiyasca kathajavah | ityete bahuvrcah proktassamhita yaih pravartitah || Vismu-P, 3. 4. 16-26 The Srimadbhagavata sets forth the Rgvedic schools in the following verses: pailah svasamhitamuce indrapramitaye munih | baskalaya ca sopyaha sisyebhyah samhitam svakam || caturdha vyasya bodhyaya yajnavalkyaya bhargava | parasarayagnimitre indrapramitiratmavan || adhyapayatsamhitam svam mandukeyamrsim kavim | tasya sisyo devamitrah saubharyadibhya ucivan || sakalyastatsutah svam tu pancadhavyasya samhitam | vatsyamudgalasaliyagokhalyasisiresvadhat 11 jatukarnyasca tacchisyah saniruktam svasamhitam | balaka painavaitalaviranebhyo dadau munih || baskalih pratisakhabhyo valakhilyakhyasamhitam | cakre balayanirbhajyah kasarascaiva tam dadhuh || Bhagavata-P., XII. 654-59 Jun., 1964] SAKHAS OF RGVEDA IN THE PURANAS 101 Besides these Puranas, in which the Sakhas are mentioned in detail, the Devi-Bhagavata (II. 2. 45.), the Agni (270.2) and the Kurma (Purvardha ch. 52 ) also mention some of the schools of the Rgveda. detail. Here some of the important Sakhas are discussed in The Sakala-Sakha The extant text of the Rgveda belongs to the school of the Sakalas. Its importance, superiority and unbroken continuity may be judged from its survival. It certainly possesses some overwhelming qualities due to which it has been preserved. The authority of Sakalya, the founder of this Sakha is cited by Panini, Patanjali and the Asvalayana and Sankhayana Grhyasutras. The school of Sakalya is clearly referred to in the Puranas, where he is described as Devamitra or Vedamitra Sakalya. The RK-Pratisakhya, too, mentions him as Vedamitra Sakalya. According to the Puranas Sakalya was the son of Mandukeya Rsi. He learnt the Rgveda-Samhita and taught it to Vatsya, Mudgala, Saliya, Gokhalya and Sisira.' He is also stated to have been a pupil of Satyasrih and the founder of a Sakha. A story is narrated in the Vayu and Brahmanda Puranas about the death of Sakalya. During the sacrifice of King Janaka, there arose a dispute as to who was the most learned among those present. The prize was won by Yajnavalkya but Sakalya insulted him and was cursed. He died on the spot. A similar story is related in the Brhadaranya ka-upanisad. According to it, in the sacrifice of Janaka, the Videha, a discussion started between Sakalya Vidagdha and Yajnavalkya. Yajnavalkya said that if Sakalya was unable to answer his questions his head would fall down on the earth. Sakalya Vidagdha could not answer those questions 1. sakalyastatsutah svam tu pancava vyasya samhitam | vatsyamudgalasaliyagokhalyasisiresvadhat || Bhag., XII. 6.57; see also Brahmanda, II. 35.1 ; Vayu 60-32. 2. Brahmanda, II. 34. 32-57; Vayu, 60. 31-63.

