Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c32.7

c32.7

Rigveda.³ Paila made two versions and gave them to his disciples, one to Indrapramati⁴ and the other to Vāṣkala. Vāṣkala made four saṃhitās of his version and gave them severally to his four disciples, Bodhya, Agnimāṭhara, Parāśara⁵ and Yājñavalkya. Indrapramati taught his version to Māṇḍūkeya; he taught it to his son Satyaśravas; he to Satyahita; and he to his son Satyaśrī. Satyaśrī had three great disciples, Devamitra Śakalya, Rathītara Śakapūrṇa⁶ and Vāṣkali Bharadvāja; and they established śākhās. Śakalya made five saṃhitās and taught them to his five disciples, Mudgala, Golaka, Khālīya, Vatsa and Śaiśireya. He was very conceited.⁷ King ‘Janaka’ of Videha performed a horse-sacrifice and a great concourse of rishis attended it. He offered great wealth (including slaves⁸) to whoever should be the greatest among them, so they challenged one another to discussion. Yājñavalkya, son of Brahmavāha, vanquished them all with his questions, and then challenged Śakalya with the penalty that whichever failed should forfeit his life. He answered all Śākalya’s questions, but Śākalya could not answer his single question and so perished.¹ Yājñavalkya then carried off the prize.² Śakapūrṇa Rathītara made three saṃhitās and also a nirukta. He had four disciples, Ketava, Dālaki,³ Śatabalāka and Naigama.⁴ Vāṣkali Bharadvāja made three saṃhitās, and had three disciples, Nandāyanīya, Pannagāri and Aryava.