102 puranam-- PURANA [Vol. VI., No. 1 and his head actually dropped on the earth. The thieves, mistaking his bones for something else, carried them away.' In the Mahabharata, Sakalya is referred to as a Rsi devoted to Lord Sankara and as having performed a mental sacrifice (Manomaya Yajna) for nine hundred years. Sakalya has three epithets : Vidagdha, Sthavira and Vedamitra. It seems most probable that these three epithets refer to one and the same person. The home of Sakalya: From the above mentioned discussion between Yajnavalkya and Sakalya Vidagdha, it is clear that Sakalya was present in the sacrifice of King Janaka. The kingdom of Janaka was Mithila, the northern part of the modern Bihar. So it may be inferred that Sakalya was the resident of Northern India. From the northern part of the country, the Samhita might have extended to the far distant regions of the Country. Five Sisyas of Sakalya: The Puranas and the other texts dealing with the Sakhas of the Rgveda unanimously hold the view that the Sakala-Sakha ramified into five sub-recensions. These five sub-recensions were founded by five Rsis who were the pupils of Sakalya. According to Srimadbhagavata-Purana Sakalya gave five forms to his Samhita. The Visnu-Purana, too, holds the same view. The Vayu and the Brahmanda Puranas are of similar opinion. Uvata in his commentary on the RK.-Pratisakhya quotes an identical verse." From the citations of the Puranas and other treatises it is obvious that the Rgveda in the Sakala school was divided into five Sakhas. The names of these five Sakhas are: (i) The Mudgala-Sakha (ii) The Vatsya-Sakha (iii) The Saliya-Sakha 1. Adhyaya III, Brahmana 9th. 2. Anusasana-parva, 14.100. 3. Bhag., XII, 6.57. 4. Visnu, III. 4.22. 5. Vayu, 60.65. | 6. Commentary on RK-Pratisakhya. Jan., 1964] SAkHAS OF RGVEDA IN THE PURANAS (iv) The Galava-Sakha and (v) The Saisiriya-Sakha 103 (i) The Mudgala-Sakha: The Mudgala-Sakha was one of the five subdivisions of this sakha. It is remarkable that when all the texts vary on the names of other Sakala-subdivisions they invariably mention Mudgala as a subdivision of the Sakala Sakha. The name of Mudgala occurs at several places. As he was the son of Bhrmyasva, he was called Bharmyasva Mudgala, In the Brhad-devata of Saunaka also he is mentioned as Bharmyasva Mudgala. The Puranas are well acquainted with him. According to Srimadbhagavata, Mudgala was a son of Bharmyasva and from him sprang the Brahmana family of the Maudgalyas. He was the father of twins-Divodasa and Ahalya. He was a pupil of Sakalya. Similar descriptions are given in the Vayu, the Visnu and the Brahmanda Puranas. In the Matsya-Purana he is regarded as the son of Bhadrasva. Here also he is described as Mantra-krt. It seems that Bhadrasva is a variant reading of Bhrmyasva or Bharmyasva which occurs in the Brhad-devata. The Valmikiya Ramayana is acquainted with a Maudgalya. In the Brhadaranyaka-upanisat a NakaMaudgalya finds mention. The Mahabharata is aware of a Mudgala or Maudgalya who was well-versed in Veda-vidya. He was one of the priests in the Serpent-sacrifice of Janamejaya." He was the resident of Kuruksetra. He went to see Bhisma lying on the bed of arrows," and is said to have taken a golden house from king Satadyumna." 10 The name of Mudgala occurs among the teachers of the Rgveda in the Asvalayana and Sankhayana Sutras. This Sakha has not come down to us in any form. 1. ganat mraza afajn a gavi a gmar Nirukta, IX. 23 2. Brhad-devata, VI. 46. 3. Bhag., IX. 21; 31-34; XII. 6 57. 4. Vayu, 63,60, 64; Visnu, III. 4.22; Brahmanda, II. 32.109. 5. Matsya, 50.53. 145. 103. 7. Adiparva, 47.6. . 9. Santi-parva, 47.9. 10. Ibid. 234.32 6. Ramayana, II. 73.102. 8. Vana-parva, 260.3,

104 puranam - PURANA [Vol. VI., No. 1 (ii) The Vatsya-Sakha: Nothing remains of this Sakha. A variant form of this name is Matsya (Vayu P.) which is a corrupt form of Vatsya. Reference has been made to it by Patanjali.1 He is also mentioned in the Mahabharata. He was present in the sacrifice of Janamejaya and went to see Bhisma lying on the arrows.3 (iii) The Saliya-Sakha: This is the third sub-recension of the Sakalas.. The name occurs in the Kasika-vrtti (4.2.114). The variations of this name are Khaliya, Khalayana and Khaliyan. The verse quoted in the commentary of RK-Pratisakhya reads it as Sarira. Nothing is available of this Sakha. (iv) The Galava-Sakha: The name of Galava, as the founder of a Sakha occurs seldom in Vedic literature. The variations of this name are Gokhula, Golaka and Gomukha. But the real name seems to be Galava. The reasons for accepting the name Galava are these: In the beginning of the Saisira-Siksa the name is given as Galava. In the Brhad-devata, Galava is referred to along with Sakapuni and Saunaka." In the Asvalayana, Kausitaki and the Sambhavya Sutras he is referred to among the Acaryas of the Rgveda. Galava was the resident of Pancala country and author of Krama-patha. (v) The Saisiriya-Sakha; The only existing Samhita of the Rgveda belongs to the school of the Saisiriyas. Saisiri or Sisira is mentioned in the Puranas as one of the five pupils of Sakalya. In the Puranas the name has some variations e. g. Sosareya. Panini mentions to the Sausari in the Ganapatha. The Puranas are not fully acquainted with Saisiri. They only know that he was a pupil of Sakalya. From the references of Saunaka it is obvious that he was fully aware of the Saisiriya Sakha. He refers the number of Anuvakas in the Saisiriya- 1. Patanjali on panini, IV. 3. 126. 2. Adiparva, 53.9. 3. Santiparva, 47.5. 4. Saisira-Siksa : mudgalo galavo gargyah sakalyah saisiristatha . 5. Brhad-devata, VIII. 38. 6. saumitri sausari srasuri ... Pagini-Gapapatha. Jan., 1964] SAKHAS OF RGVEDA IN THE PURANAS 105 Samhita. Further the Anuvakanu kramani mentions the number of the hymns in the Saisiriya-Sakha as 1017. The Baskala-Sakha According to the Caranavyuha of Saunaka the Sakha of the Baskalas is another major Sakha of the Rgveda. The Devi-Puranaza holds that the Rgved has only three Sakhas, viz. Sakala, Baskala and Mandaka. It seems that Baskala was the name of a Rsi who founded this Sakha. According to the Bhagavata and the Visnu Puranas, Baskala was the son of Anuhrada and Surmaya and disciple of Paila. He learnt the Rgveda and taught it to Bodhya and others. He also rearra nged the Samhita into four parts with the help of his four disciples, Bodhya, Agnimadhaka, Yajnavalkya and Parasara. He arranged three more Samhitas and entrusted them to Gargya. Kalayani and Kathajapa, all his pupils. The Bhagavata, further mentions a Rsi, Baskali, who was the son of Baskala, the author of the Valakhilya Samhita, who imparted it to Balayani and others. The other Puranas regard him as an Angirasa and Mantra-krt. Here, too, he is mentioned as a pupil of Paila. Four Sub-divisions of the Baskalas: According to the Puranas Baskala taught his Samhita to his four pupils. Great variation is seen in the names of these four pupils. None the less, these names could be fixed thus: Baudhya, (2) Agnimathara, (3) Parasara and (4) Jatukarnya. According to the Puranas Baudhya (or Bodhya) was a pupil of Baskala." In the Puranas he is designated as a Siddha. He was incharge of a RKSamhita. According to Panini Baudhya was the son of Bodha who belonged to Angirasa family." The Mahabharata, too, is aware of Bodhya Rsi who preached to king Yayati. His preachings were called as Bodhya-Gita.8 1. Verse 9. 2. Verse 36. 2 a. Devi-Purana (as quoted in gveda Poona ed. Vol. IV, P. 904). 3. Bhag. P., XII. 6. 54-5. Bhag., VI. 15. 14, XII. 6. 55; 4. Bhag., XII. 6. 59. 5. Bhag., XII.6. 12, Visnu, III. 4. 18. 6. Brahmanda, II. 34. 37. 8. antiparvan, Chapter 178. 7. Panini, IV. 1. 107. 14

106 puranam - PURANA [Vol. VI., No. 1 The name of Agnimathara occurs along with that of Baskala in the Brhad-devata.¹ Other variations of this name are Agnimatara, Agnimitra and Agnimadhaka. The fourth Subdivision of the Baskalas is Jatu-karnya. A grout diversity is seen about this name. Generally, the Puranas refer to the Yajnavalkya-Sakha as the fourth subdivision. Only in a manuscript of the Visnu-Purana the name Jatukarnya occurs,² In the Srimadbhagavata Jatukarnya is regarded as a pupil of Sakalya. A Jatukarnya was present in the court of Yudhisthira." Nothing remains of these Sakhas. The Mandukayana-Sakha According to the Caranavyuha, Mandukayana is one of the five Sakhas of the gveda. Panini has cited this name repeatedly. The authority of Mandukya is cited in the beginning of the RK-Pratisakhya. The Aitareya-Aranyaka, too, cites the opinion of Mandukeya. The Asvalayana and Sankhayana Grhya Sutras enumerate this name among their Acaryas." The Puranic tradition has shed some light on Mandukeya. It regards him the founder of a gvedic school. According to the Bhagavata, he was a Rsi and poet. The Rgveda-Samhita was entrusted to him by Indrapramati, who was a pupil of Paila. The Visnu-Purana also gives the same information." Matsya-Purana regards him as founder of a Bhargava-family (gotra-krt). In the Brahmanda-Purana this name occurs as Manduki." At another place the same Purana regards him as a pupil of Krta. In the Sankhayana-Aranyaka he is said to be a resident of Magadha. From these descriptions the antiquity of Mandukeya may be deduced. In the Aitareya-Aranyaka the name of Mandukeya occurs frequently in those parts of the Aranyaka which are unanimously attributed to Mahidasa Aitareya (the fourth and 2. Pt. Bhagavaddatta, Vaidika Vanmaya Ka Itihasa-P., 197. 1. Brhad-devata, 8. 85. 3. Bhag., XII. 6. 58. 4. Sabhaparva, 4. 14. 5. Panini, IV, 1. 10. 6. Ait. Ar., III. 1. 1; III. 4. 4. 7. As. Gr., III. 4. 4. 8. Bhag.; XII. 6. 58. 10. Brahamanda, P., II. 33. 6. 9. Visnu, III. 4. 10. Jan., 1964] SAkHAS OF RGVEDA IN THE PURANAS 107 the fifth Aranyakas are thought to have been written by Asvalayana and Saunaka respectively). Hence it is certain that Mandukeya preceded Mahidasa Aitareya. On the other hand, according to the Puranas Vedamitra Sakalya was a pupil of Maudukeya. Thus, it is also probable that the MandukeyaSakha was established earlier than that of Sakalya It can also be surmised that the Mandukeya is one of the earliest schools of the Rgveda. Only one text of this Sakha, called Manduki-Siksa is available. But in the opinion of Prof. Max Muller it is a later production.¹ The Asvalayana-Sakha In the Agni-Purana only two Sakhas of the Rgveda are enumerated, the Sankhayana and the Asvalayana. According to the Caranavyuha of Saunaka, the Asvalayana-Sakha is one of the five schools of the Rgveda. In the view of the VikrtiKaumudi it is one of the five subdivisions of the Sakalas. But this view lacks validity, as it is nowhere else included among the five Sakhas of the Sakalas. The word Asvala is referred to by Panini. Puranas have no adequate knowledge about Asvalayana. According to the Vayu-Purana an Asvalayana was the son of Sahisnu and incarnation of the Lord. Reference has been made to Asvalayaninah in the Matsya-Purana, where they are regarded as the Kasyapagotrakaras." The Mahabharata is acquainted with an Asvalayana who is said to be one of the sons of Visvamitra. No Samhita of this Sakha is available. But there are certain documents which prove the existence of a separate Asvalayana-Samhita. They may be summed up thus: (1) In the MSS. of Walker's collection, there is a work entitled Asvalayana-Sahhokta-Mantra-Samhita which contains the hymus as required for the Grhya of Asvalayana. 1. History of Ancient SKT. Lit., P., 75. 2. bhedah samkhayanascaika aslayanadvitiyakah | Agni P. 271.2. 3. sthiraka- brahmana-cataka-badara avala .... | Nadadih. 4. Vayu, 23. 213. 5. Matsya, 199. 6. 6. Anusasana-Parva, 4.54

108 puranam- PURANA [Vol. VI., No. 1 (2) Mahidasa, tbe commentator of the Caranavyuha, mentions the number of verses in the Asvalayana. Samhita. But unfortunately the commentators of the Asvalayana-Grhya-Sutra hold the contrary view. They are of the opinion that this Sutra is based on the Samhitas of the Sakalas and Baskalas. The texts attributed to Asvalayana are as follows: (1) The Srauta-Sutras of 12 Adhyayas (2) The Grhya-Sutras of 4 Chaptets, and (3) The Fourth Aranyaka of the Aitareyins. The Sankhayana-Sakha The Caranavyuha and the other treatises dealing with the Sakhas of the Rgveda mention the Sankhayana-Sakha among the schools of the Rgveda. The Grhya-Sutras refer to him among the Acaryas. Today in spite of the absence of its Samhita, the Sankhayana-Sakha has its own Brahmana, Aranyaka and Kalpa-sutras. It is to be noted that the Puranas are quite silent about the founder of this Sakha. In the Bhagavata some Sankhayanas are mentioned. They are regarded as sages of rigid vows. The Matsya-Purana, too has the same observation. It is the Agnipurana which mentions this Sakha.³ Many years ago Prof. Weber advanced the view that the home of the Sankhayanas was in the western region of India. Prof. Buhler held the same view. From a passage of Maharnava the idea advanced by Weber and supported by Buhler is well confirmed 4a. It is most probable that originally this Sakha consisted of the Samhita. The reasons for this are these: (1) In the Sankhayana-Srauta-Sutra XII. 10.15, such eferences are found as prove that either the Sutrakara has made mistake or his recension of the Rgveda was different." 1. Bhag., III. 8.7, 8 2. Matsya, 200.11 3. Agni, 271.2 4. Sacred Books of the East., Vol. II, P. 31 48. uttare gurjare dese vedo bahavrca iritah | kausitaki brahmanam ca sakha sankhayani sthita || Quoted in Caranavyuha (P. 33) 5. T. R. Chintamani, Kausitaka-Gr.-Sutra, Into. pp. 15, 16. Jan., 1964] SAkHAS OF RGVEDA IN THE PURANAS 109 (2) In the Sankhayana's Srauta-Sutra 12 mantras are found by Pratikas but are not found in the extant text of the Rgveda. It indicates the separate existance of the Sankhayana-Samhita. At present the Brahmana, the Aranyaka and the Kalpasutras of this Sakha are in existence. The Aitareya-Sakha No mention has been made of it in the Caranavyuha. But from the references in old treatises its existence is known. The verses quoted in the Sankhayana-Srauta-Sutra in full, occur only in the Aitareya-Brahmana. Hence, it is clear that they were attached to the Aitareya-Sakha The Indian tradition has tried to trace the name to Itara. Regarding the origin of the name, Sayana in his introduction to the Aitareya-Brahmana narrates the following story on the authority of Sampradayavidah there was a Rsi in the ancient time who had many wives and one of them was called Itara. He had a son Mahidasa by her who is mentioned in the Aitareya Aranyaka as Mahidasa Aitareya. He was negelected by his father, who showed more affection towards his other sons. certain sacrifice all his sons were allowed to sit in his lap excepting Mahidasa. Thereupon, his mother Itara invoked her family deity Earth who appeared at once in the assembly and offered a divine throne to Mahidasa and seated him on it. To Mahidasa enlightened by the boon of Earth, the Aitareya-Brahmana and the Aitareya Aranyaka were revealed.' At a The mantras referred to in the Aitareya-Brahmana are for the most part available in the present RK-Samhita. There are however, some which are not to be found in the Sakala recension. Hence, it may be concluded that the Aitareya recension was a different one. Oldenberg holds a different view and says that these untraced mantras are of later origin. The Aitareya-Aranyaka is divided into five Aranyakas. According to Sayana the first 1. Sayana's Introduction to the Com. on the Ait.-Br., see also the beginning verses of Sadgurusisya in his com. on the Ait.-Br. He mentions the name of Aitareya's father as Bharadvaja; a similar story is found in the Skanda-Purana, Kumarika Khanda. 52.27-45.

110 puranam - PURANA [Vol. VI., No. 1 three were composed by Aitareya. The last two are written by Asvalayana and Saunaka. The Kausitaki-Sakha It is a major Sakha of the Rgveda. It is obvious from the existence of its Brahmana and Sutra that this Sakha was not merely a sutra-sakha and it was widely followed. But unfortunately the Puranas are silent about the school of the Kausitakins. It is curious to note that neither the Puranas nor the Mahabharata has referred to it. But this school is mentioned in the Brahad-devata and the Asvalayana Grhya-sutra. At present the schools of the Kausitakins and Sankhayanas are combined together into one, and unfortunately the Samhita is totally lost. The Brahmanna for both the schools is one and bears the name of Kausitaki as well as of Sankhayana. But originally, as Lindner has suggested, both the Brahmanas differed. The Upanisads of these two Sakhas differ more widely. The Grhya-Sutras of the Kausitakins have been published. The Saunaka-Sakha In the history of the Rgvedic lore and in the development of the Rgvedic treatises Saunaka has an undisputedly high rank. Saunaka was a famous Rsi of Naimisaranya. Sadgurusisya tells a story about Saunaka according to which he was incarnation of Grtsamada. He composed a Kalpa-sutra which was based on the Samhita of the Sakalas and Basakalas. Asvalayana was his pupil and he composed his own Sutras. Being pleased with his pupil's creation he destroyed his own Kalpa-Sutras. No Samhita of this Sakha has come down to us. Panini has mentioned the Samhita of Saunaka. Ten works are attributed to him." The Bahvrca, Paingya, Vasistha Sambhavya and Sulabha Sakhas All these Sakhas have been mentioned in the texts dealing with the Sakhas of the Rgveda. But none of these is referred 1. Max Muller, History of Ancient Skt. Lit., pp., 120-122. 2. saunakadibhyaschandasi Panini, IV. 3. 166. 3. History of Ancient Skt. Lit., pp., 120-122. Jan., 1964] SdkHAS OF RGVEDA IN THE PURANAS 111 to in the Puranas. The Rgveda is generally described as Bahvrca. But there are certain references in the old texts which prove the existence of a Bahvrca-Carana. But in spite of these quotations and references nothing is certain about this Sakha. The Prapancahrdaya mentions the name of Paingya among the Sakhas of the Rgveda. According to the Mahabharata a Paingya was present in the court of Yudhisthira. In the AitareyaBrahmana the opinion of Paingya is quoted. In the KausitakiBrahmana Paingya has frequent occurences. According to Kumarila, the Dharmasutra of Vasistha was prescribed for the Bahvrcas. The opinion of Vasistha is quoted in the commentary on Parasara-Grhya-Sutra, A Sambhavya Sakha is said to be attached to the Rgveda. We have no acquaintance with Sambhavya Acarya. A SambavyaKalpa is mentioned in the Jaiminiya Srautabhasya of Bhavatrata. A Sulabha Brahmana is twice mentioned in the Mahabhasya. A Sulabha Maitreyi is mentioned in the Grhya-Sutras of Asvalayana, Kausita ka and Sankhayana. From these references we can surmise that this Sulabha-Brahmana was related to the Rigveda. No Literature of these Sakhas is available. Besides these Sakhas the Puranas mention some others which generally do not occur in the other treatises. According to the Brahmanda-Purana Sakapuni Rathetara proclaimed his Samhita to three students. To a fourth student he taught the Nirukta His four pupils are: Paila, Iksalaka, Sitabalaka and Gaja. The Srimadbhagavata has a different version. According to it Jatukarnya taught his Samhita along with the Nirukta to Balaka, Paija, Vaitala and Viraja. In the Visnu-Purana the names are: Kraunca, Vaitalika, Balaka and the Niruktakrt.' 1. Patanjali on Panini, IV. 2.66; IV. 3. 105. 2. Brahmanda-Purana, II, 34. 3, 4. 3. Bhag., XII. 5. 58. 4. Visnu, III. 4. 23, 24.

112 puranam- PURANA [Vol. VI., No. 1 table: The difference between these may be seen in the following Propagators' names. Name of the Brahmanda Purana Visnu Purana Sakapuni Sakapuni Bh. Purana Jatukarnya. Rathetara. Tathetara Iksalaka students. 1. Paila 2. 3. Sitabalaka 4. Gaja Krannca Paija Vaitalika Vaitala Balaka Balaka X Viraja In the Vijaya commentary on the Srimadbhagavata the name is written as Paingi instead of Paija or Paila. Nothing is known about these Sakhas. According to the Puranic tradition Baskala is mentioned as the teacher of the three other students (Baskala and his four other students are already mentioned). The variation of this name is also Baskali. According to the Srimadbhagavata Baskali collected all Khilas from all the Sakhas and made a Valakhilya-Samhita. This Samhita was entrusted to Bala, Nirbhajya and Kasara. The Visnu-Purana tells us that Baskala composed another three Samhitas and his three pupils were Kalayani, Gargya and Kathajava. The Vayu-Purana tells that Baskali, the Bharadvaja, taught his three Samhitas to three pupils who were sages (Mahatmanah) and qualified persons (Gunanvitas). Their names were Nandayaniya, Pannagari and Arjava. Similar data are seen in the Brahmanda-Purana in whose opinion these three pupils are Apanipa, Pannagari and Arjava.